Paranormal author: ‘What I do is real’

James A. Willis was ahead of the trend.

If it’s gone bump in the night, haunted or been sighted in Ohio or Indiana, there’s a ghost of a chance James A. Willis has investigated it.

Before the Ghostbusters were called and the glut of cable TV spook chasers made the scene, Willis was checking out the paranormal in the Buckeye state and Midwest.

The co-author of the popular “Weird Ohio” and author of “Ohio’s Historic Haunts” and “The Big Book of Ohio Ghost Stories” and founder of paranormal research organization The Ghosts of Ohio will share “The Strange and Spooky World of James A. Willis,” Saturday, April 29, at the Heritage Center of Clark County. The event benefits The Humane Society Serving Clark County.

“The circus is coming to town,” Willis said jokingly. “I’ll share the best of the best of the places I’ve visited, play videos, audio, clips and pictures.”

Fascinated by the paranormal since he was a boy, Willis began his investigations in the early 1980s when it was out of the ordinary.

“Back then we were like weirdoes, odd people, which I kind of liked,” he said.

Willis believed things changed around 2000. A slew of shows doing investigations and exorcisms popped up on the Internet and television, the majority of which he doesn’t believe are genuine.

“What I do is real. I believe in ghosts, but I don’t know what they are. Nobody does,” he said.

Willis and his team do passive investigations and look for atmospheric changes, looking for answers. What’s unique about his presentation is Willis caters to the skeptics by playing audio and video of investigations.

“I let the audience decide,” he said. “If I use subtitles like they do on TV then it’s cheating.”

The audience here will also get the first preview of subjects in Willis’ upcoming book, “Central Ohio Legends & Lore.” He’ll also have copies of his other books for sale, as well.

A sought-after public speaker throughout the country, Willis agreed to do his presentation here for free.

He’s worked with Humane Society Executive Director Roger Ganley previously and believes in the work they do.

Willis and his wife have what he describes as a small zoo with three narcoleptic cats, a parrot who loves the music of Queen, hamsters and any number of other strays that may get abandoned in the area of his country home in Columbus.

Tickets are available at the Humane Society office, 5201 Urbana Road, or at the Heritage Center the night of the event. All proceeds will go to the Humane Society Serving Clark County.

Contact this contributing writer at bturner004@woh.rr.com.


How to go

What: “The Strange and Spooky World of James A. Willis”

Where: Heritage Center of Clark County, 117 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield

When: 7:45 p.m. Saturday, April 29; Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Admission: $25

More info: 937-399-2917 or www.clarkhumane.org

About the Author