MONSTER! THE A-Z OF ZOOFORM PHENOMENA

'Darklore VI' out now!

2011-12-21T08:19:00.000-08:00

My, my how time flies....Grey Taylor's fantastic 'Darklore' series of books now reaches its sixth volume - a creepy, cosmic compilation of tales from varying researchers on all manner of esoteric subjects. The latest edition features an entry by Neil Arnold called 'There's Something Strange In The Sewers', looking at a variety of sewer-based mysteries, from legends pertaining to sinister creatures and not forgetting a few ghost stories and the like. The book can be purchased from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

MYSTERY ANIMALS OFTHE BRITISH ISLES: LONDON - OUT NOW!

2011-10-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: LONDON By Neil Arnold, published by the CFZ, is now available. The long wait is finally over. This much anticipated book is the first of its kind to venture forth into the concrete jungle of England's capital city and unravel fantastic, yet true tales of monsters and mysterious beasts. From yarns spun pertaining to strange creatures in the River Thames, to odd things-a-flutter in the skies of the city. Supernatural animals, beasts escaping from menageries, sightings of exotic cats such as leopards and lynx and the Surrey puma, and not forgetting a whole host of weird and wonderful arcane animals cast from the Ark. MYSTERY ANIMALS OF...LONDON weighs in at more than 300 pages, is richly illustrated and indexed, and proves once and for all that the greenest corners, dankest sewers, and darkest streets can still harbour all manner of elusive and out of place creatures. So, if you're thrilled, or repulsed by tales of flesh-eating giant rats, prowling alligators, blood-sucking fish, rampant wolves, swooping eagles and vultures, ghostly lions, spectral bears, phantom chickens and real life vampires, then MYSTERY ANIMALS OF...LONDON is perfect for campfires constructed on a crisp autumnal night. The book is available from Amazon and all good bookshops. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mystery-Animals-British-Isles-London/dp/1905723717/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319475714&sr=8-1

Attack of the Cyclops

2011-10-18T10:57:00.001-07:00

As a teenager some of the best films were those fantastic adventures such as Clash Of The Titans, Jason & The Argonauts, and those Sinbad epics. Whether in search of lost treasure, or hidden lands, warriors would fall at the feet of great, mythical beasts that had risen from oceans or deep caverns. One of the most popular mythical beasts was of course the dreaded Cyclops. This formidable horror exists in the crusty pages of centuries old tomes which also cage more unbidden beasts such as the Minotaur, the Centaur, the Satyr, the Unicorn, the Harpy – these were from the original menagerie of mystery.

However, time and time again, the monsters which appear relegated to folklore do, at certain times and to certain people, seem to escape from the pen of myth and step into what we deem reality, albeit a very strange and as yet understood one. The Cyclops is no exception.

This monster belonged to a race of primordial giants raised in Greek, then later Roman mythology. Of course, this hideous creature was all the more terrifying due to its single, beady eye perched in the centre of its wrinkled forehead. The name Cyclops is said to derive from ‘circle-eyed’. In the film The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad, made in 1958, and animated by Ray Harryhausen, Sinbad the sailor and his crew stumble up the lost land of Colossa. Whilst trudging across land they meet a magician called Sokurah who is fleeing from a Cyclops. Sinbad and his men escape but their boat is destroyed when the monster throws a giant boulder at it. However, author R.S. Lambert, in his 1966 book Exploring The Supernatural, records two bizarre encounters with a Cyclopean form. In 1888 a young man was visiting a friend in the area of Mule River, Inverness County, Nova Scotia, in Canada when, up on the road ahead he saw a terrifying creature. The monster, which was described as large and black, had its back turned to the witness but rather disturbingly it had a huge red eye in the centre of its back which leered at him. Suddenly, from its two frontal eyes a stream of light beamed ahead, lighting up the path on which the man was set to travel. The monster then moved slowly towards the house of his friend, mooched around the outside but then suddenly came back down to the road and ran quickly towards the petrified witness. The man was very alert and flung himself aside as the Cyclops rushed by. The beast didn’t turn on the man, instead it made its way off into the darkness, the glowing red eye on its back the only sign that it was moving away slowly into the night.

A quarter of a century later two elderly women were taking a stroll along the main highway of Port Hawkesbury, C.B. As Lambert states, ‘In those days the rail tracks of the Canadian National Railway, that now run alongside of the road, had not been built, nor did any ferry ply across the straits to Cape Porcupine.’

Whilst on their journey the two ladies were suddenly startled by a rushing noise behind them followed by a metallic clatter. Looking round they were horrified to see, coming toward them, a huge black monster with one terrible eye positioned in the centre of its face. Strangely, the monster ran straight by the women, rattling their ears with a tremendous roar which escaped its lips. The beast ran in the direction of the fish house. The women were so scared they ran off to another house and hid there until they believed the coast was clear. Even stranger still, according to Lambert, ‘Many years later, one of them heard for the first time in her life a railway train on the mainland of Nova Scotia, and recognised the sound as the one she had heard that night. She died, however, before the Inverness railway was built. When it was, the track, as surveyed, passed right through the fish house that the women had seen.’

An incredibly bizarre story indeed.

In 1981 at Parson Drove in Cambridge (England) a woman and her son, one night, claimed that they had seen a strange, calf-sized monster with one eye. The monster watched the witnesses and ran off. Around the same time in Kent, also in England, a man claimed to have seen a one-eyed tiger in local woodlands – died a few days later of a heart attack! In Scottish-Irish folklore a creature known as the Fachen is said to have one eye. The beast has a mane of black feathers, and has one tremendously strong arm which it uses to destroy orchards.

Some researchers believe that this seemingly impossible creature may have originated from some type of ancient bird which once inhabited the Emerald isle. Monster folklore speaks of many hairy humanoids, spectral dogs, dragons and demons said to sport one single glaring eye. Strangely, in Cyclopean lore, there is no mention of a female Cyclops.

Masinaigan’s UFO Roundup of 19th January and 2nd February 1997, reported that during the December of 1996 a Daoud Ahmad, who resided on Israel’s West Bank at the Nur-a-Shamat camp, had awoke during a restless night when two bizarre humanoids attacked him. Ahmad described the beings as having a single eye, large heads, a Mohawk-style haircut, and the intruders stood around two-feet in height. Ahmad added, “They wore black leather clothes…After they beat me I lost consciousness.’

The terrified witness was taken to hospital and treated for facial bruising. Although neighbours heard a commotion coming from the home of Ahmad, they saw no-one enter or leave the premises.

Remember the 'Red Ghost' ?

2011-10-18T10:55:00.000-07:00

A bizarre zooform creature story from Neil Arnold at the CENTRE FOR FORTEAN ZOOLOGY. Read it HERE

The Warrington Man-Beast!

2011-08-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

The town of Warrington, which sits on the banks of the River Mersey, is also a borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire. According to an obscure story from the 18th century, later repeated in Wally Barnes’ 1990 book Ghosts, Mysteries & Legends of Old Warrington, a terrifying man-beast once stalked a farm in Warrington. One such farm, once known as Peggy Gronachs Chicken Farm harboured a bizarre story which Wally Barnes was told of in the 1940s. According to Barnes, Peggy Gronach was ‘…the most evil, ugly and haggard old wretch ever seen in the vicinity.’

According to legend Peggy Gronach was a witch who escaped the original 17th century witch hunts which took place in Norwich. When Peggy moved to Warrington, she was the dread of the local community, her run down shack would spook many a passer by and no-one was ever brave enough to venture through the undergrowth. However, one day a group of young children were playing near the old farm and decided that, for a dare, they would approach the cottage. When they were within a few metres a terrifying roar emanated from the building and staring through the grime-laced window pane was a hideous face. Then, Peggy emerged from the farmhouse and began screaming at the children who, of course, fled the area.

When the terrified children returned home to their parents, they spoke of the great roar, to which their parents responded that the crone must have owned a ferocious dog. However, the children were adamant that what they saw peering from the house was a hair covered man with burning eyes, pointed ears and horns on his head.

However bizarre the report may have seemed, the following month, according to Barnes, ‘…a farmhand was driving a horse and trap about a mile from the cottage when without warning the horse reared up. The farmhand then saw a hideous ghoul-like creature under a tree ready to pounce.’

Local villagers began to spread rumour that Peggy Gronach had supernatural powers and that to explain the man-beast, they believed she could transform herself into the terrifying man-beast which had been reported around the area. Shortly after the farmhand’s encounter, a local farmer reported that one of his cows had been attacked. He found it dead and its head was hanging on my thread – only a very powerful creature could have committed such a crime. So, the local vicar, accompanied by ‘a gang of religious zealots’ visited Peggy’s remote cottage in the hope of driving her away from the village. However, upon arrival they found no trace of the old hag nor the hairy monster, the only sign that some ‘thing’ had been around was the carcass of a half-eaten goat.

There were no further sightings of the terrible monster, or Peggy Gronach, and the building was knocked down. Barnes however, ends the tale with a chilling climax, stating that, ‘Many years later workmen dug up the remains of a giant bullock – or was it a bullock ? Bullocks do not have human skulls. Think about it.’

This intriguing tale may sound far-fetched, but maybe, just maybe, out there in the sticks of old Warrington, there still lurks a frightful, hairy monster, a creature which, during the day either retires deep into the woods, or transforms itself into the shrivelled form of Peggy Gronach.

Book review: The Real Men In Black

2011-08-10T12:15:00.000-07:00

Some of you may wonder why on earth I'm reviewing a book about MIBs - those mysterious, UFO-related Men In Black, on this website. Well, for one, the author, Nick Redfern, is a good friend of mine, and secondly, a new book by Mr Redfern, is ALWAYS something to look forward to. However, there is also a third reason for mentioning this book - because although Nick is a dab hand at shedding new light on the classic encounters with the mysterious men, he even manages to find reports of bizarre monsters and their sinister relations to those black-suited gents. Now, Men In Black are a strange brew - and they've always been connected to UFOs, and those intrepid investigators who apparently get too close to the truth - but of course much of this is simply folklore - and Nick goes a helluva long way to prove that the MIBs are far stranger than we originally thought. I've often believed that every time a new mystery hits this globe, we always...and I mea nalways, blame the aliens! It's true - whether it's crop circles - blame the aliens, or cattle mutilations - blame the aliens, Bigfoot - surely dropped from a spaceship, phantom airships - blame the aliens, people abducted from their beds - blame the aliens and so on and so on. Those poor extraterrestrial visitors have been given a hard time by us earthlings over the years, and the Men In Black have often been said to have infiltrated this void of 'ours' to warn us not to report our UFO sightings.

Nick Redfern has scoured the archives, scanned the once hidden documents, and interviewed countless witnesses and investigators, to attempt to uncover the bizarre truth - if there is one - behind these sinister agents. The likes of Bender, Beckley, Keel, and Barker get the coverage they deserve, after all, these type of guys introduced us to these men, but alongside Jim Keith's 'Casebook On The Men In Black', Redfern's new look at the mystery is destined to become a classic. This isn't any old book talking about conspiracy and UFOs, instead Nick looks at cases where researchers have even investigated 'monster' sightings and other mysteries, only to be warned off by the 'three men'. And after every case is picked to pieces and then evaluated, Nick isn't afraid to cast new theories on such an enigma, and shares my view that such figures of dread could in fact, like so many monsters, vampires, spirits and the like, be tulpas - or thoughtforms - weird manifestations that exist as the product of the human psyche, and which exist the more fear them. This complex theory may sound ridiculous to some, but they clearly fit alongside other social panics, suggesting that maybe, just maybe, these men and in fact many of the mysteries around us, cannot be blamed simply on those bug-eyed aliens we've feared since Kenneth Arnold's 1947 'UFO' encounter over Washington. The Men In black, albeit for a short while, were local bogeyman, the product of conspiracy, rumour and moreso fear - they were projections, and media creations, harbingers of doom, agents of misfortune - or were they ? Maybe, as Nick argues, such figures were harmless but born from the shadows of a slightly, already unhinged and paranoid mind.

Whatever your opinions on the MIB phenomenon, 'The Real Men In Black', for me anyway, caps off a limited run of books, which, over the years have gradually given us a brief insight into such mysterious phantoms. I believe that the Men In Black are from the same void as the Black-Eyed Kids, mad gassers, phantom clowns, bogus social workers and spectral assailants - but they do not appear if there is no-one there to see them. The Men In Black are a social construct, that have embedded themselves into world folklore. They are real, but only in the sense vampires and werewolves are, and yet such figures have become household names the world over, given them strength and occasionally, on dark and stprmy nights they step from the realm of fantasy into our houses and our nightmares, and then are gone, in the blink of an eye. My only hope is that Mr Redfern doesn't get a visit from the terrible trio, although if he comes to the door in his Ramones t-shirt and black jeans, they may in fact mistake him for one of them and ask him to join their peculiar posse! A fantastic book that breaks the mould. Rock on Nick!
'The Real Men In Black' is available from Amazon.com

Coming Soon: MYSTERY ANIMALS OF...LONDON, the book!

2011-07-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

Monsters, mystery animals and zooforms galore! MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: LONDON will be published by CFZ PRESS, containing a weird phantasmal menagerie of zooform monsters, as well as escaped animals, insect swarms, big cat sightings, alien invaders to the skies and rivers...if you're thing is phantom birds, ghostly glowing lions, vampires, real-life satyr's and hellhounds, then buy MYSTERY ANIMALS...LONDON, which will be available from Amazon and the like. More details soon...

Neil Arnold interviewed at CFZ Australia

2011-05-31T15:12:00.001-07:00

http://www.cfzaustralia.com/2011/05/meet-cryptozoologist-neil-arnold.html

Monsters You've Never Heard Of...Part Two

2011-04-27T15:18:00.001-07:00

http://forteanzoology.blogspot.com/2011/04/neil-arnold-monsters-youve-never-heard_25.html

Monsters You've Never Heard Of...Part One

2011-04-27T15:15:00.001-07:00

http://forteanzoology.blogspot.com/2011/04/neil-arnold-monsters-youve-never-heard.html

Mothman Of Hertfordshire

2011-04-22T06:16:00.000-07:00

Hertfordshire Mothman

More than a century ago a curious incident took place in the neighbourhood of Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire, UK. Mr Boreham was a well respected man who lived in the area with his wife and three daughters. One evening as the family sat around a crackling fire talking to a neighbour, their tranquillity was shattered by a knocking sound followed by several screams and shouts. The friend of the family, a Mrs Hummerstone, who was closest to the door, ran out towards the kitchen and saw the servant girl, an Elizabeth Harris, trying to defend herself from a knife-wielding maniac named Tom Simmonds. The eighteen-year old Simmonds, who had once been employed by Mr Boreham, had been dismissed after being more than unsuitable for the job. Simmonds had also been dating Harris, but overcome with rage was now attempting to kill her after Mr Boreham advised the servant girl to see him no longer.

Simmonds rushed out of the house and then smashed a window with a chair and climbed through, stabbing Mrs Hummerstone in the throat on the way. Simmonds then brutally attacked Mr Boreham’s oldest daughter, stabbing her to death before slashing at Mrs Boreham and Elizabeth Harris. However, whilst in the throes of his murderous mission, Tom Simmonds suddenly ceased with his actions, dropped his knife, screamed and fled from the building.

A few hours later Simmonds was tracked down by police to an old barn where he was found shivering and staring wild eyed into blackness. Simmonds was to be executed but before his death he told a very strange story to the chaplain. He commented, that as he was about to slash Miss Harris with the knife something cold tapped him on the shoulder. When Simmonds turned he was confronted by a huge, dark coloured creature which had large wings. Although it’s face was human-like, it frowned heavily at him. Many would have perceived Simmonds rambling as the words of a madman, were it not for the other witnesses who came forward to speak of their own personal encounters with the winged monster. One local man, after hearing about the story came forward to say that after a bout of heavy depression he decided to commit suicide. Suddenly a winged humanoid appeared and its appearance alone forced the man to consider his actions.

Was this bizarre birdman a peculiar omen of the ethereal ? A darkly guised angel ? Or an obscure legend which many, many years later would become as Mothman but elsewhere in the world.

The Tin Foil Monster!

2011-02-20T06:38:00.000-08:00

The Abomnable Smokeman....Of Essex!

2010-12-21T09:35:00.000-08:00

Neil's latest entry on the CFZ blog can be read HERE

The Netherlands Ghost Bear

2010-11-25T05:24:00.000-08:00

Another of Neil's weird tales at the Centre For Fortean Zoology

Darklore 5 - now available

2010-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Darklore 5 - the new volume edited by Greg Taylor, is now available. Full of original and mind-boggling stories from authors such as Nick Redfern it includes an article by Neil Arnold on the 'Mill Race Monster'. This much forgotten monster tale was brought to the attention of Neil by a Chris McDaniel who investigated the case. Did a green-faced monster really terrorise this isolated park in Indiana, or was the creature product of an elaborate hoax ?
Darlore Volume 5 is available from Amazon

The return of Spring-Heeled Jack ?

2010-11-11T05:49:00.001-08:00

http://beastsoflondon.blogspot.com/2010/11/spring-heeled-jack-monster-for.html

Neil Arnold interviewed for London's Wharf magazine

2010-10-30T16:53:00.001-07:00

Read all about it...HERE

...The Monster of Mount Pilchuck

2010-10-24T07:52:00.000-07:00

Another zooform classic...

2010-10-11T11:47:00.000-07:00

The Hardin Monster

Neil Arnold's Zooform Classics Part 2...

2010-10-08T09:04:00.000-07:00

The Case Of The Four-legged Rugby Ball Monster!

Zooform Classics Vol 1

2010-10-04T02:31:00.000-07:00

The Elgin Monkey Man

Australian Big Cats - A new book by Mike Williams and Rebecca Lang

2010-09-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

Although not the stuff of folklore, or in any way related to zooform phenomena, Mike Williams and Rebecca Lang have delved into another intriguing worldwide mystery in their new book, AUSTRALIAN BIG CATS. This impressive book, all 400 + pages of it, has been reviewed at:

http://kentbigcats.blogspot.com/2010/09/australian-big-cats-new-book-by-mike.html

Phantom insects...Part Two

2010-09-30T02:42:00.000-07:00

Read it HERE

Phantom insects etc...part one.

2010-09-29T05:11:00.000-07:00

Neil's latest article for the Centre For Fortean Zoology can be read HERE

The Horror Of Haldon Hill

2010-09-13T12:04:00.001-07:00

Read Neil's latest post on the CFZ blog

Neil to appear on Radio Amerika Now

2010-09-09T11:57:00.000-07:00

Neil will be discussing monsters and other strange phenomena on Radio Amerika Now on Halloween.

The Terror of Tondo!

2010-07-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

Read more on this terrifying vampire tale at the CFZ

PARANORMAL LONDON - OUT NOW!

2010-07-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Neil Arnold's new book, PARANORMAL LONDON, is out NOW. Published by The History Press, this unique book delves into London's much ignored folkloric history. As well as covering tales of ghosts, ghouls and UFOs, the book mainly covers monster sightings throughout the capital. From spectral animals - hellhounds, phantom bears, ghostly birds, and ethereal cats, the book also looks into reports of vampires and phantom assailants.

Tales obscure and well-known, the book can be purchased from Amazon.com priced around £9.99.

Nick Redfern interviews Richard Freeman

2010-07-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

Author Nick Redfern, over at his MonsterUSA blog interviews fellow author,m and good friend, Richard Freeman, about his new book, THE YOKAI ENCYCLOPEDIA. This mammoth book (416 pages) is essential reading not only for cryptozoologists and monster hunter's, but those interested in Asian zooform creatures.

The Glocester Ghoul

2010-04-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

Another weird post on the CFZ blog by Neil Arnold. Read more HERE

The Great Yokai Encyclopedia

2010-04-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

Good friend Richard Freeman is about to release his brand new book of Japanese monsters, entitled 'The Great Yokai Encyclopedia', published by CFZ Press. It is without doubt one of the most eagerly awaited books in many, many years, and is a great companion to my 2007 'Monster! The A-Z Of Zooform Phenomena'.

At 416 pages it's the first, last, and only word on Japan's weird menagerie of bizarre creatures, surreal humanoids, leathery dragons, and folkloric entities.

The book will be available from Amazon and all good book stores.

Neil Arnold on NBC News talks about our need for monsters.

2010-04-19T05:31:00.000-07:00

A recent auction has sold off several bizarre exhibits such as a fake yeti, unicorn, and various weird creatures such as winged kittens, horned rabbits etc. Neil Arnold tells us why we have a need for such macabre exhibits. Read about it HERE

Neil Arnold on Radio Amerika Now

2010-04-17T23:42:00.000-07:00

On 17th April 2010 Neil discuused his research into monsters at Radio Amerika Now. The show can be accessed via the archives. Follow the link HERE

China's child-stealing bogeyman...

2010-04-12T12:50:00.001-07:00

Neil's latest blog post at the CFZ can be read HERE

A real monster menagerie...

2010-04-12T12:47:00.000-07:00

Flying cats, unicorn's, bat-winged horrors, a yeti...creatures cast from the Ark and into the Victorian menagerie. A real museum of monsters from The Daily Mail. Read more HERE

Coming Soon..to a bookshop near you!

2010-04-06T13:11:00.000-07:00

They say that in London you're never more than five-feet away from a rat...after reading PARANORMAL LONDON rats will be the last thing on your mind....

The Spectral Ape of Hampstead, phantom hellhounds, ghostly bears, the Highgate 'vampire', spectral assailants, flying jellyfish, UFOs, phantom airships, the Devil in Mayfair, phantom stone throwers, fish from the sky, the Wanstead ewok, mystery 'big cats', sinister apparitions, monster rats, Pig-Face!, demonic entities, and many more....High Strangeness, mystery beasts...

PARANORMAL LONDON..COMING SOON, FROM ALL GOOD BOOK STORES, AND AMAZON.COM.

PARANORMAL LONDON...WHERE THE WILD..AND WEIRD THINGS ARE!

What was the Gorbals vampire ?

2010-04-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

Link HERE for more info.

The black dog of Bungay...the book!

2010-04-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

HIDDEN PUBLISHING have released SHOCK! THE BLACK DOG OF BUNGAY, which I'm hoping to review once I have a copy. For more information look HERE

Sussex 'Spring-Heeled Jack' - a bizarre animal!

2010-02-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

A peculiar creature visited Sussex in the 1800s. Find out more at the CFZ

Neil Arnold's LONDON MONSTER WALKS

2010-01-25T08:19:00.000-08:00

Starting Monday February 8th - 7:30pm to 9:30pm -Neil Arnold will be conducting 'Monster Walks' around parts of London. With the help of London Paranormal who run regular ghost and history walks throughout the capital, the London 'Monster Walks' will see full-time folklorist Neil Arnold introduce us to a menagerie of mysterious beasts within the concrete jungle. The tour will stop off at various points in the City which are ornamented with monstrous images, and with each image a story will be applied.Neil will speak of serpents, big cats, griffins, giant fish, bears, phantom hounds, all sighted throughout the capital. He'll also speak of the Highgate 'vampire', Spring-Heeled Jack and the London 'mermaid' hoax. A surreal safari indeed.J

ust when you thought it was safe to not go in the woods, the London 'Monster Walk' will bring the beasts of London lore into the streets.

PRESS RELEASE
2010From the people who bring you THE LONDON GHOST FESTIVALTours of terror, spill the beans on London’s dark, gruesome and haunting pastWoven into London’s vibrant and bloody history is a plethora of ghosts and supernatural creatures hiding within its shadows of folklore and legend. Scratch the surface and the stories come to life as they bleed into our modern culture. Phantasmagoria events are pleased to introduce a series of three specifically devised "Haunted History Walks" around some of London's most haunted and historical areas exploring some of the capitals most horrid history, petrifying ghost stories and mythical beasts.
FOR FURTHER DETAILS:
London Paranormal Website

The monster of Runcorn..

2010-01-18T07:38:00.001-08:00

...and other shadowy spectres...read Neil's latest zooform article HERE

The phantom ape-man of Ireland!

2010-01-05T02:37:00.000-08:00

An old, weird tale revisited, at the CFZ blog.

Neil Arnold in the CFZ hot-seat!

2009-12-24T07:37:00.000-08:00

Oll Lewis interviews Neil Arnold at the CFZ

Vampire cats!

2009-12-21T12:12:00.000-08:00

Neil delves into reports of blood-drinking felids at the CENTRE FOR FORTEAN ZOOLOGY

Neil to appear on COAST TO COAST AM radio

2009-11-26T03:46:00.001-08:00

COAST TO COAST AM radio is one of the USA's biggest stations attracting more than four-million listeners. On December 1st at 6:00 am (UK time) - November 30th (11:30 pm US time) Neil be discussing his research into monsters, discussing his book 'Monster!', and other strange creatures. For more info click HERE

Neil interviewed at THE LONDON WORD

2009-11-24T07:08:00.001-08:00

Vampires, 'big cats', Nessie, red-eyed winged humanoids...Neil discusses his monster-hunting and research at THE LONDON WORD

Chinese monsters part two...

2009-11-10T05:03:00.001-08:00

Neil's second CFZ Bloggo installment HERE

Chinese monsters...

2009-11-05T12:39:00.000-08:00

Neil's latest CFZ Blog concerns a zooform from China recorded between the 3rd and 6th century. Read it HERE

Neil Arnold in CHAT! Magazine

2009-10-22T14:12:00.001-07:00

The latest issue of CHAT! Magazine (Issue 43, Oct' 29th pages 40-41) features an article on Neil Arnold and his monster-hunting exploits.

'Darklore 4' is released...

2009-09-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

Greg Taylor, the main behind the superb 'Darklore' series of books, has released volume '4' of the line. Neil Arnold has an article in the book entitled 'The Goatsucker Family', and looks in-depth into the legend of the Chupacabra, but is quick to tell us why the Puerto Rican vampire is not as unique as many may think. The chapter looks into legends of other vampyric monsters from around the world, in fact no continent is excluded. From Asian bloodsuckers, to South American night predators, this is an article that breathes new life in to the mystery of the terrors that come in the night.

The book is available from Amazon, to read more about the release, click HERE

Spectral animals...

2009-09-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

Over at Nick Redfern's fantastic Manbeast blog there's mention of a bizarre tale recorded by legendary ghost-hunter Elliot O'Donnell, which is mentioned in his revised 'Ghostly Pets' book. The tale concerns that of a spectral 'big cat' and phantom baboon. O'Donnell was a master at accumulating macabre data and his books, such as, 'Casebook of Ghosts', 'Dangerous Ghosts' and the above mentioned are well worth checking out.

Spring-Heeled Jack..terror of Basingstoke!!

2009-09-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

The legendary phantom assailant gets coverage in the Basingstoke Gazette of all places!

'Weird Weekend' comic strip!

2009-09-13T04:35:00.001-07:00

Hunt Emerson is the resident artist at Fortean Times magazine. In the latest issue he has drawn up a crazy strip based on this year's cool 'Weird Weekend'. Neil Arnold can be seen to the right of man-in-black Richard Freeman. Thanks Hunt!

The giant leech...

2009-09-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

Neil's latest blog post at the CFZ concerns a ghastly river monster.

The Furry Demon Of Gypsy Wood

2009-08-31T05:41:00.001-07:00

Aggressive 'big cat', or something stranger...Neil's latest CFZ post delves deep...

The Vampire Dwarf of Essex

2009-08-28T10:42:00.001-07:00

More of Neil's weird tales at the CFZ

The Toad Man will get you...

2009-08-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

Neil's latest foray into the zooform world... click HERE

Zooform Phenomena - Monsters Among Us

2009-08-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

At the WEIRD WEEKEND (a four day event put on by the CFZ - captained by Jon Downes) which ran from 13th Aug' to the 16th, Neil Arnold lectured (on Saturday 15th) on 'zooform phenomena'. His one-hour talk will soon be available to view courtesy of the CFZ.

The talk covered a phantom menagerie of monsters, including the more known zooform creatures such as Mothman, Jersey Devil, Monkey Man, hellhounds and Chupacabras, but also concentrated on lesser known bogey-men and monsters often confused with zooform such as the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot and 'big cats' seen in the UK.

Richard Freeman described the talk as the best he'd seen at the 'Weird Weekend' with regards to atmosphere and strangeness.

Footage from the talk will be posted on this blog shortly.

Neil looks at what causes monsters...

2009-06-30T06:43:00.001-07:00

http://forteanzoology.blogspot.com/2009/06/neil-arnold-zooform-phenomena-mole.html

Neil's favourite monsters...!

2009-05-25T08:25:00.001-07:00

Over at the CENTRE FOR FORTEAN ZOOLOGY and as part of their 'BIG THREE' theme, in which author's, researchers etc, pick their favourite three mystery creatures which possibly could exist in the wilds of remote Earth. Neil Arnold chooses his, which, at first glance are wrenched straight from the zooform world...but could they be flesh and blood creatures ?

Neil interviewed at The Ghost Writer's Society

2009-05-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

Jim Cobb asks Neil Arnold about monsters and other mysterious beasts HERE

Darklore 3 - OUT NOW!

2009-04-22T04:41:00.000-07:00

Edited by Greg Taylor, Darklore 3 (following on, obviously, from volumes 1 & 2) is a parade of the truly weird. A fascinating book featuring contributions by the world's best author's (including Neil Arnold!) in the fields of the supernatural, paranormal, cryptozoology, ufology and folklore.

Take a step into the twilight zone, a strange journey where the reader is consumed by peculiar, scary and intriguing tales...all true. Neil Arnold's article covers Dutch zooform phenomena, and has been given the excellent title of Neverland In The Netherlands.

Greg Taylor has done a remarkable job. Darklore is littered with fantastic artwork, and the tales on offer are perfect for spooky, bedtime reading!

More details about the book HERE

Neil's guide to Dutch zooform phenomena...

2009-03-29T06:49:00.000-07:00

Read about it at the CFZ

MYSTERY ANIMALS OF KENT - OUT NOW.

2009-03-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

BUY THE BOOK AT AMAZON

From publisher Jonathan Downes (CFZ Press):

"After months of work, this remarkable book is finally available. It is the bulkiest book we have ever done, and with over 270,000 words the longest apart from 'Monster Hunter' and 'Dragons: More than a Myth?'

Neil is to be congratulated for such an extraordinary piece of writing. A large proportion of the book concerns big cats, but as Neil - despite his detractors - is one of the leading mystery cat researchers in the country, this is hardly surprising. However, what makes it so much better than yer run of the mill 'big cat' books which seem to be largely rehashed press cuttings, and in which the sentence "...err it was black, it had a long tail and looked like my Labrador,"seem to be repeated over and over again ad nauseam, this is the first-hand story of years of dedication and hands-on research.

The non-cat chapters are equally as interesting, covering a whole gamut of subjects from out-of-place animals to what Neil calls the 'nameless anomalies' which would not be out of place in an episode of 'The X-Files' from about ten years ago.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It's only £14.99 which is hardly extortionate in this day and age, and in the unlikely instance that you don't like it, it is so substantial that you can use it as a door stop, throw it at your dog, or wrap it in a pillow-case to make a handy cosh, and tootle on down to your nearest sub-post office. Well done mate."

Paperback: 420 pages; Publisher: Cfz (Mar 2009); Language English; ISBN-10: 1905723369ISBN-13: 978-1905723362; Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.6 x 2.2 cm

15 Questions with...Richard Freeman

2009-03-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

Richard Freeman is a good friend of mine. Not only is he the Zoological Director of the Centre For Fortean Zoology, but he's a real cryptozoologist in every sense of the word. As well as being the author of DRAGONS: MORE THAN A MYTH ?, he has lead teams in search of bipedal ape-men, giant snakes, dragons, monster cat-fish and other strange creatures across the world.

Here is the honest, down to earth interview...prepare for weirdness, Doctor Who, hordes of monsters...and Japanese women!

1) When did you realise your fascination with monsters ? Is there aparticular childhood memory etc, that turned you on to such beasts ?

My fascination with monsters began with Dr Who in the 1970's the earliest memory i have is of a grotesque troll doll, possesed by the autons, jerking into life on the back seat of a car. This started my intrest in monsters. Of course like all kids i loved dinosaurs and dragons.I remember hearing the story of St George and the dragon as a boy and thinking 'this is rubbish, the dragon would kill him!' In adult life i learnt hat St George was actually a swindler, bigot and liar. He was born in Syria, then later lived in Libya. He never set foot in England and would have died of fright if he had seen a dragon. The dragon story was tacked on centuries after his death when the Catholic Church made him a saint.

2) Can you recall your first ever expedition in search of the unknown ?

When i was a student a mate and myself went hunting for a big cat in Keihley, Yorkshire. We laid scent trails with bloody meat in a sack dragged through the wood. Then we hung the sack about six feet off the ground and hid in the bushes. Nothing turned up.

3) You've gone in search of giant snakes, ape-men, monster cat-fish and dragons. What would be your dream expedition ?

There is so much i want to do. I'd really love to do Tasmania, Australia, and New Guinea and do a long, comprehensive search for the thylacine. I'd live to visit lake Tianchi in China where a dragon is supposed to lurk, i would also love to do a series of expeditions to Japan looking for the Japanese wolf, yamamaya, the mystery big cat of Irimoe Island, various lake monsters and tsuchinoko, the weird doso-ventraly flattened snake. I would also like to return to Russia looking for the almasty, Mongolia for the deathworm and Sumatra for the orang-pendek.But it's all down to the green folding stuff. We would love to convince a tv company to back us for a series but all they are intrested in making is drivel, shit like Paris Hilton's British Best Friend or Big Brother or I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. Last year we came back from Russia with what might be part of the skull of an almasty, a relic hominid. It is currently undergoing tests. Was anyone in the media intrested? No, but if it had been some 3rd rate 'celebrity' off a soap opera or some scum from reality tv, doing something banal then they would have been all over us.

4) What's the closest you've come to encountering a cryptid ?

When we were in Russia we were staking out an abandoned farm house in the countryside a couple of miles from the village of Nutrino. Two of my fellow scientsist Grigory Panchenkio, a biologist, and the archaeologist Anatoly had both seen almastys here. The farm consisted of three rooms with a 'l' shaped veranda running around them.
It was two thirthy in the morning Dave Archer was asleep and Adam Davis and i were standing near the stove. Anatoly was in one of the farms out buildings. The door of the room we were in was about 7 feet tall. It opened out onto the veranda. The door was about three or four inches open.It was a clear night and starlight and moonlinght was streaming into the room. We heard a deep gutteral vocalization. The closest that i can get to it phonetically is 'bub-bub-ub-bub". About 25 seconds later 'something' passed by the door. Whatever that 'something' was, it was tall enough to block out the sartlight up to a hight of seven feet. We grabbed our cameras and rushed outside but what ever it was had gone.

5) Of all the cryptids, which do you think are most likely to bediscovered over the next century ?

The thylacine or tasmanian marsupial wolf. It has been seen by zoologists and a park ranger. It has been filmed on several occasions. Sightings number in their thousands. It's the cryptid most likley to exist.
The almasty,a relic hominid a close relative of man. In the Karbadino Balkaria part of the Cacausus Mountains of Russia their numbers seem to be on the increase. They will approach human habitiation and people do not hunt them. I think a great breakthrough will be made here.
Orang-pendek, the upright ape of Sumatra. There's no doubt it exists. It has been seen close up by at leas two well respected scientists. It will come down from he jungle to semi-cultivated areas in search of food.
The giant anaconda. They give birth to live young, they live most of their lives bouyed up by water. They can reach huge sizes. It's just a matter of finding an undisturbed area with a massive individual.

6) Have you ever been scared whilst on the track... ?

Only when i saw a big moth in Africa. Those things make my blood run cold!

7) If a movie was made about your life. Who would play you ? And whatsong would you have start the film ?

Johnny Depp is who i'd like to play me but i'm always told i look like Bill Bailey! (Rich, when your hair was long you DID look like him, I'm sorry to say!!)
The song would have to be 'Monster' by Automatic.

8) The British tv show Doctor Who was a major influence on your life. Why is this ?

As mentioned befor Dr Who started out my interest in monsters. Every Saturday evening in the 1970s you would be whisked away for half an hour of high adventure. Dr Who was least about space ships and ray guns and more about weird shadows, strange sounds and horrific things lurking in the darkness. Dr Who was always more horror than Science Fiction.Giant maggots crawling out of infected slag heaps, childrens dolls that jerk into life and strangle people, homicidal, cyborg venriloquist's dummies that have the brain of a demented pig, infections that turn their victims into Lovecraftian masses of flesh eating tentacles, giant psychic spiders that possess human hosts, amazing stuff.You wouldn't get this in bland, unimaginative, souless crap like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek or Star Gate. That's why UK science fiction is better than US science fiction,horror and imagination. They have Star Trek (and it's crappy spin offs), Star Gate and Battlestar Galactica. We have Dr Who, Quatermass, The Prisoner, Saphire and Steel and most recently the wonderful Being Human.

9) What's your favourite Doctor Who episode, and who's your favouriteDoctor ?

The Sea Devils featured a race of super evolved, intelligent marine reptiles. They ruled the Earth at the time of the dinosaurs then went into hibernation to avoid the mass extinction at end of the Cretaceous period. They awake millions of years later to find that man has taken over their world and is destroying it. They look on man quite rightly, as vermin.
Terror of the Autons is the Doctors second battle with the Nestenes. On their home world they look like cyclopsian octopi the size of a house. They can place their conciousness into artificial meteors and send them through space. On Earth the alien minds possesses anything plastic and turn it into a killer. Plastic flowers that spray a suffocating film, plastic chairs that suck in their victims, childrens toys that come to life and shop front dummies that smash out of their windows and attack people on the street.
The best Doctor was the 3rd Doctor, Jon Pertwee. An elegant, finely dressed gentleman scientist who could kick arse like Bruce Lee. I owe my career to Jon Pertwee and my being a goth to his frilly shirts and opera capes! (If any idiot's are reading this - 'goths' aren't the sad kids of today parading the streets in Slipknot t-shirts trying to be weird. 'Goth' was a movement, a state of mind back in the late '70s and '80s, accompanied by a soundtrack of bands such as Bauhaus, Sisters Of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, Joy Division, etc - dusty jackets, shoegazing dance routines, and general gorgeous vampyric women!)

10) If dragons are supposedly mythical creatures, why do they feature soheavily in our history and culture ?

The dragon is no myth. It features in every culture on Earth as far back as 25,000 years ago. Forget demons, vampires and werewolves, dragons are more ancient, powerful and widespread than them all.
Dragon sightings are still reported today, especially in Asia. It is likey tha dragon legends are based on encounters with one or more species of titanic reptile totally unknown to science.I have met dragon witnesses too scared to even look in the direction of the area were they saw the monster..

11) You are the author of Dragons: More Than A Myth. Can you tell us more about your next book.

My next book is The Great Yokai Encyclopedia: An A to Z of Japanese Monsters. I'm fascinated with Japanese culture, folklore (and women!) Yokai, broadly ghost and monster in Japan, are the weirdest in the world. We all know kappa, the turtle like creature with a love of cucumbers and liquid in his head that makes him super strong, but there are many others. They include a grave robbing rabbit that feeds on the livers of human corpses, a giant flesh eating sea cucumber tha grows from a pair of girls knickers that fall into the sea, a flaming pig that runs between your legs and makes your genitals vanish and a monster that eats women's hair. Only in Japan! The book should be out later this year.

12) What expeditions are you undertaking next ?

Well it's all down to funding. At the moment funds are very low. I'd like to get back out to Guyana to look for the giant anaconda. Last time we were there it was too dry and we couldn't reach the remote lake where the monster had been seen. I'd like to go back in the rainy season to look for it. Also i'd like to go back to Russia as i feel i came within 12 feet of seeing an almasty.

13) Do you think cryptozoology will always remain a fringe subject ?

No, i think it is becoming more accepted all the time. Most scientists think the thylacine is still around and after the discovery of the Eub Gogo bones in Indonesia the idea of relic hominids is not so hard to swallow. Jon and i have lectured a the Natural History Museum and the Grant Mueum of Zoology. If we weren't taken seriously then we would not be asked.

14) Which cryptozoological legend irritates you the most !?

De'Loys ape. It's a red faced black spider monkey on a stick. You can tell this from the vestigial thumbs, forward pointing nostrils and large external clitoris. Any zoologist worth their salt could tell you that. Also the recent bigfoot costume filled with entrails and an ox tongue. The story was that it had been stuck in a freezer for months. If that were the case the entrails would have been discoloured but they were pink and fresh. You had morons trumpeting that this was the real thing. When a hoax like this happens the public and media, who have very short attention spans for anything not to do will celebrities, think that all cryptozoology has to be based on hoaxes.

15) What advice could you give to any young, budding crypto-researchersout there who one day, may choose to seek their own local monster ?

Never give up, no matter how many knock backs you get, keep at it. Monster hunting is not easy, its a calling, a vocation rather than a job. No one ever got rich through cryptozoolgy.
The best thing a budding cryptozoologist can do is join the CFZ
We support young, new cryptozoologists around the world. Many of the people who go on our expeditions were folk who just started out as ordinary CFZ members.

Neil Interviewed on WICN

2009-02-25T12:06:00.001-08:00

WICN Public Radio is New England's finest jazz and folk music station. Hear Mark Lynch interview Neil Arnold about his book MONSTER! THE A-Z OF ZOOFORM PHENOMENA. This intyriguing insight into the world of 'zooform phenomena' covers a whole menagerie of mysterious creatures, from the more known monsters such as Mothman, Jersey Devil and Chupacabra, to the lesser known Noodleman, Asian vampires, the Yorshire Maggot and many varieties of phantom hellhound. A surreal safari indeed....listen and download here: WCIN INTERVIEW WITH NEIL ARNOLD

15 Questions with...Nick Redfern

2009-02-09T12:00:00.001-08:00

I'm hoping to make this a pretty regular thing, interviews with authors and hunters of all things strange, particularly unusual beasts.

No better way than starting this feature by interviewing Nick Redfern, author of such fine books as Three Men Seeking Monsters, There's Something In The Woods and Man-Monkey.

Let us begin...

1) Nick, many thanks for doing the interview. Can you tell me your earliest memory of becoming so interested in monsters, and was there also a particular film or book which in a sense, changed your life ?

ANSWER: My earliest crypto-memory was when I was about five, and my parents took me to Loch Ness. We were in Scotland for a week's holiday, and spent a day at the loch. I can still just recall a few fragmentary memories - of my dad telling me the story of the monster, of staring out at the loch while we stood near the shore, and my dad chatting about the monster with an old couple who had driven up in a big old volkswagen van. And that's what really got my attention and imagination. From around 7 or 8, I began reading books on the subject, and it went from there. As for films: it's not strictly crypto (but it does contain a few Fortean and crypto elements), but the 1957 film "Night of the Demon" is probably my all time favourite film - very atmospheric, creepy, and a great story.

2) You've written several books on subjects ranging from UFO's to monsters. Can you remember your reaction when you're first book was published, and what it meant ?

ANSWER: Yes, I've written 13 books so far, with 4 more to follow in the near future. I think every author remembers their first book, the sense of achievment, the idea that you are now an author, and getting that first copy in the post, and seeing it and holding it. Not that I'd know, but maybe it's like having a baby! Almost! LOL.

3) Of all your books, which has been the most exciting and pleasurable to write?

ANSWER: I'd actually say Man-Monkey: In Search of the British Bigfoot, because it allowed me to dig up all my old notes, files, and memories, and remember one of my very early investigations (it began in the 80s), and finally get the story out there for people. There is very little written about Bigfoot in Britain, so I think I probably enjoyed doing that one most.

4) Your book THREE MEN SEEKING MONSTERS, weren't there rumours going round that it might be made into a film ?

ANSWER: Yes, the rights were optioned to Universal a couple of years ago. Actually, several of my books have been optioned over the years, but nothing ever developed with the other books beyond the actual option.

5) If a film was made about your life, who would play you and what would it be called ?

ANSWER: LOL, I have no idea. You have put me on the spot! I don't know! What would it be called? "It's a Bizarre Life" maybe! I actually have no real idea re who and/or what! It would be very surreal, though, to sit in a cinema seeing someone acting out your life, I think!

6) You've travelled the world pursuing the unknown. Have you had any strange experiences ?

ANSWER: Yes, a few. I have spent quite a bit of time on Bigfoot quests in a large area of Texas forest called the Big Thicket. It's a weird place with "ghost-lights" having been seen in the woods a lot, too. I have actually seen several of the lights late at night: small, football-sized, zipping in the trees. I've also come across a number of so-called "Bigfoot Teepees" in areas where Bigfoot has been seen. And each time I have been to Puerto Rico looking for the Chupacabras, that has always been strange - but adventurous too, trekking through the rain-forest etc.

7) Have you ever been truly frightened whilst on a monster-hunt ?

ANSWER: No, for me it's more about the excitement, intrigue and adventure that has an effect on me. So, I look at it all in a positive way - it pushes me to dig further, rather than back away.

8) You moved to Texas from Staffordshire, an area which consistently harbours high levels of strangeness, particularly in the Cannock Chase area. Why do you think the Chase produces such high weirdness ?

ANSWER: There's no doubt in my mind that the Chase is a classic window area: in other words, a place that is an absolute beacon for high-strangeness. Now, some of the things seen on the Chase are just out-of-place animals: I have several reports of wild-boar and wallabies, for example. But, when you get into the realm of Bigfoot and werewolves, then it all gets very strange and dark. But, of course, the big question is how we define what a window area is, and how and why it works.

9) As part of the CFZ series of MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES, you are covering Staffordshire. What kind of monsters and mysterious creatures will be in the book ?

ANSWER: Big-Cats, Werewolves, Bigfoot, Wallabies, Wild-Boar, large snakes, exotic dumped pets like snapping turtles, large mystery birds, ghostly black dogs, and a few others.

10) Monster mysteries such as Bigfoot, the Chupacabra, etc, have been covered in your book. Do you think the day will come when these so-called monsters are proven to be real, flesh and blood creatures, or will they forever lead us round in circles without an answer ?

ANSWER: Well, some of them, I am certain are not flesh-and-blood, in the way we generally understand the term. I would put the black dogs, the Goat-Men, and definitely werewolves and the British Bigfoot into this category. There are a lot of weird Bigfoot reports over here too, that make me think the creature is paranormal - however we might define that term. So, if some of these things aren't flesh-and-blood, as we understand it, it may very well be extremely difficult to try and prove their literal existence.

11) You've written about UFOs for many years. So, the $64,000 question is, what do you think they are ?

ANSWER: I don't think there is one answer to the UFO puzzle. I think some are classified military vehicles. Others could be poorly understood natural phenomena. I'm firmly convinced some are Tulpa-type entities. And some could be genuinely extraterrestrial - however, the further I go into the subject, the more I veer away from literal aliens. I like the Trevor Constable ideas about sky-beasts; as well as Mac Tonnies' 'Cryptoterrestrial" angle. I wish we could have an answer that unifies everything, but I think that it will almost certainly be a combination of things.

12) Which other monsters from across the world would you like to go in pursuit of ?

ANSWER: Well, it's not really a monster; but I would love to go on an expedition to South America to try and resolve these "Giant Sloth" reports that surface from time to time. In search of Australia's Megalania, too: that would be a good expedition.

13) What other books do you have in the pipeline ?

ANSWER: I have a book coming out this year titled "Sci-Fi Secrets," which is a study of how the worlds of sci-fi and real, government conspiracies and secrets have crossed paths and converged. I also have a book coming out which is a definitive, 300-plus-page study of Bigfoot in Britain, and which covers all the known stories - dating back more than 1,000 years ago the present day. And, the aforementioned "Mystery Animals of Staffordshire" too.

14) They say the key to being a successful man, is having a good woman behind you. What does Dana, you're wife, think of your forays in search of monsters ?

ANSWER: Well, she could not care less about either the UFO subject or cryptozoology! They both bore her rigid! LOL. But she's pleased that I do something I enjoy, rather than a job I would hate. She's into the paranormal - but more along the lines of psychic stuff.

15) How high in the league is Texas, when it comes to monsters and other mysteries ?

ANSWER: There are a lot of mystery animal stories from Texas: a surprisingly large number of werewolves. A lot of Bigfoot reports in the Big Thicket forest near Houston. Numerous big-bird and pterodactyl-type reports from the Texas-Mexico border. Giant Fish, too.

Paranormal Magazine - winged monsters!

2009-02-09T11:28:00.000-08:00

The latest issue is packed with winged monsters galore! Click HERE on how to obtain the magazine.

Richard Freman...full-time monster hunter.

2009-01-22T12:26:00.000-08:00

From Shields Gazette

Neil to appear on White Noise Radio

2009-01-12T06:22:00.000-08:00

On Friday 16th January at 10:00 pm Neil will be appearing on White Noise Radio to discuss the previous year of mysteries.

Neil at Cabinet Of Wonders

2008-12-11T03:40:00.000-08:00

Here

Neil Arnold at Mania.com

2008-12-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

Thanks to fellow researcher Nick Redfern, Neil gets to promote MONSTER! THE A-Z Of Zooform Phenomena and also give his opinions on sightings of Bigfoot-type creatures in the UK. Link HERE Also at the website you'll find numerous articles from Nick pertaining to weird creatures of folklore such as werewolves.

It's here....MYSTERY ANIMALS OF KENT

2008-12-07T06:41:00.000-08:00

The first ever book of it's kind and published as part of the CFZ's MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES series, Neil Arnold's mammoth MYSTERY ANIMALS OF KENT should be hitting the shelves around Christmas/New Year.

Featuring Neil's monster-hunting adventures in search of mystery cats, spectral hellhounds, prowling wolves, weird winged things, red-eyed apparitions, local campfire tales and more...you'd have never read anything else like it.

Avialable from the likes of Amazon, Play, and from the author.

Neil in Fate Magazine

2008-12-06T06:40:00.001-08:00

Neil Arnold has an article on London's monsters and strange beasts in the Nov/Dec' isue of FATE MAGAZINE.

Link to the magazine website HERE

Monsters of Blue Bell Hill, Maidstone.

2008-11-28T12:33:00.000-08:00

In the January 2009 issue (31) of Paranormal Magazine Neil Arnold has an article pertaining to mystery creatures seen in the area of Blue Bell Hill. From phantom dogs to mysterious, red-eyed humanoids. Proof that Blue Bell Hill is one very strange area indeed.

The Yeti in Philadelphia ?

2008-11-28T10:49:00.001-08:00

No, just a mangy fox! Read Neil's latest Phillyist HERE

Darklore 2 featuring Neil Arnold

2008-11-18T10:49:00.001-08:00

Fancy some weird bedtime reading ? Then 'Darklore 2' should be right up your street. Featuring a collection of articles on varying high strangeness, and edited by Greg Taylor, this fascinating book includes Neil Arnold's article on 'The Bennington Triangle', a mysterious place in Vermont, USA, that has seen numerous cases of bizarre creatures, odd disappearances and the like.

Check out the book : http://dailygrail.com/news/darklore-volume-2-released It is available from Amazon and all good internet booksellers.

The Brentford Griffin

2008-11-03T03:02:00.000-08:00

Neil's latest feature at The London Word covers the winged monster seen over Brentford, England, in the 1980s.

Neil on Paranormal Radio

2008-11-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

Neil will be appearing on Captain Jack's Paranormal Radio on Thursday 7th November at 3;30 am (UK time) where he will be discussing monsters.

Neil on White Noise Paranormal Radio

2008-10-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

This Halloween Neil Arnold will be appearing on WHITE NOISE PARANORMAL RADIO from 10:00 pm

Neil interviewed at Room 101

2008-10-27T04:12:00.000-07:00

Latest interview with Neil Arnold at Binnall Of America regarding his research into big cats, monsters etc

The Snallygaster!

2008-10-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

This particular monster gained entry into Monster! The A-Z Of Zooform Phenomena, and it seems as though the mystery beast is back in the news again and the subject of a new book HERE

Interview with Kurt McCoy

2008-10-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

Below, Morgan's Ridge Mine (photo by Kurt McCoy)

On October 14th 2008 I interviewed Kurt McCoy, the author of WHITE THINGS: WEST VIRGINIA'S WEIRD WHITE MONSTERS. It was a pleasure to interview him as he was new to the game with regards to interviews, but I feel fortunate to have picked up a copy of his interesting book and hopefully, after reading this interview, you too will spend your hard-earned cash on WHITE THINGS.

The Interview:

1) Hi Kurt, thanks very much for agreeing to be interviewed, please tell the readers a little about what prompted you to write a book on West Virginia's 'white things' ?

Heya, Neil! Thanks for giving me the opportunity to be heard far from these shadow-haunted hollers. The book grew out of research I was doing for a volume specifically on the Grafton Monster sightings back in 1964 and the ensuing "monster hunt." Newspaper stories were easy to find, but I've had much less success in finding actual witnesses who were willing to discuss their experiences. I kept running across other stories of other monsters, and since I already had several stories I'd collected back in my student days, I thought I might as well put all those together and see if a book on the wider phenomenon might encourage more witnesses to speak up. That and I wanted to put together a sort of "test volume" in order to find out how difficult and expensive publishing would be. Turns out, it's much more work than I anticipated and considerably less cost than I'd feared!

2) Of all the stories you unearthed, what creature in the book fascinates you the most ?

The Morgan's Ridge Monster has a three to four generations deep history in Mason County. There are cycles of sightings and stories, and hoaxes based on those stories, going back many years. It's a fascinating social phenomenon, if nothing else. The Grafton Monster is a dramatic and exotic beastie that deserves not to be forgotten. But above all, you've gotta love Sheepsquatch! I think that eventually ol' Sheepsquatch will be right up there with Mothman as part of our regional folklore.

3) What are your opinions on such monsters - do you believe they actually haunt the woods of West Virginia or are something far more complex ?

Truthfully, I think most of these stories are the product of social phenomenon, yarnin', hoaxes, exaggerations and the like. But it is undeniable that there really are some people out there who are seeing Something. While I'd like to believe that at least some of those Somethings are real, biological entities, there has to be something more complicated, something stranger at work. There are too many different "types" of beings that have been seen and the circumstances under which they are observed range from mundane to the extremely bizarre. Ultimately, all I can say is that we have a genuine mystery of some sort roaming our hills and forests.

4) My book 'zooform' is the first ever book to collate these kind of ethereal creatures. What are your opinions on such apparitions which remain out of the framework of the paranormal and cryptozoology ?

It's a fantastic book, by the way, and I have personally adopted the term "zooform" as the best label to put on these weird creatures. As with John Keel's "Ultraterrestrials" there is a sense that a lot of these different beings are very similar, under the skin, as it were. I think anyone who seriously researches these sorts of sightings will quickly find themselves deep into a paranormal phenomenon rather than a biological one. We have widely disparate entities being seen which behave in almost the exact same manner. We have exactly similar entities being seen across an impossibly wide geographical range. They are literally everywhere we are. Some of that can be explained sociologically, but a lot of it cannot. We are sharing our world with...Something, something that we do not understand or even have a solid name for."Zooform" is about the best term we've got, to date.

5) Do you believe the colour of the creatures you've covered is relevant to their mythical status ?

Oh certainly! We generally get either black or white in our beastly apparitions, and both have deep social and symbolic significance. Either can represent supernatural or otherworldly origins. It so happens that here in West Virginia, we seem to have a significantly higher number of the white variety, compared to our neighboring states. The conventions of storytelling can account for some of that, of course. But we are still left with a glaringly obvious regional anomaly, any which way you look at it.

6) Why do certain regions of the USA, i.e. West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, seem to harbour a wealth of weird things, and also appear to be plagued by such monstrosities ?

The most sigficant reason for the apparent clustering, I think, is the presence or absence of researchers who document the sightings. Maryland has a very high number of weird creature sightings for it's size and population, but it also has a number of very vocal, prolific and diligent researchers. West Virginia turns out to have had many more sightings than I would have expected, given what I'd read in the literature. Once you start digging into the old papers and talking to long time local residents, monsters literally start popping out of the wood work. These things are not really "rare." Almost every town or community has had their own encounters at some point in their history.West Virginia has always had a reputation for being a place that is not quite like the surrounding regions. The conspicuous absence of large Indian populations here in the Colonial era and the often dire stories that surrounding tribes told about this region leads one to suspect that there is something particularly anomalous about our strange little mountain state. It is easy to believe that something is lurking in the deep woods, in the dark hollows, or under the hills.As for Ohio, well, Ohio is just weird like that. Place is crawling with monsters and spectres and whatnot! They really out to do something about that. Yessir!

7) Have you ever experienced a 'white thing' ?

Other than the odd experience I wrote about in the afterword, not really. My only crypto-relevent sighting was of a huge dark shape outside my window when I was a child. Since that was on the other side of the curtains, all I can say about it was that it was very large and dark and reeked of menace. 'Course, all too many of our neighbors could have been described the same way, so...

8) What has the response been like to the book ?

Surprisingly positive! Since I'm so close to it, I see every gaffe and wrinkle and flaw. Most of the people I've talked to about it seem to have enjoyed it, which was the main goal. Heck, even my Dad had nice things to say about it!

9) Was it easy to find a publisher regarding the book ?

Easy as looking in the mirror! Heh. This was my test project for entering self-publishing. Given the state of the art in print on demand and desktop publishing, self-publishing is much more practical than ever before. For books like mine with an unusual topic and a narrow regional focus, self-publishing seemed about the only way to go. 'Sides, it's nice to be in control of one's own work from start to finish, though it would be nice to have the validation that being picked up by a big publishing house would provide.

10) What books influenced you whilst writing WHITE THINGS ?

The biggest influences have been Dr. Ruth Ann Musick's The Tell-Tale Lilac Bush and John Keel's Mothman Prophecies. Dr. Musick really discovered and documented the archetypal White Thing cases. John Keel opened my eyes to the delightful depth of weirdness that my own home state contained. Just about as important as either, though, was John Moore's WVGhosts.com site. John was doing online what I'd been doing as an undergrad, collecting and preserving stories. His work is what convinced me that this phenomenon was more widely spread than just a local monster legend.

11) Have you ever gone looking for a 'white thing' ?

Certainly! Part of the fun of monster-hunting or story collecting is going out in the field and seeing these places and talking to the witnesses first hand! I've crouched in reputedly monster-haunted woods in the dark, stayed overnight in haunted hotels--walking the floors through the wee hours, boated above the sunken lair of river monsters and stared into subterranean tunnels whispered to be home to horrors unimaginable. Didn't go into the tunnels, mind you, I'm a rabid claustrophobe, so I don't do tunnels or caves. Nope! Never.

12) I once wrote an article on Sheep-squatch and other WV odd-bodies. Do you plan on an update or have you covered all that's to cover ?

Well, one always hopes to have written a definitive account, but there's guaranteed to be something that escaped notice the first time 'round. I know that there are more stories about the Kanawha County Creature, but I didn't have the transportation or social networking necessary to ferret them out. There are still stories buried in local newspapers that I didn't find, witnesses that I don't know about, etc. I suspect that I've barely scratched the surface of the whole story. Then there are significant other works such as your own article that I didn't have access to while I wrote this book. I've toyed with the idea of doing a second edition, but I think I'd rather do a follow up volume down the road. I still want to do books specifically on the Grafton Monster and the Morgan's Ridge Monster--as new information comes to light. And then there's Sheepsquatch. Sheepsquatch has got to have his own book, someday. It's a vitally necessary type thing.

13) Do you believe the 'white things' are all connected or separate mysteries ?

A little of both, really. Each individual story, each encounter is a unique event with elements exclusive to that particular experience. But it's impossible not to think that there is something fundamental underlying the whole range of events. Whether that something will turn out to be purely sociological or a metaphysical mystery, I dunno. Not knowing is half the fun!

14) Have there been any fresh sightings of a 'white thing' ?

Oh yes! The more I circulate the book the more I get people coming up to me with their own tales. There was a gray hairy thing sighted near Rosemont, WV that greatly resembles the Baker's Ridge Monster and the Beans Mill Monster. A friend told me of a cousin who saw somthing "not an animal and not a person" on the Goshen Road at night. More stories of Sheepsquatch emerge as people find out that others have likewise witnessed the bizarre beastie. One cannot overestimate the importance of the "But I'm Not Crazy!" factor.

15) Anything else you'd like to mention to promote your book ?

Sure! To date I've only printed a small batch of the book to test the publishing process and feel out what the demand might be like. As soon as I'm properly licensed and Ogua Books has it's full legal existence, I will be selling the book to bookstores and libraries, and hopefully soon on Amazon.com as well. Meanwhile, the next couple of books are already in progress! "The Truth is Out There!" And I want to make sure that anyone who is interested will get to read about it!Thanks!

Book Review: WHITE THINGS by KURT MCCOY

2008-10-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

In 2007 when my book MONSTER! THE A-Z OF ZOOFORM PHENOMENA was published I attempted, within its 400 pages, to categorise many bizarre creatures and monstrous manifestations across the world which clearly were not flesh and blood forms but something far more strange, and often malignant. Since then, not many zooform-related books have emerged which is a shame considering most regions throughout the world are littered with spectral beasts, animal appairions and other incomprehensible monsters. So, thank goodness for Kurt McCoy and his 100-page book WHITE THINGS: WEST VIRGINIA'S WEIRD WHITE MONSTERS, published by Ogua Books.

Even the most hardened monster-hunters will not have heard of some of the strange entries in this book which are simply presented as stories rather than matter of fact events. Sure, some of the entries in WHITE THINGS are vague, others are foggy legends, some mere whispers, but that's the power and the magic of zooform creatures, entities which over time have had the power to terrify us, to shape shift and then vanish, never to be heard from again.

McCoy looks at a true phantom menagerie of West Virginia monsters, from the Graveyard Dogs, to the monster of Morgan's Ridge, and not forgetting the Sheepsquatch and an alien ark of white anomalies, some of which made it into my book.

A majority of these tales are sightings which have been passed down as campfire tales, and you can imagine some of these stories being read by the glow of a flickering flame. Of course, you'll be familiar with the Mothman weirdness which is mentioned here, but most of the cases are brand new yarns of terror, so, if you want to read another classic zooform book, then fix your eyes on this before it slips away into obscurity, because I'm pretty sure that monsters such as The White Devil, The Beast Of Boaz, and the White Wolf Of Elkins will have you reaching for the light switch.

Neil's article for Paranormal Magazine

2008-09-26T15:24:00.001-07:00

Ever wondered what a zooform is ? In the November issue of Paranormal Magazine Neil Arnold explains just what bizarre monsters lurk in the phantom menagerie. Also, Karl Shuker talks about the Asian apeman known as the Orang Pendek and Janet Bord goes in search of small humanoids such as fairy beings.

White Noise Paranormal Radio

2008-09-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

Neil Arnold will be discussing his book plus al manner of weird creatures at White Noise Paranormal Radio

A devilish apparition in Philadelphia.

2008-09-11T07:50:00.000-07:00

From Phillyist

Vampire-haunted London

2008-09-08T07:04:00.000-07:00

Check out Neil's new weekly feature for THE LONDON WORD

Nick Redfern on werewolves...

2008-09-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

Author and friend Nick Redfern has just sent along a link to a new feature he's writing, his first post is on werewolves.

MONSTER! reviewed in Paranormal Magazine

2008-09-07T06:29:00.001-07:00

The October 2008 issue (28) of Paranormal Magazine features an excellent set of articles pertaining to bizarre creatures whcih have been mentioned in Monster! The A-Z Of Zooform Phenomena. The best of these is Nick Redfern's superb article on the possibility of a British Bigfoot, and there's also articles by Janet Bord on paranormal manimals, Editor RichardHolland goes in search of phantom black dogs, and also writes about other animal spirits.

The latest issue also reviews MONSTER! THE A-Z OF ZOOFORM PHENOMENA, giving it a 4/5 rating.

Interview with Bart Nunnelly

2008-09-03T11:18:00.000-07:00

1) Hi Bart, firstly, can you tell me a bit about yourself ?

Sure, Neil. I'm just a simple Kentucky boy. That's all. I have no degrees on my wall. I don't consider myself an 'expert' on anything. Just an ordinary fellow who's experienced more than his share of the extraordinary.

2) You wrote the fantastic Mysterious Kentucky which concentrated on local phenomena, please tell the readers the kind of things which happen locally.

The area where I was born and raised in Western Ky is what's known by paranormal and Fortean investigators as a 'window' area. A place where multiple unexplained phenomena tend to overlap, and these places are scattered throughout the Bluegrass State. As a result many of the residents of the commonwealth have been exposed to mysteries such as UFOs, Bigfoot and other strange creatures, Spectral activity, animal mutilation, Skyfalls, Black Panther sightings...the list goes on and on. Fortean activities like these have been happening in Ky. since before the first white settlers set foot here and, in fact, might even be said to be 'on the rise' for the last few years.

3) Your main interest is cryptozoology, what are your thoughts on the recent Georgia Bigfoot corpse fiasco?

I honestly don't believe that I've ever seen such ridiculously pedantic behaviour from two grown men in my life. Shameful. I never for a minute thought they had a Bigfoot body because, quite honestly, I don't believe these things can be killed, but my poker player instincts told me that something was going on. They seemed to be controlling the situation just as planned, and content with the way things were going. Perhaps the only result they had in mind was portraying the cryptozoology field in a bad light, or besmirching or ruining certain researchers reputations. However, I think what they succeeded in actually doing was showing to the world (and particularly the money-men in the various entertainment mediums) the massive amount of public interest in the Bigfoot mystery. Everyone wanted to believe. Everyone. I think that this interest will soon begin to be exploited more thoroughly in the very near future.

4) You made a fine documentary regarding the Dogman legend, please can you tell us a little about the legend and why you decided to make a film ?

Simply because the Dogman phenomenon is too often overlooked by the public. Everyone's heard a hundred Bigfoot stories, but not so much is ever heard about the werewolf subject. And that's really what this is all about. An ancient enigma, steadfast, dangerous and terrifying, with a new name. It's very possible these creatures can be dangerous, even deadly, and the people really have a right to know these things. Those that dare to believe anyway.

5) Many 'monsters' sighted around the world appear to be folklore or based on eye-witness sightings, but in the case of a dogman-type creature, it seems there were actual murders, please tell us more ?

'Alleged' murders. I can't say for sure the killings took place. On the other hand, I see no reason to disbelieve the primary witness in the Dogman Murders. She seemed honest, sincere and very upset as she recounted her tale for John (Johnsen of 'Grendel Films) and I. She also seemed like an observant and reliable witness. If the murders did take place, and I suspect they did, then a highly elaborate and very effective cover up was implemented there in Livingston County, Ky. This is not so unbelievable either when you consider the millions of tourist dollars generated in the LBL area every year that would be jeopardized were this information made public. When we visited the scene of the alleged murders we found a fairly intricate series of abandoned underground bunkers - which really concretes the notion that the government was involved in some way after the fact. What didn't make it onto the dvd were other eyewitness testimonies of werewolf activity in the vicinity. I can tell you for a fact that there are other people in the area who believe that the documented murders are not the only ones committed there attributed to the Beast of LBL.

6) Do you think the Dogman is a flesh and blood creature or a more complex entity ?

I think the Dogman's a more complex entity. Surely. And the truth of all this lies within our own hearts if we don't deny or ignore it.

7) Do descriptions of the Dogman, given by witnesses match up or is there an inconsistency suggesting confusion ?

They match up well for the most part. There seem to be two types of these creatures. The Dogman is basically a hairy man with a dog or wolf's, head and claws. The Mandog, on the other hand, is a large dog that walks and runs upright (although both have the capability of also running quadrupedally). Very different creatures as the Dogman has shoulders and human-like legs, although some have also been reported as having lupine legs bent backwards. Surprisingly, only a few reports that I've read mention tails.

8) Do you believe the Dogman is any relation, or the same animal as the Bray Road Beast of Wisconsin ?

Yes. These things have been seen all over the world for thousands of years. They are all related, I'm sure. What they are, of course, is a matter of debate.

9) You've had a strange encounter with Bigfoot. I've always believed such creatures are an undiscovered primate but you beg to differ, explain ?

I think we need to keep in mind that Bigfoot is merely one aspect of the larger 'Beastman' puzzle. We have the apemen, sure, but we also have dogmen, lizardmen, frogmen, mothmen, birdmen, batmen...the list is almost endless. In some instances like the 'Spottsville Monster' case we have more than one anthropomorphic creature prowling around the same location! Logically, there seems no possibility that all these creatures could merely be undiscovered hominiods living alongside us in the modern world. In some cases these apemen have been described as having supernatural powers and linked with other phenoms like UFOs and hauntings. I've experienced this connection personally and know that its real. And, if even one of these creatures can be linked with anything supernatural, then I think all of them is, at the very least, suspect by association.

10) These ethereal monsters seem to date back since the dawn of mankind.Do you think such mysterious creatures will ever be explained ?

They already are as far as I'm concerned. I've looked into these mysteries for 25 years but it really only takes 1 or 2 to form a basic opinion of what's going on. There's only one logical conclusion and it's inescapable, really. The key is to ask the right questions with an open mind and don't censure the answers to fit some preconceived notion. Let the facts lead where they may. I just want to say that the truth is, indeed, out there.

11) Why doesn't the government spend money or show any interest in cryptid research ?

Most likely because the government already knows what they are, as well as their purpose in the grand scheme of things. And I'm speaking about the more bizarre type cryptids here, not undiscovered species of oxen in Sumatra. Bigfoot, Nessie, Mothman, El Chupacabras, the staples of cryptozoology which, ironically, seem to be more zooform in nature than actual, flesh and blood animals.

12) Which cryptid out there is likely to be found in the next few years ?

There are still millions of species left to discover out there. As of this moment, every one of them are cryptids. I think the most likely ones are the ones that live in water. It's really no stretch at all to envision all manner of aquatic anomalies which may soon be washed ashore or caught in a net. This has already happened many times throughout history but now, in the technologically advanced modern world, there is instant communication and less chance that the next big zoological discovery will be lost or ignored.

13) Many books describe areas of high strangeness which seem hot spots for both mysterious creatures, UFOs, spook lights etc. Do you believe there is a connection ?

Logically speaking, the fact that all these things can and do manifest themselves in the same area during the same time betrays the connection. Glaringly, in my opinion. Each of these enigmas seem to be designed, most cunningly, to illicit a specific reaction or emotional response from the witness. These encounters often result in a paradigm shift for the witnesses, a broadening of their notions of the very nature of the universe. These new beliefs can be very telling if you know what to look for.

14) Are you planning to write any more books ?

Yes. Right now I'm working on "The Inhumanoids: Real Encounters With Beings That Can't Exist", and I also have the beginnings of several more stirring around. Plenty to write about, that's for sure.

15) How often do you get out into the field ?

As often as possible on a weekly salary. This season has been my most inactive one in years due to some personal issues, but I love getting out and chasing down stories of cryptids and other Fortean phenomena. There's really nothing like it.

16) If the Dogman is an ethereal form, why would it murder a family of four, and why have no other murders taken place ?

Well, I honestly can't even begin to attempt to explain the motivations of such a terrible creature as the 'Beast of LBL'. Perhaps it was simply hungry. Or evil. My guess is both. And, as I mentioned earlier, there are those there who believe that this thing has killed before. And will again.

17) Thank you for your time Bart, anything else you'd like to add ?

I'd just like to urge everyone interested in these topics to keep an open mind. Obviously, you can't believe everything you hear, but neither should you discount the data you don't understand. I'd also like to leave this warning: One mystery leads to another...and the truth doesn't come without a price. Happy Hunting!

Vampire rabbits, ghostly swans, and mystery cats...

2008-08-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

Mystery Animals Of Northumberland & Tyneside by Michael J. Hallowell (Published by CFZ Press 2008)

This is the first book in a unique and lengthy series compiled by The Centre For Fortean Zoology showcasing the strange animal and monster legends from all the counties across Britain. Blessed with a wonderful cover, and consisting of 244 pages, Mike Hallowell has assembled his own investigations of phantom dogs, giant worms, dragons and man-beasts, alongside many black & white photographs.

I believe books like this must be treasured and are a necessity within the cryptozoological field, especially as such volumes highlight so many obscure tales lost to the public. Such books are just as important as huge crypto-volumes, because although cryptozoology is a science, much of it is based on folkloric accounts of weird and wonderful creatures, and the menagerie contained herein certainly gives the reader a colourful insight into Northumberland's unknown beasts. However, although Mike's writing style is entertaining, I wish the more down-to-earth books were still bereft of obscenities. I'm not a holy guy by any means, but is there any point in such language ? Okay, this is a minor fault, because this book not only covers the flesh and blood side of mystery animals but also the 'zooform' creatures which is why it is covered on this website. Unfortunately, and this is another gripe of mine, categorising the local 'big cat', in this case the Cleadon Panther, is all too sensational as I shall continuously state, and in the said chapter I was also baffled by the mentions of a black cat and yet the answers to the mystery concerning escaped/released pumas. Of course, pumas are not black, and whilst the press are certainly to blame for such statements, I didn't read of one mention of a black leopard.

I thoroughly enjoyed the tales of The Dolly Pit Hell Hounds, The Felton Rabbit etc, and recommend this book to anyone looking to investigate the mysteries of their local area. The series of books will certainly prove to be valuable not only now as great guides, but also in the future when other researchers and the likes are looking to unravel the lesser known mysteries of their region.

The Wendigo Murders!

2008-08-26T11:38:00.001-07:00

Over at the Centre For Fortean Zoology forum, Richard Freeman has put on several posts regarding strange murders, possession and cannibalistic attacks by humans which have bizarre relations to the Wendigo (Windigo etc), a supernatural man-beast said to haunt the forests of Canada. Check out the grisly details HERE

A Merman encounter plus other Los Angeles water mysteries...

2008-08-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

Neil's latest feature for LAIST

DVD Review - HUNT THE DOGMAN

2008-08-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

My good friend from Kentucky, Bart Nunnelly, author of the superb 'Mysterious Kentucky' sent me a DVD he recently made alongside John Johnsen, from Grendel Films. This is an essential piece of viewing for anyone interested in strange monsters, whether cryptozoological or ethereal, because what we have here is the first document of a series of sightings of one of the United States most bizarre, and terrifying legends, that of the Dogman. This creature could well have connections with what has become known as Wisconsin's Bray Road Beast a tall, hairy creature with a muzzle said to have been encountered for many decades in the local woods and areas such as Elkhorn. Judging by 'Hunt The Dogman', there could well be a connection between the two anomalies. Is the Dogman a werewolf, a creature allegedly restricted to folklore yet creeping from our urban legends into the backwoods ? Is it a Bigfoot-relative, or something entirely different ? Is the Dogman an etheric scavenger, a ferocious wolf-like humanoid said to attack humans, and be responsible for a handful of murders ?

Whatever the case, 'Hunt The Dogman' is required viewing. Forget the shambolic 'Monster Hunter' series on the History Channel, this is a straight forward investigation that takes you into the field where you'll meet several genuine witnesses to what has become known as The Spottsville Monster, and The Beast Of The Land Between The Lakes. Also featured are Linda Godfrey, author of 'The Beast Of Bray Road' and Bart's own mother who speaks of the legend and her family's encounter with the beast.

It's clear from this documentary that the Dogman, although appearing as a flesh and blood creature, is not a denizen of the forests, but part of a complex jigsaw which throws together so many other weird and ghastly predators which cryptozoology attempts to track but will never find.

DVD's like this don't come along very often, in fact, they are about as rare as the Dogman himself, so order yourself a copy now from Amazon or forever remain in the shadows of ignorance...

Night terrors, Hags, and other nighttime attacks in Philly

2008-08-21T08:57:00.000-07:00

Neil's latest installment of Philadelphia Weirdness looks at hag attacks.

A Phantom Attacker In Philadelphia

2008-08-14T07:12:00.000-07:00

Did a relative of the infamous Spring-Heeled Jack, who terrorised London, appear in Philly ? The answer lies HERE

Raven Interview With Neil Arnold

2008-08-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

On August 11th 2008 my good friend Raven interviewed me and it can be read at her fantastic website: www.ravensmysterioushaven.blogspot.com Raven, of course, was interviewed by Neil recently, see previous post but one.
Thanks Raven!

A menagerie of monsters...

2008-08-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

At Phillyist

An Interview With Monster-Hunter And Paranormal Researcher Mistress Raven (Kathleen Meindel)

2008-08-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

At the end of July I interviewed Detroit-based Kathleen Meindel on her passion for monsters and mysterious phenomena. Here is the interview in its entirety. May I thank Kathleen for her time and effort.

1) Hi. You have an interesting blog at http://www.ravensmysterioushaven.blogspot.com/ what can you tell me about your plans for the blog and its purpose ?

Thank you,Neil. My main objective for Raven's Mysterious Haven is to be an informative site that is serious in regards to research and in keeping up with the latest news in the crypto and paranormal communities, but one that can also appeal to our playful side andbring out the childlike curiosty each one of us possesses as well; that part of us that never quite grows up and,more importantly, shouldnt. After all,it is our curiosity which motivated most of us to begin this journey in the first place. I also have hopes that my Haven,as it's name implies, will be a "safe" place where everyone can express their opinions and views of paranormal subjects without fear of ridicule or banishment.

2) When did you first become interested in the paranormal and cryptozoology ?

I was just a small girl. My mother piqued my interest and I followed in her footsteps and grew to have a great passion for everything mysterious. She was very knowledgeable about paranormal subjects and I admired her for it. She had very strong psychic abilities as well,though she had to keep much of her knowledge and ability repressed due to the fact that it stirred controversy in our family and my father was always concerned that it would affect his business if too many people inthe community knew. Now that both of my parents have passed away and that stigma is no longer attached,I would love for the world to know who my mother was and how brilliant she and my father both were. Father also had abilities of his own,but would never openly admit it. So I guess you could say I come by a lot of my interest quite naturally from my upbringing.

3) Please tell about any strange encounters you've had ?

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 atree...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 orbecome 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.

4) What do you think Bigfoot is ?

That is the million dollar question,Neil.I tend to ride the fence a bit on this one because it is my belief we may be dealing with several different situations simultaneously. I definitely believe there is a North American ape still roaming the forests which somehow,through instinct and intelligence, survived the millenia. I know deep in my heart we'll have evidential proof of its existence one day. But the thing that baffles me is why are so many reported to have paranormal-type qualities? In the days of holographic phone systems,wireless internet, and military experimentsbeing exposed,I suppose anything could be possible. Im not beyond considering extraterrestrial involvement either. A lot of bizarre things are coming out into the open in recent years,so, though I may research every situation skeptically,I dont rule out alternative possibilities.

5) Do you research in the field or collect information for articles ?

Yes I do,though my field research is a bit limited at this time due to lack of all the proper equipment. I'm very new to this field but very eager to learn. In the near future I hope to be fully equipped with everything I need for proper researching. Devices are expensive and my income is modest. For now,I take a lot of notes and I have my camera and trusty handheld recorder with me at all times. I conduct interviews and try my best to keep up on the latest news in the community as well. Libraries,universities,and locals are a researcher's best friends!

6) What kind of phenomena occurs in your neck of the woods ?

According to Linda Godfrey's book "Weird Michigan" which I highly recommend,we have alot more lurking about than I thought we did. Aside from many strange ghost stories and apparitions,we have of course Bigfoot,Dogman,and a varying degree of big black cat sightings throughout Michigan.I have had the rare privilege to reside in the two counties with the highest sightings of Bigfoot. I was born and raised in Marquette county,and I now reside inWashtenaw county.Ive recently learned we've even had a Goatman sighting here,which is exceptionally exciting considering two years ago my husband and I were trekking through the woods on the trails at the Botanical Gardens nearby ,and he heard Pan flutes playing backin the woods and directed my attention to them. It's kind of fun to think who or what could've been playing them.

7) Which cryptozoological creatures interest you the most ?

Right now,my current obsession is the Michigan Dogman,a creature whos prescence has apparently been here for many centuries,and especially well known among the state's Native American communities. Whether he turns out to be a spirit creature,flesh andblood,or none of the above,he still holds validity through the many sincere witnesses that have encountered him,and he isnt any less real just because he has yet to be scientifically catalogued. Something is definitely out there. Hopefully one day we'll know exactly what.I believe we'll get there with time,effort,and lots of patience.

8) What are your thoughts on UFO and ghosts ?

As with any of the other subjects,I believe there is validity and substance to a good number of the sightings and encounters,but encounters and sightings of WHAT these actually are could be another matter entirely. We are currently in an age where we have high tech equipment and better working knowledge of it. We are now better able to document and keep records. I believe we are standing on the brink ofa new era when science will truly meet the paranormal in the middle and join forces.We have to consider all options,yet use a process of elimination to find the answers. My own personal thought is that many of these creatures,beings,entities, or whateverwe've chosen to label them this week,could quite possibly turn out to be interdimensional travellers,whether by accident or on purpose is anyone's guess.An interesting note : CERN is right now working on a number of experiments (withtheir LHC collider) regarding dimensions. I wonder what the results will be.

9) Any plans for a book on strange phenomena ?

I need a bit more experience before I take on that project,but yes I do definitely plan to write a book in the relatively near future. I dont have the miles on me yet that my favorite researchers such as yourself,Nick Redfern,Linda Godfrey,and Ken Gerhard have,but I hope to one day follow well in your footsteps and be successful at writing. Id like to first work on a Casebook of first hand witness accounts in my area(which Ive already begun work on gathering accounts),then move on to something more in the way of a research book. I just hope I have half the ambition and talent you do,Neil.

10) Do you believe an answer will ever be found regarding a majority ofmysteries across the world ? i.e. UFOs, ghosts etc.

Yes,I do...and No,I dont.What I mean by that is...Some things I think are meant to be discovered,and some are not,at least at this time in human history.

11) What are your favourite strange phenomena-related books?

I have so many of them! I love to read!A few of my absolute favorites that I love to delve into over and over and use as reference material are as follows:Your book "Monster! The A-Z of Zooform phenomena" : This one has become a text I will carry with me and use over and over as reference material. It's well writtenand very well researched. You did a fabulous job. It is both informative andfun.Youve listed a lot creatures I have never heard of before.Nick Redfern has several great books("Three Men Seeking Monsters" is my favorite ofhis),as does Ken Gerhard("Big Bird!"),Loren Coleman(The Field Guide to Bigfoot"),Linda Godfrey("Hunting the American Werewolf"),Lisa Sheil("Backyard Bigfoot")and Chad Arment("Cryptozoology").I was also very intrigued by "Hunt for the Skinwalker" by Kelleher and Knapp which I read recently and has also become one ofmy new favorites.I really do enjoy reading,so this list is just a small glimpse of what I love to read.

12) What are your opinions on the weirder end of cryptozoology with somany sightings of Dog-Men, wolfmen, scaly humanoids and winged beings ?

Simply put,the child in me wants to believe but the researcher in me wants proof. There are definitely things out there that we have yet to identify and catalogue,butthere is a part of me that also believes some of it may need to be left well enoughalone.Maybe the timing isnt right,maybe it never will be. One thing I know for sure is that half the fun is in getting there. It's fun just being out there in the field wondering what's looking back at me.

13) Anthing else you'd like to add ?

I'd just like to offer my sincere thanks to You,Ken Gerhard,and Nick Redfern forbeing the wonderful role models and mentors that you are. I have learned, and continue to learn, so much from each of you,and I hope I grow in this field to have half the talent that you all do.