Erin McGuire-Thompson: Cross Country Cryptids

Ever wondered why a seven-foot Bigfoot statue guards a shop in small-town North Carolina? So did we, until author Erin McGuire-Thompson explained just how far America's cryptid obsession really travels. In this episode, Mark talks with Erin about her new book, "Cross Country Cryptids: A Road Trip Guide to American Monsters," a five-region tour of the country's favorite folklore, from a wailing little Squonk in Pennsylvania and a bridge-guarding Goatman to Wisconsin's beloved, self-made Hodag, West Virginia's Mothman, and the real science (infrasound, ancient fossils, a fish everyone thought was extinct) that keeps these stories alive.

LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: Receive a 25% discount on this title when purchased from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/cross-country-cryptids

FEATURED TITLE: Cross Country Cryptids: A Road Trip Guide to American Monsters. Exposit, an imprint of McFarland, softcover (2026) ISBN: 9781476698618 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/cross-country-cryptids

BOOK DESCRIPTION: A travel book for the strange and strange at heart with shadows of whimsy and wellness, this volume outlines a cryptid road trip quest of epic proportions to bring adventure and nature back into daily life. This journey through the United States and into Canada celebrates enough creepies and crawlies, howlers and horrifiers, and mysteries in many forms to intrigue even the most ardent skeptic.

Featuring stops at cryptid-related festivals from the Badlands to Bourbon Country and beyond, this book reveals a land teeming with legendary creatures of local lore. There are hikes, museums, statues with famous butts, conventions, and enough fun runs honoring elusive critters to rack up all the Monster Miles you could ever want to run (or walk, or crawl).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Erin is a writer, illustrator, and 2023 graduate of the Carnegie Center Author Academy (Lexington, KY) who loves travel, paranormal TV, and stories that linger in the strange and unexplained. With a background in theatre, communications, and animation, she brings a playful sense of storytelling and humor to her creative work, grounded in a deep curiosity about place, mood, and mystery. When she’s not writing or illustrating, she’s planning her next trip, tackling the mountain of books in her "to-be-read" pile, or hiking in the woods with her husband and dogs. www.crosscountrycryptids.com | Instagram: @cross_country_cryptids | Facebook: @CrossCountryCryptids

ABOUT MCFARLAND: McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have around 8,000 unique works for sale and publish about 350 new titles a year. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). mcfarlandbooks.com

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