When Mothman Shrieks

Beyond any shadow of doubt, Andy Colvin has written and published more words on Mothman than I have knocked back cans of Tennents Super! Well, maybe...

But, that aside, the news today is that Andy has another book out on the red-eyed, winged thing of Point Pleasant, West Virginia!

This one is titled: The Mothman Shrieks: Controversial Conversations Concerning Cosmic Conundrums - Cryptic Creatures, Chimeras, Contactees, and the Cleverly Coded Coincidences and Correspondences of the Collective Unconscious.

I haven't seen it yet, but when I do, a review will soon follow!

And, as we are told about the book:

"Spurred by the realization that the 9/11 attacks were accurately predicted - in 1967 - by a childhood friend who was seeing Mothman, Seattle artist Andy Colvin began filming a reality series, 'The Mothman's Photographer,' documenting his experiences growing up in Mound, West Virginia. 'The Mothman Shrieks,' the second book in Colvin's 'birdman vocalization' trilogy, looks at the many ways Mothman communicates. Revealing letters from experiencers - penned during a wave of odd synchronicities, sightings, and encounters - indicate that Mothman may be a guardian angel of mind-bending proportions. Increasingly, the Mothman events look to be as important and miraculous as the famous events at Fatima. Interwoven with these personal diaries are discussions between Colvin and other witnesses and experts that reach back into the mysterious history of America, giving a fuller context for the phenomenon. Colvin also tracks the relationship between the paranormal and the media - how the two seemingly work together to help form public opinion and belief. Also included is a chapter of rare material from John Keel, Gray Barker, and others on the dreaded Men in Black and their impact on the early days of ufology. Mothman Shrieks features insightful forewords by Ted Torbich, host of 'The Stench of Truth' show, and Eugenia Macer-Story, editor of'Yankee Oracle Gazette.' Also featured are fascinating interviews with researchers like Adam Gorightly, Keith Hansen, Robert Denton, Jr., Louise Lacey, and Sandy Nichols. 'Really grabs you...' -George Knapp, Coast to Coast AM 'Prepare to have your mind blown, reorganized, and elevated...' -Nick Redfern, author, 'The Pyramids and the Pentagon' 'A breakthrough in how we perceive the mysterious...' -Greg Bishop, Radio Misterioso 'Better than the Hollywood version of Mothman..." Bonnie Brault, Ph.D. "Informative, entertaining adventures in synchronicity..." -Peter Moon, author, "Montauk Book of the Living" "May activate one's interdimensional tendencies...' -Alexandra Bruce, author, 'Beyond the Bleep' and 'Beyond the Secret' 'One of the few researchers truly on the cutting edge...' -Ted Torbich 'Fascinating... A huge book...' -Tessa B. Dick, author, 'Remembering Firebright: My Life With Philip K. Dick'"

The picture below - of Andy - was taken by me in December 2010 when, along with various other friends in the Fortean field, we spent a week or so roaming around Los Angeles, Giant Rock, and George Van Tassel's Integratron in search of all-things bizarre...

Roswell: A Novel Idea

While the so-called "Roswell Incident" of July 1947 is still shrouded in secrecy, mystery and intrigue, there is one thing that we know for sure: it's never, ever going to go away!

And here the latest development in the saga (thanks to Robbie Graham of Silver Screen Saucers for the info): a novel on the legendary affair penned by...well...take a look; it's a fascinating development!

What's In A Name?

When you work in the very precarious field of freelance writing, you go wherever the work is and no matter what it might be.

And here's an example: my latest Top 10 article for EHow.co.uk on the UK's most unfortunate surnames...

Stan Gordon: Sunday Night

If Stan Gordon's weird creature cases that I highlighted here over the last few days caught your attention, you may be interested to know he will be on Beyond the Edge radio this coming Sunday night - and, yep, cryptozoolgical weirdness will definitely be on the list!

Here's the link to the show.

Wake Up Now! Aug. 10-11

On the weekend of August 10-11, I'll be speaking at the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Wake Up Now! gig, which you can find all about at this new You Tube post to promote the event. If you're going, let me know!

Gigging on Boggy Creek

Whether or not you have read Lyle Blackburn's excellent book, The Beast of Boggy Creek, you won't want to miss this lecture from him, which was recorded a couple of weeks ago at the monthly meeting of the Extraordinary Phenomena Investigations Council (EPIC) group here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. A fine time was had by all!

From Snake To Snakes

Stan Gordon has shared with me yet another weird creature report from his files. And this one is pretty much beyond creepy and almost positively Lovecraftian! I'll let Stan (author of Silent Invasion: The Pennsylvania UFO-Bigfoot Casebook, a book you really should own!) relate the details in his very own words.

Over to Stan:

This incident first came to the attention of Brian Seech, founder of the Center for Unexplained Events, who quickly made me aware of the occurrence. I have had the opportunity to interview the husband who was driving the car during this experience.

This incident occurred on September 19, 2009, at about 3:45 pm, on a beautiful, clear and sunny afternoon, in rural Westmoreland County, not far from Youngwood. A woman, her husband and child were in their car driving along the country road that afternoon. Suddenly, the woman seated behind her husband yelled out, “watch out for that snake.” The man slowed down as they focused on a black snake about four feet long that was slowly moving across the road ahead of them from right to left. The head of the reptile was in the center of the roadway. The fellow told me that while the creature looked like a snake, it did not slither like a snake, but instead, was “gliding real slow.”

Suddenly, something happened that the witnesses are still trying to explain. As the couple watched, the body of the snake broke apart into approximately eight individual creatures. The man related that this happened quickly, almost as if it exploded. Each creature was about four inches in length, but  stretched up to approximately six inches as they moved. They were tubular shaped, with no tail, and charcoal black in color. The fellow said he was unsure if there was hair, but what might have been hair was of a “shiny wet” texture.

Each creature seemed to have four feet, two on each side of the body. The feet were hard to describe, since they were black, the same color as the body. They did not notice any eyes. The wife told her husband that she could see the mouth of one creature, which was wide open. The vehicle stopped about ten to twenty feet from the creatures, which were “moving individually, erratically, and extremely fast in the road.”

The creatures moved like inch worms with the back hunched up and then stretching flat, growing at least two additional inches in length each time they moved. Then all of the individual creatures positioned themselves to form a perfect solid black circle in the middle of the road. At that point, an additional similar crawling creature came out of the grass from the driver’s left side, and with extreme speed, joined the others in the circle. They then apparently all joined into one snake-like form, as no space could be seen between the units after they joined together. Then it moved very quickly to  the left side of the road into the grass from where it had originated from.

The entire incident was estimated to have taken place in five to ten seconds. No unusual sounds or smells were detected during the experience, but the windows were closed at the time. The man        drove the car forward, as they looked to the left trying to see where the creature had gone. They quickly hurried down the road and out of the area.

The witness explained that “the event was surreal, like watching computer generated graphics or animation”. Soon after the event, the wife drew pictures of the creatures, and sculpted what she saw with play-doh. Various reptiles, insects, and animals were researched on the internet to try to find an explanation, but none fit the various characteristics of what  was observed.

This report was of much interest to me, as there was an  incident I received with some similarities that occurred on June 27, 2009, in Mount Pleasant Township only a short distance from this encounter. During that evening, three passengers in a car watched what resembled over sized caterpillars, about 7 inches long moving back and forth across the road.

Spaghetti and a Space Girl

Just a few days ago, I did a radio-show in which I mentioned that from the early-to-mid-80s onwards I wrote a lot of articles for magazines, fanzines and newspapers that finally folded and - as a result of them having been written on my old, fairly useless word-processor of the day - have pretty much vanished into oblivion.

So, I said to the host, unless you have copies of - as just one of many examples - Quest, the mid-80s version of the later UFO Magazine published by the sadly missed Graham Birdsall and his brother, Mark, many of those articles are gone for good.

It was this show that prompted one emailer to ask me why don't I dig out those articles that have survived and put them out as a collective anthology, which would allow people to see at least some of them?

Well, I have actually already done that!

It's a 2011 book called Space Girl Dead on Spaghetti Junction and includes examples of my writing from way back in 1982 to the present day and covers very hard to find old articles on everything from UFOs to Bigfoot, rock music to Hollywood scandal, TV shows banned by the BBC to foot-and-mouth disease, and much more!

You can get hold of Space Girl Dead on Spaghetti Junction - and all those still-surviving articles from yesteryear - right here!

Lubbock Lights Mysteries

In a new article at Mysterious Universe, good mate Micah Hanks delves into the strange saga of Texas' Lubbock Lights...

Micah notes: "The controversy began around August 25th, 1951, when three Tech College professors observed together a strange formation of lights coasting overhead. The witnesses, Dr. A.G. Oberg, a chemical engineer, Dr. W.L. Ducker, a department head at the college and a petroleum engineer, and Dr. W.I. Robinson, who served as a geologist, were believed to be more credible than the average UFO witness, based on their backgrounds."

Pyramids, Pentagon, Paracast, Podcast!

A few days ago I recorded an episode of The Paracast with hosts Gene Steinberg and Chris O'Brien. The subject: my new The Pyramids and the Pentagon book. And here's where you can find the now-available podcast.

Saucers and St. John

Loren Coleman has a fascinating new post up at his Twilight Language blog titled St. John's Day: June 24th ~ Flying Saucers, Fires, Forteana, and Finding MacFarlane's Bear.

As Loren notes, not only is June 24 St. John's Day, it's also the day on which (in 1947) the era of Flying Saucers was ushered in, thanks to pilot Kenneth Arnold and the curious craft he encountered at Mount Rainier, Washington State.

Loren also notes that: "Mystery deaths are often associated with St. John's Day."

And that includes people in the UFO field, too, as Loren reveals:

"The deaths of various UFO (aerial and related phenomena) researchers, writers, and fans (Frank Scully, June 24, 1964; Frank Edwards, near the coming midnight of the 24th, on June 23, 1967; Arthur Bryant, June 24, 1967; Richard Church, June 24, 1967; Willy Ley, June 24, 1969; Jackie Gleason, June 24, 1987). June 24, 2006 saw the death of renegade publisher Lyle Stuart who published anomalist writer Frank Edwards’ Fortean book, in 1959, Stranger than Science, a paperbook full of information on ufology and other unexplained accounts."

Pterosaurs of the Mind?

I've got a new post up at Mysterious Universe that begins like this:

"Just a few days ago, at my World of Whatever blog, I wrote a post that addressed just a few of the uncanny parallels between the Japanese 1961 monster-movie, Mothra, and some of the cases and events featured in John Keel’s classic book, The Mothman Prophecies. But, what I also did was to focus on the possibility that perhaps art – whether movies, novels or whatever – can fire up the imagination to such an extent that the collective unconscious can externalize into quasi-physical form those 'things' purely born out of fiction. As noted Fortean author Colin Bennett told me: 'When we imagine, we create a form of life.'

"And, I have been doing a bit of further digging into this area of fiction and Forteana, and one of the most notable issues to have caught my attention is that concerning a 1969 movie, The Valley of Gwangi. It stars James Franciscus, Gila Golan and Laurence Naismith who get caught up in a monstrous caper involving still-surviving dinosaurs that inhabit a hidden valley in Mexico. Among those same dinosaurs are an Allosaurus, an Ornithomimus and a Styracosaurus. And there’s another beast, too: a vicious pteranodon that circles the skies menacingly.

"Well, it so happens that from the 1970s onwards there has been an intriguing number of reports of pterosaur-style creatures in and around the Texas/Mexico border and certain other parts of south Texas."

Could it be that these '70's sightings were provoked by the movie in a similar “When we imagine, we create a form of life"-type scenario?

More On That Worm...

Following on from that weird "UFO/Slug" story I have highlighted the last few days, I have just completed a new article on the potentially-connected strange 1962 saga of the giant worm of England's Avebury stones. You can find it over at Mania. com in the form of my latest, regular Lair of the Beasts column...

UFOs, Slugs and Worms...

Further to that weird-but-intriguing story I posted yesterday which was provided by Stan Gordon and that focused on a recent case involving a UFO and a slithering slug-like creature, here's a a new post from me at Cryptomundo on a very similar case.

This one appears in my newly-published book, The Pyramids and the Pentagon, and revolves around a 1962 event concerning a weird ball of light (still a definitive UFO) and a writhing worm-like animal in the ancient, famous stones at Avebury, England.

In fact, I'm reliably informed that this very stone - at the forefront of this photo - is where all the wormy action occurred...

Two cases, half a century apart, both UFO-themed and both involving very similar creatures. Is this just a one-off coincidence? Or does anyone know of any other cases of a similar nature?

And, of course, folkloric tales of weird worms on the loose are rife in old English folklore and legend, such as the famous Lambton Worm, shown below in an 1890 illustration:

The Pyramids and the Pentagon: Radio

Today marks the official publication date of my new book, The Pyramids and the Pentagon, so I figured you may be interested in checking out the following radio/podcast shows I'll be doing on the book:

The Paracast show - June 24;
Bright Side Radio - June 24;
Ken Hudnall show - June 25;
West Coast Truth - June 26;
Darkness Radio - June 27;
Second Sight - June 28;
Radio Amerika - June 29;
Bruce Collins Show - July 2;
Marshall Masters Show - July 3;
Meg Blackburn Show - July 5;
Richard Syrett Show - July 8;
Inner Talk - July 10;
USC Radio Show - July 11;
USC Radio Show - July 17;
Higher Side Chats - July 18;
Disinformation Podcast - July 24;
Sandy Sedgbeer Show - July 25;
Rita Louise Show - Aug. 17;
Paranormal Palace Radio show - Sept. 4;
Exploring Unexplained Phenomena - Sept. 15;
Good Vibrations - Sept. 22;

Becoming An Author...

A few tips from me - in another new post at EHow.co.uk - on breaking into the world of book-writing...

Something Fishy Going On...

It's got nothing to do with the paranormal, supernatural, UFOs, or Cryptozoology. But, it is one of my favorite subjects: fish-ponds! And, it's the topic of a new article from me at EHow.co.uk...

A Houston, Texas Gig: July 22

On Sunday, July 22, I'll be giving a lecture on my Fortean research at the Hilton S/W, 6780 Southwest Freeway (59 South), Houston, Texas. The doors open at 1PM and the presentation begins at 2pm. If you're going to be in Houston that day and want to come along, contact the organizer, Jonnie Vann for all the info at: Jonniespartipoodle@att.net

Really weird...

Good friend Naomi West has a new post at her All This Pudding blog that makes for fascinating reading. And it's deeply weird too!

Here's the link.

And here's what I told Naomi in an email when she shared the info with me:

"It kind of reminded me a bit of the 'Missing Thunderbird' photo, where people spoke of seeing the photo decades ago, and now it can't be found. Makes me wonder if these things did happen and entities are playing around with the timeline so that things that did happen later on didn't happen. A far-out theory, but worth considering!"

The picture above shows Naomi and her husband (and also a great friend) Richie, when they came up to visit in 2010. The site is the stretch of road on which JFK was assassinated in November 1963. Yep, another big mystery!

The Pyramids and the Pentagon: Extract

If you click on this link, it will take you to a post at the New Page Books blog where you will find an extract from my new book, The Pyramids and the Pentagon.

It's an extract that focuses on one of the weirder stories in the book, namely that of the Pentagon's quest to seek out the truth concerning nothing less than the remains of Noah's Ark...

A UFO and a Slug-Like Thing

Stan Gordon, author of the excellent Silent Invasion: The Pennsylvania UFO-Bigfoot Casebook, has very generously let me share with you a fascinating new article from him titled Pennsylvania Close Encounter with a UFO & Slug-Like Creature.

As you'll see, it appears to blend the UFO phenomenon with Cryptozoology - a theme very present in Stan's Silent Invasion.

You can find all about Stan's decades-long work at his website, www.stangordon.info

And here's his new article:

"I received a telephone message on my answering machine at 12:32 a.m., on May 8, 2012 from a man who reported seeing a strange aerial object at close range just a short time before he called. I was able to make contact with him at around 10 a.m. at which time I conducted a detailed interview with the man involved. There were additional interviews that followed as well. The man noticed the object hovering at close range after the inside of his living room was illuminated by its lights.

"One of the first questions the man asked me was if the object could be a 'weather plane' since there was lightning off in the distance. During our initial interview the man suddenly brought up that until I had called him back to talk about what he had observed, he had blanked out the UFO sighting encounter and had forgotten about it, and this seemed disturbing to him.  Upon seeing the object, the man attempted to video tape it as it moved off in the distance. Unfortunately, very little detail could be seen on the short video. Researcher and electronics specialist Jim Brown attempted to try to work with the footage to obtain more details but was unable to do so.  Jim stated, 'There is simply not enough resolution to determine any detail to it.'

"My research associate, Keith Bastianini, an archeologist and graphic artist, went to the location to conduct an on scene investigation and a first- hand interview with the man involved. Some very interesting additional details surfaced during that interview.  The following is a summary from Keith Bastianini’s report:

"The sighting occurred in Washington County, Pennsylvania, at approximately 11:10 p.m. on May 7, 2012.  The witness was in the living room of his second floor home while his wife was asleep in the bedroom at the time of the sighting.  The night was overcast and although it was not raining, there were thunderstorms on the horizon producing lightening that occasionally lit the sky. The witness was sitting on the couch watching television when the room was suddenly illuminated by brilliant white light streaming in from the window to his right.  Rising from the couch and moving to the window which looks out over the rear parking area, the witness found the source of the light to be an unknown aircraft hovering low atop an electrical pole.

"The 'aircraft' resembled a football (the pointed ends aligned vertically), with two perpendicular light arrays in the middle.  The witness estimated each light array measured approximately 30 feet in length.  Each array supported seven round lights which reminded the witness 'of baseball stadium lights.'  A square-lined grill covered each of the lights.  Three darker bands (similar to the white stripes on a football) encircled the 'craft. The witness noted the object appeared to be of seamless' fabrication.  

"The witness tried to think about what the 'craft' could be, rationalizing that with the weather conditions outside, he was seeing some 'weather plane or helicopter.'  But given the proximity of the object hovering approximately 100 feet away outside the window - 'There should have been some sound…especially if it was a helicopter!  It should have shook the whole damn building, but there was no sound whatsoever!'

"Although shocked by what he was seeing, the witness was determined to capture a picture of the object and went back to the couch where he had earlier been playing with his Sony PlayStation Vita which contained a camera. Back at the window, the witness raised the Vita to target the object in the view finder when it veered swiftly to the left and out of sight.  'Almost as if it knew I was going to take a picture,' he said. Barefoot, the witness darted from his home and down the steps to the front door (in the direction the UFO moved) still hoping to get a picture.

"At the door, he was rewarded with a view of the 'craft' moving rapidly to the south. He raised the Vita and shot video of the departing object until '…it made a right turn like a car would…' and shot from sight. The witness observed that the rear of object looked different from the 'football shape' he first observed as it moved away – 'more like a rectangle with a triangle shape beneath it.'  Also of note, only five lights that blinked alternately red and white were now visible.   

"The witness stated that the portion of the sighting as viewed from the living room window was only a matter of seconds although afterwards he had the impression that it was actually 'longer.'  Some time confusion was evident. The witness initially believed the sighting occurred about midnight but checking the time as recorded on the video places the sighting at 11:10 p.m. A check of the calibration of the camera’s clock function showed no error in the recordation of time. The witness has no explanation for his distorted memory of the time. The witness also stated that he had the distinct feeling that the 'craft' was occupied and that the occupants were aware of his presence.

"When the witness was asked if he noted any physical effects following the sighting, he stated that for 2 days afterwards he experienced 'weird' periods of confusion and forgetfulness during conversations or other activities. He attributed it to post-excitement adding he's never experienced anything like it before. The witness also reported that he didn't sleep well that night expecting 'them' to come back for him. 

"The witness also reported a strange creature sighting during the daylight portion of the day of the UFO encounter. He speculated: 'They (the UFO occupants) left something – I think that’s why they were here.' The witness then led this reporter to a rubble pile of concrete fragments adjacent to the area where the UFO hovered and he recounted finding a large slug-like creature slithering in the weeds. The 'thing' was shiny black like a slug with no apparent eyes or appendages. It measured between 2.5 - 3 feet in length and 7 - 8 inches in thickness. As the witness watched the 'thing' withering around in the weeds it slithered into a hole in the rubble pile. He reported checking the area periodically since the sighting hoping to capture a picture of the 'thing.'"

 

Top 10s X 3

A lot of people assume that the only things I write about are things of a paranormal nature. Not true! I actually write for all sorts of companies on all sorts of things!

And here's 3 examples: my latest Top 10-style articles for a UK web-based company I write for called EHow.

1. Top 10 rockers who should be dead but aren't (you know who is at number one, of course...).

2. Top 10 infamous moments on UK TV.

3. And, finally, Top 10 banned records (a certain song about the Queen of England just has to be in the top slot...)

Reviewing the Pyramids (2)

And another new review of my latest release, The Pyramids and the Pentagon, this one at Horror News, at which the reviewer (whose name appears not to be listed, so I'll call them "Mr. X"!) states in part:

"As authors take on new directions and research into 'specific' conspiracy theory events, a greater level of scrutiny, fact finding, and investigation is occuring literature. Nick Redfern is one such author who digs even further into specific events and cover ups with his book 'The Pyramids and the Pentagon. While t may seem like another conspiracy book, it actually is a deeper connection to a few specific events."

And here's the complete review.

Reviewing the Pyramids (1)

Over at Red Dirt Report, Andrew Griffin reviews my new book, The Pyramids and the Pentagon and, in part, says of it:

"Reading a Nick Redfern book often takes me back to my childhood of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s when shows like Jack Webb’s Project UFO,In Search Of …, and a myriad of other shows and TV specials on UFO’s, Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, were tuned in in the Griffin household...

"...This is a book I had trouble putting down. In fact I finished it in an afternoon. Redfern’s thorough research, documentation, readable style and fearless approach to exceedingly controversial subject matter makes him one of the best writers on the paranormal and unknown while still keeping things fairly down-to-earth. Am already looking forward to his next book."

"They" are watching...

In my latest article at Mysterious Universe, I begin:

"As I noted here just recently, I have had several curious experiences that seem to suggest - quite strongly at times – I have been the subject of some degree of official surveillance as a result of my UFO pursuits – directly or indirectly. And much of that very same surveillance appears to have been in the form of telephone-based monitoring and interference.

"This is not exactly surprising, since I do a lot of research (and interviews with witnesses) via the phone. But, just in case you think this is all simply a case of me – and only me – getting overly paranoid and seeing the sinister Men in Black just about here, there and everywhere, it’s worth noting I’m far from alone when it comes experiencing, or commenting upon, such matters..."

Yep, the secret eyes of the saucer-watchers are everywhere...

Mothman Vs. Mothra

Late last night I watched, for the first time in years, the Japanese "monster movie" Mothra.

And, on doing so, a few things occurred to me that suggested uncanny parallels between Japan's famous, flying, mothy monster and John Keel's acclaimed title, The Mothman Prophecies:

1. Mothra was released in Japan on July 30, 1961. Although Mothman is perceived as being very much a beast of the mid-1960s, John Keel's book tells of a summer 1961 encounter with a winged humanoid on Route 2 along the Ohio River that involved "a woman prominent in civic affairs in Point Pleasant, West Virginia."

2. In the movie, Mothra - after breaking through a dam - causes the collapse of a bridge. And no-one with a sound knowledge of the Mothman affair, surely, needs to be told that a collapsing bridge is a key and integral part of The Mothman Prophecies.

3. The film focuses on Mothra rescuing and acting as protector to a pair of foot-tall, fairy-like girls who are played in the movie by The Peanuts, a Japanese girl-group of that era. John Keel's classic book includes several notable references to fairies, including the way in which centuries-old encounters with such entities clearly parallel more modern day incidents with enigmatic creatures of a fantastic nature.

Fiction anticipating fact? The strange work of a cosmic trickster? Or just a case of coincidence and me seeing something significant that isn't quite so significant, after all?

Whatever the answers to those questions, in pondering on all this, I am reminded of the words of author Colin Bennett, who told me, when I interviewed him for my book, The Real Men in Black: "When we imagine, we create a form of life.”

Is that what happened here? Did a famous monster movie provoke such fascination that a real-life equivalent stepped out of the collective unconscious and imagination and into the heart of the real world?

Giants, Cannibals and Monsters

Good friend Ken Gerhard writes:

"Don't forget to tune in Sunday @9pm EST for the latest edition of Search for Hidden Beasts - http://liveparanormal.com/page/ken-gerhard I'm excited to have as my guest, Kathy Strain - archaeologist, anthropologist and author of - Giants, Cannibals and Monsters: Bigfoot in Native Culture. Listen in for some fascinating discussion!"

Ken's show is always lively and entertaining, so, if you're free, listen in!

Something in the Sky...

My latest Lair of the Beasts column for Mania.com is now online, and it's a weird story of a strange flying man, creature, jet-packing soldier or, well, who the hell knows? Certainly not me!

But, it was seen, reported, and even caught the attention of the press a few years ago when it turned up in the skies above none other than the monster-infested Cannock Chase...

Commenting on Trolls

Just recently, I wrote a post for New Page Books' Creature of the Month section of their blog on a weird affair from 1975. Basically, it involved a Staffordshire, England couple that claimed a late-night encounter with a group of strange creatures they described as resembling nothing less than trolls!

You can find the article right here.

Well, Beachcombing has now commented on the article and has provided some insightful data for those that may want to learn more about what possibly took place on that winter night back in '75...

A Giant-Sized Saga...

I've investigated a hell of a lot of weird shit in my time, and have heard just about everything, but this story - outlined in a new post from me at Cryptomundo and at length in my 2008 book, There's Something in the Woods - is just about the strangest...

Cattle-mutilations, giant insects, black helicopters, huge flying ants and more are all integral parts of a story of (literally!) monstrous proportions!

Slothsquatch?

There's a very thought-provoking new post at Bigfoot Evidence from Damien Bravo which addresses the nature of Bigfoot.

Bravo says: "...I have made a hypothetical connection to Bigfoot with a creature sometimes confused by many people as a primate, the always smiling and gentle Sloth."

While many might dismiss such a possibility, I would urge everyone to have a careful and thoughtful read of the article, which most certainly makes for intriguing food for thought.

After all, despite the many reports collected and studied, and all the theorizing about what Bigfoot is or isn't (an unknown ape, Gigantopithecus, a Tulpa-like thought-form, a dimension-hopping enigma or something else!), we're still pretty much in the dark.

Keel, Kirby and Ashtar

A fascinating new post over at Secret Sun from Chris Knowles.

I know next to nothing about comic-books, but this makes for very intriguing reading...

Cattle Mutes: The Dark Side

Mention the cattle mutilation phenomenon to a lot of people in the Fortean field and it will quickly provoke imagery of black-eyed dwarfs from some far away world stealing body-parts, organs and blood.

But, frankly, (A) given the "Black Helicopter" link to many reports, (B) the fact that stories surface now and again suggesting a far more down to earth explanation for the events, and (C) that certain evidence points in the direction of controversial actions of a very human nature being behind the mutes, I've never been overly impressed by the idea that the killings are linked to UFOs.

And, here's just one of the reasons, as detailed in my latest Mysterious Universe post...

Reviewing a Boggy Creek Gig

What I did at the weekend...

Those Evil ETs...

If you're one of those naive and trusting souls who actually believes that the UFO phenomenon is benevolent, and that its presence on our world is somehow benefiting us, then Evil Empire of the ETs and the Ultra-Terrestrials is not the book for you!

If, however, you're like me and you strongly suspect there is something deeply sinister about the presence of...well...something in our midst that is self-serving, deceptive, manipulative and maybe even downright hostile, then this most definitely is the book for you!

One only has to take a look at the likes of Jacques Vallee's Messengers of Deception and John Keel's Operation Trojan Horse (or my Final Events) to see that something is taking us for a ride - and many are falling for what amounts to a carefully orchestrated agenda of obfuscation and exploitation.

Published by Tim Beckley's Inner Light Publications/Global Communications, Evil Empire... devotes more than 200 of its pages to a reproduction of Dr. Karla Turner's book, Into the Fringe.

I remember reading Turner's book when it was first published (I'm pretty sure I got it via Bob Gerard's much-missed Arcturus Books, as I was still living back in England then), and well recall the graphic story it told, as well as the not-always positive effects that interaction with the entities behind the UFO phenomenon (whatever they really are) can provoke.

And, if you have never had the chance to read Into the Fringe, well, that alone is reason enough to get hold of a copy of this new title from Tim B.

We're also treated to (A) papers on mind-manipulation by the others, (B) reports on what happens when E.T. turns bad, and (C) a very intriguing paper by Brad and Sherry Steiger titled Hostile Encounters with Alien Intelligences that demonstrates the undeniable parallels between certain aspects of "alien abduction" lore, mythologies and centuries-old stories relative to fairies and incubus/succubi-style experiences, and even links with the afterlife and the realm of the dead.

It's books like this one that convince me more and more that the E.T. "meme" is one purposefully spread by these "things" to encourage beliefs that we have in our presence friendly (or, at least, benevolent) entities from some far away world who are here to help.

But, when one looks at cases like that of Dr. Karla Turner, the undeniably negative aspects of many encounters, and the phenomenon-initiated manipulation and deception that run rife in such cases, it becomes clear that we are being used in some fashion - and for purposes not entirely apparent.

Maybe it has always been that way, ever since the phenomenon manifested as demons and gods thousands of years ago, as fairies and goblins in the Middle Ages, las long-haired Space Brothers in the 1950s, and - particularly in the 1980s and 1990s - as other-worldly, black-eyed dwarfs on an evolutionary decline.

Read this book, learn from it, and don't fall for the "friendly E.T." ruse. For a ruse it surely is.

The Little Bigfoot

To slightly reword the Sex Pistols' mighty debut album of 1977: Never mind the Bigfoot, here's the Littlefoot.

Yep, man-beasts come in all shapes and sizes, as I note at my latest Mysterious Universe post.

The Flatwoods Monster Speaks...!

...Well...kind of...in a way...

Check out my latest post at Cryptomundo that fans of the 1952 saga of the notorious Flatwoods Monster will not want to miss.

It's an audio-fest of monstrous mayhem!

Highway to (E.T.) Hell

I knew I would finally be able to get AC/DC onto these pages somehow, even in a roundabout way via a mangled blog post title!

Anyway, the reason for it is that Tim Beckley has a new post that gives a nod towards my Final Events book, as Tim's post addresses the same subject: the alleged connections between UFOs and demonology.

Tim notes of this particularly controversial theory in his post:

"It’s UFOlogy’s dirty little secret. It’s something that is better left swept under the rug. Stanton Friedman doesn’t talk about it. Stephen Bassett most assuredly would keep the subject at arm’s length. The late Richard Hall would have deleted you from his address book. And Steven Greer would never consider it part of his ongoing Disclosure program. To coin ourselves a catch-all phrase that brings together all the negative aspects of the subject, I prefer to call it the DARK SIDE OF UFOLOGY!"

The Hexham Horrors

In a new post, Kithra delves into the strange and macabre story of one of Britain's weirdest Fortean puzzles, namely that of the werewolf-themed Hexham Heads...

The Ever-Controversial Aztec UFO

Any mention of the reported UFO crash at Hart Canyon, Aztec, New Mexico in March 1948 is guaranteed to provoke controversy, primarily because the affair (or non-affair, depending on your own, personal perspective!) generally polarizes people into two camps: those who believe the event actually occurred, and those who conclude everything can pretty much be explained via hoaxing, folklore and the actions of a certain Silas Newton.

You can find out more about Newton and his antics by checking out his FBI file at the Bureau's Vault site right here.

And, here's what the FBI has to say about Newton and their once-secret file on the man:

"Silas Newton (1887-1972) was a wealthy oil producer and con-man who claimed that he had a gadget that could detect minerals and oil. He was cited as an authority in Frank Scully’s book Behind the Flying Saucers, a work that claimed to report on several UFO crashes in the area of New Mexico. In 1950, Newton said that a flying saucer crashed on land he leased in the Mojave Desert; however, he revised his claim in 1952, saying he never saw a flying saucer but had only repeated comments he heard from others. These files detail the FBI’s investigations into Newton’s fraudulent activities between 1951 and 1970."

One of the most controversial and bizarre aspects of the Aztec affair erupted in the late 1990s when UFO researcher and Aztec skeptic Karl Pflock (pictured above in his CIA hat, taken by me in 2002) claimed to have been shown certain entries from a journal that Newton had allegedly written (possibly around 1970-71) and which asserted something very weird.

Namely, that elements of a secret group in the U.S. Government had visited Newton, and told him they knew the Aztec story was nothing more than a money-making scam, but, incredibly, they wanted him to keep telling the tale to anyone who would listen.

Of course, this has led to theories that, perhaps, the government wanted to actively encourage the spreading of spurious UFO crash stories to protect (and confuse) the truth concerning real recovered saucers.

Whatever the truth of the affair, it's an aspect of Aztec that came to a halt with Karl's tragic passing in 2006. But, it might not have been that way had Karl lived.

I first met Karl in 2002 (although we had emailed, faxed, chatted on the phone and exchanged letters on matters of an Aztec nature as far back as 1998), and after discussing Aztec over the course of a couple of months, we decided to write a book together on the case, to be titled Silas the Magnificent, and that would tell the wild and controversial life of Newton, with the Aztec case taking center stage.

We got as far as doing a fair amount of research, a bit of writing, and even submitting a synopsis for the book to various publishers. Of course, when Karl got sick this all came to a halt.

But, Karl and I discussed the "Newton diary" angle extensively, and he told me the circumstances and story behind how he came to be exposed to it and its contents, the attempts he made to verify those contents, his thoughts on the matter, and a few other things besides.

And, now, the Aztec story, the Newton journal, Karl's involvement in this admittedly odd, cloak-and-dagger-type situation, and the whole cosmic controversy are in the news again - as you will see from this new post from Kevin Randle at his A Different Perspective blog.

Whether a real event, a hoax, a rumor circulated by the government to confuse the truth behind real crashed UFOs or something else, of one thing we can be sure: like a flesh-eating zombie, it's incredibly hard to lay Aztec to rest! It just keeps on coming back...

PS: The photo above was taken by me at Hart Canyon eight or nine years ago and demonstrates how, just as is the case at Roswell, the people of Aztec have embraced and highlighted their crashed UFO legend.

Monstrous Origins

Ever wondered how people in the Fortean world got their starts? Here's a new Lair of the Beasts post from me at Mania.com that focuses on good friend Neil Arnold's origins in the worlds of Cryptozoology and the unexplained.

Blue Room Controversies

If there's one thing that all of us who engage in UFO research are looking for, it's hard, physical evidence for the existence of the phenomenon.

For many, that means alien bodies, crashed UFOs, Roswell, and so on. So, if such material evidence does exist, then where might it be secretly held?

One suggestion is the Blue Room - an alleged Aladdin's Cave-type affair at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

And, right now, Tony Bragalia is hot on the trail of the truth concerning the Blue Room, as his new post demonstrates.

Check it out!

The Cryptid Fest: Sept. 1

And another gig I'm speaking at this year: The Oklahoma-based Cryptid Fest on Saturday, September 1st.

There's a great line-up of speakers on a wide range of cryptozoological mysteries.

Here's the link where you can find out all the data on the line-up, times, location, and how to purchase tickets.
Me and good mate Ken Gerhard spoke there last year and it was an excellent time!

The Paradigm Symposium: Oct. 18-21

Another gig I'll be speaking at this year: The Paradigm Symposium in Minneapolis, MN on the weekend of October 18-21. There's a great line-up of speakers, as you'll see from the poster above, who will be lecturing on a wide-range of Fortean topics. Hope to see you there!

Wake Up Now! Aug, 10-12

On the weekend of August 10-12, I'll be speaking at the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Wake Up Now! gig, alongside (among others) Adam Gorightly (author of many fine books, including The Prankster and the Conspiracy), and David Weatherly, the author of the excellent The Black Eyed Children.

Check out the poster above, which includes a web link near the foot of the page where you can get all the data you'll need on the event. Or, click right here.

A Werewolf Podcast

Check out the latest podcast from the Mysterious Universe guys, which includes an excellent interview with the US's leading researcher and writer on the werewolf/Dogman issue, Linda Godfrey.

Bigfoot's Brain

Yep, there seems to be a bit of debate these past few days about Bigfoot's anatomy! And here's the latest one: from the Canadian office of the Center for Fortean Zoology on Bigfoot's brain.

The Foot of Bigfoot

Just like Roswell, Jack the Ripper and the controversy concerning who blew away JFK (or who didn't!), so the so-called "Patterson Film" of an alleged Bigfoot is always a subject of  deep debate - on this new occasion because of its feet, specifically the soles of its feet.

Here's the link to the article at Bigfoot Evidence, and, as you'll note, there's a lively debate going on in the Comments section below the article, with more than 150 posts at the time I'm writing this.

On the Track: 58

Episode 58 of the Centre for Fortean Zoology's On the Track is now available and, as always, covers a wealth of cryptozoological and zoological puzzles!

A Pyramids and the Pentagon Q&A

Over at The Examiner, you can find a new Q&A between me and Jeffrey Pritchett about my new book, The Pyramids and the Pentagon.

Here's the link where you can find the interview.

And here's where you can find more about Jeffrey's work: The Church of Mabus.
And as a taster, here's what I have to say in the interview about why there has been so much official, secret interest in the mysteries of the past:

"It's clear that the reason for looking at the mysteries of the past was to determine if the reported technology that the ancients supposedly possessed thousands of years ago could be weaponized and used on the battlefield in the present and future. It was nothing to do with furthering our knowledge of history, archaeology etc. It was all about weapons and creating new technologies out of what some suspected were very ancient technologies that have become part of our folklore, religions and cultures."