FEATURED LECTURER

 BRIAN KEENE  is the author of over fifty books and three-hundred short stories — mostly horror, crime, fantasy, and nonfiction. They have been translated into over a dozen different languages and have won numerous awards (see sidebar). His 2003 novel, The Rising, is credited with inspiring pop culture’s recurrent interest in zombies. He has also  written for such media properties as Doctor Who, Thor, Aliens, Harley Quinn, The X-Files, Doom Patrol, Justice League, Hellboy, Superman, and Masters of the Universe. He was the showrunner for Realm Media and Blackbox TV’s Silverwood: The Door. 

 From 2015 to 2020, he hosted the immensely popular The Horror Show with Brian Keene podcast. He also hosted (along with Christopher Golden) the long-running Defenders Dialogue podcast, and (with Jim Cobb and Dacia Arnold) the How To Survive 2025 limited series). Keene also serves on the Board of Directors for the Scares That Care 501c charity organization, which helps sick children, burn survivors, and those battling breast cancer. 

  Timothy is is an illustrator, author, paranormal investigator, and folk musician living in Pennsylvania. His illustrations have appeared in the pages of various books, magazines, fanzines and comics as well as on many record and CD covers. Since 1995, Timothy has been making music both solo and with his band, Stone Breath. Stone Breath has released over a dozen albums. Timothy makes regular appearances on the paranormal radio show, Where Did the Road Go?, and has appeared as a guest on many other podcasts and radio programs, including Coast to Coast AM.  

Strange Familiars is a paranormal podcast that tells stories through a combination of historical research, witness interviews, discussion, and on-site recordings when possible. Join Timothy and his rotating cast of co-hosts (Alison, Chad, Jon, and James) as they legend trip into unknown and forgotten places.

We create the entire podcast ourselves - everything from the logo and other artwork to recording, editing, and mixing the audio. Even the background music and opening theme were performed by Timothy's band, Stone Breath. 

  A native of eastern Pennsylvania's Anthracite Coal Region, Richard Bigg has decades of experience in the field of paranormal research and investigation. Formerly the director of Pennsylvania Paranormal Research Team (PPRT), he's spent the last 3 years compiling local tales into his first book series, Strange Stories From the Skulking Stream. By day, he's the Director of Case Management at a social services agency in Schuylkill County.