JOHN KEEL NOT AN AUTHORITY ON ANYTHING

The Mothman Prophecies was dedicated “To Mary Hyre and the People of West Virginia.”  Here’s an earlier, longer draft (back when the working title was still The Year of the Garuda).

On a starlit hilltop in West Virginia Mary Hyre asked: “What does it all mean?  What could I write about it?”  “It’s too soon to write about it,” I replied.  “Nobody would believe you anyway.”  “Well, maybe someday we’ll know.  And maybe someday somebody will be ready to believe it.”

For Mary Hyre, who asked many of the questions in this book but left us before we had the answers.

John described his agent, Knox Burger, as “the Maxwell Perkins of the era.”  Here’s a letter from Burger, from April 23, 1974, discussing initial reactions to The Mothman Prophecies, and the possibility of spinning off the material on phone troubles into another book.

Dear John,

Sopkin called to say he’s not finished with the book yet, feels it may be too long and discursive, but he likes it very much.  I told him to finish it up and send money.

Cheers, Knox

P.S. I liked it too, and suspect the phone stuff near the end may be a whole ‘nother book.  I dunno.  I see what you mean about needing more time to document all the odd happenings.  I’d have liked some more expertise on how individuals can cut in on phones, more first-hand accounts of oddball phone experiences — but we can’t have everything.

It’s a good job.

Best, Knox

Tor Books published a new edition of The Mothman Prophecies to tie in with the movie.  Unfortunately, since they usually publish fiction, they put their standard disclaimer on the copyright page.  John’s agent, Knox Burger, raised hell, and it was pasted over; in later editions it was removed.  The last thing you need when you’re promoting a non-fiction book is a typo in the front claiming it’s not true…

In 1945, Governor Thomas Dewey visited John Keel’s home town, Perry, NY.  John scooped the Perry Herald, earning him a mention in it.

Of course, John had to cover the coverage in The Jester as well.

And, finally, here are John’s private thoughts on the incident.

Richard Toronto published a fascinating magazine called Shavertron, devoted to Richard Shaver.  In the 22nd issue, March 1985, he interviewed John Keel.  Richard has graciously given his permission to post that interview here.  I urge you to visit his online version, www.shavertron.com.  And I urge him to finish that book he’s writing about Shaver and his editor, Ray Palmer, so I can read it.

The interview is a particularly interesting one, since 1985 was a difficult time for John.  UFO and fortean books were not selling, and he was trying to recast himself as a playwright and novelist.  This is also the only interview I’ve seen in which he talks about his mail-order projects.

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John was a lifelong magic buff.  As he used to put it, “Magic is my thing!”  Anthony Matt and I have restored an 8mm reel of him performing some sleight of hand for the camera; it probably dates from the mid-60s.  You can see it here!

On the Upper West Side, NYC, sometime in the ’90s.

Sometime in the ’90s.

This bio probably dates from 1956; Pattern for Adventure was the working title for Jadoo.

John often reminisced about the Halloween broadcast from Frankenstein’s Castle that he did for the American Forces Network.  One of his collaborators, William Wolff, wrote a charming memoir for the November-December 1966 issue of New Age World.

It’s rather long, so I’ve posted it off the front page.  Please click to read it…

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