Weird Wilderness: A Cryptid Bestiary

Mangum, Lisa; Guernsey, Jessica; Fors, CL; Arther, Azure; Dane, Kate; Vee, Julia; Carlson, Rebecca J.; Kristopher, Jason; Sonderman, Jamie; Elizabeth, Bonnie

ISBN 10: 1680577476 / ISBN 13: 9781680577471

Published by WordFire Press LLC, 2025

Seller Inventory # I-9781680577471

Synopsis:

You may not have ever seen them, but you know them: Bigfoot, Mothman, chupacabras, the Jersey Devil, and Nessie, 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 stories featuring 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, and dopplegängers—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 story utilizes at 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 of the weird and the wonderful, and the creatures that were once long hidden are ready to come out of the woods.

Weird Wilderness: A Cryptid Bestiary is the tenth anthology edited by Lisa Mangum and Jessica Guernsey and published by WordFire Press. Profits support the various endowment and scholarship funds for Superstars Writing Seminars.

About the Author: Lisa Mangum has worked in publishing since 1997. She has been the Managing Editor for Shadow Mountain since 2014 and has worked with several New York Times best-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 and After Hello), several short stories and novellas, and a nonfiction book about the craft of writing based on the TV show Supernatural. She has edited several anthologies about various magical creatures, pirates, and food for WordFire Press. She regularly teaches at writing conferences, including hosting a writing weekend in Capitol Reef National Park through UVU. She lives in Taylorsville, Utah.Visit her at https: //www.facebook.com/lisamangum or on Twitter at @LisaMangum.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Weird Wilderness: A Cryptid Bestiary
Publisher: WordFire Press LLC
Publication Date: 2025
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: New