NVF Magazine Interview

NVF Magazine Interview
Interviewed by David Bryon, Founder of NVF Magazine
With Paul Dale Roberts, HPI Ghostwriter, Ghosthunter, Demonologist
www.hpiparanormal.net[b]

THIS INTERVIEW BELOW IS A BLAST FROM THE PAST!

JOHN C. FOWLER PHOTO
MOTHMAN ON THE SACRAMENTO BRIDGE

1 Greetings and salutations, Paul. How are you this morning?

Hi David, busy as all heck. Going through some training with my ‘real’ job. LOL!

2 Now, bear with me, because I never interviewed a ghost-hunter before. First off, what is it exactly that made you want to chase spooks? I, myself, would be mortified at the thought of contacting the dead!

Answer: I have always been interested in the paranormal. When I lived on Effy Street in Fresno, I believe the house I lived in was haunted. If not, then I was going through some very bad childhood nightmares. Growing up in school, the kids would beat me up, because I was a book worm, I didn’t become cool until after my first stint in the Army. I read a lot of comic books and a zillion books on the paranormal. One day, a ghost hunter I was dating asked me to check out H.P.I. (Haunted and Paranormal Investigations International), that they had some kind of investigation that is open to the public at the National Hotel in Jackson. She suggested I write an article. I then met Shannon McCabe (President of HPI) and asked permission. I told her I was a freelance writer. She smiled and grabbed me by the arm and said ‘I love the press’. Before I knew it, she made me the official ghostwriter for HPI. She also trained me to be a ghosthunter and taught me how to use all of the equipment. In fact she forced me to start using digital audio recorders to record EVPs and how to analyze them. Then I started studying demonology, I was already somewhat verse in demonology, so it wasn’t hard for me to jump into this field. I am also their official demonologist and Shannon is my assistant when it comes to cleansing homes. No, we haven’t ran into any demons yet.

3 I see you are also into the UFO phenomenon. Have you actually ever seen a UFO? I think I did once, but I am not sure.

Once in 1974 in Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. Two soldiers and I, were in the town of Columbia and we saw 6 blue discs in a V-shape formation flying over the city of Columbia. The UFOs dispersed in opposite directions at a phenomenal rate of speed and vanished. In 1976, my ex-girlfriend Helen Lang saw a UFO hover 200 feet above her head in Sacramento and I was inside the apartment watching TV. We made the report to the Center of UFO Studies. Dr. J. Allen Hynek took the report. Come to find out 2 other people in different areas of Sacramento saw the same UFO and when I was watching TV inside Helen’s apartment, her TV went static, a phenomenon caused by UFOs according to Dr. Hynek. Then I joined US Army’s Military Intelligence in 1979. I was an Intelligence Analyst and during my time working for PIC-K (Photo Interpretation Center in Korea), I saw 6 classified photographs taken by satellites of UFOs.

4 Now, tell the truth: I hear you were once an undercover narcotics agent. Is this true? No…wait; Let me say this first: I didn’t inhale. {LOL!}

Now that I have that out of my system, what was it like doing undercover work? Isn’t that a tad bit dangerous? Of course, then again, chasing spooks would be too!

Answer: From 1973 to 1976, I was an M.P. (Military Policeman) for the US Army. I had the honor and privilege working for the D.S.T. (Drug Suppression Team) C.I.D. (Criminal Investigation Division). I traveled throughout Germany, disguised as a former soldier/drug dealer. Even in one case, I had to impersonate a pimp. My code name was Porkchops. My hair was long, I had a beard and a mustache. I looked like Serpico, especially with the dark sunglasses. So you would see me in a trenchcoat and I looked like a narc, but no one would believe I was a narc. Stayed in nice hotels, traveled here and there buying dope. I was involved in a lot of sting operations. One operation was very big, it was against the so-called Khaki Mafia. I did a lot of testifying at court-martials and Article 32s. I became very good doing this kind of undercover work, that my bosses said I had become ‘legendary’. I went into Munich and my reputation as Porkchops was already known. So, I changed my name to ‘Frisco’, just for this one case.

When I got out of the Army, I pursued a private investigation career and started my own business called Silhouette Enterprises. I was not too successful in PI work, but my cousin Robert Crain at: http://www.arcyinvestigations.com/aboutuspagetwo.html is a full fledged private investigator and former California Highway Patrolman.

5 I hear you are a ghost-writer, too. Is that fun? How does it pay? Hey…..I am nosy.

Answer: Shannon won’t pay me darn it!! But, at times various magazines will drop me a few dollars here and there. I love writing paranormal stories and I am very prolific about it. So, far I have been published in Beyond Magazine, Doorways Magazine, Atlantis Rising, Nexus, Fortean Times, Haunted Times, Paranoia and many other magazines. I have always been a freelance writer, so before writing paranormal articles, I was writing travel, history and even political articles. I have been published in People, Time, Newsweek and National Geographic Traveler. So, I have been around the block a few times.

6 Now for some of my – obligatory- and boring Q&A: What would you say is your favorite film? Book? No, wait, let me guess: The Shining, on both counts, right? {LOL!}

Answer: I like 1408, because it was a story about a ghostwriter/ghosthunter, something I can relate to. Shannon is doing a spoof movie on 1408, called….well…1407!

Books….hmmmm…I love encyclopedias, I am always doing a lot of researching!! LOL!!

But, yes, I LOVE THE SHINING!! Heeeeeeeeeeeres Johnny!!

As for books, well I am in the comic book business too. I review various comic books and they use my quotes on some of the comics. My business is at www.jazmaonline.com

They send me so many comic books to review, I don’t have time to read any real books. But, I do like Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life by Jose Farmer. I published only one comic book in my whole life called The Legendary Dark Silhouette and Howard Nash an independent movie producer is making a movie out of my comic book. Well, so he says, I haven’t seen it done yet. (smile).

7 Have you ever REALLY seen a ghost?

Answer: I saw a full body apparition in Marysville of a woman. She was walking from one loft into another loft. She was a distinct clear shadow.

I was touched by an entity after I asked to be touched. My leg started bleeding and then the bruise became the shape of a thumb. I asked on the recorder if there was anyone in my car and playing back the recorder, the EVP said “yes”.

I conducted a séance, in which you can hear a loud earthquake noise from the wall, knockings on the wall, a little girl giggling and later saying “hi”. Then walkie talkies turning on by themselves with a little girl saying “you’re welcome” to a member saying thank you and later a man’s voice saying “get out”.

8 How’s about any up and coming ‘’spooky’’ projects to speak of?

HPI (Haunted Paranormal Investigations International) is involved with Ghost Girls, the adventures of Nancy Bradley – Celebrity Psychic and Shannon McCabe. Ghost Girls will be on Ghost Channel TV. I am one of the investigators for Ghost Girls. Shannon and I are working on a sequel article on reincarnation, this time it will be at the Fair Oaks Tudo Fayre. We have an HPI comic book in the works, one called HPI vs. Dracula by HPI Comics and Tommy Doyle will be the artist. We have a ton of scouting missions, investigations and interviews to work on. Shannon and I both had hot stories published on CoasttoCoastAM. We just finished filming ‘Conversations of a Serial Killer’ by Two Four Productions and I flew down to Burbank to film ‘Angels and Demons’ for Ives Street Entertainment. Shannon and I, have a great team of investigators, such as Holly DeLaughter, Jennifer Baca, Chris Grissom, John Wachter, Kristen Sheley, Donna Reynolds and many more! For more information on Ghost Girls, you can find it here:
http://www.ghostgirls.net/ghostgirlscast2.html

Well , Paul, this was fun, and you are definitely one of my most interesting interviewees! Best wishes to you in the future.

Answer: Thank you David, it was a great pleasure! This interview was great fun!