Night of the Mothman by Mae Clair

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Mae Clair

Tomorrow is release day for A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS, the first novel in my Point Pleasant series. I’m not actually kicking off a blog tour until the beginning of May, but I thought I’d do a couple of posts related to Mothman sightings this week, since he factors so highly into the novel and series.

The first sighting of the infamous cryptid took place on the night of November 15, 1966. Roger Scarberry, his wife Linda, and friends Steve and Mary Mallette took a drive to the “TNT,” a remote wooded area approximately six miles outside of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Once a World War II munitions site, the region was popular with many young couples who simply wanted a place to hang out away from town.

The two couples parked near an abandoned power plant and were chatting when they spied two glowing red spheres behind a gate. It didn’t take long to realize those disembodied spheres were actually eyes. A creature unlike any they had ever seen regarded them steadily in the darkness. Towering nearly seven feet tall, the nightmarish form appeared humanoid with enormous wings folded behind its back

As his passengers screamed, Roger Scarberry hit the gas and sped toward town. The creature immediately took flight and pursued them. Mr. Scarberry insisted he had the car screaming over 100 MPH in his fright to escape the thing, but couldn’t shake it. The eyes were visible through the rear windshield as his terrified passengers urged him on. When they reached town, the monster veered off and the couples quickly hunted down Deputy Sheriff Millard Halstead.

Halstead would later recall how shaken all four appeared. “I’ve known these kids all their lives. They’d never been in any trouble and they were really scared that night. I took them seriously.” Separated and questioned individually, all four told the same story. Halstead even drove back to the TNT with Roger Scarberry in any attempt to locate the creature but couldn’t find it.

The next day a press conference was held at the county courthouse with the Scarberrys and Mallettes relating their encounter again. It wasn’t long before the press dubbed the creature the “Mothman.”

Sightings would continue up until the tragic collapse of the Silver Bridge. Connecting Point Pleasant with Gallipolis, Ohio, the old suspension bridge buckled under the weight of rush hour traffic on December 15, 1967, claiming forty-six lives. Shortly thereafter sightings of the Mothman dwindled, then ceased altogether. As a result, the two events remain forever twined in folkore.

Was the Mothman a prophetic visitor sent to warn the town of the impending disaster, or was he something far more sinister? A demon? An alien? In A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS, I put my own spin on the legend of this mysterious creature.

Join me tomorrow for release day, and the tale of another sighting. In the meantime, take a look at A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS and pre-order your copy now for delivery tomorrow. Thanks for joining me on a journey of mystery and suspense that begins with…

Behind a legend lies the truth…

As a child, Eve Parrish lost her father and her best friend, Maggie Flynn, in a tragic bridge collapse. Fifteen years later, she returns to Point Pleasant to settle her deceased aunt’s estate. Though much has changed about the once thriving river community, the ghost of tragedy still weighs heavily on the town, as do rumors and sightings of the Mothman, a local legend. When Eve uncovers startling information about her aunt’s death, that legend is in danger of becoming all too real…

Caden Flynn is one of the few lucky survivors of the bridge collapse, but blames himself for coercing his younger sister out that night. He’s carried that guilt for fifteen years, unaware of darker currents haunting the town. It isn’t long before Eve’s arrival unravels an old secret—one that places her and Caden in the crosshairs of a deadly killer…

Pre-order from:
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Kensington Publishing

Goodreads Book Giveaway: A Thousand Yesteryears by Mae Clair #mystery #suspense #Mothman

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Mae Clair

Look at me, posting three days in a row!

I have some pretty exciting news to share, so I couldn’t wait another day. Kensington Publishing is doing a Goodreads Giveaway for a paperback copy of my upcoming release, A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS. There will be two—count ‘em two—winners. The giveaway is open now through February 29^th (how cool, a leap year). If you’re interested, you can enter here (I’d be jazzed if you did 🙂 ):

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/172145-a-thousand-yesteryears

A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS is a tale of mystery and suspense centered around events that took place in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. You’ll discover a small river town plagued by tragic history and rumored sightings of the Mothman—a terrifying creature said to haunt an abandoned WWII munitions site.

The characters are everyday people facing extraordinary circumstances—secrets, betrayal, murder. If you’re a regular follower of my blog you’ve probably seen the blurb before, but I can’t resist sharing it again. 🙂

Behind a legend lies the truth…

~ooOOoo~

A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS releases on April 26^th, but the ebook version is already available from Amazon and all other major book sellers. If you’d like to pre-order you can find a complete list of links here.

In the meantime, sign up for the paperback giveaway at Goodreads and tell your friends! The Mothman Cometh! 🙂

End of Summer Sale: Solstice Island by Mae Clair is FREE 8/31 and 9/1 #cryptidfiction #romance #adventure

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Mae Clair

I know summer isn’t officially over until the autumnal equinox rolls around mid-September, but by the time the calendar reads August 31, I’m already thinking fall. My husband and I will be closing our pool this coming weekend, Halloween stuff is stocked in most every store I visit, and the days are growing noticeably shorter. I live in the northeast where summer is much, much too short. Blink and it’s easy to miss. I love fall, but I thrive on summer. So…I’m lamenting the demise of my favorite season with an end of summer sale on SOLSTICE ISLAND, my breezy romantic adventure novella. Many thanks to all my friends and fellow bloggers who are helping me spread the word today and tomorrow!

Why should you read SOLSTICE ISLAND (other than the fact it’s like a shot of summer wrapped up inside Kindle pages)? I’m glad you asked. 🙂

The Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Read Solstice Island by Mae Clair:

You’ll meet a hot charter boat captain trying to live down his family legacy.
You’ll encounter a spunky heroine cryptozoologist, determined hot captain should embrace said family legacy and all the baggage that goes with it.
You’ll be able to impress your friends with your stunning new knowledge of cryptozoology.
You may find yourself struck by the uncontrollable urge to look up blurry images of strange creatures online or go on a cryptid hunt (think Loch Ness, Big Foot, and the Jersey Devil).
You’ll learn why you should never ignore a craving for mint chocolate chip ice cream.
The next time your boat is attacked by a rampaging sea monster, you’ll know precisely what to do.
You’ll be swept up in a tale of romance, adventure, and folklore.
You’ll uncover buried treasure, thwart a villain, and discover a new use for a boat oar.
As a 72 page novella, SOLSTICE ISLAND makes a quick end of summer read.

And the number one reason you should read SOLSTICE ISLAND:

It’s FREE on Amazon August 31 and September 1!

SOLSTICE ISLAND Blurb:
Can an ancient leviathan work magic between a practical man and an idealistic woman?

Rylie Carswell is an amateur cryptozoologist in search of a mythical creature, the Sea Goliath. In order to reach Solstice Island, a location the ancient leviathan is rumored to haunt, she’s forced to hire charter boat captain, Daniel Decatur.

Initially, Daniel wants nothing to do with the trip or the fool woman waving double payment in his face. Convinced she’s yet another loony treasure hunter looking for gold on the remote island, he reluctantly agrees. An embittered neighbor wants to have his charter license yanked, so the extra cash will help him stay afloat.

It doesn’t take long for Daniel to realize Rylie is after the same beast his parents were tracking when they mysteriously vanished ten years earlier. He’s avoided all links to cryptozoology ever since, but the smart and sexy cryptid hunter has him second-guessing his oath and wondering what he’s signed on for.

Warning: A family legacy, glowing plankton and rough waters.

Download SOLSTICE ISLAND Free from:
Amazon

Add SOLSTICE ISLAND to your Goodreads TBR

Mythical Monday: The Flatwoods Monster by Mae Clair

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Mae Clair

When I think of West Virginia and cryptids, I naturally think of the Mothman, but there is another famous monster that haunted the Mountain State in the past.

The Flatwoods Monster, or Braxton County Monster, arrived one early fall evening in 1952. Shortly after 7 o’clock on September 12^th, a group of boys were playing outside when they witnessed a bright light streak across the sky. Brothers Fred and Edward May, ages 12 and 13, along with their ten-year-old friend, Tommy Hyer, raced back to the May home and excitedly told Mrs. May they had seen a UFO. They were certain it had touched down in a field not far away belonging to a local farmer.

Mrs. May gathered up the boys, along with two more of their friends, plus Eugene Lemon, a seventeen-year-old with the West Virginia National Guard. Together, the entire group headed to the farm to investigate. Lemon’s dog trotted alongside, eventually loping ahead to disappear beyond a hill.

Within moments, the group heard the animal barking wildly. It bolted back to them with its tail between its legs as if terrified by something.

Warily, the group crested the hill, astounded to see a pulsating “ball of fire.” The entire area was swaddled in a rancid mist that made their eyes and noses burn. Two smaller lights, blue in color, peered at them from beneath an oak tree. When Eugene Lemon shone a flashlight in that direction, the beam revealed a strange-looking creature—eight to ten feet tall with a spade-like head, red face, and green clothing that hung in folds from the waist down. The creature hissed and began floating toward them. At the last moment, it switched direction and glided toward the ball of flame. In a panic, the group fled back to Mrs. May’s house where she immediately contacted the sheriff, as well as Mr. A. Lee Stewart, co-owner of the local newspaper. Some of the group became nauseated and Lemon vomited, presumably from the noxious mist they’d inhaled.

Later that night, Stewart returned to the area with Lemon and reported a “sickening, burnt metallic odor still prevailing.” As word spread of the event, other witnesses came forward to report similar experiences in the days before and after the sighting—either with the creature, or to say they’d seen balls of orange light in the sky. One report involved a mother and daughter who said they’d encountered the monster. The event so traumatized the daughter, she had to be hospitalized afterward.

UFO sighting? Alien?

Skeptics say the ball of fire may have been a meteor and the creature sheltering beneath the tree an owl. In their heightened state of nerves, Mrs. May and her companions may have construed the bird as something otherworldly.

Whatever the answer, there is no question something strange happened that September night in 1952. The Flatwoods Monster remains one of the better known UFO cases to be bandied about in the press. The 1950s (and 60’s) produced an abundance of UFO sightings, but I can’t help thinking about the nerves that must have been pinging around on that farm field between Mrs. May and her group.

I would have loved to have been part of the excitement. What about you?

Mythical Monday: The Montauk Monster by Mae Clair

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Mae Clair

If you have even a passing interest in cryptozoology—the pseudo-science devoted to the study of animals that may exist but haven’t been proven to exist—you know that cryptids come in many varieties. From the aquatic Loch Ness Monster to the forest-loving Bigfoot and beings such as the Mothman that lurk around abandoned sites, cryptids haunt different terrains and habitats. Their knack for elusiveness is extraordinary, a testament as to why we only have grainy images, breathless onlooker accounts, and/or occasional snippets of sound to suggest they exist.

But what if a clear photo materialized to support eyewitness testimony? Hoax or legitimate proof?

Take the case of the Montauk Monster, an unidentified creature that washed ashore on a beach in Montauk, New York in July of 2008. Most people know that when a body (or animal carcass) is submerged in water for a prolonged period of time, it alters the subject’s physical form, sometimes bloating and distorting it beyond recognition.

Is that what happened to Montauk’s celebrated find?

The story begins on July 12, 2008, when Jenna Hewitt, a Montauk resident, and three of her friends were strolling along Ditch Plains Beach, a popular surfing spot, in search of a place to sit. Noticing a large crowd gathered around something lying on the sand, they took a closer look.

What they found was a creature that defied description, a pale, bloated dog-like thing with a hooked beak. The animal was so bizarre looking that Hewitt later joked it might have been something that escaped from Plum Island—a nearby center, specializing in animal disease.

She snapped a picture of the creature, an image that eventually ended up in several newspapers and found its way onto the internet where it exploded and became an overnight sensation.

Interestingly, the carcass of the creature disappeared, spirited away by a man who remains unidentified. As images circulated and weblogs surfaced, zoologists and other wildlife experts waded into the ring. Several speculated the creature could be a raccoon, its ghastly appearance the result of being submerged in the water for an extended period of time. Others suggested a turtle, and still others a dog or sheep. In all circumstances, there were those who refuted the claims—the legs were too long for a raccoon, sea turtles lack fur and teeth, and so on.

So, what exactly is the Mantauck Monster? To this day, its true identity remains a mystery shrouded in a cloud of speculation. Why not weigh in with your own opinion? You’ve likely seen this photograph before, but perhaps didn’t connect it with the story of the Mantauck Monster. Take a look now, then hop back here to share your thoughts about this potentially new cryptid. You can see multiple images here.

Freaky, wouldn’t you say?

Mythical Monday: The Van Meter Visitor by Mae Clair

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Mae Clair

During autumn of 1903, the sleepy village of Van Meter, Iowa experienced three nights of strange visitations from a creature they believed had crept from an abandoned mine shaft. The bizarre occurrences began on September 29th when Ulysses Griffith, a traveling salesman was heading home after a business trip. Around 1AM, Mr. Griffith spied an odd light that appeared to “hop” from rooftop to rooftop. Intrigued, he was nonetheless tired after a long day of travel, and promptly headed home to bed.

The next night, September 30^th at approximately the same hour, Dr. Alcott, the town physician, was drawn awake by a shaft of bright light streaming into his bedroom. Thinking a burglar lurked outside, he grabbed a firearm and headed outdoors to investigate. What he found was a gargoyle-like creature endowed with large bat wings and a blunt horn on its forehead from which light poured. Horrified, Dr. Alcott shot the beast five times, but the bullets had no effect.

The third resident to spot the creature was local banker, Clarence Dunn. On the night of October 1^st at approximately 1AM, Mr. Dunn was camped out at his bank when a bright light suddenly flowed through the front window. He heard a strange wheezing and spied a shadowy figure skulking outside. Like Dr. Alcott, he shot the creature, firing directly through the window. But when he went outside to investigate, the beast had vanished, leaving a three-toed print behind in the dirt. Mr. Dunn later made a cast from the footprint as proof of the visitation.

On the same night, O.V. White spied the creature perched on a telephone pole. He fired, but the beast merely shone its light on him, then used its large hooked beak to clamber down the pole. There it encountered another resident, who estimated its height near eight feet. The creature hopped off like a kangaroo, flapping its wings as if attempting to take flight.

Finally, that same night, a group of men working a late-night shift heard strange sounds coming from an old mine shaft. When they investigated, two of the creatures abruptly appeared, one smaller than the other, and promptly winged off into the night. Determined to destroy the beasts and remove the threat to Van Meter, the men returned to town and organized a posse. Armed with rifles, the group trekked back to the mine and waited for the gargoyles to return.

The pair flew back to their lair just before sunrise where they were greeted by a deadly hail of bullets. The barrage “would have sunk the Spanish fleet” but it had no effect on them. The men found themselves engulfed by a putrid odor—perhaps the creature’s only defense?—before the winged beasts vanished into the mine shaft, never to be seen again.

There are plenty of tales about cryptids, but what gives this legend particular credence is the reputation of the men who reported seeing the monster. Most were prominent professionals and businessmen who couldn’t afford to be viewed as crackpots, yet they willingly attached their names to reports of sightings. It has prompted many to believe this particular legend carries merit.

Authors Chad Lewis, Noah Voss, and Kevin Nelson have penned their own account of those three days in autumn of 1903, thoroughly investigating the circumstances surrounding the sightings. Their book, The Van Meter Visitor is available for purchase from Amazon or direct (autographed copy) from the authors’ website. This one has been on my reading list for some time and I hope to indulge in it shortly.

I find it curious that although the creature was no doubt terrifying in appearance, not once did it act in a threatening manner. Repeatedly shot at, chased, and generally sought for slaughter, it never defended itself. Only when the smaller creature was with it at the mine—perhaps a mate or offspring?—did it respond defensively. Even then it was only to release a “putrid odor” rather than attack. Surely a beast of that size with a long hooked beak, horn, and enormous wings could have inflicted damage if it chose.

It makes me think that the Van Meter Visitor may have been a peaceful creature. What’s your take?

Mythical Monday: The Owlman of Mawnan by Mae Clair

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Mae Clair

It’s interesting to note that many of the creatures and legends that make it into my Mythical Monday posts are decades, often centuries old. That’s why I found the story of the Cornish Owlman so interesting. Sighted near the village of Mawnan, Cornwall in England, the Owlman is often compared to my favorite “cryptid,” West Virginia’s Mothman.

The first sighting of the Owlman took place on April 17, 1976. At that time two young sisters were walking through the woods near Mawnan church when they saw a large winged creature hovering over the church tower. The girls were so disturbed by the encounter that the family, there on holiday, cut their stay short.

Mawnan Church, Kerrier district, Cornwall

Photo courtesy of Philip White [CC-BY-SA-2.0 Creative Commons License) via Wikimedia Commons

A few months later, two other girls were camping in the woods near the church. Fourteen-year-old Sally Chapman was outside her tent when she was startled by a hissing sound. Turning, she saw a man-sized, owl-shaped creature with pointed ears and red eyes. Sally, along with her friend, Barbara Perry, originally thought someone was playing a joke on them until the creature took flight, rising straight up in the air. They reported its feet were like black pincers.

More sightings were reported the next day, and on later occasions, in June and August of 1978. All sightings took place within vicinity of the church.

In 1989, a couple reported seeing a creature “about five feet tall. The legs had high ankles and the feet were large and black with two huge toes on the visible side. The creature was gray with brown, and the eyes definitely glowed.”

Another account, given in 1995 was supplied by a woman who was visiting the area from Chicago. She claimed to have seen a “man-bird…with a ghastly face, a wide mouth, glowing eyes and pointed ears.” She also said the being had “clawed wings.”

Some speculate the creature might have been an escaped eagle owl, a species that can grow to two feet with a wingspan of nearly six feet. Others favoring a supernatural angle, think the Owlman may be a phenomena conjured by Mawnan’s church unique location on a potential ley line; still others that the being could be connected to UFOs.

Whatever its origin, like most cryptids the Owlman remains an enigma, a mysterious being who occasionally—when mood strikes—shares our world. Don’t you find it interesting how many beings coexist with us, if reported sightings are to be believed?

Mythical Monday: The Jersey Devil by Mae Clair

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Mae Clair

What would you do if you learned you were pregnant with your thirteenth child? In 1735, caring for twelve young ones was difficult enough, so perhaps some leniency may be granted Mrs. Leeds of Estellville, N.J.

Upon discovering she was pregnant yet again, the Jersey native quipped that if she was going to have another child, it might as well be a devil.

Unfortunately, no one cautioned Mrs. Leeds to be careful what she wished for.

According to legend, her thirteenth baby was born with the head of an animal, the body of a bird and cloven hooves in place of feet. Able to speak the moment it was born, the unsightly creature cursed its mother and vanished up a chimney. “Leeds Devil” sequestered itself in the pine barrens and swamps of southern New Jersey where it eventually became known as the Jersey Devil.

Most active at night and in the early morning hours, the Devil made a nuisance of itself slaughtering livestock and pets, attempting to snatch away children, and terrorizing the area with its inhuman shrieks. By the mid-1700s sightings and attacks had become so frequent a clergyman was summoned to exorcise the beast.

The banishment may have worked for a time, but by the winter of 1873 reports circulated the creature had resurfaced. Then in 1894 a trail of unidentified footprints appeared in Leeds Point, prompting rumors the beast had returned to the place of its birth.

So what exactly is the Jersey Devil? In the state of New Jersey, it’s a localized name applied to any bizarre creature or phantom. Most will agree, however, that the Jersey Devil is part avian and part mammal. It’s been said to hop as well as fly, and its breath has the unholy ability to curdle milk, kill fish, and shrivel up cornfields. All agree that its cry is unnatural and eerie, alternately described as a squawk, piercing whistle, or the hoot of an owl. One eye witness — Mrs. Amanda Stutts who was ten years old when the beast invaded her family’s farm in 1900 – said it screamed like a woman “in an awful lot of agony.”

In January 1909 more than one hundred people across eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey insisted they had seen the creature.

Bristol postmaster E.W. Minster woke about 2:00 AM and heard “an eerie, almost supernatural sound” coming from the direction of the Delaware River. Mr. Minster raced to the window in time to observe what appeared to be a large crane emitting a glow “like a firefly.” He described the winged creature as having the head of a ram with curled horns, thin wings, and short legs, the rear legs longer than the front.

Mr. John McOwen was also awakened around 2:00 AM by the crying of his infant daughter. Worried, he hurried to her room to comfort her. When he glanced out the rear window he spied a large creature that “looked something like an eagle” standing on the banks of the Delaware Division Canal.

The next day hoofmarks were discovered in the vicinity. The sightings in 1909 were so rampant that many residents huddled in their homes, doors locked and windows shuttered, too frightened to venture outside.

Mr. E.P. Weeden, a city councilman in Trenton, bolted upright in bed when he heard someone trying to batter down his front door. By the time he rushed to his second floor window, the creature was gone, but he heard the distinctive flap of wings. Outside, tracked through the snow on his roof, something had left a distinctive set of prints. Prints in the shape of hoofs.

While debate over the validity of the Jersey Devil continues, there are those who stand by the folktales and the sightings, noting the credibility of many of the witnesses and the sheer number of reports.

I’ve visited New Jersey on several occasions, but have yet to encounter any creature resembling Mrs. Leed’s thirteenth child. There are some “cryptids” (a term used in the field of cryptozoology to identity creatures whose existence has been suggested but not proven by science) I would love to cross paths with, but the Jersey Devil isn’t one of them.

How about you? What do you think of the Jersey Devil and are there any creatures from legend you wouldn’t mind encountering…even if only from a distance?