ParaExplorers presents 'On the Road With...' a series of in-depth interviews with some of the most fascinating authors, researchers and investigators working to solve the mysteries of the unknown. This month, we feature Nick Redfern, author, investigator and monster-hunter extraordinaire, talking about his new book, "There's Something In The Woods."
Meet Nick Redfern...
Nick Redfern works as a journalist and author. He has written many books on UFOs and Cryptozoology (the study of unknown animals), including "Memoirs of a Monster Hunter;" "The FBI Files;" "Cosmic Crashes;" "Strange Secrets;" "There's Something in the Woods;" "On the Trail of the Saucer Spies;" and "Three Men Seeking Monsters" (the movie-option-rights to which were bought by Universal Studios in 2007).
He writes for "Fate;" "Fortean Times;" "UFO Magazine;" the British "Daily Express" newspaper; and many other publications. British by birth, he lives in Dallas, Texas.
1) OK, Nick, you’ve written several books now that cover your out-in-the field adventures, and you’ve chased down all sorts of wild and wooly beasts. What is it about the field of cryptozoology that holds such intense fascination for you?
ANSWER: Definitely one of the things that attracts me to cryptozoology is the idea that in today’s very sterile world, where we think we know everything and where there are no more surprises to be found, there could actually be strange creatures lurking in the lakes, woods, forests and lochs of numerous countries, right under our noses, and that are still successfully hiding from us. That scenario appeals to me a great deal. Plus, I have quite a low boredom threshold; so, whereas sitting in the office for hours is inevitably a big part of being a full-time writer, I’m attracted to the fact that cryptozoology is one of those subjects that lends itself to on-site investigations. So, it’s the lure of adventure I like, such as trekking through Puerto Rico’s El Yunque rain-forest in search of the Chupacabras; investigating the woods of Washington State in pursuit of Bigfoot; or taking a trip to the lakes and lochs of the British Isles in search of lake-monsters. In fact, to a degree, I think everyone is fascinated by the idea that monsters and strange beasts might really exist. For me that fascination and the lure of adventure began when I was five and my mom and dad took me to Loch Ness and told me about the legends; and, thankfully, I still have that same enthusiasm as I’ve always had.
2) Of the many “creatures” that make up the field of cryptozoology, you seem to have a preference for black dogs and werewolves. Is there a reason for this, and why do these particular entities seem to be so prominently reported?
ANSWER: That’s a very good question. I do indeed have a big interest in werewolves, perhaps even a bit of an obsession! I’m truthfully not sure why, but the idea that these creatures might actually exist, and might be more than just the stuff of Hollywood films, is one that I’m particularly intrigued by. I’ve investigated a lot of werewolf reports in the UK and in the United States; and I have to say that all of them have an atmosphere of the paranormal about them. For example, several of the cases I’ve looked into have been tied in with ancient rites and rituals undertaken in the dead of night by occult-driven groups. Other sightings and incidents are memorable and noteworthy because of where they occurred, such as near prehistoric burial grounds, stone circles etc. Based on all my research into werewolves, and it could be argued that the ghostly black dogs are an aspect of werewolf lore too, I don’t believe these are flesh and blood creatures in the sense we understand the term. I think quantum physics may some day explain these things and where they come from. There’s evidence too, and I’ve tried this – although I don’t actually recommend it – that with a lot of practice, meditation and dedication, it’s possible to summon these things into our realm of existence. I often have people roll their eyes when I tell them this, and you just know they think I’m a complete nut; but there’s no doubt in my mind that this works, and that werewolves – in some form, at least - do exist. I don’t believe they are, as the classic legend tells us, humans that can shape-shift into wolf-men. I believe they are something far stranger and quite hostile to us. There’s a lot of sinister, malevolent activity attached to werewolves.
3) In past books, you’ve talked about the “tulpa” and how this relates to the possible nature of paranormal entities. Can you explain this for someone who has not read your books?
ANSWER: Yes, tulpas, in my opinion at least, are an integral part of cryptozoology. Basically, it’s a scenario very prevalent in Tibetan and Buddhist teachings. The idea is that the human mind – whether consciously or perhaps more often unconsciously – has the ability to conjure up imagery that can be projected outwardly and given a semblance of physical reality and a quasi-form of existence. The tulpa is said to live on human emotion; kind of like an emotional vampire. And the more people that believe in it, and that it can feed upon, the stronger the so-called “mind-monster” gets. Generally, when they are created, tulpas are said to want to hang on to every moment of their “life” for as long as possible, and can turn quite malevolent when the creator tries to “un-think” them out of existence. This can result in a lot of psychic backlash as the tulpa tries to cling to its life. I would not be at all surprised to find that many of the creatures we are looking for might very well be created thought-forms that now roam the woods in a state of semi-physical existence, and perhaps not even being fully aware of what they actually are. And, of course, this might explain the fact that many reports of creatures like Bigfoot seem curiously substantial and insubstantial at the same time. By that, I mean we have reports of people finding Bigfoot tracks – which suggest a flesh-and-blood animal – but sometimes those tracks just end, as if the creature has vanished into oblivion. And maybe it has. Maybe, in reality, its life as a tulpa has come to an end. Of course, not everyone agrees with me on this theory, and some researchers are openly hostile to it. But I don’t care; and I think that says more about their pre-conceived mindsets about what might exist and what might not. I’m not dogmatic about my theories about tulpas, but I’m definitely not apologetic about them either. I just happen to think such theories deserve as much of a hearing as do the “flesh-and-blood” theories.
4) Is there a legend or creature you have yet to chase after that particularly intrigues you?
ANSWER: I’d definitely like to do some in-depth research into the reports of pterodactyl-type creatures that have been seen in the US for a very long time. These fascinate me. Again, I’m not sure how we classify them: whether as a physical animal or a paranormal one; but I have to say that I lean towards the paranormal. I think the idea that in some of the more remote, or forested, parts of the US there could be pockets of surviving pterodactyls is a great one; I think it’s pretty far-out too, however. And, I’ve uncovered some reports where people have seen these things while they’re in altered states. So, maybe, we’re looking at something not necessarily of our three-dimensional world. I’d also like to dig deep into the legends of still-surviving mammoths. Until surprisingly recently, there were reports of people seeing creatures that sound suspiciously like mammoths, in some of more remote, frozen wastelands and forests. If money was unlimited, I’d love to do a kind of “In search of the last Mammoth”-type investigation. For me, that might be the ultimate trip, even though the odds are really stacked against finding something.
5) What is the role, if any, of local folklore and legend in dictating the types of entities you see associated with specific areas, regions, countries even?
ANSWER: Well, I definitely think that folklore and legend have key parts to play in the way in which stories of strange creatures develop. However, for the most part, I don’t think it’s solely the legends of times-past that lead to a belief in these things today. I think it’s the opposite: namely, that the old legends of strange creatures have a basis in fact, and are based upon people seeing them, but not necessarily sure of what it is they were seeing. And so, particularly in past centuries, this leads to the creation of all sorts of legends and folk-tales as people try and grasp and grapple with what is they are seeing, and as they try and explain them. Then, of course, over time the legends get added to, distorted and mutated. But, in summary, I’d say – and based on my own studies – that many legends and tales have a basis in some sort of fact, whether it’s of lake-monsters, giant hairy men, or whatever.
6) How close might we be to some kind of government disclosure here in the States as to the existence of alien civilizations and technology, or do you suspect we are never going to get definitive proof from our leadership?
ANSWER: Unfortunately, I don’t see any real scenario in which government disclosure will come, unless it benefits those in power to make the revelation. I think the idea that some UFO researchers have – namely that of loftily demanding that the government reveals all because the research community thinks the information should be revealed – is very naïve, pompously ego-driven, and not in-line with general government-thinking. If disclosure happens, I’d say the possible scenarios would be because (a) someone on the inside revealed something in error and it opened the floodgates; (b) an insider whistleblower deliberately revealed something that was undeniable; or (c) the government decides to use the “aliens are evil and here to destroy us” angle as an ingenious way to take away more of our rights and lead us further down the path to Orwell’s 1984. For me, that’s the most sinister possibility: that we might be placed into a scenario of a manufactured threat that actually isn’t really a threat, but one that is exploited for purposes of control of the masses. But revealing all just because some UFO researcher waves a banner outside of the White House or writes to his or her congressman? Not an absolute, single chance in hell.
7) We often hear so much about ghost hunters, but monster hunters face many different dangers and challenges. Have you ever truly felt as though your life were in danger out there in the field?
ANSWER: I’ve never felt in any actual physical danger, as the history of research into things such as Bigfoot, lake-monsters and even werewolves never really suggests – aside from at anecdotal and rumor level – examples of severe physical harm. But I do believe it’s very necessary to tread carefully when dealing with the more paranormal side of cryptozoology. Psychic backlash, invasion of a person’s dream-state by hostile entities and much more are in my view very real hazards, and ones not to be taken lightly at all. This is more of a danger to a person’s psychological and mental state; and it requires a strong will when these darker aspects start circling around and trying to get their claws into you. It has happened to me a couple of times, and when it does happen, I do altered-state rituals with sage and other substances to create a better atmosphere and to banish the negativity. In fact, when I told someone about this the other day they called me an “anarchistic shaman for the 21st Century,” which I thought was pretty accurate! I’m happy with that description!
8) We have to ask, can we have a hint of what amazing adventures you are planning for upcoming books? Or do you plan to take a rest, LOL!!!
ANSWER: A rest? What’s that? [Laughs] No, I hate sitting around. Plus, I’m pleased that I have never lost the enthusiasm and love I have for just jumping on a plane, or in a car, and heading off in search of the unknown. But, as far as the future is concerned, I’m trying to take an alternative approach to getting answers to some of these crypto-creatures now. We have massive amounts of reports; but very few answers. And, as I’m personally convinced that at least some of these things are from other realms of existence, I want to try and get the answers on their turf. So, I’ve been exploring such issues as induced out-of-body experiences; altered states; remote-viewing and astral projection, to see if we can meet them on their territory and try and determine what they are; rather than always in our world where all we get is a witness report but no actual answer. Don’t get me wrong: witness testimony is always vital and very much appreciated – it does, after all, take a lot of guts for someone to come along and admit to seeing Bigfoot. But I think we need to take this all to another, and more alternative, level to get answers. So, that’s what I’m now doing and what I’ll be doing for the next year or so, and then hopefully get any results I might find into print.
9) And finally, has your wife Dana recovered yet from this last episode of monster hunting and does she plan to go out in search of beasts with you next time around?
ANSWER: Dana is not the biggest fan of cryptozoology or the Fortean world [laughs]. She does believe in the paranormal, but she’s more into life-after-death, alternative healing, spirits and things like that, and not really interested in Bigfoot and the Chupacabras at all! So, for the most part, when I’m on a crypto investigation it’s usually with some of my Fortean mates, and Dana is happy to stay at home with a dirty-vodka martini.
Marie's Review of "There's Something in the Woods"...
(Click the image to the right to view this book's cover, and read the excerpt on the back.)
Nick Redfern has a solid reputation as a leading researcher and author of all things paranormal, especially the field of cryptozoology. He can present the facts, write the books, and speak across the globe with the best of them. But there is one thing he does better than all the rest, and that is get out there in the field, get his hands dirty, and actually look for the very things he writes about.
Not afraid to boldly go where no other researcher dares to, or even risk his neck, Redfern accumulates a book-full of new adventures (anyone who’s read his past books knows he doesn’t sit still for long) seeking monsters and things that go bump in the day and the night. This time, he focuses his transcontinental road trip on the United States and his home country, England, and trust me, there are more than enough creatures to chase to fill ten books.
Redfern, who lives in Dallas, Texas, picks up where his gonzo thrill-ride “Three Men Seeking Monsters” left off and bounces back and forth between strange and creepy locales on both continents. We follow Nick into the woods of the deeply historical region of Staffordshire, England where his monster quest begins in the Cannock Chase, searching out the “Cannock Nessie,” a local legend of a beast, and ends up chasing werewolves, giant cats and Bigfoot-like man beasts, all while his poor wife looks on begging him to not mess with unseen forces he knows little about. Not that anything like that would ever stop Redfern, who plows forth on the trail of Devil-Monkeys, cryptic crop circles, potential UFO sightings and a host of other mysteries from the borderlands that exist in merry Old England.
Then it’s soon off to the States where we get a first-hand account of the hunt for oversized winged insects, giant black cats, ghost lights, creepy “dark men” and a plethora of other local and regional legends that few Americans may be aware exist right in their own backyard…ok, well, in the WOODS behind their own backyard.
Much of Redfern’s research focuses on cryptozoology, with giant black dogs and werewolf-type entities taking front and center, and the author never fails to both entertain and educate as he presents his own hands-on views as well as some cutting edge theories behind these entities, including the possibility that we are dealing with inter-dimensional creatures and not just flesh-and-blood beasties. As always, Redfern’s book is peppered with humor, personal insight and plenty of pictures courtesy of the author’s own welltraveled camera.
I consider Nick Redfern both a colleague and a friend, and anxiously await anything he does. He excels as a writer to be sure, but again, his forte is getting out on the road and in search of, to borrow from the TV series I grew up on, the stuff that others only talk and write about. He may seem a bit crazy in his approach, but who would expect anything less of a guy who once kissed a baby Chupa on the lips (I have proof in my book “PSIence”!!!). Rest assured, if there is something in the woods, Nick Redfern is no doubt the guy to find it.