SMFS list member David Goudsward’s book, Sun, Sand, and Sea Serpents was published last March by Anomalist Books. Available in both print and digital formats, the read is available from Amazon and other vendors. An excerpt from the book is available in the September 2020 issue of Fortean Times.
Synopsis:
Ever
since Columbus spotted mermaids, sea monsters, and mystery lizards in the New
World, sightings of a diverse array of marine cryptids have continued unabated
in the waters of Florida, the Southeastern coast, and the Caribbean. Dinosaurs,
mermaids, and sea serpents in a range of colors and lengths, along with monster
sharks, mystery seals, and giant penguins, all seem to have made the
tourist-friendly waters of the region their home. In Florida, it became a
running joke that the tourist season officially started when the first sea
serpent report appeared in the newspapers.
What's
behind all the reports? Hoaxes? Some certainly are. Yellow journalism? Yes,
sometimes. Misidentifications? It's pretty common. A way to drum up business?
Shocking, but true. But in that mix, there are probably some
unidentified animals as well. David Goudsward digs up the original sources and
interviews to sort fact from fiction, and tells some fascinating stories along
the way.
