Episodes

  • Mysterious Area 51 andThe Skunk Works

    Mysterious Area 51 andThe Skunk Works
    Apr 22 2025
    Episode 60: Mysterious Area 51 and The Skunk Works In the mid-1980s, I was involved in a civil trial in Lancaster, California. Both sets of attornies came from Los Angeles. One of them was openly scornful of the northern part of LA county where the trial was being held. He loved LA with its chewable air, and Hollyweird. During voir dire, he took exception to the answers given him by several potential jurors. The Q & A went like this: Q-What kind of work do you do. A-I can’t say. Q-Why not? A-I can’t say. Q-Where do you work? A-I can’t say. Q-How many people work where you work? A-I can’t say. Q-What can you say? A-Nothing… about work. “Your honor, please instruct the juror to cooperate.” “Mr. Conrad, just accept my word and direction that I know where they work and what they do. You do not need to know. Go onto a different set of questions.” He muttered but went on. Everyone else in the courtroom had a very good idea of where those people worked: either at Area 51 or the skunk works, places as secret and mysterious as the dark side of the moon or the Manhattan Project. Many actual employees of Area 51 listed their occupations where legally required as “Nuclear energy.” One retired brigadier general always responded that he repaired typewriters in Las Vegas during his stint in the Air Force. ___________________________ ____________________________________________________ Join the Readers and Writers Book Club for a Spring Fling Facebook Event and Explore the Haunted Harding House: April 15 - 29 ________________________________ Check out the Author Masterminds Website ________________________________________________________________ Get to know the authors at The Readers and Writers Book Club ___________________________________________ Meet Carl Douglas, your host for Episode 60: Mysterious Area 51 and The Skunk Works My pseudonym as an author is Carl Douglass, adopted as a means of telling stories with gripping realism—the truth of which would not bring trouble to my door. My writing of gripping, realistic fiction began after I was obligated to retire from the private practice of neurosurgery due to sudden blindness in my left eye from a retinal detachment which caused loss of stereoscopic vision. I carried with me decades-long knowledge of doctors, hospitals, and institutions of higher learning, including some less than laudatory information. My military experience during the years of the recent unpleasantness in Vietnam also gave me considerable insight. Both of those lengthy experiences provided true grist for the mill of my writing, but neither of them need to connect the stories to the lives of the real people and places where the stories took place. In that sense, I know too much and have no wish to incriminate or to bring harm or embarrassment to real individuals or institutions. My rich and varied life has provided even more fodder to feed my mind and contribute realism to my written work. In my time, I have had to work due to lacking a sugar daddy. I have been a grease monkey, a lumber mill and forest worker, a lifeguard, a slaughterhouse worker, a diener in a morgue, a lab rat, an academic writer, a medical officer in a mental hospital, a naval officer and surgeon, a brig doctor, and a deep diving officer. I have been the husband of one fine wife, the father of four children—one deceased—eleven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. All of them have enriched the depth and breadth of my storytelling
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    41 mins
  • The Hex Hollow Murder

    The Hex Hollow Murder
    Apr 8 2025
    Episode 59: The Hex Hollow Murder Picture this: late November, 1928. York County, Pennsylvania. The trees are bare, clawing at a gray sky, and the air’s thick with the kind of chill that seeps into your bones. In a little farmhouse tucked away in Rehmeyer’s Hollow, a man named Nelson Rehmeyer is going about his evening. He’s tall, quiet—a farmer and a healer known to the locals. But not everyone sees him as a friend. Some whisper he’s more than a man who knows herbs. They say he’s a pow-wow doctor—a conjurer of spells, a wielder of hexes. And in a world where superstition runs as deep as the roots of the old oaks, that’s a dangerous reputation to have. _____________________ Join the Readers and Writers Book Club for a Spring Fling Facebook Event and Explore the Haunted Harding House: April 15 - 29 ________________________________ Check out the Author Masterminds Website ________________________________________________________________ Get to know the authors at The Readers and Writers Book Club ___________________________________________ Meet Mary Ann Poll, your host for Episode 59:The Hex Hollow Murder. Mary Ann Poll is the author of five Supernatural Thriller novels, Ravens Cove, Ingress, Gorgon, Dullahan, and Andalusia Forest. Sign up to subscribe for free information about upcoming events at www.maryannpoll.com and check out her podcast Real Ghost Chatter. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
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    17 mins
  • The Mystery of the First Broken Arrow

    The Mystery of the First Broken Arrow
    Mar 25 2025
    Episode 58: The Mystery of the First Broken Arrow Fat-Boy Bomb The U.S. military defines a “Broken Arrow” as an “unexpectedent involving nuclear weapons that result in the accidental launching, firing, detonating, theft, or loss of the weapon.” The first Broken Arrow event occurred in 1950 during a mission from Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska. Questions still surround this event and the mystery of what happened to the B-36 aircraft and the Mark IV atomic bomb it carried. Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada Sources Adams, Sharon. “The lost nuke of British Columbia.” January 26, 2022. Legion. Clearwater, John M. “The first one to get away.” November/December 2004. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Liefer, Gregory P. Chapter 12: “Broken Arrow.” 2011. Anchorage, AK. Publication Consultants. Roos, Dave. “’Broken Arrow’: When the first U.S. atomic bomb went missing.” January 13, 2020. History. _____________________ What Would You Do if Someone was Hunting You? _____________________________________________ Check out the Author Masterminds Website ________________________________________________________________ Get to know the authors at The Readers and Writers Book Club ___________________________________________ Meet Robin Barefield, your host for Episode 58: The Mystery of the First Broken Arrow Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net _____
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    28 mins
  • With all the Chaos Surrounding it, How Was the Alaska Railroad Ever Built?

    With all the Chaos Surrounding it, How Was the Alaska Railroad Ever Built?
    Mar 11 2025
    Episode 57: With all the Chaos Surrounding it, How Was the Alaska Railroad Ever Built? One of the greatest mysteries in Alaska – even though it is quite visible to the naked eye – is the Alaska Railroad. Every year, more than 400,000 visitors to Alaska ride the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Fairbanks with a stop in Denali National Park. And it is not a modest railway. It has 656 miles of track and carries 5.11 million tons of freight annually. It has only been owned by the State of Alaska since 1985, but before that, it was the only federally owned and operated railroad. ____________________________________________ _______________________________ Check out the Author Masterminds Website ________________________________________________________________ Get to know the authors at The Readers and Writers Book Club ___________________________________________ Meet Steve Levi, your host for Episode 57: With all the Chaos Surrounding it, How Was the Alaska Railroad Ever Built? Steve Levi is a 70-something writer in Alaska. He specializes in the impossible crime and the Alaska Gold Rush. An impossible crime is one in which the detective must figure out HOW the crime was committed before he can go after the perpetrators. As an example, in THE MATTER OF THE VANISHING GREYHOUND, the detective must figure out how a Greyhound bus with four bank robbers, a dozen hostages, and $10 million can vanish off the Golden Gate Bridge. Steve’s books can be seen at www.authormasterminds.com/steve-levi and www.steverlevibooks.com. He also does two historical uploads a week. Send Steve your email, and he will include it in the mailings.
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    29 mins
  • Justice for Jon Benet

    Justice for Jon Benet
    Feb 25 2025
    Episode 57: Justice for Jon Benet On December 26, 1996, the police responded to a kidnapping call, which later turned into a murder investigation. There were two possibilities: an intruder murdered Jon Benet Ramsey or someone in the house killed her. Sources ABC News. Ex-DA Opens Up About Why She Cleared the Ramsey Family of JonBenet’s Murder. October 28, 2016 Netflix. Trial by Murder. “Dingo’s Got My Baby.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2024/11/25/netflix-who-killed-jonbenet-ramsey-docuseries-revelations-bombshells/76403399007/ Netflix. Trial by Murder. “Brian Dorian’s Story.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2024/11/25/netflix-who-killed-jonbenet-ramsey-docuseries-revelations-bombshells/76403399007/ National Policing Institute In-depth Training of Police Officers Results in Less Crime, Fewer Arrests, and Improved Community Views Toward Police in High Crime Hot Spots.https://www.policinginstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/NPI-Research-in-Brief-Hot-Spots-Jun-2022.pdf __________________________________ Now Available __________________________________________________________ Check out the Author Masterminds Website ________________________________________________________________ Get to know the authors at The Readers and Writers Book Club ___________________________________________ Meet Valerie Winans, Your Host for Episode 57: Justice for Jon Benet Valerie Winans is a graduate of Northwestern Michigan College, a retired state government manager, and a former campground host in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Valerie is the author of four books: Alaska’s Savage River: Inside Denali National Park and Preserve, Road Trip with Remington Beagle: Michigan to Alaska and Back, and A Hero’s Journey: Life Lessons From A Dog And His Friends, and The Extraordinary Life of Edwin B. Winans: From the Stampede for Gold in California to the Capitol of Michigan. A writer of both fiction and non-fiction, her books are written to inform and entertain readers of all ages. She currently resides with her husband in Traverse City, Michigan. More information can be found at www.valeriewinans.com.
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    25 mins
  • The Mystery of Artificial Intelligence

    The Mystery of Artificial Intelligence
    Feb 11 2025
    Episode 56: The Mystery of Artificial Intelligence In 1950, a robotic mouse named Theseus found its way through a maze and remembered the route. AI had taken its first baby step, the first step in a journey that would change the world as we know it. It is doubtful that the significance of this achievement was fully understood at the time. ________________________________ Grab a copy of Crystal Shards! _________________________________________________ Check out the Author Masterminds Website ________________________________________________________________ Get to know the authors at The Readers and Writers Book Club ___________________________________________ Meet Cil Gregoire, your host for Episode 56: The Mystery of Artificial Intelligence I was born to write. Fortunately, life provided me with plenty to write about. As a young woman, I moved from South Louisiana to Alaska, seeking the Alaska dream. And I found it. Or should I say, the Alaska dream found me? For decades, I was too busy living the adventure to write more than highly descriptive letters to folks back home. I did it all, from teaching school in the bush, to commercial fishing in Bristol Bay and Norton Sound, to building a log cabin in the woods. My novels reflect all these experiences and more.
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    25 mins
  • The Mysterious Pig

    The Mysterious Pig
    Jan 28 2025
    Episode 55: The Mysterious Pig How did a 200-pound pig become the "darling" on an Arabian horse ranch? Owning a ranch isn’t very mysterious. It’s a lot of plain hard work. But some mysterious things have happened here. I’m going to tell you about one of them. _____________________________________ Prince Ali had everything: talent, charisma, and a devoted best friend, Becky Howard. He won every time he set a hoof in a show ring. He garnered more fans from personal and TV appearances. Becky was with him every step of the way, even riding him in the Swallows Day Parade in their hometown, San Juan Capistrano. Disaster struck when two thugs put Becky in a coma, drugged him and dragged Prince Ali off to sell for diabolical purposes. When their buyer realized who Ali was, he nixed the deal. That landed the pampered show horse high in the mountains in late March. One night, a week later, he discovered the corral gate unlatched. Prince Ali mustered every ounce of strength, courage, and stamina he had to walk into the wilderness, searching for the best friend he couldn't live without. ______________________________________ Check out the Author Masterminds Website ________________________________________________________________ Get to know the authors at The Readers and Writers Book Club ___________________________________________ Meet Victoria Hardesty, Your Host for Episode 55: The Mysterious Pig Victoria Hardesty has owned, bred, and shown Arabian Horses for more than 30 years. She and her husband operated their own training facility, serving many young people who loved and showed their own horses. She is the author of numerous articles in horse magazines and was the editor of two Arabian Horse Club newsletters, one of which was given the Communications Award of the Year by the Arabian Horse Association at their national convention. An avid reader from childhood, she read every horse story she could get her hands on. Victoria and her writing partner, Nancy Perez, have written seven novels about Arabian horses. Check out their website at http://www.wonderhorsebooks.com/author-bio and see their books at Victoria Hardesty and Nancy Perez | Bookshelf (authormasterminds.com).
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    Less than 1 minute
  • The Mysterious Alaska Triangle

    The Mysterious Alaska Triangle
    Jan 14 2025
    Episode 54: The Mysterious Alaska Triangle First named in 1972, the Alaska Triangle stretches from Anchorage in southcentral Alaska to Juneau in the southeast panhandle to Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow) on Alaska's northern coast. Since 1988, more than 16,000 people have vanished from this area, and every year, approximately four people go missing per every 1000 Alaska residents. This rate is twice the national average. Sources Alexander, Kathy. “The Alaska Triangle – Disappearing Into Thin Air.” March 2023. Legends of America. Dundas, Suzie. “Why do so many people go missing in the Alaska Triangle?” January 25, 2023. MapQuest Travel. Dunning, Brian. “The Japan Airlines Alaska UFO.” November 10, 2020. WayBack Machine. Gough, Cody. 2019. “Thousands of People Have Mysteriously Disappeared in Alaska's Bermuda Triangle.” Discovery. LeBlanc, Jocelyne. 2018. “10 Facts About the Little-Known Alaska Triangle.” Toptenz Liefer, Gregory P. 2011. Without a Trace. Aviation Mysteries of the North. Chapter 11: Anchorage, AK. Publication Consultants. Locations Unknown Team. “The strange stories of the Alaska Triangle.” November 26, 2019. Strange Outdoors. Weiss, Lawrence D. “Unfriendly skies: The extraordinary flight of JAL 1628. Alaska's best known UFO encounter.” October 28, 2019. The Anchorage Press. _____________________________________________ Read True Stories of Murder and Mystery in Alaska ________________________ Check out the Author Masterminds Website ________________________________________________________________ Get to know the authors at The Readers and Writers Book Club ___________________________________________ Meet Robin Barefield, your host for Episode 54: The Mysterious Alaska Triangle Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net
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    28 mins
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