Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf

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/ [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/ [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/ [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/ [https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/]

“The Saucers don’t interest me anymore. When Barker asked is that because you found out they were too ordinary to be interesting? Or because what you discovered about them is too painful for you to think about?”—They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers by Gray Barker 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/ [https://www.richardhatemsparanormalbookshelf.com/]