Lake monster

A lake monster (or, in Scotland, loch monster) is a variety of freshwater-dwelling megafauna that has been claimed to exist by eyewitnesses, and which sometimes appears in mythology, rumor, or local folklore, but whose existence is not currently substantiated by clear physical evidence. Lake monsters are cryptids (animals whose existence has been proposed based on eyewitness testimony, but has yet to be confirmed). A very well-known example is the Loch Ness Monster. Lake monsters' depictions are often similar to some sea monsters. They are principally the subject of investigations by followers of the study of cryptozoology and folklore.

Explanations

Many skeptics consider lake monsters to be purely exaggerations or misinterpretations of known and natural phenomena, or else fabrications and hoaxes. Most lake monsters have left no evidence of their existence besides alleged sightings and controversial photographs, and a large portion are therefore generally believed not to exist by conventional zoologists and allied scientists. Misidentified sightings of seals, otters, deer, diving water birds, large fish such as giant sturgeons or wels catfish, logs, mirages, seiches, light distortion, crossing boat wakes, or unusual wave patterns have all been proposed to explain specific reports. Social scientists add that descriptions of these creatures vary over time with the values and mood of the local cultures, following the pattern of folk beliefs and not what would be expected if the reports were of actual encounters with real animals.

Dark Twilight

Dark Twilight (recently re-released in 2001 by Hardscrabble Books under its original title of Lake Monsters) is a 1991 horror novel by author Joseph Citro. It tells the story of a writer-turned-paranormal investigator who has set out to examine the legendary lake monster of Lake Champlain.

This was the first novel Citro wrote, but was not published until his later novels proved to be successful. In the afterward section of the Harscrabble re-release, Citro describes the book as being less refined and cruder than his subsequent works, but sees it as the genesis of his other novels. Like all of his works, Dark Twilight is heavily influenced by Vermont folklore, and also by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. The main character is at partially modeled after Citro himself.

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