Lectures

While I can usually put together a lecture on about any subject within the venue of my website, I have several already prepared that I do on a regular basis and so can be presented on relatively short notice. Below is a brief synopsis of the lectures I currently do, each of which usually run around an hour and a half to two hours, though they can be tailored for time and content. All are done as PowerPoint presentations, meaning I will require a screen or suitable display surface and access to electrical outlets. I have a projector, but it is old and I would prefer to use yours if possible.

I would like to have a guaranteed minimum of at least a half dozen participants at each lecture and would also like to offer my books for sale at the Reincarnation, Atlantis, and Ghosts lectures if agreeable (prices of the books vary and are listed below). I usually only do speaking engagements in the Denver metro area and immediate front range communities; any farther than that and I need to tack on a mileage charge (round trip at 44¢ per mile) or be given an honorarium.

INSIDE THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY: Getting Your Manuscript Through the Door
Discuss various paths to publication available to aspiring fiction and non-fiction writers and how to overcome the hurdles, pitfalls and scams so common to the industry. This lecture, designed to teach the aspiring author not only how to keep your manuscript from ending up in the "slush pile" but how to craft a query letter and a synopsis that will maximize your chances of getting published, will cover the following points:

How the publishing industry works: types of publishers, advantages/disadvantages of each, how royalties/contracts work, etc.
The basic elements of an effective query letter and synopsis/outline .
How to identify potentially unscrupulous or incompetent agents or publishers and avoid the various scams editors and vanity publishers use on first-time authors.
The do's and don’ts of approaching an agent/editor: identifying the correct individual for your genre, when and how to follow-up, properly formatting the manuscript, e-querying versus snailmail, etc.
The advantages/disadvantages of entering writing contests.
The importance of building a "platform" for your writing and ways to advertise your work.
How to improve your chances of getting published by attending writer's conferences, working with a critique group, and creating your own webpage.

WRITERS, START YOUR NOVELS! The Basics of Novel Writing
Explore the basics do's and don'ts of novel writing so you can make your story pop with new energy. This course works for all genres of fiction writing and all aspiring writers are welcome! Handouts will include samples showing how mediocre writing can be reworked into exceptional prose and how to avoid the ten biggest mistakes aspiring novelists frequently make. The lecture will cover the following points:

Correctly identifying your genre.
The basic elements of an effective story.
How to make your characters realistic without making them dull.
Understanding point of view, pacing, etc.
How to use narrative without killing the action.
Making dialogue sound like a conversation you'd like to be involved in.

THE CASE FOR GHOSTS: An Objective Look at the Paranormal
Do you believe in ghosts? Join me in a fascinating and balanced look at the mysterious world of the paranormal that will hopefully answer many of your most basic questions about an increasingly popular and always mysterious subject. This lecture will cover, among many things:

What, exactly, is a ghost and how do they manifest themselves in linear time and space?
Does everyone automatically become a ghost when they die, or only some people (and why)?
Are there such a thing as angels and demons?
What becomes of a ghost when they’re done haunting and where might they go?

Lecture includes a slide show that invites the audience to decide for themselves whether various photos of alleged paranormal manifestations taken over the years are hoaxes, photo anomalies, or genuine pictures of ghosts. Signed copies of my book The Case for Ghosts will be available for optional purchase ($14) afterwards.

GHOSTHUNTING 101: Searching for the Paranormal
Ever wondered what equipment ghosthunters use and what they do? Curious as to what ghosts are and how one might communicate with them? Join me in a fascinating and balanced look at the remarkable world of the paranormal designed to answer your most basic questions. This lecture does NOT include the spirit photo presentation noted in the previous lecture but instead concentrates more on the theories behind ghosts in more detail and takes a closer look at the equipment and techniques used by ghost hunters today. Lecture will cover:

What, exactly, is a ghost and how do they manifest themselves in linear time and space?
Does everyone automatically become a ghost when they die, or only some people (and why)?
What types of tools are used to hunt ghosts and how do they work?
Is it possible to communicate with ghosts and how is that done?

Signed copies of my book, The Case for Ghosts, will be available for optional purchase ($14) after the lecture.

SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY: Capturing Ghosts on Film
A fascinating and balanced look at the mysterious world of spirit photography. Lecture features a slide show that invites the audience to decide for themselves whether various photos of alleged paranormal manifestations taken over the years are hoaxes, photo anomalies, or genuine pictures of ghosts. Lecture will cover:

A brief history of spirit photography.
What to look for in legitimate spirit photos as opposed to hoaxes.
Common hoaxing techniques and how they are done.
The various types of photo anomalies frequently mistaken for evidence of ghosts.

Signed copies of my book, The Case for Ghosts, will be available for optional purchase ($14) after the lecture.

Doomsday Prophecy: A Look at the History of End Times
A fascinating and balanced look at the world of doomsday prophecy and the hype around 2012. A must for anyone whose ever heard of Nostradamus and Edgar Cayce and wants to know more. Lecture will cover:

Defining the different types of prophecy.
A look at the history of failed doomsday predicitions throughout history.
A brief look at Nostradamus and Edgar Cayce's supposed prophetic gifts.
A brief overview of biblical prophecy: what it is, how it works, what it believes and why it believes it.
Identifying the antichrist
The Mayans and their mysterious calandar.

Signed copies of my book, 2012: Extintion or Utopia, will be available for optional purchase ($17) after the lecture.

UFOs: An Objective Look at Extraterrestrial Visitation
Whether you enjoy looking at things a little differently or are an open-minded skeptic, you will appreciate this objective look at the subject of UFOs. Topics will include:

Whether a space-faring civilization is scientifically feasible and, if so, why it might choose to traverse the vastness of space to study us.
How is it possible for UFO's to go undetected?
How and why would extraterrestrials abduct humans?
Could it be that the government is suppressing information, and if so, how likely is it that they would be able to successfully maintain such a massive conspiracy for so many years?
Is it really possible to "reverse engineer" alien technology and apply it to our own world?
How might crop circles, cattle mutilations, and abductions fit into a possible alien agenda?

Guaranteed to get people thinking about the entire UFO phenomenon in ways they never considered before. Signed copies of my book, UFOs: The Great Debate will be available for purchase ($17) afterwards.

REINCARNATION: The Evidence For and the Mechanics of Rebirth
Join me as we explore the ancient and mysterious process of rebirth. Learn how the process of reincarnation works, what it is trying to accomplish, and why it is necessary if we are to evolve spiritually, both as individuals and as a society. Topics will include:

The scientific evidence in support of reincarnation (work of Dr. Ian Stephenson, Dr. Helen Wambaugh, etc.)
Famous reincarnationists throughout history and scientific/philosophical/religious objections to the concept.
The true nature of the soul and its relationship to the Divine.
What happens between lives and how we choose were and when we will reincarnate next.
How karma works and issues of retribution and justice.

Don’t miss your chance to explore one of life’s greatest mysteries. Signed copies of my book The Mystery of Reincarnation will be available for optional purchase ($18) afterwards.

ATLANTIS: Lessons From a Lost Continent
So where is Plato's fabled continent anyway? For that matter, was it even a real place at all or simply a metaphor? Come and join me as we examine those questions and more in considerable detail. In this lecture—much of it illustrated with detailed maps and graphs—you'll learn:

How the legend got started and why Plato wrote about the place in his Dialogues (the Criteaus and the Timeaus).
The various theories offered by the science and Atlantiphile community as to where and what Atlantis might have been.
The evidences for advanced technologies existing in the ancient past and why they might point to Atlantis having been a real place.
Determining where Atlantis might have existed if we look at the topography of the world of 10,500 B.C.E.
What might have destroyed the fabled continent and why we cannot find evidence for its existence today.

Signed copies of my book, Reconsidering Atlantis: A Modern Look at an Ancient Civilization will be available for optional purchase ($15) after the lecture.

APPLYING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS to the PARANORMAL
This talk examines the many fallacies and poor reasoning processes many adherents of the paranormal frequently make when examining the subject and how to avoid the most common traps. Topics will include:

How the scientific method works and why the paranormal does not conform to it.
Common logical fallacies and how they work.
The process for gauging the credibility of witnesses.
How shoddy logical processes hurt the entire paranormal field.

Includes an audience participation section in which listeners examine various statements to determine whether they are scientifically valid, presumptuous, or merely conjecture. Usually will have signed copies of all of my books available for purchase afterwards.

HOW VALUABLE IS THAT COIN? A Beginner’s Course in Coin Collecting
Wonder how much those old silver dollars you’ve been keeping in a drawer are really worth? Now is your opportunity to learn what makes a coin valuable and have fun doing it. I've been collecting coins for over thirty years, so I know what to look for in old coins, what makes them valuable, but how to get the most bang for your buck when buying or selling them. Learn the tricks from the numismatic trade such as:

What are grading standards and how do they work?
What are proof sets, type errors, commemoratives, and slabbed coins?
How to buy and sell wisely on e-Bay.
Understanding the difference between Red Book and Blue Book value and the rate at which coins gain value.
How to avoid the most common coin rip-offs.

This lecture is a must for anyone wanting to know just how much those family heirlooms are worth as well as for those looking for a safe and lucrative investment that doubles as a great hobby.