Kristal Lee

After reading Kristen Lamb’s book We Are Not Alone: A Writer’s Guide to Social Media, I set out to improve the content and consistency of my blog. The first thing I did was sign up for her online workshop, Blogging for Brand.  Cybermates zipped through the first couple of assignments, brandishing their new-found blog-spirations in fabulous posts while I gnawed my fingers and gagged on my envy.  They were finding their niche while I flapped around like a bat with broken radar.
So, I sent out an SOS to my #WANA711 compadres and they flocked in support. Strangely enough, the Twitter pow-wow sparked a clown discussion.
I hate clowns. Creepy, killer clowns belong in horror films not toy boxes.

There is an online support group for people who hate clowns @ Ihateclowns.com and they cite 34 Reasons You Should Hate Clowns Too.

If you’re planning a trip to rural South Carolina this summer be on the look-out for the car-chomping lizard man.

Think your neighbor is a werewolf? Here’s five werewolf facts you need to know.

Love shifters? Jennifer Ashley’s Shifters Unbound series is celebrating the re-release of Pride Mates. 

OMG! You’ll never guess who’s playing Zeus in the upcoming film “Gods Behaving Badly.”  He needs more cowbell.

The discovery of homo floresiensis (Flores man) in 2004 gives cyptozoologists hope that human-like creatures reported to be myths or legends may one day be proven to be real.

In 2007, footprints were found in the Everest region of Nepal resembling descriptions of Yeti. They measured 13 inches in length and 9-10 inches in width across the toes.

The Yeti is popular icon in modern culture, making appearances in books, movies, television programs and video games.

My favorite Yeti is Bumble the abominable snowman from Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.
Who's yours?

Image Copyright: Jeanne Nelson

Have you ever seen a dark figure in your peripheral vision only to find nothing there when you turn to look?

If you have, you may have glimpsed one of the Shadow People~ dark humanoid figures that lack distinctive features who appear and disappear in the blink of an eye. The most frequently sighted is the Hat Man, a tall dark man wearing a hat and often a cloak. Some reports suggest that the Shadow People aren't malicious in nature, but rather observers of our world. Others insist that they are soul-stealers. No one knows why they come or how long they've been around but the phenomenon is world-wide.

Jason Offutt, author of Darkness Walks: The Shadow People Among Us, states in an interview with Stephen Wagner: "The oldest mention of entities like this in literature I've found was in the late 1800s, although shadow people have been reported in various religions throughout history." 

Scientific explanations attempting to debunk these paranormal experiences claim the manifestations are a result of optical illusions or hallucinations.

"When a specific region of the brain called the left temporoparietal junction is stimulated, it can create the illusion of a shadow person. Images seen in peripheral areas of vision can be caused by pareidolia, a condition in which the brain incorrectly interprets random patterns of light/shadow or texture as being familiar patterns such as faces and human forms." ~ Wikipedia

Photo: Disney's Peter Pan

In faery lore, shadows have their own life force. If a faery steals your shadow, you will wither and die. If you steal a faery's shadow, he or she will grant you one wish.

The notion of a sentient shadow can be found in J.M. Barrie's  beloved Peter Pan. And a modern variation of the Shadow People was showcased by the appearance of "The Observer" in the FOX television series FRINGE.


Whether it's a supernatural visitation or a figment of imagination, I've experienced this phenomenon many times. Always accompanied by a rush of adrenaline, a wave of nausea and a stomach-dropping dread.

Have you encountered the Shadow People? What was your experience like?