Anubis Press and author Jim Towns have released a chapter of Towns’ new book, American Cryptic- True Stories of the Strange and Uncanny for free online in hopes of helping cure pandemic boredom. This one’s sure to be a hit with fans of the real-life supernatural: American Cryptic is an open-minded cynic’s take on the uncanny and sometimes frightening things that border our accepted reality. Through thirteen stories and essays, author and filmmaker Jim Towns examines several legends native to his own roots in Western Pennsylvania, and recalls some of his own unexplainable experiences as well. From folk tales of Native American giants buried under great earth mounds, to a haunted asylum, to a phantom trolley passenger, this work seeks not only to present the reader with new and fascinating supernatural tales but also to deconstruct why our culture is so fascinated by their telling and re-telling.

The released chapter is called The Six-Toed Man, and it sounds like a compelling blend of local history and a traditional campfire boogeyman. From Towns: “The Six-toed Man was a ghost story my friends and I were told as kids, that would scare us out of our wits on campouts. But the real story behind the legend is far more horrifying. It’s a story of racism, emancipation, betrayal and murder. It’s also about the bias with which we view those born different from us, and our culture’s pernicious habit of dehumanizing those who don’t fit in.” The author’s dissection of the paranormal seems timely and deeply analytical. If a deep dive into what makes supernatural storytelling tick and why it fascinates us suits you, why not take a few minutes and read the released sample here?

American Cryptic- True Stories of the Strange and Uncanny is available now on Kindle and in paperback!