Like a lot of people on the internet, I love weird things, strange art, creepy stories, and especially monsters. I grew up in the smoky hills of Appalachia, listening to folk stories and cryptid sightings in front of a campfire every summer night. Of course I never believed these creatures existed, but every time I go hiking in the woods, I keep an eye out just in case.
With the recent phenomena of 'adult coloring books', I was inspired to create one of my own. I've looked through a lot of adult coloring books, and there are some extraordinary ones!- but they did not include the stories I wanted to see. I wanted to color Grassman-the Ohio Bigfoot, Goosefoot-the dragon of the Smoky Mountains, Goatman- a killer of young lovers, and Mothman-the angel of death. So, I thought, why not make my own book?--one about cryptids (or monsters) from the Appalachian region.
Hopefully you enjoy reading about and coloring these cute/creepy creatures as much as I did.
View the illustrations below, or read some of the eye-witness accounts that helped inspire the book (or submit one of your own; I use these stories in a lot of my work and they're an interesting read!).
The book contains a colorable cover page, regional maps, brief descriptions or stories about the monster(s), 32 colorable monsters, and a 'thank you' page to my Kickstarter backers. The book is soft-cover with perfect binding and is 59 pages in its entirety.
Contents: Appalachian Plataea Map, Ohio Grassman, Hopkinsville Goblins, the Monster of Pope Lick Train Trestle, Loveland Frogmen, Flatwoods Monster, Mothman, Waterford Sheepman. Orange Eyes, Map of Piedmont, Wanderlights, Snallygaster, Dwayyo, Snarly Yow, Maryland Goatman, Lizardman of Scape Ore Swamp, Map of the Blue Ridge, Alien Big Cats (or Black Mountain Lion), Wampus Cat, Map of the Great Valley, Tennessee Wildman, Wood Booger, Devil Monkey, The White Thing, Giant Wild Boar, Subterranean Humanoids, Map of Northern Highlands, Eastern Thunderbird, Whirling Whimpus, Map of Appalachian Ridge & Valley, West Virginia Yahoo, Pennsylvanian White Bigfoot, Devil Dogs, Sheepsquatch, Belva Mine Strangers, The Dinosaur Children, People of the Ridge, Moon-Eyed People, The Brown Mountain Lights
Table of Contents 1. Virginia -Bristol 2. North Carolina -Pisgah National Forest -Brown Mountain -Dismal Creek
Bristol, VA "It was 1997, and [my mom] and dad were driving down the old back roads at night in her white camaro. They saw it from far off, and my dad drove up until they were parallel with it. It was in the grass feeding, and as soon as they stopped, it just looked up and stared right into my mom's eyes, blood all over it's hairless face. [The creature was] about the size of a cougar, but completely hairless. HUGE front teeth, and it was eating whatever was left of a large animal carcass. [When it looked up at my mom] she said it was like looking into the eyes of Satan. Mom began screaming to "floor it" and my dad took off. They lose sight of it in the rearview mirror, and my dad (being the country dude he is) tries to talk my mom into letting him go back and run it over. Of course my mom says no. It terrifies her to this day. The creepiest part to me is how it was completely unafraid of them." - "appalachianartist" (reddit contribution)
Pisgah National Forest Brown Mountain "I've seen [the lights] since I was 16 years old at the bottom of the mountain. They come up in a little red light, and then they fade away." -Patsy Keller (interview with WCNC)
Dismal Creek "About year or two ago I hiked to a place called Dismal Creek in Transylvania county, NC. Known as the land of waterfalls, the county is just running wild with creeks and tributaries. Very beautiful, but it's always had a mysterious feel. I've always felt curious while visiting in the area. Dismal creek was different though. A man by the name of Jim Bob Tinsley wrote a book called Land of Waterfalls about southwestern NC and described Dismal Creek as "the most foreboding place in the southern Appalachians." Keep in mind that I only learned this after my visit, and had I known of Tinsley's apprehension I likely would have never visited. The hike itself is ridiculously demanding. Grades of over 50% make up the majority of the hike and that's not an exaggeration. There are four waterfalls on the way up to the creek. The first two feel very sublime. Safe, but there's something channeling through. About the time you hit the third falls, called Grotto, the feeling of dread starts to become very prominent, but a sense of beckoning drew me onward. A very difficult feeling to describe. I got to a split in the path and because the area is so unforgiving my map was inconclusive. I could hear the falls down the mountainside, but felt I needed to go up and over via the right path. I left a carin for myself to determine the way back and headed up to the rugged jumble of earth that was the ridge line. I had just started the intense scramble when I got the sense that I was being watched. I turned to look behind me and thought I saw someone disappear into the rhododendron and mountain laurel surrounding the trail. I only saw the back of what appeared to be a cloak. There was no sound. It didn't make sense. The leaf litter gives away even the smallest insects. I should have heard something. I attributed this to a combo of dehydration and sheer exhaustion. I've seen shadow people in the woods before due to that so I really didn't put much stock into it. I couldn't shake that feeling of dread though. I continued the climb, step after grueling step, and after cresting over the ridge I was in Dismal Holler. I found myself looking down a nearly 70 degree angle with a rope anchored to a tree. I semi rappelled down to a second rope and finally to the bottom. Then came a wet rock scramble to the base of the falls. The falls were breathtaking. A 200 ft gentle cascade with a 40 ft sheer drop at the top. Incredible. I sat down to chew on some mountain mint and when I glanced at the top of the falls I nearly fell off the log and into the creek. There was a woman up there. She was pretty far away but appeared to be old and wearing a cloak of some sort. Grey, tightly curled hair. That's all I could see from my vantage. She was facing me for a few seconds before turning and walking off out of view. I immediately got up and started scrambling up the mossy, soaked rock cascade toward the top of the falls. I got there after a very treacherous scramble only to find nothing. Hands on my knees and taking labored breaths I heard a voice from the bottom of the falls. Hey! It said in a strange, spectral voice. It sounded hollow. I turned to look and there she was, disappearing into the rhododendron once again. I was in total and absolute disbelief. I felt sick to my stomach. I carefully picked my way down to the base again and started the trail out. I just felt I shouldn't be there. Like I seen something I shouldn't have. I'm a long time bushman and I'm not afraid to say that I'm tough as nails, but I wanted to run outta that holler crying. I finally made it to the top using the ropes for help. As soon as I crested the ridge my nose started bleeding. Only a few drops. I kept moving and was essentially running do an the mountainside. I got to the bottom and followed the path indicated by the carin. I kept running and came around a blind curve. I nearly ran into her at full speed. In trying to stop I took a hard tumble and when I opened my eyes she was standing over me. She looked very Scottish. The curly hair and fair skin. She didn't look particularly gruesome or hag like. She was very old, but it was obvious that in her youth she had been beautiful. Her eyes though... The eyes were very alive and full of vitality. Very youthful, and the irises were so light blue they were almost white. Though her form appeared benign I had the distinct feeling that she did not mean me well and that she didn't want me there. I wanted to crawl away from where I had fallen but I was backed up against a rock. I edged along it until I regained my feet and backed away from her. Her expressionless gaze never left me. I ran until I was well off of that mountain. When I stopped running I was on a more well established trail. When I had come in the area felt fine, but now I could feel the dread still. All was silent as I hiked out. Not a single animal sound. I was almost out when suddenly a bobcat appeared on the trail ahead of me, seemingly from nowhere. I stopped and looked at it as it looked at me. It had her eyes. I knew they were her eyes. I told her I wouldn't be back and told her that her mountain was beautiful. Then I left as she disappeared into the rhododendron thicket." -"GuruBushHippie" (reddit contribution)