Dreams can't be caught unless they are chased, and eccentricity is but a symptom of brilliance.
I interview extraordinary people who forge their own path, make their own rules, and live outside the norms of society. Together, we can learn from each other. Remember, foolish people keep making the same mistakes, smart people learn from their mistakes and successes, and extraordinary people learn from the mistakes and successes of both themselves and of others. That is what Dream Chasers and Eccentrics is all about!
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Ep. 115, Portals, Ghosts, and the Fourth Dimension, Tina Erwin and Scott Wells
You might remember Tina Erwin from the episode Ghost Helper Tina Erwin April 2024. She is a retired Commander in the US Navy who has had psychic abilities since she was a child. She is now know for helping ghosts, who she explains are souls trapped on Earth, pass on to Heaven. After last week’s interview with Scott Wells where we discussed his Ouija Board experience and his book "Marked by the Ouija," I thought I should have them on together to gain some more insight into ghosts, Ouija boards, and Scott’s experience. What follows is a discussion between the three of us, and it’s mostly Tina and Scott discussing what happened (in the story he told in the previous episode) and why and who the ghost might have been, and the dangers of Ouija Boards and Tarot cards and other portals. It is truly a fascinating conversation, so open your mind and prepare to take in some knowledge from another side of reality.
We talk about Ouija Boards and what they are, Scott's story from last week's episode, who Peter (the ghost in Scott's story) might have been, how ghosts gain influence over people, how the Ouija Board represents a portal to the dark side, how to properly destroy a Ouija Board or Tarot Cards, the Crossing Over Prayer, who the perpetrator might have been, how time works on the other side, sage, frequency, string theory, how to raise our frequency, karma, the importance of service to others and relieving suffering, and more.
Ep. 113, A Terrifying Ouija Board Experience, Scott Wells, Marked by the Ouija
Scott grew up in a small town in Idaho. When he was 16 years old, he bought a Ouija board. His friends got to it before he did, and while he was at work, they had an experience so terifying that they burned the board. This is just the beginning of a story so enthralling and scary that I got goosebumps several times during the interview. The book, "Marked by the Ouija," is based on this experience. I also scheduled another interview with Scott in conjunction with Tina Erwin, the "ghost helper," who I interviewed on this podcast 4/18/2024 (see episode here), which will be on the show next week (if all goes as planned). I'm expecting that Tina will have some valuable insights into Scott's experience with the Ouija board and the ghost he and his friends interacted with. This is a fascinating and eye-opening interview, however, it's a bit scary and might be unnerving. Scott stressed that the Ouija board is real and it's not a toy. He has developed a set of rules or protocol for safe use of the board. Using the Ouija contrary to the protocol, he says, leads to a negative experience which can include a spirit atttaching itself to your life. Scott also invites anyone who has had a Ouija Board experience
Ep. 112, The Creative Life of Robert Abele
Robert Abele is an artist who paints Cape Cod scenes in oils. He is also a master of cultivating a creative life, and a master of articulating what this means.
We talk about becoming an artist, being inspired by a teacher, trying to be a Disney animator, capturing a feeling of time, selecting colors, playing in the shadows, skills that cross over beteween the arts, cultivating creativity in life, sailing, whales, the source of creativity, the flow state, rituals, the comfort of predictability, saving brainpower for the creative act, approaching art with an empty mind, goals, painting architecture, the purpose of art, motivation, time and balance, working out of you blocks, love of painting, how painting is a superpower, tenacity, how creativity saved his life, and more.
Ep, 111, Hurricane Force, Tom Cunliffe
Tom Cunliffe is the author of the new novel Hurricane Force, which I read and loved. He has also written 30 sailing nonfiction books and is a lifelong sailor. He lives in England with his wife Ros, sails a Mason 44, and drives a 1949 Mk VI Freestone and Webb Bentley.
We talk about writing fiction vs nonfiction, sailing, navigating by the stars, learning to write without formal study, real and fictional bad guys, islands in the Caribbean, classic sailboats, dealing with storms at sea, writer's block, reading, and more.
Ep. 110, Author Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Pool Fishing
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett is an author, creative-writing teacher, and host of the podcast Writers on Writing. Her latest book "Pool Fishing" is a collection of noir short stories and releases Sept 16.
We talk about her book Pool Fishing, the genre Noir, breaking the law, making bad decisions, creating characters, setting and how it affects story, eliciting an emotional response, Stephen King, her father's secret other family, bad relationships, first sentences, writing and emotions, poetry, endings, collecting typewriters, ways of dealing with sadness, when writing surprises us, writing novels, writing in third person and first person, past tense and present tense, mistakes new authors commonly make, the importance of reading, practice, journaling, sailing, the Panama Canal, and more.
Ep. 109, Surf Noir with David Olsen of the Kelp Journal
David Olsen is the Editor in Chief of Kelp Journal, a boutique publisher of literature including surf noir and ocean-based literature. He also writes under the pen name Nik Xandir Wolf.
We talk about publishing and writing, what makes writing great, endings, Steinbeck, writing pet peeves, favorite books, the genre noir and how to define it, surfing and big-wave surfing, AI and our opinions on its usefuleness for writers, why AI is getting worse instead of better, the future of Kelp Journal and Kelp Press, more surfing, spearfishing, the value of stepping outside your comfort zone, superpowers, and more.
Ep. 108, Offshore Commercial Diving and Starting a Business in Panama, Tony Stead
Tony Stead was an offshore commercial diver, working on oil rigs in th Gulf of Mexico in the years before and after hurricanes Rita and Katrina. After this episode of his life, he started a scuba diving operation in Bocas del Toro, Panama. I met him surfing here in Bocas. He is one of the friendliest and most generous people I have met and is a good friend. His stories of commercial diving are captivating, and his advice for starting a business in a foreign country is valuable to anyone with that dream.
We talk about becoming an offshore commercial diver, the training and education, the work, the gear, the dangers, the incredible underwater scenery, the partying, blowing money on stupid stuff, the Shell Mars, his first dive, the benz, triggerfish bites, manta rays, how the work changed after hurricanes Rita and Katrina, the BP spill and how it changed the indusrtry, doing cocaine, moving to Panama and starting a dive shop in Bocas del Toro, getting sober, finding out who his real friends were, two big mistakes people make when starting a business in a foreign country, and more.
Ep. 107, Laura Stanfill, Writing and Publishing
Laura Stanfill is the author of two books: "Singing Lessons for the Stylish Canary," and "Imagine a Door." She is also the owner of Forest Avenue Press.
We talk about why she started a publishing house, the importance of local bookstores, the joy of publishing and working with authors, Forest Avenue Press, what makes a book great, her book "Singing Lessons for the Stylish Canary," a head injury that changed her look on life, publishing a book and the steps involved, how to tell when a book is finished, choosing an editor, writing a query letter, artificial intelligence and where to draw the line, creativity and how to cultivate it, the importance of play in creativity, wonder, her book "Imagine a Door," advice for writers, and more.
Ep. 106, Author Michael Stockham, Jake Fox: Ties that Blind, Writing Legal Thrillers, and Self-Publishing
Michael Stockham has worked as a big-firm lawyer for over twenty years after receiving his law degree from Cornell Law School. He’s a sought-after litigator and speaker. His award-winning legal thrillers include Confessions of an Accidental Lawyer and the Jake Fox series of legal thrillers, which begins with Jake Fox: Ties that Blind. His books have attracted over 2.5 million page reads, over 100,000 readers, and over 3,000 rave reviews. Confessions of an Accidental Lawyer is Michael Stockham’s first novel, and is inspired by a true story. A life-long lover of books, Michael received two degrees in creative writing: a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Mexico and a Master of Arts from Texas A&M University. Blessed by two grown daughters who are Clemson University Tigers, Michael lives in Dallas with his wife of twenty-four years, Kiersten, along with three dogs and two potbelly pigs.
We talk about learning to write, reading, lawyers, self-publishing, marketing books, the true story of a bankrobber in solitary confinement that inspired Confessions of an Accidental Lawyer, writing a series, using Scrivner and ProWritingAid, AI and whether or not to use it, AI in law, writing techniques, maximizing productivity and creativity, listening to songs on loops while writing, rituals, writing to an audience, eliciting emotions from readers, tips for aspiring writers, curiosity, and more.
Ep. 105, Author Peter Gooch, "Lips"
Peter Gooch is the author of the new novel "Lips." He was on the show last year for his debut novel "Seren." He is a painter, writer, and former art professor living in New Mexico. His short fiction has appeared in numerous literary magazines and online. Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, he holds an MFA from Western Michigan University. He resides in Corrales with his wife, Dr. Sharon Ransom.
We talk about coming up with the idea for "Lips," developing characters, overcoming fear to write risky material like sex scenes, writing technique and craft, favorite authors and their use of language, writing endings, the difficulty of writing happiness, the importance of having fun in art, finding a good space to write, cultivating the creative writing mindset, his upcoming book "AIX," and more.
