You may not have ever seen them, but you know them: Bigfoot,Mothman, chupacabras, the Jersey Devil, andNessie,the Loch Ness Monster. Cryptids exist everywhere around the world on land, in the air, and under the water. Some creatures are recent discoveries; others date back centuries. But where did they come from? What is their hidden history?
Collected in this anthology are twenty short storiesfeaturing a wide variety of cryptids as well as the cryptozoologists who discover them, hunt them, study them, or shelter them.Alongside the classic creatures of legend and lore are pixies, aliens, lizard-men, anddopplegängers-plus a few original and newly discovered cryptids that will capture your curiosity. With genres ranging from fantasy and science fiction to historical fiction and romance, there is something for everyone to enjoy. As an added twist, each storyutilizesat least one form of epistolary writing to help tell the story, including text messages, podcast interviews, newspaper articles, and journal entries.
So,tune in to Bigfoot's podcast, write a love letter to Nessie, and then pick up a pair of tickets to the grand opening of the Cryptid Zoo. The world around us is full ofthe weirdandthe wonderful, and the creatures that were once long hidden are ready to come out of the woods.
Weird Wilderness: A Cryptid Bestiaryis the tenth anthology edited by Lisa Mangum and Jessica Guernsey and published byWordFirePress. Profits support the various endowment and scholarship funds for Superstars Writing Seminars.
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Lisa Mangum has worked in publishing since 1997. She has been the Managing Editor for Shadow Mountain since 2014 and has worked with severalNew York Timesbest-selling authors. While fiction is her first love, she also has experience working with nonfiction projects.
Lisa is also the author of four national best-selling YA novels (The Hourglass Door trilogy andAfter Hello), several short stories and novellas, and a nonfiction book about the craft of writing based on the TV showSupernatural.Her upcoming bookWrite Fearless. Edit Smart. Get Published.willbe released November 2024.
She has edited several anthologiesabout various magical creatures, pirates, and food forWordFirePress.She regularly teaches at writing conferences, including hosting a writing weekend in Capitol Reef National Park through UVU.She lives in Taylorsville, Utah, with her husband, Tracy.
Jessica Guernsey writesfantasy andsci-fi short stories. With a BA in Journalism from Brigham Young University and a MA in Publishing from Western Colorado University, her workhas beenpublished in magazines and anthologies. By day, she crushes dreams as a slush pile reader for multiple publishers. Frequently, she can be found at writing conferences. Sheisn'tdifficult to spot; just look fortheextrovert. While she spent her teenage angst in Texas, she now lives on a mountain in Utah with her family and a bossy mini schnauzer. Discover more stories at jessicaguernsey.com