Mostly this is just an excuse to re-upload some early lattean art. I think I’ve gotten a lot better at it. How are your holidays going?

It’s time for the continued interview with a retired ranger. (my dad.) My poor transcriptions of some of his favorite stories to tell. He has so many! I tried to get as many as I could fit in one day of talking to him. Also, the true story behind this picture!

The recent holiday and a trip to Mammoth Cave got me thinking, “How did the members of JRIC spend their holiday after the events of The Specters of Mammoth Cave?” So here is the answer to that question

Come for the pictures of the dogs and pumpkins, stick around to read up on JRIC Holiday goofs. 2 mysteries solved, 1 life saved, and an allusion to the Big Mystery!

With the holiday season I thought I would interview a retired ranger about his park service career. Fortunately, one- my dad-, was on hand to answer questions. Here is part 1 of the interview. Also read to the end to find a link to a bookshop you can use to find books from talented authors and artists. (Including mine.)

Party On!

One of these Jack’o’Lanterns is Tazo, from Coffee Chronicles. I thought I’d gotten a tall enough pumpkin to do him justice. I’ve always been partial to more rounded pumpkins. Possibly because of the kids book The Big Pumpkin. (Highly recommended!) Anyway, this is a continuation of the ghost story I started last week. It’s a Specter Detector Story which takes place right before the events of The Specters of Mammoth Cave. Is it required reading? No. I just wanted to share a ghost story. Enjoy!

What were the Specter Detectors up to in the days before the Investigation in Mammoth Cave National Park? Here’s a glimpse into their world.

Oops! I meant to have this out on Halloween. Instead I’m 5 days late. Take this Tazo jack’o’lantern as an apology and reminder. Who is Tazo? Also, check out Coffee Chronicles, which is its own spook story, a series for all seasons. (as I seem to be running late!)

This week I share 2 anecdotes from my dad’s days of cave exploring, and what I find scary about caves, the things beyond the shadows which are not so ghostly.

Surprisingly, I am not the first person to write a book about Mammoth Cave. (I jest, it’s in my imprint name.) I happened to have read a few of these other books.

In addition, The Specters of Mammoth Cave, is a fictional story set in a real place, meaning I could only cram in so much of the actual factual history, nature, and lore of the park.

Thus I would like to give my recommendation for further reading about Mammoth Cave, be it an interest in ghosts, history, geology or more here are a few of my top rec’s for books about the park.

More time making goofy sketches today, less time writing. So this is a really short blog, which is actually more to plug last week’s entry. Need a recommendation for spooky places to look in Kentucky this Halloween season, check out both entries in my Touring Mammoth Cave duology! But stop here first to see lattean antics! Fun things coming soon!

The Specters of Mammoth Cave is out now! Links are spread around the website! This week, after the release, I thought it would be fun to see what kind of spooky places the members of J.R.I.C. would recommend to aspiring Specter Detectors.

The Specters of Mammoth Cave is Out Now!!!!

Ask for it in your local bookstore, or in Mammoth Cave, or read the links in this blog or elsewhere on the website!!!

Ahhhh!!! I’m so excited to share this spooky mystery with everyone!

Recently, Dad and I had an opportunity to travel to the Dry Tortugas! I just wanted to share a bit about that trip… Look what’s on the bookshelves!!!!

There are tons of spectacular places to see in Mammoth Cave National Park. Since The Specters of Mammoth Cave is coming out next week, I thought it might help you get to know the kids, by taking a tour of some of their favorite places in the park. Here are 9 (well, actually 12 and a half of the the places and activities most recommended by the Junior Rangers Investigative Club!

The Specters are comming to Mammoth Cave!

Or Rather, The Specters of Mammoth Cave is coming soon.

This week, I could have gone for a serious article, but I’d rather just share my hype for the near-arrival of the 2nd book in the Junior Rangers Investigative Club Novels series.

Let’s continue talking about The Specters of Mammoth Cave. This week I wanted to explain the origin of the ghostly tour I took you on in the last blog, and talk about some of the most prominent ghostly tales I have heard from rangers and others about Mammoth Cave. I am no expert on this topic, and will be releasing a suggested reading list next week if you want a more robust collection of the ghostly tales from Mammoth Cave.

This week is a narrative tale of a trip taken into the depths of Mammoth Cave. What specters may be encountered down there? Find out!

Also look out for the spooky adventures of The Junior Rangers Investigative Club and their hunt for The Specters of Mammoth Cave Available September 14th, 2023!

There are many haunting stories from Mammoth Cave.

Not all of them come from beneath the ground. Here are a few about the surface of the famous and fascinating park. Locations to be featured in The Specters of Mammoth Cave, and to be visited on your own!

It’s official!!! Treasure off the Coast has hit park book stores in Dry Tortugas National Park and the Ernest F. Coe visitor center in the Everglades! Now’s your chance to recreate this photo today, while supporting the park when you buy a copy!

There are a few other announcements in this blog too. Including a long running series of mine finally wrapping up, as referenced in the title.

One things parks do well, is preserve stories, and provide places for more stories to be made. Which is nice. A brief story about someone else’s adventure in Mammoth Cave.

Oops! I forgot to add pictures to this initial article. What is this? Words?

Links to more respectable websites with better information?

Don’t worry, the pictures are there now. Do you know this cave?