Coming Soon: The Island of Paradise

Over at his Still on the Track blog, CFZ Director Jon Downes has much to say about what he's up to right now, including the following on his very-soon-to-be-published new book, The Island of Paradise:

"My biggest news is that last night, after having worked on it, on and off for nearly four years, my new book - The Island of Paradise - is finally completed. It is, I believe, the most comprehensive book ever written on the subject of the mystery animals of Puerto Rico, and it tells the story of my two expeditions there in 1998 and 2004. Weighing in at over, 120,000 words, it is going to be a fairly massive tome. Because Nick Redfern accompanied me on the second expedition, and also because I have libelled him unmercifully throughout the volume, I am allowing him a right of reply, and, the manuscript is presently with him, so he can add his comments to the end of each chapter."

Well, of course, Jon mercilessly libels me throughout the book! It is, after all, a suitably apt revenge for the things I write about him all the time!

Joking aside, yesterday Jon sent me a Word document of the now-completed book (of which I've now read about 60 per cent) and I can already say for certain that The Island of Paradise is a fantastic study of all things monstrous and strange on Puerto Rico. Indeed, it includes fascinating data on the Goat-Sucker, the Devil-Birds, the Moca Vampire and more.

The book also digs deeply into the UFO angle of the whole controversy - an angle that includes stories of crashed UFOs, disturbing genetic mutations on the island, and some seriously weird X-Files-style tales.

And, as Jon says, I'll be writing a kind of "diary entry" at the end of each chapter that will provide my own thoughts, opinions and recollections. Running at more than 300 pages and with numerous photos, the book is one that will appeal to Forteans everywhere. Plus, Jon's art-team has come up with a great cover for the book that suitably captures the atmosphere of our 2004 expedition to Puerto Rico.

I'll let you know as soon as The Island of Paradise is published.

PS: For those that are wondering, yes that is a photo of me getting up close and personal with a tasty female Goat-Sucker while roaming around the island with Paul Kimball in late 2005.