Wicked Haunt-o-ween with Sarah McNeal and the Bog Monster

The CONTEST IS CLOSED. THE WINNER IS JEAN! Congratulations!!

KAREN: Trick-or-Treat with SARAH MCNEAL, but beware of the monsters lurking in the creek.  After you've roamed the woods, you're sure to be hungry. Sarah is sharing a recipe to tame your ravenous appetite. Psst... The treat also great to whip up before you indulge in a night of scary movies or when reading one of your hauntingly good books.

***CONTEST: Sarah is offering Halloween treats and  a PRINT copy of The 2012 Fall/Paranormal Collection  to fill your trick-or-treat bags (USA only). Read on and find out how you may enter the giveaway.  CONTEST ends OCT. 13TH so don't delay. Sarah will post the winner's name in the comments of this post. 

The Boggy Creek Monster

Now I have to tell you that I have loved anything having to do Big Foot stories. I know the scientific community is still debating the existence of Big Foot but there are so many instances of Big Foot reports, one which took place on a major interstate where there were dozens of sightings of a creature in the middle of traffic. Four of the reports were called in by police officers. The Science Channel presented a scientific study using forensic  evidence and scientific data to prove or disprove the existence of Big Foot. The evidence was inconclusive. Some scientists were convinced Big Foot lives and other scientists said they just didn’t know one way or another. Even the renowned scientist, Jane Goodall, confessed that it would be possible for a creature like Big Foot to go unseen and undetected in wilderness settings. She said that people can walk by a group of great apes and not even know they’re there because they are so good at camouflaging themselves in the scenery.

I’m a skeptic, but lately, even I am beginning to believe in the existence of a creature not an ape and not quite human either. Big Foot might actually be out there in remote areas around the world.

This brings me to my legendary tale of the Boggy Creek Monster who is believed to stalk the area around Fouke County, Arkansas just southwest of Texarkana. Since the 1840’s there have been reports of a hairy creature living in the sparsely populated area, forested hills of the Ozarks. People have describe the creature as being about 7 feet tall, covered with hair and smelling kind of stinky who kills chickens, livestock and dogs. Even worse, about twenty years after it was first reported, the Boggy Creek Monster began to harass two families living in the area. Hollywood even made a low budget movie in 1973 about it titled, The Boggy Creek Monster.

In 1997, the locals said the hairy creature was seen walking along a dry creek bed just 5 miles south of town. The last time the creature was seen, it was walking along the juncture of the Sulphur and Red Rivers. For a while Fouke townspeople played up to the legend with signs and a Boggy Creek Monster gift shop, but all that has gone away now.

All that remains is a small plaque on the bridge. Perhaps the creature left the area to find a more remote place to live. Perhaps the creature still lives there but has learned to keep hidden away from people. We may never know, but on a dark moonless night, there just might be a creature lurking out there is the darkness waiting...

Here’s a little recipe for some special popcorn to eat while you read or watch those horror stories for Halloween:

Haunted Popcorn Mix

Cocoa Crunchy Snack Mix

Recipe At A Glance

Ready in: Under 30 minutes
Serves/Makes: 12 cups

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups popcorn
2 cups Cocoa Puffs cereal
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups semi sweet chocolate pieces
1 cup peanuts
1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients.

NUTRITION:

148 calories, 8 grams fat, 20 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein per 1/2 cup. This recipe is low in sodium. Weight Watcher’s points: 4 per 1 cup

Speaking of scary stories and monsters, I am happy to announce my new short story just released in the 2012 Fall/Paranormal Collection by Victory Tales Press titled, The Curse of the Amber Tomb.

The Curse of the Amber Tomb by Sarah J. McNeal

Edward, a handsome photographer who is afraid of heights and Kate, a lady archeologist afraid to love, must face their fears when they discover a deadly secret in an ancient tomb.

Excerpt:

The sky cracked open and rain poured down as Kate and Edward ran. Thunder shook the earth.  Edward took Kate’s hand and pulled her after him.  They got to the gorge but the bridge hung damaged by the wind.  All that remained was a rope and a few dangling boards.  The river roared below in a sweeping surge of deadly white water.

            “Edward, we’re not going to make it,” Kate cried as fear snaked up her spine.  They were trapped.  Behind them death approached in the form of a hungry visage of ancient terror.  Before them was nature at its worst with nothing but a few shreds of rope to get them to the other side and safety.  It was impossible.

            He held her close an instant.  He had to raise his voice to be heard above the wind. “Yes we are, Kate.  I’m going to tighten the rope up and I’ll walk us over to the other side.”

            “I don’t think I can do this. Besides, you’re terrified of heights.  You could hardly get across the bridge before it was damaged.  How will you do it now?”  She felt her voice pitch upward in hysteria.  “There’s no way we can make it, Edward.”

There are a number of talented authors who contributed to the 2012 Fall/Paranormal Collection. The following are a list of the authors and a logline of their story contribution:

Love is Eternal by Cate Abbott

Falling in love with a man from work is dangerous enough. What could Angelique possibly be thinking when she goes on a weekend trip – over Halloween, no less – with this dark haired, mysterious male? 

Shattered Illusions by Karen Michelle Nutt

Blood stained floors appear and disappear, low whispering voices greet her as a storm causes the lights to flicker. Brona must put her fears behind her and unravel the mystery that haunts the house. 

Night of Magic by Stephanie Burkhart

It's 800 A.D. on the Emerald Isle. Samhain. Dark. Dangerous. Powerful. Dare Finn brave the bonfires to bring Aithne home? 

Magic Words by Gerald Costlow

Hundreds of years ago, Felipe was cursed to be an immortal frog. Now only the lovely Evelyn can break his curse – if he can convince her that the handsome man she met just this morning is not crazy.

Buy Links:

Smashwords

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/238602AMAZON 

Soon to be available in digital or print at Barnes and Noble and all online bookstores.

****CONTEST: You could win some Halloween treats and  a PRINT copy of The 2012 Fall/Paranormal Collection from Victory Tales Press by answering the contest question and including your email address. Limited to those living in continental USA.

Contest question:

Do you believe that Big Foot really exists, or do you believe all the stories are just hoaxes?

About Sarah McNeal: 
I became interested in writing at a young age. My parents didn't allow us to have a television so my sisters and I became avid readers. We read everything from Shakespeare to my mother's True Detective Stories that, by the way, scared the hell out of me. I submitted my first story and received my first rejection when I was thirteen years old.

Along with writing, I have a deep love of music and play the violin, bagpipes, guitar and harmonica.

I live with my four-legged children, Liberty, my rescue kitty and my golden retriever rescue, Lily. I feed the wild birds around my house and care very much about all creatures of the Earth. I am a member of The Defenders of Wildlife and The ASPCA as well as The Humane Society of the United States.

I write time travel, paranormal and romance novels and love doing the historical research for them. I am presently writing a series of musical instrument stories inspired by my love of music. My Wildings of Wyoming series is under way with book one, Harmonica Joe's Reluctant Bride and coming soon, For Love of Banjo from Western Trail Blazers.

You can also find more information about me at my website: http://www.sarahmcneal.com

Writing brings me a joy and fulfillment that nothing else can. I love creating magical worlds and people who want to make a difference. I hope that anyone who reads them will love them, too.