This week, we ask author and paranormal investigator Linda Godfrey ("Beast of Bray Road", "Hunting the American Werewolf", "Weird Wisconsin", "The Michigan Dogman; Werewolves and Other Unknown Canines Across the USA") 13 Questions about ghosts, leprechauns, manbats and the disturbing new dogman sightings being reported in the midwest.

1.  You’ve written about all kinds of creepy cryptids, including goat men, lizard men, bearwolves, manbats, and of course, "The Beast of Bray Road"--a story you broke in the early ‘90s. Which of these “upright furries” do you find most interesting and which ones just downright scare the hell out of you?

The unknown, upright canids command most of my attention but I find the manbat scariest and most mysterious because it is sky-borne and seems to have connections to tragic events. There are many parallels to W. VA's Mothman, and it is a dead ringer for the ancient Sumerian deity Pazuzu. Lots to chew on there! Also it seems there are more sightings around the Americas lately.

2.  What’s the difference between the Michigan Dogman and Wisconsin’s “Beast of Bray Road?” Same creature, different state, or are there distinct differences?

Absolutely the same creature, as are the majority of the many sightings I've documented across the US. I just received a very recent sighting from Oroville, CA, which could have come straight off Bray Road in terms of creature description and behavior.

3.  In your opinion, are these things real, physical beasts, or are they some type of interdimensional creature?

They appear corporeal to the great majority of witnesses, have been observed carrying and/or eating animal prey and leave footprints. Area Native American elders I have interviewed tell me they are spirit animals that travel between worlds (dimensions?) and when they are here they are entirely physical but can return to the spirit world when they desire. That would explain a lot.

4.  Some researchers believe that bigfoot is an interdimensional being. That’s why, they argue, it can never be caught. Do you think one of these manwolves/dogmen will ever be caught?

I am beginning to doubt it. However, I have often noted that these creatures are usually described as resembling a huge timber wolf or wolf/dog hybrid, so that -- unlike Bigfoot -- if one was found dead, it would probably just appear to be a large dead canine.

5.  Any recent Bray Road beast sightings or Michigan dogman sightings you can share with us?

In mid-October, 2010, four people saw two upright wolf-like creatures on Bray Road on a very well-lighted evening; first the creatures ran across the road and within seconds were seen standing in the middle of a muddy, recently rain-soaked field. Their ears, muzzles and canid legs were clearly observed. As soon as the witness stopped their car and rolled down their windows, both canines swiveled their heads toward the witnesses and then dropped to all fours and ran off. There were 6 people in the car but 2 in the back seat couldn't see over the others.

Most of the recent Michigan dogman activity has occurred around the Manistee National Forest, which encompasses a huge part of the western Lower Peninsula.

6.  Now that Bray Road has become (in)famous, do you fear that many new sightings are hoaxes or pranks?

I am always aware that hoaxers are out there. Certainly there have been pranks on Bray Road and I know of a handful, but interestingly none of them correlate with reported sightings.

7.  Are there any reports of these things physically attacking people?

Only one that has come directly to me, and that was from a  man hiking alone in Quebec Province whose hip was cut by an upright canine's fang as it lunged at him and then ran off. Other witnesses feel menaced and even stalked but the creature always turns away and escapes before hurting anyone.

8.  We’ve recently heard a report that someone witnessed a dogman creature feasting on, what appeared to be, a human torso. What can you tell us about this?

Actually there were three creatures, extremely large, dark-furred canids, fighting in the middle of the road over what seemed to the witnesses, a man and woman now a married couple, the torn pink flesh of a human torso. They were so traumatized they never told anyone and it still upsets them. That doesn't mean the creatures killed a human; they could have found a body. Or it could have been part of a skinned deer.

9.  Changing gears a bit, you wrote a book called “Haunted Wisconsin.” What’s your favorite story from that book and why?

Probably the haunted Milwaukee Public Museum because the ghost is that of a fairly recent deceased: a flamboyant, caped museum director who was killed in a 1969 car crash near the museum and who now haunts the shrunken heads section. (He loved anthropology) It has a historic museum, an eccentric ghost and shrunken heads -- what's not to love?

10.  Have you ever gone on a ghost hunt?

I don't do organized ghost hunts but I have explored many places said to be haunted in doing research for Weird Wisconsin, Weird Michigan, Strange Wisconsin, Haunted Wisconsin and Strange Michigan. I saw apparitions in two of the sites and experienced audible voice phenomena and unexplained candle wax over my camera's viewfinder in another (Michigan's Fenton Hotel).

11.  St. Patty’s Day is coming up. Do you ever receive reports about elves, gnomes or leprechaun sightings?

Yes, I do. In my book "Monsters of Wisconsin" coming out in July, I recount several stories of little green man sightings, and in Strange Wisconsin there is a story of two young children who often saw what sounded just like a leprechaun dancing on the table of a haunted farmhouse near East Troy.

12.  What other paranormal subjects fascinate you?

I have been interested in the UFO phenomenon since childhood, and have also been trying to figure out what ghosts are since then. I am pretty careful about staying away from the darker side of things, however.

13.  Any new books or new paranormal projects in the works?

My most recent book, "The Michigan Dogman: Werewolves and Other Unknown Canines Across the USA"   is packed with otherwise unpublished sightings from coast to coast, as well as new theories and connections to things such as England's Black Phantom Dogs. As I mentioned, "Monsters of Wisconsin" is due out in July from Stackpole Books and is a very good rundown on everything from the more familiar Bigfoot and manwolf sightings to dragons, huge birds, lake monsters, little people and more. For some reason, Wisconsin is a creature-rich microcosm of the larger world of mysterious beasts. I am currently at work on yet another upright canine book for Tarcher/Penguin that I hope will be a definitive look at major sightings to date and best theories and speculation on this terrifying and elusive creature. Slated for 2012.

You can follow Linda at the links below - especially Twitter for the latest dogman sightings.

http://twitter.com/lindasgodfrey

http://www.beastofbrayroad.com

http://www.weirdmichigan.com

http://blogs.myspace.com/lindagodfrey

http://lindagodfrey.wordpress.com

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