Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Bigfoot in Georgia. The BOOK IS FINALLY HERE!!!


After almost two years in the making, my book, Bigfoot in Georgia, arrived today on my front porch. Well, I mean my 20 free author copies. However, what this means is that the book has now been released. Amazon.com has been selling them in advance, but I am not sure if they will reach buyers before Christmas. However, in the south Atlanta metro area, Bell, Book and Candle in downtown McDonough has a few copies. You will have to call and request a copy, however, Give them a call at 1-770-957-1880. If it is after store hours, leave them a message and they will get back to you. They will set up an over the phone payment and arrange for the book to be sent directly to you, and if you call in time, it will be delivered before Christmas if you like. If you would like to come in and get your copy, you still need to call ahead to reserve your copy to make sure it is there when you come by to pick it up. After the first of the year, however, they will have plenty on the shelves for walk-in business. It will take a few weeks before Barnes and Nobles, Borders and Books A Million has it on their sites, but they are going to pick it up as well. There will be other bookstores around the state carrying them in January, but the marketing process has just begun to take place since the books came off the press and were delivered today for the first time ever.

I hope you enjoy it. I sat and read my own book today in four hours straight. I must say that although I wrote it, reading it this afternoon was like seeing it for the first time. Bigfoot stories and material is VERY INTERESTING!!!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Bigfoot in Fulton County? Well, at least in 1961!


Fulton County, Georgia's most populous county, and the home of Atlanta. With almost 1 million people in Fulton County, it would be the last place that anyone would search for a bigfoot, and for the most part, it is more than plausible to think that there would not be much sasquatch activity in the county today. However, in 1961, one of the most interesting reports of bigfoot activity came from Fulton County, which, at that time, still had a great deal of rural areas, especially in the southern portion of the county.

Matt Pruitt, a bigfoot researcher, investigator for the BFRO, and a good friend of mine, handled this report. The events in question happened in 1961, but the report was not made to the BFRO until 2003. The delay can certainly be explained by the fact that the internet had a great deal to do with the ease of reporting bigfoot sightings anonymously. Most people shy away from talking about their experiences via newspaper, radio and television for fear of ridicule. While the internet has also done its fair share of making hoaxes easier, it has also made people who have seen and heard things more inclined to use it as a venue for discussion. Such may be the case with the person who reported this event to Matt.

It appears that in 1961, a family lived in a house with a basement in south Fulton County near the Campbellton Road. That year during the fall, the children of the family were playing in the yard of the house where they lived with their mother and grandparents. They had moved in with them after the death of their father. This is when they came in to contact with what they thought was a gorilla. The animal was underneath the house inside the unfinished basement. The children were frightened of it, and they decided to throw rocks at it. This illicited no real response from the animal, only a smile. The children retreated from the area and sought the safety of their mother. They returned to the spot later only to find the animal gone.

The report goes on to say that the family, through the coming years, would find very large footprints nearby, and more frightening, they would experience something looking in the windows of the home. Whatever it was had red glowing eyes. (There are a number of bigfoot reports where the animal was reported to be looking through the windows and doors of homes and other buildings. This is not uncommon behavior for these animals at all. Red eyes are also common in these reports. Researchers tell us that some of these animals do have red glowing eyes in the darkness.) In addition, family members would find apple cores near the tracks. It was apparent that the animal ate apples and would leave the core behind. It more than likely got them from the apple tree growing behind the family home. (Gees, it could have at least taken off its trash if it was going to steal apples from the family tree.)

As Matt investigated this report further by talking to the man who experienced this as a child, he found more details. Apparently, the children got close enough to the animal to notice how human-like its face was. Also, it did not seem threatening, for when the children drew near, it appeared to smile at them. The fur covered the creature making it appear gorilla-like.

Upon further inspection, Matt found that family members indeed saw these animals numerous times through the years. One incident involved one of these animals stealing eggs from the family's chicken coop. Others included them stealing and eating apples directly from the family's apple tree, and loud shrieks and screams coming from the woods nearby. These animals were seen peering in to the family's windows from time to time. The neighbors were well aware of their presence, and it was thought that a family of them lived in the area.

Fulton County, even in the southern portion, is very much different today than it was in 1961. There are still some rural parts, especially around Palmetto, Union City, and Fairburn. However, those small towns are growing and the urban sprawl is cropping up everywhere there too. I doubt this family group of sasquatches is still there. Naturally, they would have died out after 48 years, but their offsprings would perpetuate the group. However, I am willing to bet that as human encroachment on their living and hunting grounds has happened, what remained of them moved on. This could explain so many sightings in Fayette, Paulding, Coweta, and Douglas Counties. Perhaps there has been movement. The urban sprawl of Atlanta would have moved southward in to the lower portion of Fulton County, so perhaps this family group spread out and moved on, thus moving in to other nearby wooded areas, which could be in some of those other counties. Maybe, just maybe, this might account for the increased sightings over the last 30 years in those areas. This is just a hunch. Noone knows for sure. However, in my book Bigfoot in Georgia, I deal with the possible displacement of these animals in the last chapter. I discuss movement, how human and urban sprawl might be affecting these animals, and what possible ramifactions may come about as a result of this.

A family of Fulton County Sasquatches!!! Who would have thought. Better be careful out there my hairy friends. Some of those fast-talking Fulton politicians might come round trying to register you to vote!!!!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Book Signing at Barnes and Nobles Was Great!!

The book signing at Barnes and Nobles in Morrow, Georgia this past Friday night was great. Although we only sold about six books, that was great for a big chain book signing with a regional book. Bell, Book and Candle still holds the record for my train crash book. The book signing there sold 24 copies, and so far they have sold almost 50 copies of the book. They are really great promoters. I appreciate all that they do.

We are working on a date for the first book signing for Bigfoot in Georgia. I plan on holding it at Bell, Book and Candle as well. That will more than likely be some time in the early part of 2010. Also, I have been contacted by a lady in Dublin, Georgia who wants me to come and do a book signing there. I think we may try to set something up for the early spring on that one.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Post on the Fayette County Bigfoot Sighting Is Picked Up by the Fayette County Newspaper


It appears that the article I posted on December 5th about a bigfoot sighting in Fayette County is getting a lot of attention. The Citizen reporter Ben Nelms posted an article about it at the paper's website. You can access the site by clicking on the title of this post above.

The paper mentions that the story was picked up off this very blog. I am glad that word is getting around about this blog. If you are interested in more sightings and legends concerning the Georgia Bigfoot, or stories from Creek and Indian lore about this alleged creature, you won't want to miss my book "Bigfoot in Georgia" which is already available by pre-order at Amazon.com, and will be released on December 16th. Locally, in the South Metro Atlanta area, the book will be carried at Bell, Book and Candle in downtown McDonough. You can order your copy there by calling 770-957-1880. They will ship one to you from the store.

Check out The Citizen Online and see the story about the Fayette sighting. Meanwhile, I have other reports and strange sightings to talk about from the Fayette, Coweta, Paulding, South Fulton, and Douglas County area. Keep reading!!!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

On the Trail of the Georgia Bigfoot...Latest Sighting-Fayette County


The Georgia Bigfoot, other than being the title of my next book, is also an ongoing mystery in the Peach State. With sightings dating back to the early 1800s in Georgia, and ranging from the mountains to the coast, there is much to be said for the possible existence of the elusive creature in Georgia.

One organization that continues to stay on the hunt for the Georgia Bigfoot, and I use the word hunt not in the sense of find and kill, but of gathering evidence, is the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization. Their database is full of credible eyewitness accounts and sightings from all over Georgia. The following was one of the most recent reported in the state. The link to this report can be found by clicking the title of this post. They are a top-notch organization with membership all over the nation. Their site can be found at www.bfro.net.

According to the report, this sighting comes from Fayette County, a rapidly growing county in the southwest portion of the Atlanta metropolitan area. It is the home to Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone, and other communities that are experiencing the throngs of the urban sprawl of Atlanta. The county is still rural enough that there are a number of dark country roads. This is apparently where the sighting took place.

The person who reported this sighting said that it occured on July 17, 2009, this past summer while she was driving home on Lee's Mill Road. The driver was rounding a curve around 11:00 p.m. that evening when she saw something crossing the road in front of her. The animal was caught in the headlights of her car. The animal walked upright on two legs, was slim, and had greyish-brown hair. The driver mentioned that the animal never stopped to look at her, but simply trotted across the highway into the Fayette County darkness. The night was clear, no rain, and the driver felt very comfortable with her description.

This area of Georgia, Fayette and Coweta County, have been rich with sightings of these animals. One may remember the Belt Road Booger or the Happy Valley Horror near Newnan. But Fayette County has a share of sightings, especially near Peters Road and other rural parts of the county.

So what is it that is hanging out in the dark night in Fayette County? Does the Georgia Bigfoot still roam the rural area of Fayette County? Is the development the area is seeing stirring up these animals and distrupting their habitats? It seems that sightings in this area are on the rise. Could this be a product of urban sprawl and population? Once again, the legend of the Georgia Bigfoot is huge. Fayette County is just one of the many places the legend lives on.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Article on the train wreck in the latest edition of Georgia Backroads Magazine


I am pleased to announce that the article I wrote a little while back on the Camp Creek Train Crash of 1900 is one of the featured stories in this winter's edition of Georgia Backroads Magazine. The magazine's website can be accessed by clicking on the title of this blog article. The cover is pictured above and is taken from their website, www.georgiabackroads.com. This is an interesting magazine that includes great stories about Georgia history, travel, and nature. I wrote the article about a year ago even before I had the contract to publish the book. The article was revised to include a copy of the cover of my book and some of the photos in the book. Check it out. I love this magazine.