Book Review: Monsters, Cryptids, and Mysterious Wild Beasts

Title: Monsters, Cryptids and Mysterious Wild Beasts: West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, and Beyond

Author: Jannette Quackenbush

Published: 2019 by 21 Crows Dust to Dawn Publishing

Amazon Purchase Information

Author's Website

Any time I get the opportunity to chat with Jannette and purchase one of her books, I jump at the chance! The 2022 Hidden Marietta Paranormal Expo was no different. I was thrilled to see that Jannette was also vending at this event, and so I had to pick up a few of her books that I didn't already own, including Monsters, Cryptids, and Mysterious Wild Beasts!

Y'all know that my personal interests skew towards the ghostly side of the paranormal. I love me some good ghost stories and tales of haunted locations. However, I keep getting more and more into other branches of paranormal study, including cryptozoology. Therefore, I've been trying to fill out my own paranormal library with as many books on the subject as I can find, especially those pertaining specifically to West Virginia. This book has made a wonderful addition to my library, and was a really fun, fast-paced read as well. 

Jannette includes all the West Virginia favorites, from Mothman to the Flatwoods Monster, with a few more obscure mountain monsters, such as Vegetable Man and the Ghillie Beast of Seneca Rocks, thrown in for good measure. The creepy critters of this book aren't just confined to West Virginia, though. There's also a sampling of nearby cryptids from the surrounding states of Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. This makes perfect sense, as many times, these monsters don't necessarily recognize our man-made boundary lines. Certain examples, such as the hellhounds and the Snallygaster, have been known to make their home on both sides of the state line. 

As always, Jannette does a wonderful job in giving some background on these creatures, along with sightings reports, both historical and recent. What makes her books really stand out, however, is that she always includes directions and coordinates to optimal places where YOU can visit and perhaps encounter these creatures for yourself. The places listed are public land and usually fairly accessible, with warnings about when and where to avoid private or unsafe locations. Jannette usually visits these locations for herself, so she is able to share the inside scoop for those wishing to check it out.

Further, there are a lot of really fun pictures for each entry. Many of the photos are actual photos of the beautiful, rural areas where so many of these beasts have been reported...but with an added twist. Digitally added depictions of what these creatures are described as are imposed over the real photos, making it a fun little touch that adds a lot to the unique layout of the book. 

Jannette is a prolific writer of the paranormal, featuring many books from West Virginia and surrounding areas. If you'd like to learn more about Monsters, Cryptids, and Mysterious Beasts, check out her website (linked above), find her on Amazon, or simply look for her at one of the many great paranormal conferences held in and around West Virginia and Ohio! Her books are very reasonably priced and super entertaining whether you're an experienced researcher, or just simply interested in the strange and unusual. Jannette is also the sweetest person you'll ever meet, and a joy to chat with in person. But, whether you get to meet her in person, or simply order from the web, I highly recommend adding a few of her books to YOUR personal paranormal library. Stay spooky! 

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Book Review: West Virginia Ghost Stories, Legends, Haunts, and Folklore

Title: West Virginia Ghost Stories, Legends, Haunts, and Folklore
Author: Janette Quackenbush
Published: 2018 by 21 Crows Dusk to Dawn Publishing, 21 Crows, LLC
Amazon Purchase Information
Author's Website

I don't mean to go all fan-girl, but I've been following Jannette Quackenbush's awesome Facebook page, Haunted West Virginia for quite some time and I try to share her wonderfully researched stories of West Virginia ghosts and haunted locations whenever I can. 

Therefore, I was ecstatic when I finally got to meet her in person during the Beckley Oddities Fair last October!  In addition to having a wonderful chat where she deeply inspired me to get off my butt and finish up my own book, I was able to purchase a signed copy of West Virginia Ghost Stories, Legends, Haunts, and Folklore, which includes the Legend of Seneca Rocks.  Jannette had several books for sale (which can also be purchased through Amazon and through her website), and I kind of chose this particular title somewhat at random.  I chose wisely!

Ya'll know I LOVE collecting books on West Virginia hauntings, ghost stories, cryptozoology, UFOlogy, and just anything weird pertaining to the Mountain State, and so I've amassed quite a few volumes over the years.  And I have to say, this one is definitely one of my favorites!  What really stands out to me is that not only are each of the stories that perfect mix of history and legend, but that Jannette and her family actually VISITED each and every location listed!

By actually visiting the locations discussed in the book, the author is able to share updated photographs of the area, personal paranormal experiences, interviews and information from locals, and first-hand knowledge (complete with GPS coordinates) of where exactly to find these places so you can visit for yourself.  The stories are arranged according to geographical location, making it even easier to find specific stories for a specific area.

There's also a great mix of classic, well-known stories from West Virginia ghost lore that most people will be familiar with AND stuff that is a little more obscure.  Historic haunts are plucked from newspaper archives and more recent hauntings are told by those who have experienced them. West Virginia's strong connections with both the Civil War and the history of the railroad industry are prominently featured and explored through their ghostly heritage, making this an especially interesting read for me personally from a historic viewpoint. Overall, it's just a really well-written, super entertaining read.  It's packed FULL of stories coming in at 300+ pages, but its a quick read as each location ranges from a few sentences to a few pages in length, and generally comes with lots of historical and current photos.

Obviously, I highly recommend making West Virginia Ghost Stories, Legends, Haunts, and Folklore (and the author's other books) a part of your own paranormal library!  You can purchase them online, or meet Jannette at upcoming events, including the Morgantown ParaCon on March 14th 2020  and at Wild and Weird Con on April 4th 2020!

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Beckley Fall Oddities Fair

For many years, I've let my anxiety, fear of failure, and lack of motivation sabotage many opportunities I've been given in regards to the paranormal field.  I've turned down book offers, television appearances, and so much more...and it has hurt my work, both as an investigator and as a writer.  So, I recently made up my mind that I was going to just go for it and stop saying 'NO' all the time.  I had an opportunity this October with the BEX  Fall Oddities Fair in Beckley, WV!

The BEX Oddities Fair is a really cool event.  A similar event was held earlier in the year, but unfortunately I was unable to attend that one.  Therefore, when Scott of Haunted Beckley asked me if I wanted to secure a vending space at the October 26th event, I jumped on the chance!  The Oddities Fair featured tons of vendors selling all sorts of cool and spooky stuff, ghost tours and ghost hunts of downtown Beckley, meet-and-greets with local authors, live music, a costume contest, psychic/tarot readings and talks with paranormal researchers....along with plenty of other fun things to see and do in the Beckley Underground and surrounding areas.

Since the weather was supposed to get rainy and windy later on in the night, I was with a group of vendors who were set up inside Sir Walter's Tavern.Sir Walter's Tavern is a cozy, beautiful space with some of the nicest staff you'll ever meet.  My dad went with me to help out and I was surprised to see what a great time HE had checking out other vendors and chatting with those who stopped by our table. I think he loved the people-watching best, though, lol.  We were in a bar, so in addition to those who came specifically for the festival, many dressed in elaborate (and sometimes hilarious) costumes, we had a front-row seat to the weekend bar traffic.

My Vendor's Table

Talking with people about the paranormal and selling the few trinkets I made to help bring traffic to my table took up most of my evening, but I was able to sneak away for a bit to see Les O'Dell of West Virginia Cryptids and Strange Encounters give a very interactive talk in the Raleigh Theater. Les discussed his work in researching and investigating cryptids and ghosts, and a few of his clients were there sharing their personal stories.  It was a laid-back, informative and fun look at some of the unique investigative methods used by Les and his team, and stories of strange things he and others have experienced. It's always a pleasure to talk to him and see him present.

I also got to meet Jannette Quackenbush, one of my favorite authors and researchers of West Virginia ghost lore.  Jannette runs the Haunted West Virginia Facebook page, and also has a website entitled West Virginia Ghost Stories, Legends, and Haunts.  Jannette has authored a number of books chronicling West Virginia's spooky history, so of course I had to buy one! She's such a sweet and knowledgeable person and talking with her really motivated me to finish my own book.  I'm also looking forward to teaming up with her in the future for an investigation!

Les O'Dell-WV CASE

As the night drew to a close, I had one more memorable experience at Sir Walter's Tavern.  We had packed up the table and were just getting ready for the trek back to Winfield. I decided it would be a good idea to go use the bathroom before the long drive back down the WV Turnpike (also haunted, by the way!). Just as I was about to exit the stall, the stall door flew open towards me with such force that I thought for sure someone had come in and shoved it.  I sort of jumped out of the way as much as I could in a bathroom stall, put my hand out to stop the door, and said 'excuse me.' But, of course...I said it to thin air.  There was no one else in the bathroom with me. The palm of my hand actually stung a little from catching the door, so it was swung open with a good bit of pressure.  Was it a ghostly happening, or was there a natural explanation?  The next time I'm in town for one of Haunted Beckley's ghost tours, I'll have to remember to ask if there are any spirits hanging out in the ladies' room at Sir Walter's Tavern!

Anyway, the whole experience was awesome.  I got to spend some time with my dad in a town where I spent much of childhood, staying summers and multiple weekends with my grandparents.  I got to meet with fellow paranormal enthusiasts and talk about my favorite subject.  Hopefully, I introduced a few new people to my blog along the way.  And, to top it all off, I may have had my own paranormal experience!