In this packed Friday night show, I kicked things off from Asylum Studios in Eagle Pass, Texas and welcomed two compelling guests. First up was Robert Rosen, author of Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon. We dug into the origins of his book, his access to Lennon’s diaries, and how he blended investigation with restrained imagination—especially around Lennon’s vivid dream practices, occult interests, yoga and numerology, and his surprisingly intense fixation on Paul McCartney. Robert also shared how a brief born-again phase drew unexpected attention from Christian media and why he believes Nowhere Man captures Lennon’s inner world like no other biography. In hour two, I sat down with Dr. Katherine Hayes—author, editor, educator, and host of Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Laced with Morality. We explored her multicultural roots, her path from ministry curricula to thrillers, and the heart behind her novel A Fifth of the Story: trauma, truth, and the power of that ‘one-fifth’—what God sees. Katherine talked crafting complex characters (including a white supremacist), writing authentic male voices, and serving military families alongside her veteran husband. We closed with community notes, upcoming guests, and an invite to our Sunday Bible study series on dispensations. Joe's GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/raise-funds-to-cover-mortgage-escrow-shortage FOLLOW US ON: RUMBLE: https://rumble.com/joerooz YouTube: https://youtube.com/@joerooz TWITCH: https://twitch.tv/joerooz X: https://x.com/joerooz Facebook: https://facebook.com/joeroozpodcast Minds: https://minds.com/joerooz GETTR: https://gettr.com/joerooz Want to be a guest on The Joe Rooz Show? Send Joe a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/joe Music: https://youtube.com/@pogo (00:00:53) Cold open banter and Friday vibes (00:03:51) Show intro from Texas and weekend setup (00:05:30) Guest lineup: Robert Rosen and Dr. Katherine Hayes (00:10:52) Introducing Robert Rosen and his body of work (00:12:37) Brooklyn roots, NYC living, and icebreakers (00:17:06) From Erasmus to City College: choosing writing over architecture (00:19:17) Lessons from Joseph Heller and Francine du Plessix Gray (00:22:13) Nowhere Man genesis: access to Lennon’s inner circle (00:25:42) Inside Lennon’s diaries: scope, detail, and habit (00:29:55) Crafting Nowhere Man: reportage blended with imaginative reconstruction (00:34:46) Behind the façade: occult practices and daily life at the Dakota (00:38:21) Rivalries and obsessions: McCartney, Jagger, and jealousy (00:46:42) Bermuda voyage: reconnecting with the muse and Double Fantasy (00:54:09) Faith flickers, Christian media reception, and legacy (00:54:31) Marriage complexities: Yoko, May Pang, and isolation (00:57:14) Househusband myth, burnout, and retreat from the music biz (00:59:48) Would Lennon approve? On truth and channeling a voice (01:09:26) Hour two kickoff and guest transition (01:11:15) Introducing Dr. Katherine Hutchinson Hayes (01:13:11) Background, identity, and joyful icebreakers (01:25:28) Faith talk detour: dispensations, Genesis, and typology (01:41:36) Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem: creating a values-driven true crime adjacent pod (01:53:43) A Fifth of the Story: theme, title meaning, and moral stakes (01:56:32) Writing men, difficult antagonists, and psychology in thrillers (02:00:48) What readers should carry away: truth, unity, and grace (02:03:16) Honoring service: husband’s path and supporting veterans (02:05:34) Where to find Dr. Hayes, publishing submissions, and sign-off (02:07:44) Closing notes, schedule, and ways to support the show - Joe "Rooz" Russiello - Marisa Lee - Wayne Rankin - Rosanna Rankin - Angela Wetuski - Carolina Jimenez https://www.joerooz.com/support https://www.joerooz.com
