S1 Ep8: Miracles by D. Scott Rogo – Part 1

07/01/24 • 37 min

3 Listeners

“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/

Previous Episode

S1 Ep7: The Amityville Horror Conspiracy

“I decide to do some investigating of my own. I don’t know it yet, but I’m about to begin one of the most complex investigations of my career.” –The Amityville Horror Conspiracy by Stephen Kaplan and Roxanne Salch Kaplan
Can you imagine if Richard Hatem wrote the remake of the Amityville Horror? Well, stop imagining it now because it would have deeply offended Stephen Kaplan, the co-author of one of Richard Hatem’s favorite books of ALL time: The Amityville Horror Conspiracy by Stephen Kaplan and Roxanne Salch Kaplan.
In 2004, Richard's agent pitched him an Amityville Horror remake. But here's the twist: Richard's not exactly jumping at the opportunity. He's still reeling from the cancellation of his show "Miracles," but he takes his agent’s reading list anyway because he is Richard Hatem, after all. One of the books he reads while in between shows is The Amityville Horror Conspiracy. If you’ve listened to the rest of season 1 so far, you may be confused as to why one of Richard’s favorite books is about debunking. And, while the book may be a masterclass on debunking, it’s also beautifully human, achingly real, and absolutely heart-breaking. Kaplan believes in ghosts but can’t stomach the hoax that he believes Amityville to be.
Join Richard as he navigates the choppy waters of Hollywood, from the heartache of canceled projects to the challenges of carving out his niche in someone else's production. In this episode of Richard Hatem’s Paranormal Bookshelf, truth is stranger than fiction...and Hollywood is stranger than them both.
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/

Next Episode

S1 Ep9: Miracles by D. Scott Rogo – Part 2

“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.