A Trojan Feast - Reviewed

Over at Mysterious Universe, I review Joshua Cutchin's just-published book, A Trojan Feast, which I recommend to just about everyone who has an interest in the world of the unknown - even the skeptics and the solidly belief-driven.

Here's how the review begins:

"Now and again, a book is published that is destined to become a classic. Granted, it doesn’t happen too often nowadays in Ufology, but when it does, it’s well worth the wait. There is one that falls into that exact category and which has just been released: Joshua Cutchin’s A Trojan Feast, which is published by Anomalist Books. With the subtitle of The Food and Drink Offerings of Aliens, Faeries, and Sasquatch, this is – in my view – the definitive study of an aspect of the paranormal that has, until now, been vastly unappreciated and consistently misunderstood.

"Before I get to the matter of what A Trojan Feast is about, it’s important that I explain what it’s not about. This is not some simplistic study of why Bigfoot likes to eat apples or aliens from Zeta Reticuli have a particular taste for strawberry ice-cream. No, this is a book that delves deep into the long and notable history of food-based interaction between us, the human race, and magical and supernatural entities from…well, somewhere."

And here's the full review.

Monster Hunters - In Print

Received in the mail today, a review-copy of Tea Krulos' just-published book, Monster Hunters: On the Trail with Ghost Hunters, Bigfooters, Ufologists, and Other Paranormal Investigators.

I'll be reviewing it at Mysterious Universe next week.

Of me and several Texas-based good friends in the field of creature-seeking, Krulos says:

"[Lyle] Blackburn is a part of a certain Texas school of cryptozoology that includes his colleagues Ken Gerhard, British transplant Nick Redfern, and Cryptomundo blog founder, Craig Woolheater. They are a little bit more metal than your average cryptozoologist."

Published by Chicago Review Press, it looks to be a good read!

Interview and Dinner...

Had a great day Saturday, hung out with good mates Kyle Philson and Cameron Hale and Beth Arzy , although Beth was there in spirit - kind of, as her bottle-opener was there! Hung out at the guys' studio, did an interview, then an excellent dinner of Crawfish Etouffee at a local Cajun restaurant.

The Stephenville, Texas UFO: A New Book

 Over at Mysterious Universe, you can find a new review from me of a brand new book from Ken Cherry, on the subject of the controversial and huge wave of UFO activity that hit Stephenville, Texas in January 2008. What makes Cherry's book intriguing is that it's a novel. Check it out!

Roswell Slides - Excellent Resource

If you're looking for the ultimate resource tool on the saga of the so-called "Roswell Slides," the articles, the blog posts, and who said what, where and when, this is it, thanks to Stephen Miles Lewis of the Anomaly Archives. Check it out!

Saucers and Special Branch

Certain people in Ufology laughed and were highly skeptical when, in 2006, I wrote a book called On the Trail of the Saucer Spies, in which I mentioned how a retired British police source told me that, back in the 1990s, the British Police Force's Special Branch opened files on two UFO researchers in the UK, namely Matthew Williams and Robin Cole.

Those same certain people should have kept their mouths firmly shut.

The files on Cole and Williams (or, rather, some of the files; others still remain classified to this day) were finally officially released in 2012, showing that Special Branch was indeed watching both men, demonstrating that the data provided to me years ago was accurate. 

When, in 2012, the documents were declassified, the National Archives prepared the following statement concerning their contents:

"File DEFE 24/1984/1 (p294) contains a 1996 Parliamentary Question from Martin Redmond MP asking on how many occasions MI6 and GCHQ have monitored UFO investigations. This was interpreted to mean 'have the agencies been keeping watch on UFOlogists.' A background briefing says 'neither agency in fact undertakes such activity, though GCHQ cannot rule out the possibility' they had monitored 'in other contexts individuals who have made a study of UFOs'. The MP was told the government do not comment on the intelligence and security agencies (p298). File DEFE 24/1987/1 (p262-65) reveals that in 1997 Special Branch took an interest in a UFOlogist who became obsessed with rumours of a secret UFO facility beneath RAF Rudloe Manor in Wiltshire. The base had become known as the British equivalent of the secret US military airbase 'Area 51' among conspiracy theorists. An internal note said 'Special Branch…do not believe he poses a specific threat to security, but they are alert to the risk that others may use him as a conduit for their activities.'"

Well, since the summary failed to note the names of the people in question, I will. They were, of course, Cole and Williams - as I had been told during the course of writing On the Trail of the Saucer Spies.

Back in 1997, Robin Cole, of Cheltenham, England - the home to GCHQ (the Government Communications Headquarters) - wrote a fascinating report on the agency's involvement in the UFO phenomenon. And, for those who may not be aware, GCHQ is the UK equivalent of the US National Security Agency.

After Cole's report was published, he was visited by two representatives of the UK's Special Branch. And since the pair announced their visit in advance (via a phone-call), Robin had the good sense to clandestinely and quickly set up his tape-recorder in his living-room and taped the entire conversation, much of which revolved around Special Branch's interest in a UFO researcher and Crop Circle maker named Matthew Williams - who just happens to be the "UFOlogist who became obsessed" with RAF Rudloe Manor, as referenced by National Archives staff above.

Now we see further evidence of Special Branch involvement in the UFO subject.

Not in terms of what UFOs are (or are not), but in relation to things that, in many ways, are far more interesting, thought-provoking, and alternative.

This was precisely the reason for the Cole/Williams surveillance issue too - namely, Special Branch's concerns that both the UFO controversy and the people that investigate it could be used as tools of manipulation by hostile groups with controversial, political agendas.

A Trojan Feast - A Great New Book

A few days ago I received in the mail from Anomalist Books a review-copy of their latest release: Joshua Cutchin's A Trojan Feast.

I'm up to about page 60 of what is an excellent book. This is one definitely not to be missed.

I'll be reviewing it over at Mysterious Universe, as soon as I've read it.

And here's what Anomalist Books says about A Trojan Feast:

YOU'VE BEEN WARNED
Accept food from faeries, and you'll never escape their realm, according to European folklore. Accept food from Sasquatch and you will forever be trapped in the spirit world, according to indigenous North American tales. And today, abductees-at least those who have returned-often report being offered strange beverages from their captors. Are these similarities mere coincidence, or is something more at play?
In this outstanding example of scholarship on the unknown, Joshua Cutchin has created the world's first survey and analysis of the food and drink offered by aliens, faeries, and Sasquatch. The offerings are often not what they appear to be: some liquids have healing or aphrodisiac qualities, some foods expand awareness, and there are ointments that reveal an invisible world.
Through his playful explorations of every possibility-from the outer regions of space to the inner sanctum of the human mind-A TROJAN FEAST offers new insight into our relationship with these strange creatures of the outer edge.
"The humble subject of food in anomalistic accounts serves, in Cutchin's measured, learned, and lucid argument, as proof that high strangeness events may be uncertain and discordant, but not incomprehensible." - Thomas E. Bullard, folklorist (ret.), Indiana University, Bloomington
"Joshua Cutchin has brought together a contemplative and truly unique folkloric analysis of the way that food and drink fits into the broader narrative of purported strange phenomena. In doing so, Cutchin provides, in the very truest sense, 'food for thought.'" - Micah Hanks, author of "Magic, Mysticism and the Molecule"
JOSHUA CUTCHIN is a native of North Carolina with a long interest in forteana. He holds a Masters in Music Literature and a Masters in Journalism from the University of Georgia, and currently works as a public affairs specialist in the southeast. In addition to his media work, Cutchin is also a published composer and maintains an active performing schedule as a jazz and rock tuba player, having appeared on eight albums and live concert DVDs. A TROJAN FEAST is his first book.

Chupacabra Road Trip - September

It's a sign that the publication date (September) is getting closer: I received in the mail yesterday a copy of the uncorrected galleys of my book, Chupacabra Road Trip.

It's a book that chronicles my ten years of traveling to Puerto Rico and Mexico, and around the United States, in search of the legendary Chupacabra.


Here's the link where you can find out more.

Strange Creatures Seldom Seen - Reviewed

"Strange Creatures Seldom Seen is an excellent new book from John Warms, and which is published by Chad Arment’s Coachwhip Publications. A copy of the book was given to me by Chad at last month’s Ohio-based Creature Weekend. And, I have no hesitation in saying that if Cryptozoology is your thing, you’ll want to get hold of a copy of this book.


"The book focuses chiefly, albeit not wholly exclusively, on sightings of unknown animals in the Canadian province of Manitoba – and there are plenty of those unknown animals, too. The good thing about Strange Creatures Seldom Seen is that it’s based on the author’s personal, in the field, investigations. In other words, this is not some sterile, bland, all-from-the-Internet-type book – I’m very pleased to say. Plus, it’s filled with never before seen photos and artwork, all of which, combined, make this a great read."

The above paragraphs are extracted from a new Mysterious Universe review from me on a  just-published Cryptozoology-themed book that - if you're fascinated by the issues of Bigfoot, lake-monsters, weird winged things and more - you won't want to miss.

Roswell Slides: Never-Ending

And so the saga of the slides goes on and on and on...and on...

Here's the latest at Kevin Randle's blog.

The Weekend: Phoenix MUFON

Here are a few photos from the weekend, lecturing for the Phoenix, Arizona MUFON group, on my book, The Real Men in Black.

Many thanks to Stacey Wright and Jim Mann, who organized the event, drove me around, and fed me, and who put on a great weekend!

Dinner and a fire-pit Friday night (you can see me toasting my Converse All-Stars on one of the photos), a great audience at the gig, an excellent dinner at a Mongolian restaurant Saturday night, and then a late night hanging out in the mountains, and was very cool to see Arizona's Superstition Mountains (see the photo).

Roswell Slides - Dead and Buried

Well, the biggest soap-opera since Dallas is now over.

The Roswell Slides are as a dead as the mummy that they show.

Certain heads should be hanging in shame. Whether they are, however, is another matter entirely.

I could go on and on about this scummy affair, but, frankly, I have better things to do with my time.

Instead, I'll refer you to what I consider to be the most relevant and important post-collapse articles.

1: Check out Paul Kimball's Red Star Films blog for a number of excellent posts.

2. Rich Reynolds' UFO Conjecture(s) blog.

3. Kevin Randle's latest post on the slides.

Roswell Slides: An Answer?

Below is a link to a new Mysterious Universe article from me on the Roswell Slides.

Yes, it's speculative and based on a hypothesis of mine, but I think it's a valid one.

Take a careful look at the article, and particularly the old museum I mention in the article.

I think there is a good chance this is where the photos were taken.

Plus, the nature of what was held at the museum explains other things too (such as the "wolf head" in the slide) - and it's a New Mexico museum filled with oddities - and it also has a dead alien story attached to it.

And NM was an area that Bernerd Ray's work covered.

Anyway, here's the link, feel free to link to it, fwd etc.

By the time you read this, I'll be on my way to Phoenix, AZ for a lecture. I'll be offline while away, but back online either Sunday night or Monday morning. So, if you leave a comment,  note that it won't be seen until I'm back, as I moderate all comments (thanks to a few morons whose actions forced me to moderate them).

New Book: A Trojan Feast

Out now, from Anomalist Books, is the first book from Joshua Cutchin - and it looks to be an excellent debut!

Check it out: A Trojan Feast: The Food and Drink Offerings of Aliens, Faeries, and Sasquatch.

And here's what Anomalist Books say about this new title:

YOU'VE BEEN WARNED

Accept food from faeries, and you'll never escape their realm, according to European folklore. Accept food from Sasquatch and you will forever be trapped in the spirit world, according to indigenous North American tales. And today, abductees -at least those who have returned- often report being offered strange beverages from their captors. Are these similarities mere coincidence, or is something more at play?

In this outstanding example of scholarship on the unknown, Joshua Cutchin has created the world's first survey and analysis of the food and drink offered by aliens, faeries, and Sasquatch. The offerings are often not what they appear to be: some liquids have healing or aphrodisiac qualities, some foods expand awareness, and there are ointments that reveal an invisible world.

Through his playful explorations of every possibility-from the outer regions of space to the inner sanctum of the human mind-A TROJAN FEAST offers new insight into our relationship with these strange creatures of the outer edge.

"The humble subject of food in anomalistic accounts serves, in Cutchin's measured, learned, and lucid argument, as proof that high strangeness events may be uncertain and discordant, but not incomprehensible." - Thomas E. Bullard, folklorist (ret.), Indiana University, Bloomington

"Joshua Cutchin has brought together a contemplative and truly unique folkloric analysis of the way that food and drink fits into the broader narrative of purported strange phenomena. In doing so, Cutchin provides, in the very truest sense, 'food for thought.'" - Micah Hanks, author of "Magic, Mysticism and the Molecule"

JOSHUA CUTCHIN is a native of North Carolina with a long interest in forteana. He holds a Masters in Music Literature and a Masters in Journalism from the University of Georgia, and currently works as a public affairs specialist in the southeast. In addition to his media work, Cutchin is also a published composer and maintains an active performing schedule as a jazz and rock tuba player, having appeared on eight albums and live concert DVDs. A TROJAN FEAST is his first book.

And here's the chapter breakdown:


Foreword by Thomas E. Bullard
Introduction
Chapter 1 Lore: Faeries
Chapter 2 Lore: ET & Bigfoot
Chapter 3 Trends
Chapter 4 Food: Liquid
Chapter 5 Food: Fruits
Chapter 6 Food: Bread
Chapter 7 Food: Pills
Chapter 8 Food: Miscellaneous
Chapter 9 Relationships: Giving & Taking
Chapter 10 Connections: Sattvic Diet
Chapter 11 Connections: Sleep Paralysis
Chapter 12 Connections: Sexuality
Chapter 13 Connections: Absorption, Ointment, & The Entity Diet
Chapter 14 Connections: Entheogens
Chapter 15 Connections: Eating The God & Rebirth
Chapter 16 Entity Food: A Working Model Of Meaning & Thought
Acknowledgments 
References
Bibliography
Index

 

My Latest on the Roswell Slides

There's a new Mysterious Universe article from me on the Roswell Slides that addresses two issues:

1. A certain image that appears in the slides that puts matters into a very different context.

2.  The matter of how the slides are going to impact (negatively) on the overall Roswell mystery.

It's right here.

Kevin Randle on the Roswell Slides

Kevin Randle has a new article at his A Different Perspective blog - the subject being, of course, the Roswell Slides.

It's a lengthy article, but to sum it up, Kevin is not impressed.

He's not the only one.

The numbers are growing...

The "Other Thing" in the Roswell Slides

Here's why I think the so-called "Roswell Slides" were taken in some sort of museum or "freak show."

Take a look at this link, to a large-size image of the slide.

Forget, for a moment, the body that is causing all the fuss, and instead, look behind the head of the body.

You'll see another head, which looks like a wolf head angled down, where you can see the eye, muzzle, and even teeth below the muzzle.

And, you can see the back of the small placard that sits in front of it, which obviously explains what it shows: mummy and a preserved head of an animal - it's OBVIOUS now that we are looking at some sort of museum, or menagerie, or circus type thing for entertainment purposes. 

NOT a secret lab where aliens are held. 

Anyone who suggests the government has a secret lab where they store dead werewolves will be punched severely about the jaw.

Roswell Slides - The Latest

Roswell Slides?

Now we have the high res image, the answer is: No!

Mummified child.

Also, check out the hairy head behind the main head. It, too, has a small white placard by it.

Clearly this is some sort of museum setting, or freak show.

Interesting, but it has zero relevance to Roswell.

Here's the link where you can see the photo much better, and you can see the second, darker, hairy head behind it, and you can clearly see the back of the small placard, which no doubt describes what it shows.

Zero to do with ET. Move along.

PS:

Here's a few new links from Rich Reynolds' UFO Conjectures blog, and I'm sure more will come, and I'll link to them here as they surface.

1. Article one: "Questionable Testimony?"

2. Article two: "Note the male hand in this photo."

3. Article three: "The May 5th Coup de grace or coup de morte?"

Roswell Slides - A Couple Of Comments

More than a few people have asked me if I have signed up to watch the revealing of the "Roswell Slides" in Mexico.

The answer is: "Nope!"

I figure that, by tomorrow, whatever is worth knowing will be known, and what isn't worth knowing will be out there, too.

Some time tomorrow, I'll dig into what those who did watch it have to say and I'll post links to the most interesting posts/articles, etc, right here.

Whatever the outcome, the world will not be any different tomorrow in the slightest.

The reason?

Simple: whatever the slides show (or don't show), they are still just slides.

The slides, alone, cannot prove aliens crashed outside of Roswell - or, indeed, crashed anywhere. Just about the only thing that can prove that is DNA or a body for inspection. And pictures ain't DNA or a body.

My prediction for tonight and tomorrow: a great deal of debate, a lot of loud and shrill voices on the importance of the people who have commented positively on the slides, and the Roswell debate given a new injection of blood.

But, at the end of the day, it will still come back to what I said above: slides can't prove the existence of aliens.

Tomorrow: Roswell Slides Day

For those who know, don't know, care or don't care, tomorrow is the day the so-called Roswell Slides get unveiled in Mexico.

What will it all mean?

Will we get answers?

More questions?

Everything?

Nothing?

Somewhere in between?

My answer: dunno. Yet.

All I do know is that whatever the outcome, it all (or some of it) comes out tomorrow.

So, here are a few of the final posts that you may want to check out before the world changes.

Or doesn't...

Rich Reynolds provides us with a post that gives the thoughts of Don Schmitt and Richard Dolan on the slides...

Rich also posts on the matter of who has seen the slides and commented on what they show...

Kevin Randle comments on why the Roswell Slides may not be the Roswell Slides. Here's the link...

Kevin also notes the recent death in someone who became a central figure in the saga of the Roswell bodies: Glenn Dennis...

Creature Weekend - Photos

This past weekend I was at the Creature Weekend gig at Salt Fork State Park, Cambridge, Ohio.

A great time was had, and there were some cool presentations, on Bigfoot, out of place big cats, little-known cryptids, and much more - including me, speaking about the British Bigfoot controversy.

You can find all the info on the event, as well as a small review right here.