Spirit Talk Show - Bedtime Stories for Grown Ups

Doyle - STS
  • 5.0 (300)
  • Comedy Fiction
  • Updated Daily

Spirit Talk Show is a storytelling podcast built on genuine human connection. Each episode features meaningful conversations, live cold readings, and shared creativity with remarkable guests. Stories unfold naturally—sometimes eerie, sometimes funny, sometimes deeply moving—through personal memories, original works, and AI-assisted storytelling. Every episode honors real voices, lived experiences, and the power of being fully present. Spirit Talk Show is a space where stories are shared, voices are amplified, and connection comes first. Now go tell a story worth telling.

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  1. 1d ago

    S7-EP4: The Tip of the Spear: Terrence Rotering on NORAD, Faith, and the War Nobody Sees

    He spent four years at the Air Force Academy. Twenty years flying fighter aircraft. Fifteen years at NORAD, the command responsible for watching the skies over all of North America. Thirty-nine years of vigilance, discipline, and mission. And when the uniform finally came off, the silence was deafening. So Terrence Rotering sat down and wrote 5,000 pages in two years. Eleven books. A trilogy of trilogies plus two. An epic saga called The Chronicles of Trinith that braids together fantasy, science fiction, and spiritual warfare into a single unified world — one that keeps expanding with every book he finishes. He has been compared to Tolkien for foundational mythos, to C.S. Lewis for moral imagination, to Asimov and Herbert for the scale of his science fiction. That is heavy company. But what makes Terrence's work different from anyone he is compared to is something he calls unfencing the fiction. He does not believe the spiritual war in his books stays politely inside the covers. He believes it walks out into the living world and finds you. In this episode, Terrence talks about what nearly four decades of military service does to a person's sense of purpose, what it felt like when that purpose suddenly went quiet, the God-winks that convinced him this story was bigger than he planned, and the one word he carries into every morning: SMILE. Service. Mission. Intentionality. Legacy. Eternity. He also makes one thing clear that Frodo had a ring and Harry had a wand. You have something else entirely. And it may be more than enough. Find Terrence at chroniclesoftrinian.com. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups Hosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/ X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk  Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow  www.spirittalkshow.info  If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it. Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

  2. Jul 15

    S7-EP3: Gerald Everett Jones on Writing, Hollywood, and Why Stories Matter More Than Fame

    In this extended episode of Spirit Talk Show, Doyle sits down with award-winning author Gerald Everett Jones for a wide-ranging conversation about writing, publishing, Hollywood, history, and what success really means for a working storyteller. Gerald reflects on his journey from nonfiction and technical writing to fiction, screenwriting, and historical novels, sharing hard-won insight into the realities of traditional publishing, self-publishing, book promotion, and the often painful gap between creating a story and watching the industry reshape it. The conversation also explores Gerald’s upcoming novel Jonathan’s Journal, a work of historical fiction inspired by a real World War I diary and expanded into a deeper story of memory, geopolitics, loss, and human connection. Along the way, Doyle and Gerald dive into film adaptations, streaming culture, the power of long-form storytelling, and why legacy may matter more than fame. This is an episode about craft, survival, reinvention, and the long game of creative work. Learn more about Gerald Everett Jones and his books: https://geraldeverettjones.com/ Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups Hosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/ X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk  Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow  www.spirittalkshow.info  If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it. Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

  3. Jul 8

    S7-EP2: In the Room Where It Happened: Richard Sparks on Writing for Rowan Atkinson, Robin Williams, and the Golden Age of British Comedy

    He was in the pub with Rowan Atkinson when John Cleese called. He watched Rick Mayal and Adrian Edmondson do their very first television appearance. He stood at the back of an empty auditorium the night Stefan Grappelli made a seasoned guitarist stop mid-conversation just to watch. He was there for so much of it — the golden age of British comedy, the writers' rooms, the charity stages, the moments that became television history. And then, decades later, he sat down alone one night to play a role-playing game with twenty-four strangers across the world. And thought: what would it really be like to actually be this guy? That question became a novel. Then a series. Then four books. Richard Sparks has had two full creative lives, and he is not finished with either of them. In this conversation, he talks about what it meant to write for some of the most iconic voices in British comedy, what the room was really like when Rowan Atkinson switched on, the night he watched Robin Williams hold thirty people in physical pain from laughing, and why the most important thing he ever did for his career was quit the safe job he hated two weeks after signing on for another year. He also reads live from his New Rock series — a chapter so quietly constructed that it gives you the answer to everything in chapter nine, and you don't realize what you've been handed until much later. His advice to every young writer listening: learn the melody before you give anyone the riff. And never try to write like somebody else. It took him decades to prove that with his own work. He's still proving it. Find Richard at richardsparks.com and the New Rock series wherever books are sold. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups Hosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/ X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk  Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow  www.spirittalkshow.info  If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it. Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

  4. Jul 1

    S7-EP1: Scott Miller & The Lost Sci-Fi Signal — A Radio Play Adventure | Season 7 Premiere

    Every season begins with a spark. For the Season 7 premiere of Spirit Talk Show: Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups, Doyle welcomes a guest who feels perfectly at home in the world of imagination, storytelling, and the power of the human voice. Scott Miller, host of the acclaimed Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, joins the show for a lively and unforgettable conversation about vintage science fiction, the golden age of radio storytelling, and the magic of bringing written stories to life through voice and performance. Scott has spent years narrating classic science fiction stories from the public domain, preserving imaginative works that might otherwise be forgotten. His passion for storytelling shines through in every performance — and in this episode, that passion becomes something truly electric. Instead of simply talking about storytelling, Doyle and Scott dive into it together. Throughout the episode, they perform live sci-fi radio plays—switching voices, narrating dramatic scenes, and recreating the spirit of old-time radio theater. It’s playful, immersive, and a reminder of how powerful storytelling can be when people simply sit down and let their imagination run. Along the way, Scott shares the remarkable journey that led him to podcasting, the lessons he’s learned about persistence and creativity, and why he believes the most important thing in life is simply this: keep doing the things you love. It’s the perfect way to begin Season 7—with laughter, stories, imagination, and a celebration of the voices that keep great stories alive. Explore Scott’s work at: https://lostscifi.com Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups Hosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/ X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk  Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow  www.spirittalkshow.info  If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it. Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

  5. Jun 25 ·  Bonus

    S6-EP26.5: The House Was a Warm Hug: A Bonus Companion to Remembering Evelyn Dorothy Parker

    After we aired our Season 6 tribute to Evelyn Dorothy Parker, something stayed with me. Not just her story, but the voices of the people she made. This bonus companion episode is something I have never done before on this show. What you are about to hear is the memorial gathering held for Evelyn by the people who loved her — her sons, her colleagues from the Krasnow Lab at Stanford, the young researchers she took into her home, the daughter-in-law she welcomed in a moment of grief with nothing but warmth, and a son she gave up at birth who found his way back to her front door thirty years later with a bunch of flowers and no idea what to do with his hands. They called her the lab mom. They said her house was a warm hug. They talked about the frogs she did not actually want anymore but kept collecting because people needed her to be the kind of woman who loved frogs. One man flew in from Ireland as a clueless graduate student and left twelve years later knowing how to live. If the first episode told you who Evelyn was, this one shows you what she built. And what she built was people. You will hear them here, in their own words, stumbling gently through the kinds of sentences that only come out right when they are true. To hear the original tribute episode first, search Spirit Talk Show for S6-EP26: A Life of Kindness and Quiet Brilliance. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups Hosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/ X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk  Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow  www.spirittalkshow.info  If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it. Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

  6. Jun 24 ·  Bonus

    S6-EP26: Season 6 Finale: A Life of Kindness and Quiet Brilliance: Remembering Evelyn Dorothy Parker

    As Season 6 of Spirit Talk Show: Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups comes to a close, we pause—not with noise, but with reflection. In this special tribute episode, Doyle sits down with his friend Russ to honor the life of Russ’s mother, Evelyn Dorothy Parker—a remarkable woman whose story quietly spans immigration, science, motherhood, and a lifetime of perseverance. Born in 1937 to a family who fled Nazi Germany, Evelyn’s life began in upheaval but unfolded with extraordinary purpose. She grew up on a dairy ranch in Northern California and quickly revealed a rare brilliance—graduating high school at just 14 and earning her bachelor’s degree by 17. She went on to complete her doctorate in biochemistry at UC Berkeley and contributed to important molecular biology research at Stanford, helping shape early understanding in genetics and developmental science. But this story isn’t only about achievement. It’s about who she was in the spaces between. Evelyn is remembered for her kindness—welcoming young researchers into her home, hosting holiday gatherings for students far from their families, and offering support without ever seeking recognition. Her impact wasn’t loud, but it was lasting. In this deeply personal conversation, Russ shares stories preserved in a remarkable family binder—stories of wartime displacement, academic brilliance, rediscovered connections, and the quiet humanity that defined his mother’s life. The episode closes with a gentle bedtime story from a book written by Evelyn’s own mother decades ago—a reminder that every life, no matter how extraordinary or ordinary it may seem, carries its own rhythm… and its own meaning. As we close Season 6, this episode stands as a tribute—not only to Evelyn, but to all those whose lives shape the world quietly through kindness, curiosity, and a life well lived. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups Hosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/ X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk  Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow  www.spirittalkshow.info  If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it. Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

  7. Jun 17

    S6-EP25: Diana Colleen — Can Fiction Change Billionaires and Save the Planet?

    What if the greatest threat to humanity isn’t scarcity — but excess? In this powerful episode of Spirit Talk Show: Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups, Doyle welcomes speculative fiction author Diana Colleen for a fascinating conversation about wealth, power, climate change, and the human psychology behind extreme accumulation. Diana shares the deeply personal journey that led her to write her bold new novel — including how psychedelic-assisted therapy helped her through a suicidal period and ultimately inspired the story she felt called to tell. The result is a provocative work of speculative fiction that asks a daring question: what would happen if the world’s billionaires were forced to confront their humanity? During this wide-ranging conversation, Russ, Doyle and Diana explore: • Why extreme wealth may be a psychological and social crisis • The idea of “billionaireism” as a modern form of hoarding • The power of storytelling to challenge cultural assumptions • Psychedelic therapy, empathy, and human connection • Why fiction can sometimes change minds more deeply than facts It’s a bold, philosophical, and deeply human discussion about power, responsibility, and the possibility of redemption in a world facing climate crisis and widening inequality. Learn more about Diana and her work at: https://www.dianacolleenauthor.com/ If you enjoy conversations that blend storytelling, philosophy, and big questions about the future of humanity, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups Hosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/ X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk  Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow  www.spirittalkshow.info  If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it. Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

  8. Jun 10

    S6-EP24: The Firewood Guy: How Steve Gamlin Turned 6,386 Days of Love Into a Life on Fire

    What does it look like when a man stands in a thunderstorm, dares lightning to strike him, and discovers his entire purpose instead? Steve Gamlin -- keynote speaker, stand-up comedian, vision board coach, and self-described "beach bum philanthropist" -- has built a life out of beautiful wreckage. A ten-year radio career that imploded. A divorce. Tens of thousands of dollars in debt at 35. And then, one afternoon on a golf course in the middle of a thunderstorm, something shifted. That moment launched everything: a speaking career, seven years of stand-up comedy, the Vision Board Mastery program, Beach Bum Philanthropy (his official 501c3 nonprofit), and a personal development philosophy he calls "blue collar woo" -- no glitter, no fluff, just roll up your sleeves and do the work. But the heart of this episode is a love story. In June of 2007, after 21 years of silence, Steve received an email from a girl he had a crush on in high school and never had the courage to ask out. Her name was Tina. Four weeks later, she texted him: "Can I tell you something if you promise not to freak out?" What followed was 6,386 days of the kind of love most people only put on vision boards. Tina died suddenly in Steve's arms in a London hotel room in December of 2024, less than 24 hours after the two of them shared what Steve calls the most honest conversation of their lives together. And still, every single morning, his foot slides across to her side of the bed. In this conversation, Steve brings all of it -- the grief, the humor, the heartbreak, the hopefulness, and yes, the standing ovation he admits he cheated to get -- into the Spirit Talk Show studio. We also perform a short radio play, read him a tribute story, and close with a poem that left the whole room quiet. If you have ever felt like your failures were just firewood waiting to be lit, this episode is for you. Find Steve and explore his work -- including Vision Board Mastery, his humor coaching, and his speaking events -- at www.stevegamlinspeaker.com. You can also connect with him on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter at @SteveGamlin. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups Hosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/ X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk  Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow  www.spirittalkshow.info  If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it. Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

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5
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About

Spirit Talk Show is a storytelling podcast built on genuine human connection. Each episode features meaningful conversations, live cold readings, and shared creativity with remarkable guests. Stories unfold naturally—sometimes eerie, sometimes funny, sometimes deeply moving—through personal memories, original works, and AI-assisted storytelling. Every episode honors real voices, lived experiences, and the power of being fully present. Spirit Talk Show is a space where stories are shared, voices are amplified, and connection comes first. Now go tell a story worth telling.

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