How it all got started

In the north Georgia foothills winters can get a bit nasty. From time to time the weather can keep people from getting around. The winter of 2014 was just such a time. We were living on Lake Arrowhead and the roads were as icy and impassable as ever. There was no getting in or out of that place. We were stuck inside and in order to keep from getting cabin fever the family took to sitting in front of a nice fire, cooking good homestyle meals, and watching movies on TV.

My youngest, Dylan, was only about seven at the time. He had taken a liking to all shows supernatural. If it was scary, he liked it. If there were ghosts, monsters, or mythical creatures, he wanted to watch it. He must have asked me a thousand questions that cold, dark season. He wanted to know if ghosts were real, if angels could fly, if Nessie was alive, if bigfoot really existed, and if there truly were extraterrestrials. We spent hours looking at books, watching shows and reading online. It was in the warmth of that lakehouse that I gave birth to the idea of 'Oliver Phenomena', a young child with the natural ability to attract all kinds of fantastic and strange wonders. The idea grew to a concept and from there to a project. Pictures of 'Oliver' were made, storylines developed. Young Dylan marveled at the pace the venture took. He could see himself in 'Oliver', and understood his deep connection to our progeny. Those were the early days of contrivance, of the inspiration that led to "The Fantastic Adventures of Oliver Phenomena".