In this week’s instalment of “Author(ized) Accounts of the Paranormal and Unexplained,” D. B. Woodling, author of The Immortal Twin and The Immortal Detective, will tell us the story of a paranormal experience she had at an old opera house …
It seems I’m one of those strange people required to take a deep calming breath before switching on a light. Otherwise, the filament inside the bulb explodes. Every single time. Paranormal researchers believe there is a connection (no pun intended) between us “high-energy” types and those capable of interacting with ghostly entities.
My first paranormal encounter occurred in Leadville, Colorado while touring the Tabor Opera House. The building was dank and dark, the air charged with an almost tangible exhilaration. Musty, tattered draperies clutched the nineteenth-century stage and augmented the noxious scent of vermin excrement and the severe passage of time.
As I scrubbed the goosebumps from my arms and tripped over my two left feet, something tugged my hair, hard. Soon after, I suffered the kind of suffocating sensation I’ve experienced when trapped within a large crowd. Before me one second, beside, then behind me the next, the entity whispered nonsensical ramblings, interspersed with giddy contagious laughter. Simultaneously, an image appeared in my mind’s eye, one I assumed represented the apparition. The laughter intensified, then ebbed to an anemic chuckle once I reunited with the other tourists within the Actors’ Dressing Room. Where an old photograph immediately caught my attention–the subject an exact likeness of the image I’d envisioned earlier.
Fast-forward three decades and, as I’m writing this, it occurs to me the ghost of Tabor Opera House was my subconscious inspiration for Fane, the irresistible gay vampire in The Immortal Detective Series, which serves to reinforce my belief that life (and the afterlife) does indeed imitate art.
Author Interview
The Night Librarian: Wow, that was quite a haunting story! I have to wonder how many authors get their inspiration from the supernatural. Tell us, have you ever met any famous spooky authors?
D.B.: I met Stephen King on the set of Sometimes They Come Back, a made-for-television movie. Well, maybe met is a bit of a stretch. I was an extra and, between takes, I saw this weird dude standing alongside the sound equipment. I knew I’d seen him somewhere before but, unfortunately, never put it together until after I’d left the set.
The Night Librarian: I’ve never seen that movie, but I’m going to have to watch it and look for you in the background! Can you tell us about how you prioritize self care and wellness into your routine?
D.B.: I’m a multitasker (a spaz, according to my friends), so whether running or hiking, I’m also exercising the creative part of my brain, dreaming up unique plots brimming with diabolical characters.
The Night Librarian: Yes! Multi-tasking is a writer’s best friend. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
D.B.: Thin-skinned individuals and those expecting instant reward need not apply. Veteran authors regard criticism as a staple (some of it quite hurtful and not the least bit constructive). It’s extremely rare for a writer to “hit one out of the park” on a first attempt, which means rejection letter after rejection letter will begin to pour in. I revised my first novel five times over a ten-year period before the manuscript garnered a publisher’s interest. But if writing is something you love with every ounce of your being, absorb every scrap of professional advice that comes your way, and never ever give up. I’ll be on the sidelines, rooting for you!
Once the allure of impersonating celebrities began to wane, D. B. Woodling left the stage and turned her attention to writing. Credited with two historical fiction novels, Retribution: A Lover’s Tale and Shannon’s Revenge: Broken Promises, she then switched genres and wrote The Detective Mike Malone series.
Desiring the ultimate challenge, she added paranormal fiction to her resume and wrote The Immortal Twin (CamCat Books 2020). Three-headed dragons, undead historical mentors, and police investigations abound in The Immortal Detective (CamCat Books 2023) with plenty of chilling twists and turns.
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Equipped with supernatural powers, Detective Celeste Crenshaw questions her ability to placate her ancient mentors, and assist victims of crime, while denying her vampiric urges. Juggling an immortal lover, a caseload of unsolved homicides, and her new role as mother to a perpetually five-year-old undead child, she wonders if things can possibly get more hectic. When tragedy strikes close to home, she has her answer.
“…impressive vampiric worldbuilding [with] a fascinating cast.” ~Publishers Weekly
“A new, original, fresh, fascinating, and fun take on the Vampire genre. Exceptionally well written…” ~Midwest Book Review
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