Podcast

As many of you know, I am good friends with Ronald Murphy, the fairly well-known cryptozoologist from Pennsylvania who has written numerous books and has appeared on a plethora of podcasts. We are working on a book together as well as several other projects.
The time has come to announce one of those other projects... Ronald and I are getting our own podcast! The show will air sometime in January and will be aired on the Paranormal UK Radio Network.

We are calling the show Inside the Goblin Universe and will be discussing various strange and unusual aspects of the world of the paranormal, cryptozoology, and ufology with a focus on the idea of the Goblin Universe, which is a proposed alternative universe from which anything that goes bump in the night comes from. We have a handful of episodes recorded already and have some great guests including Jonathan Downes and Timothy Renner.

I will do updates about when the shows are released and any other relevant news as it happens, so stay tuned!

Name change

Since I started this blog, it has been named Paranormal101. Over time, I realized the problems with this name; it isn't unique, nor is it completely accurate to what I actually do with this blog. Because of this, I have changed the name of the blog to Crypto-Kid. For those of you who know Ronald Murphy, you probably noticed the similarity to his moniker Crypto-Guru. That was done on purpose. Ron and I work closely together and will be heading several projects in the upcoming new year that are to be announced.

Wildmen, Dinosaurs, and Legend Tripping: My Six Favorite Books from This Year

This year has had some fantastic new releases from sone of the best crypto-authors out there. Here is a roundup review of my six favorite books from this year in no particular order. 

On Wildman: Tracking Bigfoot Through History by Ronald L. Murphy Jr. 

As I stated in my previous review of On Wildman, Ron's excellent study of Bigfoot throughout history is a treat for anyone interested in Bigfoot, mythology, or cryptozoology in general. 

A Menagerie of Mysterious Beasts: Encounters with Cryptid Creatures by Ken Gerhard

Ken Gerhard's takes his readers on a global adventure in his third solo book; A Menagerie of Mysterious Beasts. Ken covers nearly every kind of creature you could imagine; Ape-Men; Dogmen; black panthers; sea serpents; Thunderbirds; and even giant spiders. Menagerie is written in Ken's no-nonsense tone but doesn't lack any bit of excitement or strangeness.

I especially liked that Ken strayed away from the well known and popular cases and creatures. He examines some of the weirdest stuff you will ever find in a cryptid book... and that's saying something. 

Beyond the Seventh Gate: Exploring Toad Road, the Seven Gates of Hell, and Other Strangeness in York, Lancaster, and Adams Counties by Timothy Renner

When Timothy Renner first heard "don't look behind you on Toad Road," instead of just shrugging off the strange superstition, he questioned why. From there, he went through a long and weird journey not only on Toad Road but on some others as well. Are there really Seven Gates of Hell in York county? What is an Albatwitch? And, why shouldn't you look behind you on Toad Road? Find out in Timothy's excellent investigation into the truth behind the legends.

This book is an excellent example of cryptid/unexplained investigation done right. Timothy looks into any and all possibilities into the handful of urban legends and folklore that exist within York, Adams, and Lancaster Counties. I read this book in one sitting, it was THAT good. 

Legend Tripping: The Ultimate Adventure by Robert C. Robinson

Legend tripping: (Noun) to go or participate on a quest or adventure for something which has defined a mystery or legend and not verified or explained by science. In his highly detailed guide into how to begin legend tripping, Robert Robinson goes above and beyond that definition. He gives brief explanations of popular legends, how to perform a trip, and how to have fun doing it. He examines all kinds of legend trips including cryptid, paranormal, and UFO trips. Robert also tells stories about some legend trips he has been on.

This book is for both the novice and experienced in any kind of legend tripping field. The book is an entertaining read for anyone interested in the stranger side of the world. 

Still in Search of Prehistoric Survivors: The Creatures that Time Forgot by Karl P. N. Shuker

In 1995, Karl Shuker released what many agree to be his greatest work; In Search of Prehistoric Survivors. The book soon went out of print and became a much-sought-after piece. Finally, after 21 years of waiting, Shuker has released an updated version of the book. Considering the fact that I loved the first one, it was a given that I would also love the revised edition.

One of the many things that made Shuker's work unique — besides it being the only book of its kind — is the careful examination that he goes through of each potential survivor. He also doesn't only look at extinct animals for possible explanations. Shuker presents a truly balanced piece of cryptozoological writing that deserves a place on everyone's shelf. 

Nessie: Exploring the Supernatural Origins of the Loch Ness Monster by Nick Redfern

As I've stated before, Nick Redfern never ceases to disappoint me with his work; I love his Chupacabra Road Trip, Monster Book, and everything in between, but this book was special. From the moment it was announced, I knew I HAD to have it. When I finally did get it at the Mothman Festival, I stayed up all night reading in the hotel bathroom so I didn't wake my father. I've always been interested in the Loch Ness Monster but had never been convinced that there was anything actually there; this book changed that for me.

Nick goes through the extensive history of the Loch Ness Monster, looking at not only modern sightings and evidence but also ancient legends such as the kelpie or Nessie's encounter with a Saint. I loved this book and if you like lake monsters, you will too!

Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them: The Truth Behind the Hit Movie's Fascinating Creatures.

Earlier this week, I got my inner wizard on when I went to see the new movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The movie, set in the 1920's, follows wizards Newt Scamander, Tina Goldstein, and No-Maj Jacob Kowalski on a hunt for a variety of magical creatures who have been set loose in New York City. I thought the movie was an excellent addition to the vast world of Harry Potter and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of fantasy movies or the Harry Potter series. That being said, while I was watching the movie, I noticed that there were several magical creatures that reminded me of actual cryptids. So, here are five creatures from the movie that actually resemble real cryptids.

Demiguise

In the film, the Demiguise is an ape-like creature from the Far East. They are known to be very shy and uses their ability to turn invisible to hide from humans. From the first scene that included the Demiguise, I knew it was inspired by the legends of the Yeti from the Himalayas. As everyone knows, the Yeti is a large ape-like creature that dwells in the mountainous regions of Nepal and surrounding countries. Not only is the physical resemblance similar (at least considering the common depiction of the Yeti) between the two, the Demiguise acts quite similarly to what one would assume a Yeti would act. 

Occamy

The Occamy is another creature from the "Far East", but this time it looks like a large, winged serpent. I thought the creature was similar to a Naga. The Naga are serpent deities in some southern, central Asian cultures, particularly the ancient interpretations of the religions of the area. In cryptozoology, the Naga is used for snake-like lake monsters in the area, most notably the Mekong River in Thailand. 

Swooping Evil

In the movie, the mysterious Swooping Evil is used by Newt to get out of some tough spaces. The name is also the subject of a running joke throughout the movie. While the geographical origin of the creature is never really given, the name and appearance of the creature bring to mind images of the cryptid Kongamato. The Kongamato, meaning "breaker of boats," is a flying creature from the Congo of Africa. The creature itself is described as vicious and appears to be reptilian. Many associate the Kongamato with a possible surviving pterosaur. 

Erumpent

Another escaped creature from the movie is the Erumpent. The Erumpent is an adorable rhinoceros-looking creature from Africa. The creature resembles another African cryptid known as the Emela-Ntouka. The Emela-Ntouka is a gigantic creature from the savannahs of Africa. It is said to be about as large as an elephant, but much deadlier. The Emela-Ntouka is identified by a large horn on its snout, resembling that of a rhino's. 

Thunderbird

Finally in the movie we got to see one of my favorite cryptids displayed on the big screen in all its glory: the Thunderbird. In the movie, Newt rescues a Thunderbird who he names Frank, and tries to return him to his proper home; Arizona. Thunderbirds, birds of enormous size from Native American legends, were said to cause thunder and lightning just by flapping their huge wings. In legends, the birds were described to be big enough to blot out the sun, but in modern times the size is described as having a wingspan of fifteen to thirty-five feet.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this rundown of actual cryptids and their representations in the movie. My next post is going to be a couple of book reviews, I'm not sure when it'll be out, but it should be soon. 

I'm Sorry for Not Posting!!!!

Hi everyone... I am deeply sorry for not posting for over a month, but I've been pretty busy.

Early last month I was frantically finishing an article I penned for the wonderful Cryptid Culture Magazine (which you can now purchase here.) I share the pages of the magazine with the likes of Loren Coleman, Lyle Blackburn, and my good friend Brian Parsons. Go check it out! My article is called "The Chupacabra's Cronies" and discusses various vampiric cryptids besides the Chupacabra such as the abominable Chicken Man and the Beast of Bladenboro.

After that, I had my birthday and then my wisdom teeth got removed (and, of course, school) so the entire month just got eaten away.

I still have to catch up in school for missing when i got my wisdom teeth out, but I should be putting up more frequent posts about our world of the wonderful and weird soon.

Mark A. Hall: One of the Greats

It seems too often these days the cryptozoological community is effected by the passing of one of our own: Smokey Crabtree passed in January of this year, Rob Riggs passed in November of last year, and the Sasquatch Chronicler, John Green, passed in June. There were unfortnuately many more. I never got the chance to meet any of these three gentlemen, but their passing effected my anyway, if only as a kid who was influenced by their works and hopes to one day be lucky enough to stand atop the shoulders of the cryptozoological giants they truly were.
We have, unfortunately, lost another one of the greats; Mark A. Hall.
Despite the fact that I never met Hall, he still greatly effected my life and how I came up into the field, cautious but also open minded. I remember reading Hall's works when I was still in grade school; he was a huge influence on my development as a researcher as well. His research and books all fascinated me and intrigued me.
Loren Coleman, in his lovely obituary to the life and research of Hall, said, "it may be years before the younger researchers realize what a loss this is..." Trust me, Loren, I realize.
Hall was always a groundbreaker in the field, exploring new or largely ignored ideas and topics or shedding new light on well established topics. The field will never be the same without him.

Mothman Festival #15: A Riotous Good Time

As many of you should be aware, the 15th annual Mothman Festival was this past weekend. I attended and had a wonderful time at it. The fest was huge this year, estimations as to how many attended range from 9,000 to 11,000 people. Honestly, that is unparalleled anywhere else!
The lineup of speakers was also jam-packed with some of the biggest names in the field: Ken Gerhard, Nick Redfern, Loren Coleman, Stan Gordon, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, George Dudding, Joedy Cook, and Fred Saluga are just some of the many who spoke this weekend.
There was also numerous excellent vendors at which I spent way too much of my money at. I bagged much more loot than last year, I got a total of 13 new books (including Nick Redfern's Nessie and Women in Black and Ken Gerhard's A Menagerie of Mysterious Beasts), a couple t-shirts from Eerie Eric (the Bob Ross of Bigfoot!) and many assorted stickers for my laptop. Out of everything I purchased, the coolest thing that I now own is a second edition copy of Gray Barker's famous They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers which is actually autographed by Barker himself!

I had a blast catching up with Stan, Ken, Nick and everyone else. I also got a chance to meet some awesome people; Tyler Houck (who runs the excellent blog Tyler's Cryptozoo), Sean Forker (co-host of Arcane Radio) and Robert Robinson (who wrote the awesome book Legend Tripping). I also got to visit the TNT area and check out one of the famous 'Igloos'.

I had a great time and would recommend the festival to anyone who is interested in learning more about the Mothman or anything else that goes bump in the night.

Nick Redfern and I

Tyler and I hanging out