Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf

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/ 

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/ 

Richard picked up They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers while trying to crack the adaptation of The Mothman Prophecies during a three-week trip to New Mexico. He bought the book in the morning, started reading that afternoon, and by nightfall, the nightmares had begun.

Richard found the book at a time when he had one year to write The Mothman Prophecies screenplay—no deadlines, no structure, just finish the damn thing. Sounds like a dream, right? But that lack of accountability became its own prison, as Richard wrestled with the kind of creative pressure that can make even a family vacation feel like a ticking time bomb. Barker’s book echoed that same unsettling tension. It’s not about resolutions; it’s steeped in gnawing speculation, pulling you into a world where the only thing scarier than what’s inside a flying saucer are the shadowy figures working to keep the truth hidden

Beam yourself up into the saucer and explore UFO lore through the lens of the occult, government conspiracies, and the tortured relationships that shaped the field of ufology. And maybe, by the end of this episode, you’ll have your own answer to Barker’s question: are the saucers too ordinary to be interesting? Or is what you’ve learned about them too painful to even think about?

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/ 

“As we sat there, watching, she transformed into this huge beastly creature, similar to what people might call a wolf. Right there in the middle of our church. It stood on hind legs and rode a roar that would’ve made a lion cower.”—Monsters Among Us by Linda Godfrey

Are you the kind of person who thinks ‘roughing it’ means staying at a hotel without Wi-Fi? Then pour some champagne to get through this episode set, mostly in the great(ish) outdoors. Let’s just say Monsters Among Us by Linda Godfrey has Richard rethinking that ‘quaint’ cabin in the woods Susan’s been pushing him to visit.

In this episode, you’ll join Richard as he dives into Linda’s lifelong research and colorful universe, exploring a world where camping might mean becoming some creature’s midnight snack and not even the suburbs can keep you safe. During his trek, Richard uncovers the camaraderie and pancakes that fuel the paranormal community and the joy of exploring the weirdness of the world, together.

Ready to venture off the beaten path? Grab a flashlight, say goodbye to room service, and join Richard for a rollicking deep dive into one of his wildest reads yet.

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/ 

Join special guests, Scott Philbrook and Forrest Burgess from “Astonishing Legends” for Richard Hatem’s first-ever AMA!

Richard & Susan drop in with some important upcoming dates and announcements about all things RHPB, including a couple of SPECIAL UPCOMING EPISODES you’ll want to know about right away… Enjoy!

"Miracles may potentially occur when large crowds of people who share a similar worldview come together. Their combined faith and emotion may somehow become linked to the world around them. Miracles may be the result." –Miracles by D. Scott Rogo

In the final episode of Season 1, journey with Richard as he navigates the tumultuous landscape of his career and personal life, all while finding solace and purpose in the pages of both of his Miracles. As Richard grapples with the ups and downs of life, including the slow opening of The Mothman Prophecies and the heartache of divorce, Miracles emerges as his creative sanctuary.

But just when it seems like Miracles might be the answer to his prayers, Richard faces a devastating blow when execs seemingly reject the pilot, leaving him reeling. What will be the fate of Miracles?

This episode serves as a culmination of themes explored throughout our season – the power of belief, the comfort of books, and the ability to turn to creativity amidst personal turmoil. Through Richard's journey, we're reminded of the tension between being a believer and skeptic in our own lives and the strength found in embracing the unknown.

Join Richard as he shares the highs and lows of his journey, from the depths of despair to the heights of hope, reminding us that even in the darkest moments, miracles can still happen. Tune in now for the part 3 of 3 of the Miracles series.

“The exact same phenomenon can be investigated very differently depending on whether the investigator is a clergyman -- or a parapsychologist.” –Miracles by D. Scott Rogo

By September 13th, 2001 the world was changing hourly. Richard gets a call that the execs at Touchstone want to "re-approach" the original outline that he had toiled over for weeks. This is the kind of news that could undo a writer. But, the world was changing. Why shouldn't Miracles?

And it is in this moment, dear listener, where Richard finally remembers his unwanted book, Miracles by D. Scott Rogo. Although he had never read a word of it, now he was hungry for some inspiration to help him get through the rewrite. He learns that Rogo's approach in the book was to examine various infamous paranormal cases from levitation to bilocation, as a parapsychologist and not a priest.

As Richard was skimming (and let's be honest skipping) through the pages he realized that the disconnect he felt to the religion-heavy content was a solution to the problem he was having in the pilot. What if instead of a believer and a skeptic, of things being at odds...we had two believers. The same phenomenon is investigated differently depending on the investigator. This opened up endless opportunities for Miracles, from UFOs to haunted houses. All the things Richard loves. All the things we've explored this season.

As Richard navigates the rewrite, he confronts his work against the backdrop of genuine fear and a life boiling over with change. Join him on a journey through uncertainty, discovery, and the quest for understanding in this gripping Part 2 of 3 of the Miracle Series.

“It is my hope to show in this book that the evidence authenticating the existence of miracles is indeed so strong that its collective falsehood would be, quite literally, miraculous." –Miracles by D. Scott Rogo

All book people know this to be true: sometimes you find the book; sometimes the book finds you. And sometimes the book that you wanted to find got sold to someone in Delaware. The book that Richard Hatem found was Miracles by D. Scott Rogo. But the book Richard was actually looking for was Phone Calls From The Dead ” by D. Scott Rogo & Raymond Bayless. Right author, wrong title, and the bookstore (all the way in Dela-WHERE) had already sold the hard-to-find title.

This mishap felt like another unlucky blow in a continual, mortal kombat-level series of unlucky blows. But, Richard didn’t want to read it. Even when another Miracle came his way–this one a job offer to rewrite a movie script, Miracles, into a TV show. As the book version of Miracles lays forgotten somewhere in his house, he hurriedly tries to make the script he was given work for television. To be something that execs will love, will help his family, and maybe solidify his career.

In Part 1 of 3 of the Miracles series, Richard reflects on the curious twists of fate that led him to these kismet encounters with "Miracles," reminding us all that sometimes, the universe has a way of guiding us to exactly where we need to be.

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/

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/