So yesterday, my neighbor Earl was jawing about how his coonhound started howling like crazy near the holler. Got me thinking ’bout all them spooky Appalachian tales Grandma used to tell. Grabbed my notebook and dug right in.
Gettin’ Started
First I raided Grandpa’s old bookshelf – dust flew everywhere when I pulled out that 1978 Appalachia folklore book. Pages smelled like wet leaves and tobacco. Couldn’t trust just one source though, so I called up Aunt Mabel down in Pigeon Forge. Her voice crackled over the phone: “Don’t you go writin’ ’bout the Moon-Eyed People without mentionin’ the Cherokee side!”
The Research Grind
Took three pots of coffee and half a blueberry pie to sort through all them stories. Made a mess on the kitchen table:
- Highlighted passages in yellow marker till my fingers stained
- Drew doodles of critters in the margins
- Crossed out entries that felt too fake – sorry Jersey Devil, you ain’t mountain-born
My terrier Rufus kept whining when I read aloud about skinwalkers. Smart dog.
Picking the Top 5
Finally settled on these spine-tinglers based on how often locals brought ’em up:
#5 Mothman: Nearly left this out ’cause West Virginia folks get real testy ’bout him bein’ “theirs”. But Aunt Mabel swore she saw red eyes near Clingman’s Dome in ’73.
#4 The Bell Witch: Had to include this Tennessee nightmare fuel. That cave story? Still makes me triple-check my cellar door’s locked.
#3 Flatwoods Monster: Almost cut it for bein’ too UFO-ish… till I found five separate accounts from coal miners in the 50s.
#2 Wendigo: Grandpa’s journal had that bone-chilling detail – it smells like rotten meat and snow before it attacks. Shivered right there at the kitchen table.
#1 Skinwalkers: This one wins ’cause Rufus growled low every dang time I said the word aloud. Smart dog indeed.
Wrappin’ It Up
My porch light started flickering halfway through writing – probably just bad wiring. Probably. Still slept with Grandma’s iron horseshoe under my pillow last night. Appalachian tales stick with you like burrs on wool socks.
