Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah A. West
Hi Hannah, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
From a young age, I was fascinated by the paranormal and otherworldly experiences. I always knew I wanted to work in a creative space. When I was 15, I received my first camera for Christmas – it was a Panasonic Lumix. That same year, I entered a contest for my favorite band at the time, “The Used,” and my video playing in a bloody bathtub won the contest. I got to meet the band and attend their show. This experience solidified my desire to pursue a creative path.
Growing up in a small coastal town in the South, having a “creative” career wasn’t the norm and was often frowned upon. Despite these barriers, I trusted my instincts and followed my own path. That path led me to the world of the paranormal. In fact, my first paranormal experience happened when I was a teenager after I bought my first Ouija board. I think it’s crazy how these are sold as toys. During a session with my best friend, we opened some kind of portal. The lights started flickering, then the power went out only in my room, and the board spelled “R-I-P.” A few moments later, my TV was struck by lightning. We ran out the house screaming looking for my parents. It was a crazy experience. For about a week afterwards, strange events continued, like the alarm beeping in Morse code and a large painting falling off the wall in an otherwise non-haunted house. This bizarre experience changed my life. I was terrified and wanted to get rid of the board but didn’t know what to do. I had heard stories about the dangers of burning or throwing it away, which could supposedly make things worse. So, my dad dropped it off at a local church.
Flash forward to ten years later, after graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in Telecommunications and Film. I moved to NYC and began my career in the TV industry. My first network TV production was on the show “Forged in Fire” for the History Channel, now on Netflix. I worked with the art department team for about a year before relocating to Los Angeles– where I’ve been for almost a decade now. I’ve freelanced for numerous TV shows, from “Naked and Afraid” in South Africa to traveling the country for paranormal shows like “Haunted Towns,” “Ghost Brothers,” and “Conjuring Kesha.” These incredible experiences eventually led me to create my own brand, “The Paranormal Lounge.”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey hasn’t always been smooth, but it’s been one hell of a ride. Growing up as an outcast in the South was tough, yet simple. While academics came easily, fitting in was a different story. Moving away from my hometown of Fort Lauderdale was especially tough during my teenage years. I always felt a bit too different to fit the norm. However, those experiences helped shape me into the resilient person I am today. Being open-minded led me to find an incredible group of friends who truly changed my life for the better, ultimately saving me from myself.
One of the hardest moments in my life was losing my grandma. She was a huge inspiration to me. She helped me embrace my true self. Losing her was a very challenging time but it also pushed me to live my life to the fullest. I miss her everyday, but I know she is here with me. I actually got a message from her last year which really impacted me and my siblings that witnessed this. We were sitting in the kitchen having lunch and one of the lights on the chandelier started flickering. It would stop and I said if this is you blink twice– on command it blinked twice. I knew it was her. We all did. It reassured me that she is at peace.
At my wedding on October 29th, 2022, I felt my grandma’s presence, even though she had passed away earlier that year. This Polaroid photo captures a special moment, and I believe she was with us in spirit. When we looked back at the photos, we noticed an orb in one of the Polaroids. Orbs in Polaroid photos are often thought to represent the presence of spirits or energies. Seeing that orb was incredibly comforting, as if my grandma was letting us know she was there, celebrating with us. This experience reinforced my belief that she is always with me, guiding and comforting me.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I work full time in Reality TV and I’m the founder and content creator behind The Paranormal Lounge, a brand dedicated to exploring and sharing stories about the paranormal and the spooky side of life. Through our social media channels, podcast, and various multimedia projects, we dig into haunted locations, paranormal phenomena, and horror entertainment.
I specialize in extensive research, locating applicable archives, historical context of locations discussed, and really just anything horrifying that may pique my interests. My content curation blends all things strange and paranormal with the daily lives of those equally interested.
I’m known for my expertise revolving haunted locations around the U.S. and the paranormal on-goings-ons that envelope it. As well as haunted events in Southern California.
I’m most proud of building an interactive and like-minded community that shares my passion for the paranormal. Reaching 30k followers was a significant milestone, and I’m particularly proud of the positive impact my content has had on fostering a sense of curiosity and adventure among my audience.
How do you think about luck?
My journey has been a rollercoaster of unexpected twists and turns, yet I’ve always embraced risks and seized opportunities. They say, ‘fortune favors the bold’ and I’d say I’ve been bold and fortunate throughout many episodes of life, maybe not all of them though. Regardless, each moment has played a pivotal role in shaping my endeavors/path.
Unplanned Opportunities-
The first big break I had was when I moved to New York City after graduating college. One day, I met a friend by the train station in Brooklyn. She took a chance on me and offered me my first long-term gig with the show Forged in Fire. We became great friends, and eventually, I even moved into her place. Everything felt so meant to be.
Unexpected Challenges-
When I first arrived in Los Angeles there were many unexpected challenges. From car issues, to roommate problems. It was a struggle the first few months. The first job in TV I finally landed after many weeks of looking, was as an “Associate Producer” on a True Crime show called I Married a Murderer. After almost a year of working there they ended up being a fraudulent production company and we never got paid for the last few months of our work. It was an incredibly challenging time. HOWEVER this led me to meet a wonderful supportive group of friends who were all impacted by this terrible experience. One who connected me with the production company Renegade83– and before I knew it, I was flying out to South Africa to produce Naked & Afraid on Discovery channel. This was a huge turning point in my career and really changed me in so many ways. It helped me grow into the person I am today.
Fortuitous Timing-
Meeting my husband, Justin! The best moment of my life. We’ve been together for 8 years and married for 2. I dragged him into the paranormal world as well and we both work full time as full time ghosties.
Pricing:
- N/A
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beacons.ai/theparanormallounge
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theparanormallounge
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paranormallounge
- Twitter: https://www.threads.net/@theparanormallounge
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@paranormallounge
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8825694/
Image Credits
