Hello all! I know it's been several weeks since I've updated, but never fear, whether the weather has been fair or foul, I have been diligently working away on the book. Exciting things have been happening!
I sent real letters out (WHAT?!) and heard back from 2 out of 3 of the people I was trying to reach (still hoping for that perfect third...).
-- I interviewed 7 people over the phone, and more via email.
-- I transcribed 6 eyewitness interviews (phew!), which took foreeeeeeeverrrrrrr...
-- I wrote substantial first drafts of 10 eyewitness chapters, which for the most part will only need fine-tuning now.
-- I finally tracked down old newspaper articles for two different major stories after years of not having them and it driving me crazy. Now I am completely sane. Hahaha!
-- I wrote a blog post over on the Green Hand page about my writing process:
http://greenhandbooks.blogspot.com/2018/03/behind-scenes-what-goes-on-in-winter.html
I took my first fieldtrip, to a couple of undisclosed locations (shh!), in the wind and rain, 7+ miles of tromping over the course of the afternoon with plenty of mud -- just yesterday, in fact! It was a great opportunity to see all the skeletons of Maine autumn before they are usurped finally (one of these days, I swear it's coming) by a real Maine SPRING!
I saw lots of tracks, little mole (and vole?) tunnels and holes everywhere, deer tracks by the dozen, I think even a young moose track (see photo), plenty of deer scat, what I think was a turkey vulture overhead (so huge!), a great blue heron, an early woolybear caterpillar, chickadees, and a gazillion trees (of course).
In between all that I did tons of research on loose ends -- locations, verification of when/where/how and other miscellaneous facts, more reading about Maine black bears, and so on and so forth.
This is one of 3 file boxes I've been filling, and an example of the array of printouts and books that happens when I am working on nitty-gritty bits. Plus I have all sorts of Maine topographic maps that I've been trying to get organized so I know what I have when I need it. Maine is a biiiiiig state. I don't know if you've noticed.
In the weeks to come will be more field trips, hopefully (fingers crossed) more interviews, and further illumination on some pesky mysteries tied into a particularly gnarly chapter.
Truth is stranger than fiction! Take my word for it.
Founded 2005! Weirdness. Unmapped roads. Whispering rocks. Deadening fog. Ghost pirates. Lonely islands. THINGS in the WOODS. Home of Stephen King, Rick Hautala, and Glenn Chadbourne. A place where the four seasons really know how to live. Maine: the way life should be! This site is a nexus for conversation about Maine's unique strangeness. History, mysteries, legends, current events, cryptozoology, & more.
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Saturday, April 07, 2018
EVENT: Sea Serpents AHOY!!!
Do you love SEA MONSTERS? Then head over to the Masonic Civil War Library at 415 Congress Street here in Portland for a talk by local historian Herb Adams about the "Summer of Sea Serpents"! It's the 100-year anniversary of this epic rash of Maine and New England sea serpent sightings -- time to CELEBRATE!!!
This event is hosted by the folks at the Maine Masonic Civil War Library and Museum.
WHEN? Saturday April 12, 2018 at 12:00 noon
WHERE? 415 Congress Street, Portland, Maine
FMI: call (207)294-1152 or email mmcwlm@gmail.com
portlandmasonic.com/library.html
This event is hosted by the folks at the Maine Masonic Civil War Library and Museum.
WHEN? Saturday April 12, 2018 at 12:00 noon
WHERE? 415 Congress Street, Portland, Maine
FMI: call (207)294-1152 or email mmcwlm@gmail.com
portlandmasonic.com/library.html
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