The Weird Weekend - 4

Jon Downes reveals more on the speaker-list for the Weird Weekend, which kicks off on Friday:

"Matt Salusbury is a freelance journalist. He is secretary of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) London Freelance Branch and deputy editor of the Freelance, the newsletter and website for freelance journalists, and he represents freelance interests on various union policy-making bodies. After fifteen years as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language in Holland, Turkey and the UK, he recently left the profession to work as news and features editor of the English language teaching industry magazine English Language Gazette, where he now writes about how dreadful the industry is, and how appallingly it treats its teachers. He is a frequent contributor to Fortean Times.

"Matt is acknowledged as an expert on subjects including education in Iraqi Kurdistan, the Metropolitan Police's Forward Intelligence Team and Trotskyite UFO cult the Posadists. He learnt the rudiments of zoology at his mother's knee – she was in one of the first intakes of female zoology undergraduates at Oxford in the early 1950s. His collection of model dinosaurs, while modest by the standards of some other CFZ members, now totals something in the region of 300 items and occupies most of his bedroom walls."

The Weird Weekend - 3

Here's Jon Downes to tell you about yet another of the Weird Weekend speakers, Geoff Ward:

"Geoff Ward is a journalist, author and musician who lives in Somerset, England. He has been writing the weekly Mysterious West page in the Western Daily Press newspaper since the autumn of 2004, and has a weekly programme of the same name on Glastonbury Radio, the new online station.

"In 2006, his book, Spirals: The Pattern of Existence, was published with an introduction by the best-selling author Colin Wilson, with whom Geoff has a website project running. Geoff has a deep and lifelong interest in earth mysteries, literature, psychology, philosophy and the ancient wisdom. He has an Hons degree in English and is currently studying for his MA.

"Geoff will be talking about the researches that led to his book, showing how spiral energy fields are all around us and within us, patterning our very existence, from microcosm to macrocosm, determining structures from the tiny vortices of sub-atomic particles and the DNA molecule to the awesome 'island universes' of galaxies where stars are born and the conditions for life created.

"The protean spiral is nature's most favoured pattern of growth and most efficacious deployer of its energy - life-inducing, life-protecting and life-supporting. It is also the age-old intuitive symbol of spiritual development and our identity with the universe found in societies throughout history."

Mastodons at Cryptomundo...

I've always been fascinated by accounts suggesting that, just maybe, we still have among us (or, at least, did have among us until very recent times) still-surviving pockets of Mammoths and Mastodons. And so, to see this story today at Cryptomundo was a great breath of fresh air. I very much like to think that somewhere in frozen wastelands and remote areas these mighty beasts just might still exist...

The "Hairy Hands" In Print...

The new issue of Taps Paramagazine includes an article from me on a British mystery of truly weird and disturbing proportions: that of the so-called "Hairy Hands."
As I say in the article:

"From the windswept moorlands of Devonshire, England (where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s epic Sherlock Holmes novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles was set) comes a truly chilling story of a strange and deadly phenomenon that gripped the area in the early years of the 20th Century and that became known to one and all as the Hairy-Hands. And as will later become acutely apparent, it may be a phenomenon that has made a recent return to the area.

"It was around 1910 that the weird saga began – on what is today known as the B3212 road, and which can be found in the vicinity of the Dartmoor locales of Postbridge and Two Bridges. Somewhat disturbingly, a hairy, monstrous and unknown force would time and again violently lash out at unwary passing drivers, and which, in one case, reportedly even resulted in a tragic death for an unfortunate road-user.

"In most of the cases, the victims of the diabolical phenomenon reported large, hairy, 'disembodied hands' manifesting out of thin air, firmly grabbing the steering wheel of their vehicles – or the handle-bars of their bikes – and unsurprisingly striking complete terror into their hearts; something which invariably resulted in them being violently forced off the country road."

Whether the Hairy Hands are somehow linked to spectral British Bigfoot or werewolf-like entities, or if they are a completely different phenomenon, is a matter of ongoing debate. As I note in the article, however, encounters with the Hairy Hands are still on-going - even as late as January of this year.

The diabolical mystery is still among us...

The Weird Weekend - 2

As I mentioned yesterday, the CFZ's annual Weird Weekend gig is held in Devon, England next weekend, and below is today's speaker-profile - on Ronan Coghlan - again courtesy of CFZ Director, Jon Downes.

Ronan is a real character, very funny and extremely knowledgeable. My wife was equally impressed by Ronan when she met him at the 2006 WW, and has always since referred to him as "that lovable hoot." LOL.

And with that said, here's Jon to tell you more:

"The undoubted star of the last few years, we couldn't imagine hosting a Weird Weekend without him; in a weekend packed with great performers, Ronan will probably be the most funniest speaker. He was born in Dublin, 1948.

"After a school career in which he often made minimal effort, he went on to Trinity College, Dublin, from which he holds an MA degree and the Higher Diploma in Education. He has worked at a large number of schools in both Ireland and Britain, notably at Hawkhurst Court (Sussex) and Rockport (Northern Ireland). He harbours a low opinion of current education and the philosophy lying behind it.

"His first venture into writing occurred with Irish Christian Names (1979). His Encyclopaedia of Arthurian Legends (1991) proved highly popular, selling 120,000 copies worldwide and being translated into Japanese. His small Dictionary of Irish Myth and Legend has also sold widely. His major work on cryptozoology A Dictionary of Cryptozoology (2004) was aimed chiefly at those who could not afford the monumental works of Eberhart and Newman, yet who needed a good reference book on the subject, which is approached more from a folkloric than a zoological angle. His Handbook of Fairies (1998) is an alphabetical guide to that subject. He has also written Cryptosup, a booklet supplementing his dictionary. He is currently working on a number of projects.

"Ronan Coghlan is married with three children. He currently lives in Bangor, Northern Ireland."

The Weird Weekend - A Reminder!

This is a reminder to anyone and everyone who might want to attend, that on the weekend of 15 to 17 August, the Center for Fortean Zoology will be holding its annual Weird Weekend conference in the village of Woolfardisworthy, Devon, England.

For those who want to attend, here's the WW website link where you'll find everything you'll need about the lectures, the speakers, the timetable, accommodation in the area and much more.

Having spoken at 4 of the last 8 WW's, I can tell you that it's an excellent event, with a wide and varied array of speakers on a whole range of topics. You'll get to hear much on cryptozoology and strange creatures, and just about anything and everything of a Fortean nature.

Speakers at this year's event include Dr. Karl Shuker, Richard Freeman, Matthew Williams, Ronan Coghlan, Dr. Gail-Nina Anderson, Mike Hallowell, Chris Moiser, Tim Matthews, Paul Vella, Lee Walker, Geoff Ward, Matt Salusbury, Dr. Mike Dash, Oll Lewis and Michael Woodley.

In between now and the conference, I'll be highlighting each day (in CFZ Director Jon Downes' own words) the work of one of the speakers, starting with Dr. Mike Dash.

Over to Jon...

"Mike Dash (b. 1963) is a Welsh writer, journalist and researcher. Born in London, he attended the University of Cambridge and King's College London, and holds a PhD in naval history for the thesis British Submarine Policy 1853–1918.

"Dash worked for 20 years as contributing editor and publisher of the journal Fortean Times. He is regarded as one of the most serious modern investigators into such phenomena, preferring the use of first hand sources and other historically accurate information.

"His works investigate misconceptions and errors in the field of strange phenomena, typically finding a middle path between 'believers' (who, in Dash's view, often accept extraordinary or unusual claims without investigation or on scant evidence) and skeptics and debunkers (who, in Dash's view, often overlook interesting or valuable evidence in their seeming desire to disprove alleged paranormal or anomalous phenomena).

"In Borderlands (1997), Dash repeatedly notes that researchers of unusual phenomena must always be wary of potential hoaxes; time and again people have perpetrated elaborate pranks or hoaxes with little motive other than to fool others.

"Dash has published six books, and a number of articles and papers in Fortean Times and later spin-off titles such as the academic annual Fortean Studies, published from 1994 through 2000."

Raven Interviewed

Over at his Monster! blog, author and cryptozoologist Neil Arnold interviews Raven about her research, thoughts, ideas and much more on all-things-monstrous. Here's the link to the interview, and here's an insightful quote that Raven makes during her chat with Neil that reveals details of one of her own encounters with the unknown:

"I have had many strange encounters that I cannot explain. I and my immediate family have all experienced bizarre encounters at one time or another. It seems to be a bit of a family legacy. One such encounter was when I was roughly 12 years old and was out playing in the forest with some friends. We encountered an animal that fit the description of Bigfoot. It seemed very curious about us, and watched us for some time from behind a tree...til we realized what we were looking at was not another child or adult, but was something altogether different. It was standing upright but was covered in hair. I cannot say with any certainty what it was, because I saw it through eyes that were very young and inexperienced, and many years have passed since. Memories can fade or become clouded, but I do know that the one thing I remember for certain is that it was not human, unless it was a man in a suit, which is not likely given the remoteness of the area. It is my hope that I meet up with the creature again one day and can know for sure."

Coast to Coast

A review of my Coast to Coast appearance on Sunday night...

British Big Cats

Do big-cats roam England's ancient Stafford Castle?

Regan Lee, Mothman and More

Over at Mothman Flutterings, Regan Lee describes a series of events that I'm sure most of us who delve into the world of the weird have experienced from time to time, and where reality seems a little bit off, or not quite right, somehow...

World of Weird Radio - Tonight

Tonight, I'll be on World of Weird radio talking about my new book, There's Something in the Woods. Here's the link for those who may want to listen in.

Book Review

Kithra has just written a review of my new book, There's Something in the Woods, and which can be found both here and here.

Profiling EPNA

The Alabama Chapter of Elusive Primates of North America is the subject of an article in the Sand Mountain Reporter.

The Chupacabras in "UFO"

I've now been on two expeditions to Puerto Rico in search of the vampire-like Chupacabras; first in 2004 (with fellow cryptozoologist Jon Downes), and then in 2005 with Canadian film-maker Paul Kimball. I give my thoughts on the controversy in the new issue of UFO Magazine in my regular column: View From A Brit.

Bigfoot and the Lizardman

Just a quickie today, from The Anomalist:

Pennsylvania's Breaking Bigfoot Sightings Cryptomundo. A video news report details the alleged sighting of a white Bigfoot in Carbondale,PA. Like the recent York County sighting of a small Bigfoot-type creature, the Carbondale sighting also features a Bigfoot that's small in stature. Could there be any link between the two sightings? Or the sighting Friday night of UFOs over York County? Meanwhile, there's an image of the being allegedly sighted back in the mid-1990s in Wisconsin, as shown in LaCrosse Lizardman.

A New Blog...

For those who may be interested, I've just set up a new blog to inform people of my latest (and upcoming) radio interviews, TV interviews, magazine and newspaper articles, and lectures, conferences and gigs. Here's the details. Yes, I know I'm a blog-junkie. But I swear this will be the last blog I set up...well, probably...

More on the Montauk Monster

CNN covers the Montauk Monster...

Monster News

From our good friends at The Anomalist, here's some excellent new links:

New Montauk Monster Pic and Cryptid Marketing Cryptomundo. A new photograph has been published of the "Montauk Monster," and the debate has begun about using the cryptid in ads. With images and videos. Meanwhile, the discovery of that "monstrous" corpse on a Long Island beach has led to a compendium entitled The Montauk Monster and the Best Cryptids of All-time, and speculation about the Montauk Monster has one columnist saying Authenticity of the Montauk Monster Contested by Scientists. Strange Hominid Sighting in York County, PA Phantoms & Monsters. Like Elvis, Bigfoot seems to be busier than ever. What is thought to be a juvenile Bigfoot has been reported near the York County, PA, town of Red Lion. Being described as only about four feet tall, the "juvenile" appellation was attached to the creature sighted July 18. Could this relatively diminutive hominid be an "albatwitch," a creature of local legend noted for its fondness for apples? Elsewhere, a famed Sasquatch author will be talking at the Sasquatch Provincial Park near Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia, Canada, this month, as reported in John Green to Speak.

The British Bigfoot: Going Underground

Over at The Londonist, Neil Arnold highlights an intriguing story I delved into a few years ago on tales of Bigfoot-type creatures roaming the depths of the London Underground...

Monsters on Coast to Coast on Sunday Night

For those who may be interested, I'll be on Coast to Coast on Sunday night through the early hours of Monday morning talking about my new book, There's Something in the Woods.

The times are 11PM to 2AM West Coast Time; 1AM to 4AM Central Time; and 2AM to 5AM East Coast Time. The information on the show at the Coast to Coast website can be found here and here.

Expect much discussion about Bigfoot (both in the UK and the United States); the werewolves of Britain and Texas; lake-monsters; giant winged-things such as Mothman and the Thunderbirds; strange creatures seen in the vicinity of crop circles; ghostly black dogs; big-cats on the loose; and much more.