Growing Up Haunted by Alexandra Holzer
***image1***Both my parents were huge contributors to my upbringing and who I am today. My father is the famed original pioneering Ghost Hunter of the 1960’s, Dr. Hans Holzer. As a child the paranormal was quite normal but growing up became quite bothersome at times. In middle school it was getting harder to have friends come over due to the fact of who my father was. Some parents would say, “I heard there are voodoo masks on the wall” while others would remark, “and ghosts too!” What did they know, I thought to myself. Over the years I learned that they knew very little indeed.
As I attended The Fashion Institute of Technology earning degrees in Fine Arts and Advertising Design, I learned that being creative fit me well and for the first time felt comfortable with Hans and his ghost chasing life. It wouldn’t be until recently that I grew a new appreciation the world of literature and the paranormal.
Through a spiritual awakening of my late aunt Rosemarie Buxhoeveden, it opened my eyes to a new world. Fascinated as a child with horror movies and anything that would scare me I began to dig into the past. Getting impressions of the afterlife became the norm whether it was with people I knew or were hearing about for the first time. Spirits seemed to give me a snapshot of their faces so I could describe and validate to the living. A very neat trick I thought to myself as they seem like performing magicians. Soon this kicked off my writing as I was told by my late aunt I needed to get back into writing. I would become well known one day. Taking this as a sign I threw myself into what was becoming a poorly written novella about my experience with Rosemarie.
***image2***I asked Hans for his agent at the time, threw it at him and waited and waited some more. Impatient as I can only be, called the agent up inquiring what he thought. His words seeped through my soul and about a minute or so of his negative remarks I bounced right back and said, “well what do you know? Thank you for your time but I’ll keep on it just the same!” This is the part of Hans in me. I am driven by nature and have a strong belief system in many things that we can and cannot explain. Who are we to assume it’s just us out here and nothing else that could possibly exist? That is a bit vain, narcissistic and shallow.
My mother, Catherine, is countess to the Royal Russian Family Buxhoeveden and passed along her artistic abilities. Any athletic capability she has went straight to my older sister. In school I went the way of the all mighty paint brush and theater as Nadine went right for basketballs, softballs and volleyballs. The one endearing quality the Holzer’s/Buxhoeveden’s all have… lots of balls! Looking to get into the movie business, must carry on where Hans leaves off. Visions, dreams and impressions leave my spirit restless while biding my time on earth.
For more information, please visit www.hauntingholzer.com