HACKING THE AFTERLIFE with Jennifer Shaffer, Luana Anders, Amelia Earhart, Robert Towne

Another mind bending episode.

We continue talking about process where we left off last week, Jennifer talking about her gratitude meditation that she does every night and again in the morning that keeps her on an even keel. 

I asked Luana Anders, our moderator on the flipside if she had anyone who might want to chat with us.  She said Amelia Earhart was here to talk about the book I've just released; "She Was Never Lost: The Amelia Earhart Saga."

Now that may sound weird to some - but we never plan our podcasts. And then Jennifer held up her phone and played a clip of the actress Gwyneth Paltrow reading the Kindle version of my book aloud..

That was MIND BLOWING - it comes from the "speechify app" - where you can choose who is going to narrate your book, and as a writer/director/author - who has taken around Amelia Earhart projects for years... I can't tell you how cool that is to hear GP's voice.

Our kids went to preschool with hers and I'd see and her mom around the school. I never spoke with her, but she's got a great voice - and hearing her speaking the lines from the book was... I don't know how to put it other than "otherworldly."

Because I've written some of the book in 1st person - based on 30 years of researching AE's story, just "giving it a shot" as to what it might sound like for me to "channel" (it's a loose word, I'm not claiming I'm doing that, but it's like that) the great aviator.

Then - Jennifer - who has done this before (it's in the transcripts in the book!) said "She's referring to Chapter Five.  Well - that is the chapter where I speak in Amelia's voice.

While speaking to her through Jennifer 10 years ago, I had a copy of "Soaring Wings" by George Putnam in my hand - and Jennifer said "Something she wants to point to in pg 49."  So I looked it up and read it - and Jennifer said "I could hear her voice while you were speaking as if she wrote that passage."

The passage was about a fellow involved with planning her "Last Flight."  What makes it so very odd is that I named the name that is in the book - and when I looked him up, I found he was the owner of an aviation company. But a few days ago, before finishing the book, I had a feeling to look that up again.

Turns out the name was WRONG! And the person who she met with was a famous spy craft designer - who designed the U2 and other spy planes - head of the "Skunk Works" unit - and this guy redesigned her fuel tanks for her long distance trip!

What are the odds that I would hear Jennifer mention a page, then TEN YEARS LATER revisit that page, and then learn that the page was inaccurate, it was referring to the CIA super designer who created all of the spy planes we use!  (I know it sounds uncanny, but it happened a couple of days ago!)

Anyways, I'm flattered she appreciates the book, I'm flattered that my old boss and mentor Robert Towne says he helped me with the book - and all of it, just every part of it is truly mind bending.

Thanks for tuning in!