Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf

“In almost every town in America, there are places where strange things happen...” -- Dennis William Hauck, The National Directory of Haunted Places. When Richard found The National Directory of Haunted Places at a small bookstore in Taos, New Mexico, it was like finding an enchanted treasure map.  It seemed to promise a world filled with magic, all yours for the asking -- if you could find it.  Right now, Richard needs magic more than ever.  Under Siege 2: Dark Territory has come out -- but he still hasn’t sold anything on his own.  His options are fading fast -- and now there’s a baby on the way.  Maybe it’s time to grow up and leave childish things behind.  As Richard obsessively tears through The National Directory of Haunted Places, searching the country for ghosts, UFOs, Bigfoot -- and hope -- the walls start to close in on him.  Will cold, hard reality have the final word? Or will Richard somehow find the unmarked turn-off that leads to the shadowy land of dreams?  Links:   See Richard Hatem LIVE! The “Light in the Dark Tour” tickets and news are all right here! https://www.eventbrite.com/o/richard-hatems-paranormal-bookshelf-podcast-90573788253  And here! https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/events  Support RHPB on Patreon here! https://patreon.com/RichardHatem?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink  Get RHPB merch here! https://richardhatem-shop.fourthwall.com/?  Buy The National Directory of Haunted Places https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=national+directory+of+haunted+places&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313 Visit Santacafe https://www.santacafe.com/?y_source=1_MzI3NjAxMTktNzE1LWxvY2F0aW9uLndlYnNpdGU%3D  Visit L’Auberge Chez Francois https://www.laubergechezfrancois.com/ 

Astonishing Legends own Scott Philbrook joins Richard to find out everything you need to know about the upcoming RHPB “Light in the Dark Tour”!  Rich and Scott break it down for you: the cities, the shows -- everything you need to know.  PLUS -- Scott will be joining Richard live onstage in Washington, DC at Kramer’s Books!  Along the way Rich and Scott talk about Halloween, Haunted Houses, Happy Hour, heart attacks, how to pronounce “Long Island” -- and the Rocky Horror Picture Show’s “Time Warp” dance!   THEN: Richard talks with Leo and Janice Bartoldus, the RHPB fans who are generously hosting the final RHPB live show in Centereach, Long Island at their very own annual Halloween Haunted House!  They’ll fill us in on all the thrills and chills -- and cocktails! -- you can expect when you arrive at this very special event!   Links:   See Richard Hatem LIVE! The “Light in the Dark Tour” tickets and news are all right here! https://www.eventbrite.com/o/richard-hatems-paranormal-bookshelf-podcast-90573788253  And here! https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/events  Support RHPB on Patreon here! https://patreon.com/RichardHatem?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink  Get RHPB merch here! https://richardhatem-shop.fourthwall.com/ 

“I became aware of an amazing world of hidden, outlaw forces. A world in which miracles were everyday occurrences.” Hamlin Garland, Forty Years of Psychic Research. It started out as a simple challenge from a friend: travel the country testing psychic mediums and see if you can figure out what they’re doing.  Those words sent Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hamlin Garland on a 40-year quest to prove the existence of life after death.  But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, the most important answers have a funny way of staying just out of reach. Richard struggles to finish his final semester at USC and nothing is going his way. His scripts aren’t selling, his girlfriend Michelle is dating some other guy -- hell, he can’t even pass basic algebra.  If Hamlin Garland can’t succeed in his quest after forty years, what makes Richard think he can achieve his meager dreams -- especially when all the evidence seems to prove otherwise?  But then a friend shows up and throws down a terrifying challenge -- and it will only take five minutes.  Will Richard accept?   And if he does, will it redeem him -- or lead to the worst failure of all? Links:   See Richard Hatem LIVE! The “Light in the Dark Tour” tickets and news are all right here! https://www.eventbrite.com/o/richard-hatems-paranormal-bookshelf-podcast-90573788253  And here! https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/events  Support RHPB on Patreon here! https://patreon.com/RichardHatem?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink  Get RHPB merch here! https://richardhatem-shop.fourthwall.com/?  Buy Forty Years of Psychic Research here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/forty-years-of-psychic-research-hamlin-garland/21385301?ean=9798869324399&next=t 

“Premonitions are impossible and they come true all the time.” -- Sam Knight, The Premonitions Bureau What would you do if you could see the future?  Would you even want to?  Join Richard as he explores Sam Knight’s The Premonitions Bureau, in which British psychologist Dr. John Barker learns the hard way that the privilege of seeing around corners comes with an unusually high price tag.  Meanwhile, Richard has always seen his own life as a rollercoaster: a terrifying journey of sharp twists and turns and stomach-flipping plunges that feels like it will last forever -- but also like it will end too soon.  Travel with him backwards and forwards through time, from 2022… to 1977… and the year 2000… as he travels from childhood to fatherhood and back again, trying desperately to answer the biggest question of all: what’s going to happen next?  Pull down the safety bar and keep your hands and feet inside the car, because the answers he finds might just scare you -- to death. Links: See Richard Hatem LIVE! The “Light in the Dark Tour” tickets and news are all right here! https://www.eventbrite.com/o/richard-hatems-paranormal-bookshelf-podcast-90573788253 And here! https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/events Support RHPB on Patreon here! https://patreon.com/RichardHatem?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Get RHPB merch here! https://richardhatem-shop.fourthwall.com/? Buy Sam Knight’s The Premonitions Bureau here: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=sam%20knight&ch_sort=t&cm_sp=sort-_-SRP-_-Results&ds=30&dym=on&rollup=on&sortby=17&tn=premonitions%20bureau The movie Rollercoaster isn’t available to stream, but you can buy a DVD copy here: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Rollercoaster-DVD-Universal-Studios-Action-Adventure/1090301?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0  

According to Rogers and Hammerstein’s musical Oklahoma!, “The farmer and the cowman should be friends.”  Shouldn’t it be the same for the Fortean and the skeptic?  Is it even possible?   My guest tonight is Blake Smith, the host of the MonsterTalk podcast, and a self-described skeptic.  And I think you know how I take issue with a lot of skeptics and so-called skeptical arguments.  But Blake and I are friends.  Somehow, after a vulgar and insulting email blunder on my part, Blake kindly wrote back to me, a correspondence began, he invited me to be on his podcast, and the rest is history. The Fortean and the skeptic became friends.  I think the reason we’re friends is that Blake has an honest interest in all things paranormal, but he also came upon his skepticism in a very human way. He doesn’t use it as a cudgel to beat anybody down. And best of all, ridicule is just not part of who he is. Also, the guy he has an amazing book collection, he loves to drink port, he’s quick with a pun -- and he’s just an all-around great guy.   In this conversation we cover everything from Whitley Streiber’s Communion to the Heaven’s Gate tragedy; from exploding lightbulbs to snake-handling cults; and from “the hard problem of consciousness” to the one kind of paranormal experience that might change Blake’s skepticism forever. LINKS:  Listen to Blake Smith’s award-winning podcast Monstertalk here: https://www.monstertalk.org/  RHPB LIVE SHOWS are coming! Keep up as we add dates and locations at the RHPB website https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/  And find out about upcoming performances and buy tickets at Eventbrite!: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dallas-richard-hatems-paranormal-bookshelf-live-tickets-1520485967459?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawMAjP9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHv9pgzdQBIIpLfpidbEp2IzjboC0W1P-qf_l9kBsPY7aJHzO8jg-6rhKQEmQ_aem_-ogycSZIIOELXK6VHRuNMQ  Want to support the show? Join us on Patreon here https://www.patreon.com/c/RichardHatem?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link  Buy Richard Hatem’s Paranormal Bookshelf merch at https://richardhatem-shop.fourthwall.com/ 

Sometimes Christmas just doesn’t feel like Christmas.  It’s December 2001, and Richard is living alone, facing down his first Christmas Eve without his family.  But he’s about to learn that Christmas has its own magic -- and its own surprising plans for him… One hundred and fifty-eight years earlier, Charles Dickens changed the world with his story of another lonely man on Christmas Eve who ended up getting far more than he bargained for.  What Dickens didn’t know -- but Richard does all too well -- is that what he actually created was literatures most famous near-death experience.  Join Richard and Dickens as they each face down their Christmas ghosts -- and hope to wake up the next morning transformed… Notes & Links: You can get a copy of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol pretty much anywhere, but I highly recommend Michael Patrick Hearns’ The Annotated Christmas Carol where I got most of the information for this episode.  You can get it at AbeBooks here: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?ch_sort=t&cm_sp=sort-_-SRP-_-Results&ds=30&dym=on&isbn=9780393051582&rollup=on&sortby=2  Get the DVD of Albert Finney’s musical Scrooge here:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dvd-scrooge-ronald-neame/3719770?ean=0097361459745&gQT=0  Learn all about the GameBoy Advance Owen wanted so badly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQvSB3KBUIE 

It’s April 1975, and Richard is still that lonely, haunted little kid we met in RHPB Ep.1: Ghosts & Specters.  In fact, it’s just a few weeks later when, courtesy of Mrs. Fuller (the librarian who introduced Richard to his first paranormal bookshelf) that he comes across Monsters, Giants and Little Men From Mars by Daniel Cohen.  It seems like the perfect fit.  But then Darren McGavin shows up in Kolchak: The Night Stalker and shows Richard that some monsters can be defeated -- if you’ve got the nerve…   Flash forward to 1985 and Richard seems to have left all of his monsters behind.  But that summer, a very different kind of monster shows up way too close to Richard’s home, and nothing will ever be the same again…   Notes & Links: Sign up for Patreon and support the show, receive ad-free episodes -- plus monthly bonus content!  Join here: https://patreon.com/RichardHatem?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink  Grab some amazing RHPB merch here! https://richardhatem-shop.fourthwall.com/?  Buy Monsters, Giants & Little Men From Mars here: https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/isbn/9780440958291/  Discover Matt Monro -- the legend… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ6Tp-nna9I  Check out “Old Glory” -- The Bicentennial Condom! https://imgur.com/gallery/from-1976-one-time-old-glory-u-s-bicentennial-novelty-condom-YvTvpsi  Read Phillip Carlo’s in-depth book about the Richard Ramirez/Night Stalker Case. https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-night-stalker-the-disturbing-life-and-chilling-crimes-of-richard-ramirez-philip-carlo/7340915?ean=9780806538419&next=t

In Communion -- Part Two, Whitley Strieber tries to turn the tables on the “visitors” by inviting -- almost daring -- them to make a return visit.  Meanwhile, Richard and Matt Reeves (“The Batman”) work around the clock to perfect “Rolling Thunder” -- then retitled “End of the Line” and finally “Dark Territory” -- while the odds of a big sale fade more and more every day.  We all know that “Chance favors the prepared mind” and “Assumption is the mother of all fuck-ups” -- but will years of setbacks and rewrites lead to a happy ending?  Matt’s high school friend J.J. Abrams bestows some crucial advice (“Don’t be idiots”). But how will Whitley -- and Richard and Matt -- finally come to terms with a universe that plays by its own rules, and laughs at the notion of control?   LINKS & NOTES: Sign up for Patreon at the “Obsessed Fan” level by midnight June 30, you’ll receive a SIGNED AND INSCRIBED printed copy of your favorite RHPB episode!  Join here! https://patreon.com/RichardHatem?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink  Buy Whitley Strieber’s Communion here! https://bookshop.org/p/books/communion/18948208?ean=9798986205502&next=t Watch Under Siege 2: Dark Territory for free here!  https://tubitv.com/movies/589620/under-siege-2-dark-territory?start=true&tracking=google-feed&utm_source=google-feed  Patreon Donations help Write Girl -- learn more here!  https://www.writegirl.org/ 

Imagine being greeted in the dead of night by a small alien creature, running toward your bed.  This disturbing experience set author Whitley Strieber on a dark and devastating path that culminated in the publishing of 1987’s Communion.  Strieber’s life changed on the night of December 26, 1985 – and he has spent the last forty years trying to sort out exactly what happened. When Richard Hatem first stumbled upon the book Communion, he refused to pick it up.  But after two years of post-USC Film School misery, he suddenly found dark solace within the story of Strieber and his strange encounters.  As Richard struggles to find his writing voice, the story of Strieber’s frightening journey begins to resonate in strange ways.  And when Richard and his best friend Matt Reeves start working on the script that will one day become the Steven Segal movie Under Siege 2: Dark Territory – he learns that sometimes, friendship, humor and terrifying books can be the key to everything.  Join Richard as he navigates the rough waters of screenwriting, alien abduction – and tries to figure out how to make the great film Die Hard even greater (as if that were possible). NOTES & LINKS Sign up for Patreon at the “Obsessed Fan” level by June 30, you’ll receive a SIGNED AND INSCRIBED printed copy of your favorite RHPB episode!  Join here! https://patreon.com/RichardHatem?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink  Buy Communion here! https://bookshop.org/p/books/communion/18948208?ean=9798986205502&next=t “Heidi’s Frogen Yozurt” was a real thing! (But sadly, not anymore -- they’ve all been sold and no locations exists, even in Los Angeles).    BUT -- check out this article on the company’s founder Heidi Miller.  She sounds like a great person! https://www.donatelifefloat.org/si/participants/pages/2020-heidi-miller.html “Blockbuster Video” was a real thing! (But sadly, not anymore -- they’ve all been sold and only ONE LOCATION STILL EXISTS!).  BUT -- check it out here and maybe go visit if you’re ever in Bend, Oregon!  https://bendblockbuster.com/about/

Season 3 of RHPB starts in 2 weeks -- June 13th! Join Richard and his extra special guest, his wife Susan Lambert -- creator and cohost of the podcast 80’s TV Ladies -- as they tease Season 3 episodes, share DATES OF UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS -- and explore a very weird dream Richard had that might mean one of them is psychic! If you have location ideas for LIVE RHPB SHOWS, contact us at richard@richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com

On July 27, 2011, Richard Hatem came home from work to find a book waiting for him—Glimpses of Eternity by Raymond Moody. He remembers the date well, because it was also the day he got fired. And if you’ve ever been fired, you know the feeling: shock, relief, maybe  a strange sense of joy. It also ushered in a phase of creative revival and exploration, reminding us that the most unexpected transitions can open a door.  Raymod Moody knew a thing or two about that. At just 30, he became famous for introducing the world to Near-Death Experiences (NDEs), and eventually Shared Death Experiences (SDEs). SDEs occur when a healthy person gets pulled into someone else’s final moments, glimpsing the other side without ever dying themselves. As the kids might say, you bogart someone else’s death trip. Of all the supernatural experiences out there, Richard Hatem has only ever wanted this one. Because what if you didn’t have to be the one dying to get a glimpse of the other side? These moments blur the line between joy and heartbreak, where loss and hope mingle. Sometimes, the only way to find the light is by going through the dark—and if you’re lucky, you just might emerge on the other side with a new understanding of what it means to live. Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts for the next episode. Learn more about the stories, books, music, and more featured in this episode at: www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com  LksCVj3gWZOOUrgXqn64

Investigating Mediums by Julie Beischel, PhD. In this episode, join Richard Hatem as he cracks open Investigating Mediums by Dr. Julie Beischel. In her book, Dr. Beischel attempts a scientific exploration into the world of psychic mediums. What began as an academic pursuit for Dr. Beischel evolved into years of testing and research—none of which have brought her a dime. If that doesn’t convince you of her sincerity, maybe nothing will. But Richard’s own experience with mediums adds another layer to this book. Having undergone multiple private readings with mediums, it’s his first two we’re exploring tonight. The first reading left him with insights into his creative process and a sense of validation about his approach thanks to his spirit guides. But the second? It left him questioning everything. As Richard navigates the tangled threads of grief, creativity, and scientific inquiry, he invites listeners to reconsider what they think they know about mediums. So, mix up your favorite spirit, dim the lights, and prepare for a session exploring the world of mediums and their messages. After all, when it comes to the supernatural, sometimes the only thing more mysterious than the messages... is the messenger. Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts for the next episode. Learn more about the stories, books, music, and more featured in this episode at https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/ 

It's a SPECIAL RHPB BONUS EPISODE! Grab a drink, sit down by the fireplace and join Richard as he answers the questions you've been asking him since the show began!  From favorite authors to TV show plot twists; from Bible classes to the Sex Pistols; from cocktails to cats-and-dogs to cursing — he covers it all! And find out just how and when he'll be coming to YOUR city — LIVE.  Relax, get cozy — it's time to "create your own culture" with RHPB! Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts for the next episode. Learn more about the stories, books, music, and more featured in this episode at https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/ 

"The Other Side" by Bishop James A. Pike, with Diane Kennedy Part 2 We’re back on The Other Side, diving deeper into Bishop James A. Pike’s gripping search for a connection with his late son – and Richard Hatem’s high-stakes hijinks as a burgeoning writer chasing his dream. While Pike wrestles with the profound—and sometimes unsettling—realities of life, death, and faith, Richard takes a big swing of his own, trying to break into the world of television by breaking his way into the office of legendary TV creator Stephen J. Cannell. For Pike, the stakes couldn’t be higher as he navigated the fine line between faith and fraud. Did he uncover genuine evidence of his son’s spirit, or was he simply a grieving father, too willing to believe? The stakes also couldn’t have been higher for Richard, a teenager desperate to be seen—not just by his hero, but by the world as a writer.  As tensions mount in Pike’s spiritual quest and Richard’s personal life, each faces the uncomfortable collision of doubt, hope, and the pursuit of something greater. Join us to explore ambition, belief, and the light that emerges when we step into the unknown. Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts for the next episode. Learn more about the stories, books, music, and more featured in this episode at https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/ 

“I had heard of poltergeists – the spirit of a dead person causing some sort of disturbance in the house where the person resided before dying. For the first time I faced the real possibility that the source of all that had been happening could be my son – dead, but still living.” In this episode, travel with Richard Hatem to – “The Other Side” by Bishop James A. Pike, with Diane Kennedy. This book recounts the chilling experiences of Bishop Pike, an Episcopal leader who, in the wake of his son’s suicide, found himself crossing into a realm few are willing to acknowledge. In his search for an explanation, Pike turns to various mediums, paranormal experts, and eventually concludes that his son’s personality had somehow survived death. The haunting events that unfolded during these months left Pike—and those around him—questioning the very nature of life, death, and what might lie beyond the veil. But this episode isn’t just about Pike’s journey. It’s also about Richard’s own other side. When his girlfriend’s dad handed him The Other Side, Richard left it gathering dust on his desk for weeks. Why? Because he was stuck in his own emotional quicksand—trying to survive a long-distance relationship and all the teenage drama that came with it. Richard talks about his own experiences with love, loss, and how he found comfort in friends who managed to make him laugh when he felt like his world was falling apart.  Along the way, listeners will learn how grief, love, and the supernatural can unexpectedly collide, pushing us to rethink everything we thought we knew about the other side. Feeling more desperate by the hour, Richard finally decides to take a “big swing” to save himself – but will it work?  We’ll find out in The Other Side – Part Two… Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts for the next episode. Learn more about the stories, books, music, and more featured in this episode at https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/ 

This isn’t your typical Christmas story—but it is a Christmas story: one that delves into second chances, goodwill towards humanity, ghosts, and hope. And it’s true. Tonight, Richard Hatem brings you one of the strangest and most captivating tales he’s ever heard in Surgeon from Another World by George Chapman and Roy Stemman. It begins with a father’s devastating loss: at 25, George Chapman’s four-week-old daughter died. Struggling with grief and anger, he turned to spiritualism—hoping to connect with the beyond using whatever means necessary. What he found was unexpected: his mother, who had passed away when he was just five years old, reached out with messages of comfort and clarity. But that was just the beginning. George Chapman’s journey into the spiritual realm quickly deepened, leading him to encounter Dr. Lang—a once-living surgeon now communicating from beyond the grave. Even those who had known Dr. Lang—friends, patients, family—were absolutely convinced they were truly in contact with him through George. Every response and question from Dr. Lang shattered any lingering doubt, leaving listeners captivated and questioning the very possibility of life after death. For over 30 years, George’s interactions with these spirits defied skepticism and reshaped beliefs. This episode delves into how George Chapman’s experiences urge us to approach the inexplicable with an open mind and a spirit of curiosity. Subscribe now for more stories from Richard Hatem’s Paranormal Bookshelf, and visit richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com for more information on this episode and more.

As a special treat, Richard shares with you a sample of what's happening on his Patreon feed —an interview with Turkish ufologist Farah Yurdozu.  If you recognize the name, it's because she is the author of Love In An Alien Purgatory — The Life and Fantastic Art of David Huggins, which was featured on Episode 2 of Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf.   In this wide-ranging conversation, Richard and Farah talk about: Farah's grandfather's terrifying encounter with Reptilian entities in Baghdad; Göbekli Tepe; the theories of Jacques Vallee; the difference in alien abductions from America to Istanbul — and the very real possibility of alien/human hybrids.  Join us for a one-of-a-kind discussion — and find out what's happening on Richard Hatem's Paranormal PATREON!" Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts for the next episode. Learn more about the stories, books, music, and more featured in this episode at https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/ 

Losing your virginity, bargain-bin paperbacks, and phone calls from beyond the grave—just another summer in the life of Richard Hatem. This week, Richard dusts off one of his strangest books, Phone Calls From the Dead by D. Scott Rogo and Raymond Bayless. But before he cracks the spine, we a detour back to the summer of 1983—a tale of his teenage years, his friend Larry, his girlfriend Michelle,  and the he-didn’t-even-know-it-was-life-changing moment when he unearthed this book in a record store. It wasn’t just the title that grabbed him (although, let’s be honest, who wouldn’t pick up)—it was the creeping realization that these weren't your average ghost stories. Unlike EVP, where you call the other side, Phone Calls From the Dead flips the script. What happens when the dead pick up the receiver and call you? Only the 80s landline era could provide that level of existential dread. So, put your phone on Do Not Disturb, settle in, and get ready for a journey through life’s firsts: rejection, loss, heartbreak, success, the first taste of adulthood. And hey—if your phone rings halfway through? Answer at your own risk. Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts for the next episode. Learn more about the stories, books, music, and more featured in this episode at https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/ 

What do screenwriting, first dates, and electronic voice phenomena (EVP) have in common? For a teenaged Richard Hatem in December of 1982, it was the book: Voices of the Dead? By Susy Smith. Richard discovered something mind-blowing: you didn’t have to go anywhere to find a ghost. You just need a tape recorder, fresh batteries, and some time. With this knowledge, the idea of ghost-hunting went from a distant dream to an unnervingly close reality. Personal proof of the paranormal was right within Richard’s reach, finally. If only he was brave enough to seize it. But, like most teenagers, Richard’s attention was divided. He was also thinking about girls, first dates, and what to do with the rest of his life. Richard’s restless energy propelled him into these three pursuits that, while seemingly unrelated, all held the promise of discovery and validation. He was fueled by the need for answers and for understanding something beyond himself—whether it was voices from the beyond, the thrill of first loves, or how to eke out his creative identity.  As Richard shares his story, remember: the ghosts are already listening. You just need the courage to press record. Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts for the next episode. Learn more about the stories, books, music, and more featured in this episode at https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/ 

“Our first instinct was just sheer disbelief. We were trying to tell ourselves that it couldn't be real. It couldn't be happening. But it was.”—The Mammoth Mountain Poltergeist by Jenny Ashford and Tom Ross In this episode, Richard dives into The Mammoth Mountain Poltergeist by Jenny Ashford and Tom Ross—a book that’s part childhood memoir, part full-throttle paranormal nightmare, and less than 150 pages. But don’t let its length fool you, it may be the most important poltergeist story ever written. Tom Ross, who’s around Richard's age, recounts the terrifying winter vacation where his family faced supernatural phenomena that just wouldn't stop. Imagine the worst, most upsetting family trip of your life and multiply it by…a poltergeist. Richard first read this book in 2017, holed up in a condo in Mammoth during a ski vacation he’d rather forget. Fear has been a strange, and near constant companion, in Richard’s life. Yet, as he has discovered, confronting fear head-on can lead to unexpected revelations and personal growth. In this episode, he reflects on his own complicated relationship with fear, exploring how it can be both a barrier, a catalyst for change, and sometimes something you don’t have to take on. Join Richard as he faces down the paranormal once more, revisiting a story about fear, transformation, and how the darkness finds us all eventually, even if we’re not looking. Buckle up, it’s about to get weirder. Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts for the next episode. Learn more about the stories, books, music, and more featured in this episode at https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/