Who is HDKingsbury?

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my profile. In another life, I am a retired telephone company supervisor who now divides her time between two greatest passions – history and literature. I am actively involved in the Civil War community and am past-president of the Greater Toledo Civil War Roundtable. I am also fascinated with Ancient and Medieval history and am a card-carrying member of the Richard III Society, American Branch. In fact, this year (2009), two of my Richard III stories (both posted on this site) have been published in the journal of the Richard III Society of Canada.

In addition to a fascination with history, I am also a voracious reader whose tastes range from non-fiction to fiction, from first-hand accounts of Civil War soldiers, to Gothic Victorian literature, historical mysteries, and modern-day paranormal romances. I am particularly fascinated by the Phantom of the Opera phenomenon. My love of all things Phantom began many years ago when, as a teenager, I fell in love with Claude Rains as Erique Claudin.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Happy Birthday, Erik!

On September 23, 1909, a writer by the name of Gaston Leroux published the first installment of Le Fantôme de l'Opéra in Le Gaulois. The story ran through January 8, 1910, and was not much of a success, even when it came out in book form. There were times when it even went out of print. Then a man by the name of Andrew Lloyd Webber came along and wrote a musical based upon Leroux’s book. From that time on, sales of the book skyrocketed.

This year, Erik—the mysterious Phantom of the Opera—observed his centennial anniversary. To help celebrate this auspicious occasion, the members of The Write Stuff, an online community of readers, writers and lovers of all things Phantom (and of which I am a member), held a writing contest. This small book is the result of this contest, and a labor of love by all involved. Inside, you will find drabbles, ficlets and short stories that celebrate Erik in all his incarnations—from mysterious and monstrous, to romantic and fluffy. All you are asked to do is read and enjoy!

The book is available in paperback format or as an downloadable e-book. To order your copy, go to Happy Birthday, Erik! All proceeds from the sale of this little book go to support TWS.

Hooray for the launch of the Erik Plush Project, featuring Leroux's original Opera Ghost. That's right! You will be able to order your very own "Lerik"! Six Point Design has created a fan-designed Leroux Erik plushie. Only 250 of these lovable opera ghosts are being made by available, and orders are being taken now - he should get to you by the end of November. For more information about this Phantom Must Have, and to pre-order yours, visit the Erik Plush Project website.

Visit A Touch of History, my Zazzle gallery. Products feature historic and patriotic themes, and you are invited to drop by for a visit. In time for the holiday season, I have created a number of t-shirts, greeting cards and mugs featuring vintage Victorian Christmas and holiday designs.

I have also published several of my Phantom-based stories and they are now available on Lulu.com. Visit HDKingsbury's Storefront to see them all. I would also like to announce that my book Variations on a Theme of Leroux is now being offered on Amazon.com! To say that I am excited about this is putting it mildly! I also plan on making Treasures of Egypt available soon.

An invitation to my readers…

My good friend, MastersofNight has a discussion board, the primary purpose of which is to help and encourage writers. Though many of us are Phantom enthusiasts, it is not strictly a PotO board. The board is called "The Write Stuff." The Write Stuff Forum is built around the idea of writers and readers coming together to discuss and encourage the written word. We are an open community, not limiting ourselves to any one genre, and welcome fiction, poetry and other original works. We also engage in literary discussions, book, movie and stage show reviews; we crack jokes, share rants, try to solve the world's woes, and generally have a good time. If you have any questions about our community, PM me and I’ll be happy to answer them.

Phantom Variations

The Write Stuff has published a new Phantom of the Opera anthology, a collection of stories titled Phantom Variations: Tales of the Opera Ghost. For nearly a century, the legend of the Opera Ghost has thrilled readers around the globe. But there’s much more to his story than the brief chapter of his life written by Leroux at the end of his book. Phantom Variations offers readers an exciting assortment of tales based on Leroux's tragic character -- Erik, the mysterious man who lives beneath the Paris Opera. Contributing authors are members of this board, and will be familiar names to most readers of "phan phiction,” with stories varying from romance to horror, from fantasy to action and light comedy. Use the links below to check out previews, prices and to purchase.

Hardcover http://www.lulu.com/content/2720229
Paperback http://www.lulu.com/content/2719510

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the sales of this book will go to the American Porphyria Foundation. Our goal is to raise one thousand dollars for the APF. To date, we have raised over 500 dollars.

The Write Stuff: Home of the original, the only Ninja Death Beta Readers™. Accept no imitations!

Updated November 2, 2009