James Van Praagh speaking to Luana Anders

Luana in a mirror of a mirror. Hello Lu.

In case folks missed it, some years ago I was producing segments on the Charles Grodin show. Chuck was best friends with Luana Anders, and she introduced us. He and I became pals and he's the godfather to our children... and when Luana passed away, Charles called me up and invited me to come and work for him on this show. 

Charles Grodin
from his CNBC days

I had seen James on CNN, and suggested that Chuck invite him onto the show (for two appearances.)  I've never met James in person, although I have seen him in person - but at this point, I wondered if it was possible for James to communicate to Luana (who had appeared in my dreams at this point as a younger woman.)

Charles is an equal opportunity skeptic - he has always suggested that we let evidence speak for itself. That being said, he was the person who initially turned me on the work of Robert Monroe and out of body experiences.  But in this case, he did not believe or disbelieve that James could speak to the afterlife, but invited him on at my suggestion.

We devised an experiment.  I would call in from my home and pretend to be an average caller - Charles arranged with a producer on the show to take my call, but she had no idea why I would be calling.  So live on the air, Charles took my call, pretended not to know me (and there was no interaction with James prior or after the call about this conversation with Luana) and the following is what occurred.

In the call, she refers to a few things in my apartment including my cocktail glass collection (my last name engenders gifts that are Martini glasses of all shapes and sizes.)  But there's a moment in this clip when I realized beyond any shadow of doubt that James could speak  to our departed friend - further that our departed friend was "still alive" - as she had to have been "over my shoulder" when I put the only photograph of her on the refrigerator and said aloud "Oh, look, the essence of our relationship. Cappuccino's and cookies in Italy."  Laughter as well. Lots of laughs.

Here's the photo that was on the fridge. The only time in my life I've spoken to a photograph as I put it up.

"The essence of our relationship."

Here's the moment when James Van Praagh connected to her.



People still exist who are not on the planet.  It's up to us to figure out a way to communicate with them.

https://youtu.be/TmvZdWK0H0U

The true story behind Amazing Grace

In case you didn't know....







and for those who haven't heard it... the song inspired by a dream about 11:11.

The reviews are in, and the book are now available in AUDIBLE

Happy to report both "Architcture of the Afterlife: The Flipside Code" and "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3: Talking to the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer Book three" are available on Audible.



https://www.amazon.com/Architecture-Afterlife-Flipside-Discovering-Blueprint/dp/B089DLHKF2/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

I think it's 16 hours for each of them - but I forget. It took me about two years to gather the reports for both books.  One dovetails the other.



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089H1YXCQ?plink=b9b49f49-2a67-49&ref=adblp13npsbx_0_0_im

Nothing like a pandemic and quarantine to light a fire under an author to "get the work done."  

Both books represent a massive amount of help and tolerance and effort.  

In the case of "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3" it meant I had to drive along the gorgeous coast to Manhattan Beach once a week, and have lunch with the effervescent, always hilarious, able to leap small buildings in heels - Jennifer Shaffer.  A true gem of a person, who for some godforsaken reason puts up with my incessant questions, peppering and badgering her while she tries to listen to what folks on the flipside are trying to convey. 

JenniferShaffer.com

The Backstage Pass books are filled with people I knew or met in my 30 year journey through Hollywood, filled with people my companion and pal on the flipside Luana Anders knew and brought in to meet with us. 

Me and Lu in Roma

It is also filled with people I've never met, people I could never have met in life, but yet somehow insisted, cajoled or wormed their way in to the head of the line of people that Luana claims are "waiting to speak with us."  

I sincerely know how wacky that sounds.  

But I turn on the camera, I ask Jennifer whatever pops into my head - and she replies on behalfl of Luana who is helping the person who wants to speak with us communicate. 

There is no other way to put it. 



Interview after interview with people who have died recently, people who died years ago, people who died centuries ago - and yet somehow, inexplicably, are able to give us answers that I can forensically investigate.  It's mind bending to be sure - but if someone wants to see or hear an "Alternate history of the Planet" - this is a place to start.

Books "Backstage Pass to the Flipside Part One and Two" include a workbook that helps instruct people how to "do this at home" without a medium, without getting in line to speak to someone on the flipside. Just "accessing their loved ones" in the simplest form possible.  That workbook is not in this edition "3" because it's longer than the first two put together.  But just as much fun. 

Part One:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G2RPKM3?plink=b6fb5b93-9126-46&ref=adblp13npsbx_0_3_ti



Part Two:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G2QQ6M8?plink=991b99bb-0e05-4c&ref=adblp13nvvxx_0_0_im


Here are some reviews for the above two books:

barbara hunt

5.0 out of 5 stars Richard Martini has a brilliant Mind!

Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2019

"I have read many many books on this subject but I have never read anything like Martini's books. They read like a movie in Spectra Color! Vivid and Capturing subtle secret nuances that tickle the mind. I have read All of his books and all surpass others in this arena. So go ahead.....Have a Martini!!!!! :-)

Patricia Davis

5.0 out of 5 stars Like sitting in the café with Martini and Shaffer

Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2019

"I've enjoyed all of Richard Martini's books on the afterlife and recommend reading them in order, but the most recent two have a different format that I really enjoyed. He puts his questions and comments in italics, the medium's answers in normal type face and what she's hearing from the Other Side are in bold type. The result is remarkably like sitting at their table in the café where they conduct their sessions. Going back to see exactly what the person speaking through the medium said is so much easier than if the book was written in the conventional way.

And the medium--! Jennifer Shaffer is a really gifted and committed translator for the Other Side. Damn she's good. Over the years, I've sought out mediums and found a very few whose gift was flat-out amazing to me. Unlike armchair "skeptics," I've spent this lifetime actively seeking to understand life and death and what happens in between and have experienced a range of gifts when it comes to communication with the so-called dead. It's as if some gifted people have to fight a sort of "static" through which they work to translate what they're perceiving. But for some of them, the connections are exceptionally clear and the information very, very accurate. It's a blessing that Shaffer also uses her gift to work with law enforcement on missing person cases and unsolved homicides.

Jennifer Shaffer reminded me almost immediately of a medium I saw many times around 50 years ago. They both seem able to "get out of their own way" and let the information come through, which is wonderful for the sitter. Both are humble and very open in saying if what they're getting is in any way unclear to them. And they both take responsibility for their own "errors in translation" and meticulously correct themselves. The result is very high quality communication between realities--almost as good as a cell phone conversation.


And these two most recent books communicate in a clear way too. The reason I have all of Richard Martini's books and have reread most of them is that he writes with such clarity and humor. The latter is sometimes lacking in books on the afterlife, but he writes as if death and the survival of the human soul are simply parts of Life. And Life can be very funny sometimes and tragic others. Just as Jennifer Shaffer is an excellent psychic medium, Richard Martini is an excellent writer. They've both led interesting lives and I'm so grateful that they've made the effort to share them with the rest of us in such an entertaining way."

chrispark

5.0 out of 5 stars More Amazing Revelations from the Flip Side!

Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2018

The "Flip Side" books (and the audio versions, read by the author Rich Martini who is delightful) helps even the most rational, skeptical person become open to the concept that the "Other Side" could be real. As a person who believes in the Other Side, these books helped me to open my mind up to even more possibilities, because of Rich Martini's matter-of-fact, funny, and "what if this were true?" style of questioning (for example, I didn't put much stock in past life regression or life-between-lives, and now that stuff seems highly possible and worth exploring). Rich Martini's books WILL change your outlook and perhaps your life.

If I could go back and do reviews of all his books (I have listened to them all), I would give them SIX stars. This one (PART 1 of two books) perhaps only a five. I give it "only" a five because as a Flipside Fan, I was able to draw even more amazing revelations out of this book. But I do not recommend it as the first Rich Martini book you read, only as a follow-up.

The reason is that Rich Martini is a film-maker, who has had many friends and contacts throughout the Hollywood network for many decades. So some of the people he hears from on the Other Side are entertainers, filmmakers, and actually, some are quite famous. This book is more filled with famous celebrities than any of his former books. To RIch, this does not seem odd, b/c these people are his friends, acquaintances, or colleagues, but to "normal people" it would sound like he is name-dropping or even making up ppl who "come through" via mediums, such as Prince, Tom Petty, or Robin Williams. At times there was an "inside joke" feeling about his conversations with pals on the Other Side (thru the medium), kind of an LA cliquishness that I found off-putting. Rich's lifelong pal (and one-time girlfriend), the late Luana Anders, is a special guide on the Other Side; in his other books, she does not figure so prominently, but in this book, the ubiquitous references to her became pretty annoying. Is the book meant to help us mortals learn more about the Afterlife, or is it more of a vehicle to express the author's apparent torch-carrying for this actress?

That said, I was able to ignore these annoying elements, b/c of all Rich's other breakthrough books; I am grateful to him for his courage and storytelling ability that questions the status quo and allows an ordinary person to picture the Other Side truly being real. I do wish that in this book, and in future books or film projects he pursues regarding the Other Side, he would emphasize the learning, not inside "high school reunion" style jokes that are of no value to the reader who doesn't know these people.


Just listened to PART 2. Much better than PART 1. He still is communicating with many famous ppl, although there were more ppl that I actually care about and am curious about, such as John Lennon, Gilda Radnor, Gene Wilder, Carrie Fisher, and John Belushi. Even famous atheists, such as Stephen Hawking and Christopher Hutchins. I also felt this book had more "meaning" in it, more treatment of philosophical questions that I wonder about, more discoveries about the meaning of life. It was not just glib coffee klatch banter between old Hollywood pals, like the tone of the first book. I would urge the author to make future books more like Part 2, offering universal connections and answers to questions we all have about the Afterlife. I especially loved the end, where he discusses the appearance of Paul McCartney's mother from the Other Side that led to his greatest song: "There will be an answer, let it be, let it be."

Thank you all for posting these reviews. Very kind of you.

"Architecture of the Afterlife" is another victory of sorts. I began filming people not under hypnosis, answering questions I posed to them in casual settings.  For fans of "Flipside" "It's a Wonderful Afterlife" and "Hacking the Afterlife" they know that I have filmed over 50 hypnosis sessions where people say the same things about the afterlife that the 2000 clinical cases from Dr. Helen Wambach reported, or the thousands from Michael Newton and the Newton Institute.  They also know that I'm not the source of those questions or answers - I'm literally in the corner of the room filming those sessions.

But in "Architecture" I demonstrate in the simplest of fashions - much to my chagrin, shock and dismay - that anyone can access this same information without hypnosis.  I recommend (as I do consistently in the book) that a person should invest in the 4-6 hour deep hypnosis session because it will have deeper, more lasting effects. I mention some of the hypnotherapists I've interviewed in the past, and this book includes an interview with Scott De Tamble, who was mentored by Michael Newton, but allows me to explore this "surface method" in a noisy restaurant in Santa Monica.

This book as well is perhaps too much for one sitting - as a reviewer mentioned the other day "You need to put this book down after each chapter to digest everything you've just read."  Here's three early reviews of Architecture on Amazon.

R.A. Martin

5.0 out of 5 stars 

Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2020
R.A. Martin

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence" - Martin Rees' maxim

Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2020

One of the things that makes this book - "Architecture of the Afterlife" - so compelling and justifiable, IS the amount of EVIDENCE Martini amasses to backup the interviews, experiences and explorations that are undertaken here. Martini documents with photographs and historical data wherever possible. 

I was already a believer, but I am bowled over by the meticulous (and yet never boorish) manner in which Martini supports the claims made, the souls contacted, the messages coming from counsels and guides. I was (and still am) a great fan of the extraordinary Michael Newton and his institute which investigated "Lives Between Lives" and is one of the cornerstones upon which Martini has built his own "Architecture of the Afterlife". 

It is a selfless and no doubt often unrewarding task to conduct lengthy sessions, diligently transcribing hours of interviews and then moving these documents into publication. Luckily for all of us, Rich is an extraordinary story teller, with oodles of film making experience. 

He has an entertaining, surefooted interviewing style & voice, and I have enjoyed his books as well as his youtube presentations and films he has done on this topic. And his friend, psychic/channel Jennifer is beyond beyond, absolutely an ace conduit to bringing forth the blessed sparks of consciousness and souls from the Flipside, who indeed wish to communicate with us, especially during these turbulent times.

gary eck
5.0 out of 5 stars 

gary eck

5.0 out of 5 stars

Total peace. This book will bring you answers to your actions. It will take away fear because you are never alone, you have constant connections to your guides. Relax and enjoy the rides that you planned for yourself. Give your self a great gift and read this and the other books he has written.
Study the details, nourish your soul. Your life will be enhanced and you will see beauty. It is healing a shower of love and peace.

Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2020

Gayle P. Hammond
5.0 out of 5 stars 

Gayle P. Hammond

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating!

Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2020
Another home run for Rich Martini. Fascinating, thought provoking, and just plain fun. I am addicted to his books. Often reread them(or re-listen).


Thanks for the encouraging words, and as promised, both books would be available on audio in early June.

Apologies for any stuttering, crying on mic (it happens, I can't help myself) or other miffs. It's me playing all the roles in this miasma of information. But for those who know me, that's old information.

Enjoy.

Memorializing Memorial Day and some evidence of the flipside

Mom, myself and Luana traipsing around Rome.
"Dad, why are you taking this picture?"

This question came in via Quora, where I randomly answer questions about the Flipside:

"I truly enjoy your entries. Thank you for sharing the information that you have found. Could I ask one question, though? What drove you to investigate this? Your content is like none other I have experienced before. How did you come about it?"

My answer:

"My best friend Luana Anders died. She started visiting me in dreams. Later that year, I was working in NYC on the Charles Grodin show (Charles was a great friend, and we became friends through her.) 

I had seen James Van Praagh on Larry King and suggested we bring him on to see if he could converse with her. (Charles isn't a believer or non believer - he likes to remain open to both sides of any discussion).

So we designed an experiment. I called in the show directly from my home. Only Charles knew I was calling in.

James Van Praagh mentioned a few things, but two jumped out. The cocktail glass collection reference (my last name inspires comic gifts) and a photo on my refrigerator. It was the only photo I’ve ever put up where I said aloud - “Oh look: the essence of our relationship.” (Drinking cappuccinos and laughter. It's reported in “Flipside") 

The photograph on my fridge he was referring to. There was only one.
When I put it up I said aloud "THE ESSENCE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP"

When he mentioned it I knew only one person in existence could know the story behind this photograph that he mentioned live on the air.

Later our 3 year old son wouldn't go upstairs. I asked him why. He pointed to the staircase and told me a woman was visiting him. I said “Who is visiting you?” He took me into the kitchen and pointed to THIS PHOTO on the fridge. 

Worried he might never go upstairs again, I asked “Does she frighten you?” 

He said “Dad. You can see right through her!”

I thought it over and said “Well, does she say anything to you?“ 

He nodded. “She says “I love you.” 

I replied, “Well… that doesn't sound scary, does it?” 

He paused, sighed and said “Okay" and went upstairs to bed. 

(From "Flipside: A Tourist's Guide on How to Navigate the Afterlife.")

Once one proves to themselves their loved ones still exist - experience won't prove it to anyone else, because it’s experiential - one stops wondering. 

I started designing more ways to film or capture that experience. Hence the past ten years, two documentaries ("Flipside" and "Talking to Bill Paxton" on Gaia) and 8 books about the Flipside research. 

Here’s the clip where James Van Praagh mentions the photograph - believe, don't believe - but this was the moment I realized there actually is a flipside:



My two cents

Winners of the "Talk to Luana" contest

Thanks to everyone who entered to win a free copy of the book "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3" - a free PDF of the book has been sent to everyone who entered... (or will be sent, check the mailbox."

I asked people to ask Luana five questions. These folks had never met her, didn't know her, but as a demonstration that you can get an "answer" from someone on the flipside, I designed these questions in such a way that no one could answer them but a close friend of Luana's (none entered) or were actually speaking to Luana.



The answers to the questions are:

1. What was Jack Nicholson’s nickname for you?

(People might get an image or a sound, or something else. Whatever it is, don’t judge it, just write it down.)

The winning answer came from "Frances" in Florida, who said "I get an image of her standing with a clutch purse. The color of the purse was turquoise."  I asked what color that might represent, and she said "aquamarine?"  I said "That's close enough - The answer is "Blue." (Could have been a state of mind comment, but Jack has a nickname for all his pals.)

2. What city did your mother own property in, that we went to visit?

(Again, hard for them to use “words” – an image might come to mind, or an image of a person might appear; just note whatever that is.)

One person answered this correctly; "New Mexico."  Her mother brought property there in the 1960's, Luana and I went to visit it later in her life, and it was specifically in Santa Fe. New Mexico was/is correct.

3. What was the name of your dog that you found wandering the streets of West Hollywood?   

(Hint: This name is also the name of a city.  Again – try not to judge it, but listen carefully for the name of a city, or a place on a map – if you get a state ask “north, south, east or west?” until you take out a map, look at the cities on the map and “ask her to direct you to the correct one.”)

One person answer "Jose" - which in Spanish would be as in "San Jose" - but it's close to "Boyse" - which was her nickname for "boys town" or West Hollywood.  I called him "Boise" (hence the hint) but Boyse is more accurate than Boise - and close enough to Jose to suggest a winning entry.

4. Name the cat in this photo. 

Painted by Luana

(Hint: Not Mr. Bailey who is someone she often refers to.  Cat shares the name with a friend of hers, and a person with the same name may appear.)

This cat's name was "Robert."  However, a number of folks said "Kit Cat" or "Kitty Cat" - I don't remember Robert being referred to as such - but who knows? Maybe he is on the flipside. So no one got this correctly, but that's fine; Robert doesn't mind.


5. What is your uncle’s first name, who was the brother to your mother?  

(Hint: an image of someone with the same name might come to mind. She would have called him "Uncle ____")

This is a tough one - and I'll leave her uncle out of this since no one reported his name correctly. He was an unusual uncle of hers, had an unusal life and Luana took care of him in his elder years.

The point of this exercise was to inspire folks to do the same kind of "self experiment" with their own loved ones.  Not with Luana per se - but with anyone that we knew that was on the planet.  

Devise your own "five questions" or ten, or twenty.  Take out a photograph and ask them to reply.  They don't have to reply with sound, could be an image ("clutch purse that's blue") could something that pays off later.  Try not to hung up in the "proving" part - as Harry Dean Stanton told us (In "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 1") "Believe in the possibility of an afterlife, then you won't waste any more of your time arguing about it like I did."

Sage advice.

But in this case, talk to them.  Ask them questions. Repeat the questions in different locations - their favorite restaurant, a beach. Ask questions you don't know the answer to - 'When you hear an answer before you can ask the question then you'll know you've made a connection."

Books and awards will be sent out as we speak - and the winner to Jennifer's raffle (a free hour with her) will be notified privately by email (and will announce here if they ask me to.)

Thanks for playing along!

"Architecture of the Afterlife" and "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3" will be on audible in a few weeks. Stay tuned.

Mother's Day Luana's Birthday Raffle!

Happy Mother’s Day! And Happy birthday Luana contest!

A mother’s day challenge, contest and raffle.  

photo by Monte Hellman of Luana Anders

Jennifer Shaffer and I were chatting on our podcast (“Mother’s Day” at HackingtheAfterlife.com) and we came up with an odd promotion and something fun for Mother’s Day. 
HERE IS OUR MOTHER'S DAY PODCAST (AUDIO ON ITUNES, VIDEO HERE:)

Available in Paperback at Amazon and other outlets.

If you purchase a copy of our latest endeavor; “Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3: Talking to the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer Book Three” and send a screen shot of your confirmation purchase, you will be entered into a “Mother’s Day” raffle, where entries will be put into a hat, and the winner will receive a free one hour session with Jennifer.  They can take the time to speak directly with their mom on the flipside (or perhaps others that they need to speak with).

Jennifer and me in action

Just a fun way to appreciate moms and to share the book with folks worldwide.  

Available on Kindle at Amazon

The book is on sale at Amazon  (Kindle) for $10, it’s $30 at Amazon for the paperback version (at nearly 600 pages it makes an ideal doorstop)   

The raffle begins today, May 8th, and ends two weeks from now, Friday May 22nd at midnight to give people time to take a screen shot or cell pic of their purchase confirmation, and email it to MartiniProds at Gmail. The winning entry will receive a free session with Jennifer Shaffer, renowned medium and intuitive, who works with law enforcements agencies nationwide on missing person cases. 

WIN A FREE HOUR SESSION WITH JENNIFER SHAFFER~~!!!!

Details about her can be found at JenniferShaffer.com.

The other part of the contest is in honor of our friend Luana Anders' birthday is May 12th.  

For those familiar with Luana, they know she is the inspiration for this research into the flipside, and has been helping me and Jennifer to write these “Backstage Pass to the Flipside” books.  

As a proof of concept – this part of the contest goes like this:

1. As an experiment, imagine or pretend that you could ask Luana some questions. You don’t need a medium to do this, or a hypnotherapist – a simple ability to do a meditation helps but is not required.  Imagine her sitting across from you.  Picture whatever outfit you have in mind, or let her show up in whatever outfit she prefers. Pay attention to colors, fabric, jewelry, etc.

2. Ask her some questions. She can put an image (or sound) in your mind’s eye, and those will constitute the answers to the questions you’re going to ask.

3. If you “hear” or sense an answer prior to asking the question, well, you’re ahead of the game. But it is a game, it is pretend. No one is harmed by this game. 

You’re not “inviting spirits” into your life or home – you’re asking specific questions to one person who left the planet in 1996.

I had a dream recently where we discussed this. And in the podcast this week (the video of the podcast is at Martini.zone as “Mother’s Day”) and she thought this would be a novel idea. As noted, she’s appeared in dreams to strangers and friends of mine – I try not to judge their experience (it’s their experience, not mine) and because I’ve been doing this unusual exploration for so long, I stopped judging whatever people wanted to share with me.

So – one can ask their own questions to her – and post those comments in an email to me.  Something like this:

1. “I got nothing for a long time” and then I got an image of a cat.

2. “It’s funny, but an image of her in a movie popped into my mind. I don’t know what it means  but here’s what I saw…”

3. I asked your specific questions, and here’s what I got; “blah blah blah.”

I will take any and all comments into consideration. If you have a dramatic tale to tell about something else, by all means, share it.  The “winners” of this competition will receive a free PDF of the book “Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3.”  Free.  A gift from Luana in honor of her birthday.  

Okay, here are the questions in no particular order.

1. What was Jack Nicholson’s nickname for you?

(People might get an image or a sound, or something else. Whatever it is, don’t judge it, just write it down.)

2. What city did your mother own property in, that we went to visit?

(Again, hard for them to use “words” – an image might come to mind, or an image of a person might appear; just note whatever that is.)

3. What was the name of your dog that you found wandering the streets of West Hollywood?   

(Hint: This name is also the name of a city.  Again – try not to judge it, but listen carefully for the name of a city, or a place on a map – if you get a state ask “north, south, east or west?” until you take out a map, look at the cities on the map and “ask her to direct you to the correct one.”)

4. Name the cat in this photo. 

Painted by Luana

(Hint: Not Mr. Bailey who is someone she often refers to.  Cat shares the name with a friend of hers, and a person with the same name may appear.)

5. What is your uncle’s first name, who was the brother to your mother?  

(Hint: an image of someone with the same name might come to mind. She would have called him "Uncle ____")

So the way they communicate is with images for the most part. Some can use sound – I heard her say my name the other day, it woke me up, because she repeated it aloud.  “Richard” First time I thought “oh, that’s a dream.” Second time I thought “What? Is the house on fire?” Jumped out of bed and looked around. I think she was just testing me.

Think of it as a game. Y’all are going to use your powers of mediumship (we all have them) and you are going to ask someone you’ve never met (it’s fine if you knew her, you don’t know the answers to these questions readily either) but you may have met her – and she may trick you into giving a weird answer that I can unpack.  (Like seeing an image of a "Rose."  She might have been trying to say the word "pink" or "red" or "Rosie." What you see is supposed to lead you (or me) to the answer).

Please include WHAT THE IMAGE WAS THAT YOU SAW so I can unpack it.  

With her Broadway costar in the 60's Michael Gough in the 80's.

Like you ask for a name and you see an image of “Dennis Hopper” may lead us to a name like “Dennis” – or it could lead us to the film “Easy Rider” which she starred in opposite her old pal Dennis.  And leading us to “Easy Rider” might lead us to Peter Fonda…  but you get the idea.  Don’t judge the answer; I’ll know how to unpack it.

Contest starts when you read this post, ends on midnight the 22nd.

No one needs to purchase a book to participate in the “guess what Luana’s answers would be" portion of the contest.  

Those folks who answer one question correctly will get a PDF of the book.  But those who purchase a copy of the book (kindle or paperback) and send a confirmation photo of their purchase to "MartiniProds @ gmail" are entered into the grand prize contest – which is an hour long session with Jennifer at a future date. Send complete entries to my attention at MartiniProds (at) gmail.com

Stay tuned!

Charles Grodin, James Van Praagh and the Flipside

Mom, me, and Luana in Roma circa 1986

Some years ago (1996) I was invited by Charles Grodin to appear on his talk show as a "Hollywood Correspondent" - the joke was that he would say "Here's our Hollywood Correspondent with the latest news" and I would appear on screen bragging about all the Hollywood gossip I had discovered.  

Charles would frown with disdain, (he loathes Hollywood gossip) and ask me what movies I had seen - and basically I would blather about celebs, string nonsense together - I actually never had any gossip, or any real stories to tell. If I "went to a screening with Tom Hanks" it was because I was sitting in the back row. 



Charles' pal Elaine May called him up and said she thought the bit was hilarious, but other people (like my mom) were wondering why "Charles was so mean to you."  So he brought me on to explain the bit - as well as tell a story about my first audition for an agent. (A positive review from Elaine May is worth its weight in gold.)

Here's one of the clips with me as Joe Hollywood.

CHARLES WITH MEDIUM JAMES VAN PRAAGH

In the following clip, this was the moment that I realized that people don't "die" that "life goes on."  It's the kind of thing that is unique to the person experiencing it. One tends to have epiphanies alone.  

In my case, I was producing segments for the Grodin Show for six months, had seen James Van Praagh on CNN, and since our mutual friend Luana Anders had passed away a couple of years earlier, I suggested that Charles bring him on and see if he could speak with her.  

Charles is an open minded skeptic - neither believing or disbelieving - but allowing people to share their experiences. He notes that in this clip.

Luana Anders in a mirror in Rockefeller Plaza

In my case, when Luana passed away, I put a photograph on my refrigerator and said aloud "Well, that's the essence of our relationship. Laughing while having cappuccinos and cookies in Rome."  We spent a lot of time laughing when she was still on the planet.

However, fans of Flipside will know that since this show - in 1998 or 1999 perhaps - she had started to visit me from the other side.  And in this case, I was no longer on the show as a segment producer (he had moved from CNBC to MSNBC) and I called in from Santa Monica - Charles arranged with the producer to give me a direct line to call in - but no one knew I was going to be calling in but Charles and the producer.

James Van Praagh, here with medium Tony Stockwell
(who appears in "Architecture of the Afterlife"

In this example, James talks about a couple of things that are absolutely verifiable. 

This photograph that I put on the refrigerator - there was only one photograph of me and her, and when I put this one up, said that sentence aloud.  "The essence of our relationship" - and I know I've never spoken aloud to a photograph before or since. So when James referred to the photograph - there was only one photo on the planet he could have been referring to. THIS ONE:

The essence of our relationship

The other thing was my Martini glass collection.  

That is - everyone gives me one on my birthday or some other occassion - and I have quite a few from around the globe.  So when she refers to my "cocktail glass" collection, she's specifically giving James Van Praagh an image that will get me to say "Martini glasses."  Even though James TO THIS DAY doesn't know my last name or that I was calling in on the show.

But this kind of thing is subjective. For me it was evidentiary. For others they may imagine it something else. They can parse the idea, try to explain it away  but I left in the part of the clip where Charles confirms it was accurate.  

And this moment turned my life in another direction - if it was possible for her to "visit me" or to "appear on the Charles Grodin show" with her old friend Charles (they appeared in "Sex and the College Girl" together decades earlier and remained lifelong best pals.)

For me, her showing James the photo and the cocktail glass collection was absolute proof that she still existed.

And if she still existed, then how could I go and seek her out?  Since then I've written 8 "best selling" books  (kindle in their genre) about our journey - the new book "Architecture of the Afterlife" mentions her, and the latest book with Jennifer Shaffer, Luana "writes" the forward.  Because she can communicate with us, and does so EVERY WEEK.

With Jennifer Shaffer

Every week for the past five years I meet up with Jennifer Shaffer (a medium who works with law enforcement agencies nationwide, has assisted in a case with Bill Bratten (former NYPD commissioner) and Jennifer and I have been demonstrating for five years that it's possible to speak directly to our loved ones on the flipside.

Our new book - written the help and assistance of Luana - who is outside of time, is in "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3". 


Luana is our moderator on the flipside, and she is referenced often on our Podcast (HackingTheAfterlife.com) and in the Video Clips (MartiniZone.com)

It's funny - I gave these VHS tapes to someone at a local college - it took him two years to get around to them. And today I'm finally putting up to clips.

Enjoy.