Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf

By: Astonishing Legends Productions
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  • Summary

  • “Go inside the mind of one of television and movies’ wildest storytellers…” Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf is a podcast that feels like discovering a secret diary. Every episode unravels the mysteries of a book from Richard's bookshelf and a story from Richard’s life, weaving together the excitement of the supernatural and the warmth of personal storytelling.
    Summerland Entertainment, Inc
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Art Biographies & Memoirs Comedy & Humor Literary History & Criticism Social Sciences
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Episodes
  • S2 Ep4: Voices of the Dead?

    S2 Ep4: Voices of the Dead?
    Nov 11 2024
    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/
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    46 mins
  • S2 Ep3: The Mammoth Mountain Poltergeist

    S2 Ep3: The Mammoth Mountain Poltergeist
    Oct 28 2024
    “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/
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • S2 Ep2: They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers

    S2 Ep2: They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers
    Oct 14 2024
    “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/
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    56 mins

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Profile Image for mdlarson

Addictive from the start!

We knew Richard Hatem was brilliant from his screenplay for The Mothman Prophecies. We knew he was entertaining and insightful from his numerous appearances on the Astonishing Legends podcast. Now with his own podcast that is a cross between a paranormal book club and a therapy session...we find out he's so much more and a little bit like each of us too! Five stars, two thumbs up, recommend to everyone who feels a connection to the spooky side of life!

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Profile Image for Benjamin Neusius

Entertaining listen

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this. It's like this guy is a professional writer or something!

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