Guide to Cryptids. Structure and Logic

Structure and logic of this book are pretty straightforward – and exactly what they should be for The Definitive Guide… to anything. My background in in investment banking (corporate finance), this is non-fiction… so I’ll start with Executive Summary (another unique and decisive advantage of my book).

The book proper will consist of ten chapters. The first chapter will cover the very basics of cryptozoology. First, I will list and define four types of cryptids, seven categories of cryptids and five kinds of cryptozoology.

Then I will cover five kinds of cryptozoology (yes, there are five – not one):  first Scientific Cryptozoology; then Cryptozoology as Mythology (these two are the best known – but not the only ones); Occult Cryptozoology and Cryptozoology of Ultraterrestrial Beings based on Interdimensional Cryptid Hypothesis. And then the last one (which only pretends to be cryptozoology): Cryptozoology Industry.

In the next two sections, I will cover two important topics: cryptozoology infrastructure (these days, it is quite extensive) and brief history of cryptozoology. After that, I will present the most important (and practical) part of this guide: How to Investigate Cryptid Cases the right way (alas, very few cryptozoologists do).

This mini-guide will be followed by two critically important issues in cryptozoology – the concept of Minimum Viable Population (surprisingly, very few cryptozoology books even mention it) and the issue of timing of cryptid sightings.

The second chapter will be devoted to top five cryptids (in my not-so-humble opinion). Loch Ness Monster, Chupacabra, Mothman of Point Pleasant, Jersey Devil and Megalodon. The reason for choosing these five is obvious: they’ve been promoted by the most popular movies and TV episodes that feature cryptids. Promoted so successfully that they became household names.

The next seven chapters will cover seven categories of cryptids. Ex-Cryptids (recently discovered animals that were cryptids for decades and even centuries); Credible (cryptids that are likely to be discovered in flesh and blood); Living fossils and other extinct animals (yes, they are really extinct); Not in Flesh and Blood (self-explanatory), Wild Men (these deserve their own category); Demonic (demons in animal form – yes, these do exist) and, finally, purely mythological animals (werewolves, mermaids and the like).

The ninth chapter is devoted to Special Cases (the most important being the Beast of Gevaudan) and will be followed by Conclusions, Appendices and Bibliography.