The Mothman

Who is the Mothman?
by Mae Clair

Thanks for having me on your blog today, Melanie, and for giving me a chance to share the urban legend of the Mothman. Much like Bigfoot and the Lochness Monster, this semi-human creature has been seen by numerous eyewitnesses. Most sightings, many documented, occurred during the mid-1960s in the town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

On November 15, 1966, Roger and Linda Scarberry, along with friends Steve and Mary Mallette, were driving toward Point Pleasant when they saw a large white creature, close to seven feet tall, standing on the side of the road. According to the four friends, the being had wings folded behind its back and red eyes that glowed in the darkness. It took to the air and followed their car as they drove. They described it to police as a ‘’flying man with ten foot wings.’’

Newell Partridge also saw the Mothman later that same night. He was watching television when the screen abruptly went blank and emitted a loud whining noise, like a generator winding up. Outside, his dog, Bandit, began howling. Partridge grabbed a flashlight and hurried to investigate.

He spied a creature near his barn, its eyes “two red circles which looked like bicycle reflectors.” Bandit raced after the creature while Partridge darted inside to grab a gun. He later told reporters he was certain the creature had not been an animal. It frightened him so baldy, he thought better of returning outside and slept with the gun by his bed throughout the night. In the morning, he discovered Bandit had disappeared. Tracks in the mud indicated his dog had run ‘round and ‘round in a mindless circle, as if chasing his tail.

Two days later, Partridge was reading the local paper when he stumbled over an article detailing what Roger Scarberry, his wife, and friends had witnessed the night Bandit disappeared. Scarberry reported seeing the body of a large dog on the side of the road during their drive into town. When he and the others left, returning by the same route, the body was gone.

Bandit never returned and Partridge never saw the dog again.

The bulk of Mothman sightings occurred from 1966 to 1967. During that period over 100 people reported seeing the creature, most on a tract of land about five miles north of Point Pleasant in an area locally known as “the TNT.” During WWII it was used to store ammunition and is now part of a wildlife management station. Densely forested with steep hills, wetlands and tunnels, it’s a virtual labyrinth of secluded hiding places.

I’ve woven the urban legend of the Mothman, UFOs, and Men In Black into my Point Pleasant Series:
A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS
A COLD TOMORROW
A DESOLATE HOUR

New York Times bestselling author Kevin O’Brien had this to say about A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS:

“A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS is masterful, bone-chilling fiction that begins with a real-life tragedy on December 15, 1967: the Silver Bridge collapse in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. 46 people died. Author Mae Clair has seamlessly woven fact, fiction and creepy urban folklore into one intense thriller. The gripping story focuses on two witnesses to the disaster—fifteen years later. Both Eve Parrish and Caden Flynn lost loved ones in the catastrophe and still carry the emotional scars. After a long absence, Eve returns to Point Pleasant to bury her recently-deceased aunt, face some old ghosts, and reunite with her one-time “impossible-crush,” Caden. But when Eve begins to investigate her aunt’s death, she’s plunged into danger and a nightmare world where scary urban legends are very real. Full of suspense, A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS will keep you guessing, gasping and turning the pages for more.”

Intrigued? You can meet the Mothman and discover the freaky history/folklore of Point Pleasant, West Virginia with these Universal Purchase Links:

A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS
A COLD TOMORROW
A DESOLATE HOUR

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Meet the Author:

Mae Clair has been chasing myth, monsters and folklore through research and reading since she was a child. In 2013 and 2015, she journeyed to West Virginia to learn more about the legendary Mothman, a creature who factors into her Point Pleasant series of novels.

A member of the Mystery Writers of America and the International Thriller Writers, Mae pens tales of mystery and suspense with a touch of romance. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and numbers cats, cryptozoology,, and exploring old graveyards among her passions. Look for Mae on her website at MaeClair.net

Connect with Mae Clair at the following haunts:
Website | Blog | Twitter (@MaeClair1) | Google+
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Thank you again, Melanie,
and Happy Halloween, everyone!