The Paranorm Girl

Appalachian folklore is crowded with things that aren’t what they appear to be.
In today’s episode, we begin our exploration of Beasts of the Backwoods with a peek into Appalachian shapeshifters—entities that wear faces, borrow voices, and can dangerously blur the line between the familiar and the not quite right. From Native legends like Spearfinger and the Raven Mocker, to European doppelgängers, changelings and Werewolves, to African trickster archetypes — a pattern begins to emerge across culture, place and time.
At the center of it all is a modern name for an ancient behavior: the Mimic.
Rather than attacking outright, this entity is said to patiently wait, diligently observe—biding it’s time learning voices, mannerisms, and relationships in order to imitate something it has never been. Human. It hides in plain sight. Presenting something familiar. And we will only know it by the sinking discomfort in our belly. And the things it couldn’t get right. 
Whoever said imitation was the best form of flattery — obviously never considered the Mimic.
While this episode isn’t about jump scares or campfire tales—my hope is that listeners walk away feeling simultaneously creeped, yet intrigued enough to ask new questions. Why does the idea of imitation unsettle us so? Why does the concept of imposter show up across the world, in differing folklores and throughout time? Why are we equipped with the strangely specific intuitive Uncanny Valley Response, causing us to fear things that appear human, when they in fact, are not? 
🎧 Stay safe. Keep the nightlight on. And sleep with one eye open.

#Appalachia #mimic #werewolf #dogman #entity #folklore #ravenmocker #spearfinger #paranormal #uncannyvalley

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SOURCES: 
The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees by James Mooney: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/24788/24788-h/24788-h.htm 
The Raven Mocker; Sacred Texts: https://sacred-texts.com/nam/cher/motc/motc120.htm
Raven Mocker: The Life Stealer: https://mythlok.com/raven-mocker/
Myths of the Cherokee: https://archive.org/details/cu31924104080076/page/n445/mode/2up
Raven Mocker; Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raven_Mocker
The Cryptid that Eats Hearts; The Raven Mocker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2KNnSqCh0k
Appalachian Folklore Unveiled by Darkness Prevails: https://www.scribd.com/document/869193752/OceanofPDF-com-Appalachian-Folklore-Unveiled-Darkness-Prevails#page=1
Boo Hag: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boo_hag
The Story of the Wampus Cat: https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2017/10/story-of-wampus-cat.html 
Recent Report of Werewolves (North Carolina): https://www.facebook.com/werewolflegends/posts/there-was-a-recent-report-of-werewolves-in-north-carolina-between-hayesville-and/953922769759275/
The Legend of the Pettigrew State Park Werewolf: https://lilysloreandlegends.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-legend-of-pettigrew-werewolf.html
Dogman Encounters: https://dogmanencounters.com/encounters-sightings/
Wolf Woman of Mobile: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/8hrvxf/cryptid_1970s_wolf_woman_of_mobile_alabama/
Anderson County Werewolf of 1945 Remains Mystery: https://www.andersonobserver.com/news/anderson-werewolf-of-1945-remains-mystery-3
The Story of the Georgia Werewolf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptdq7FNDp0w
North American Dogman Project: https://northamericandogmanproject.com/nadp-members
The Appalachian Mimic; When the Mountains Speak in Familiar Voices by Bee Williams: https://www.traditionallegends.com/post/the-appalachian-mimic-when-the-mountains-speak-in-familiar-voices

Direct Link to be notified of upcoming Livestream on Beer, Boos & Boogeymen: 
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Next Airing: March 5, 2026 | 5pm PST/7pm CST
Topic: Stranger Danger | Creepiest Stranger Encounters

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“Don’t whistle at night.”
“If you hear your name from the woods — no you didn’t.”
“Don’t look in the trees.”
Today we explore the “Rules of Appalachia” — modern warnings that have captured the internet’s imagination — additionally, we’ll learn some traditional Appalachian superstitions for luck, love and money — ways and wards to protect against curses, hexes, haints and… the evil eye… along with beliefs surrounding brooms, horseshoes, weather signs and …excessive admiration???

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SOURCES: 
Appalachian Superstitions and Wives-Tales: https://holystonesandironbones.com/2018/01/02/appalachian-superstitions-and-wives-tales/ 
Appalachian Superstitions and Wives-Tales II: https://holystonesandironbones.com/2018/01/10/appalachian-superstitions-and-wives-tales-ii/ 
Appalachian Superstitions: A Journey into the Mystical Beliefs of the Mountains: https://appalachianmemories.org/2024/12/03/appalachian-superstitions-a-journey-into-the-mystical-beliefs-of-the-mountains/ 
Never Say “Pig” on a Boat – Appalachia’s Superstitions and Old Wives’ Tales: https://www.appalachiabare.com/never-say-pig-on-a-boat-appalachias-superstitions-and-old-wives-tales/ 
Folklore Files: The Appalachian Rules: https://paranormalcasefiles.com/p/folklore-files-the-appalachian-rules 
The Evil Eye in Appalachia: https://holystonesandironbones.com/2018/02/10/the-evil-eye-in-appalachia/ 
Whistling at Night: https://folklore.usc.edu/whistling-at-night-2/ 
Powwowing in PA: https://www.scribd.com/document/790868511/Powwowing-in-PA?v=0.906 
Backwoods Witchcraft: https://www.everand.com/read/406077222/Backwoods-Witchcraft-Conjure-Folk-Magic-from-Appalachia 
Witches, ghosts, and signs : folklore of the Southern Appalachians: https://archive.org/details/witchesghostssig0000unse 
The Enchanted Hills: Superstitions of Appalachia Examining the Line Between Belief and Folklore in the Mountain Region: https://appalachianmemories.org/2025/06/06/the-enchanted-hills-superstitions-of-appalachia-examining-the-line-between-belief-and-folklore-in-the-mountain-region/ 
Don’t Look at the Trees- The Unspoken Rules of Appalachia: https://appalachianmemories.org/2025/02/17/dont-look-at-the-trees-the-unspoken-rules-of-appalachia/ 

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Next Airing: TBA 2026 | 5pm PST/7pm CST
Topic: TBA

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Death in Appalachia wasn’t distant, sanitized, or hidden away. It was intimate, communal, and deeply ritualized. Families washed and dressed their dead, kept vigil through the night, watched for omens, and followed tradition meant to protect both the living and the departed.
In this episode of The Paranorm Girl Podcast, we explore Appalachian death culture and the beliefs, omens and rituals that shaped it — from sin eaters to death omens, black dogs, death doors, and funeral customs that took place inside of Appalachian’s homes.
We’ll examine:
The practice of Sin Eating in Appalachia and the Ozarks
Why mirrors were covered, clocks stopped, and bodies never left alone
Death omens like black dogs, birds, and innocent signs of approaching loss
A strange connection between Appalachian death beliefs and Eastern European vampire lore
Why death doors existed — and whom they protected
How Appalachian home funerals persisted before modern funerary practices changed folk’s relationship with death
Death in the backwoods was a familiar face. One, which could be anticipated — its approach, recognizable by the signs. And if those failed, it was an inevitability treated with respect, reverence and care. A threshold upon which many worlds met — where communities gathered to participate in a final act of love before sending someone out their Death Door into the hereafter. 

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SOURCES: 
Backwoods Witchcraft: https://www.everand.com/read/406077222/Backwoods-Witchcraft-Conjure-Folk-Magic-from-Appalachia
Witches, Ghosts and Signs by Patrick Gainer: https://archive.org/details/witchesghostssig0000unse/page/140/mode/2up 
Death Superstitions and Traditions in Appalachia: https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/death-superstitions-and-traditions-in-appalachia/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
An Old Time Appalachian Burial: https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2023/07/an-old-time-appalachian-burial.html 
Foxfire 2; “Old Time Burials”: https://theswissbay.ch/pdf/Books/Survival/Farming, Animalraising,Homesteading/foxfirebooks/Foxfire-Book-2.pdf 
Death, Dying and Funeral Customs in Appalachia: https://shepherdcomm.wordpress.com/2022/04/26/death-dying-and-funeral-customs-in-appalachia/ 
Local Legends: Appalachian Death Rituals: https://highlandecho.com/local-legends-appalachian-death-rituals/  
Sitting up with the Dead; a Cherished Appalachian Tradition: https://appalachianmemories.org/2024/12/12/sitting-up-with-the-dead-a-cherished-appalachian-tradition/ 
The Death Culture of Southern Appalachia: https://soar.wichita.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/87c8f977-2543-404b-9a16-83dcd2c2a049/content  
Folklore and folk stories of Wales: https://archive.org/details/afl2317.0001.001.umich.edu/page/48/mode/1up 
Haunted Kentucky Facebook (Hellhound) Story: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hauntedhistoryofkentucky/posts/4170558262990045/  
The Demon Dog Of Valle Crucis, North Carolina; Legends & Folklore of Appalachia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7lr76if7f8&t=68s
Demon dog of Valle Crucis: https://northcarolinaghosts.com/mountains/the-demon-dog-of-valle-crucis/
Reddit encounter story part 1 and 2 with the Demon Dog of Valle Crucis in Modern times: https://www.reddit.com/r/BackwoodsCreepy/comments/9rx8te/the_demon_dog_of_valle_crucis_pt_1/   |   https://www.reddit.com/r/BackwoodsCreepy/comments/9shysd/the_demon_dog_of_valle_crucis_pt_2/ 

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Next Airing: TBA 2026 | 5pm PST/7pm CST
Topic: TBA

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In this replay of my recent livestream, we’re diving fang-first into the surprising, sometimes shocking truth behind vampire lore with author and folklorist A.P. Sylvia. If you think you know vampires—think again.
A.P., author of Vampires of Lore: Traits and Modern Misconceptions, joins me to break down what real vampires looked like long before Hollywood turned them into seductive creatures of the night. 
We explore:
• Why classic traits like fangs, invitations indoors, and neck bites aren’t part of historical lore
• How fear, disease, and cultural anxiety shaped vampire myths across Europe, New England, and beyond
• Wild-but-true historical vampire cases, including the infamous Mercy Brown incident
• Global variations of vampiric entities and superstition—from Eastern Europe to Asia to Appalachia
• How modern portrayals reflect fears about mortality, aging and identity

If you're fascinated by vampires, folklore and history, come lurk with us at the edge of myth vs reality.

Learn about my guest:
Vampires of Lore: Traits and Modern Misconceptions: https://schifferbooks.com/products/vampires-of-lore?srsltid=AfmBOoqrm9GowJrvmc3IA841OSPlgPca0otyd95MfgDH6DMXu2bz6j24 
Website: LocationsOfLore.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apsylviawrites/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apsylvia
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/locationsoflore.com
Twitter: https://x.com/APSylviaWrites 

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Next Airing: TBA | 5pm PST/7pm CST
Topic: Digital Hauntings and Phenomena

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Magic wasn’t a myth in early Appalachia—it was a way of life. In this episode, we uncover the powerful traditions that shaped Appalachian folk healing: Powwowing from the Pennsylvania Dutch, Hoodoo from African and Native lineages, and the homegrown mountain conjure known as Granny Magic. From wart cures and blood-charming rituals to herbal remedies, Bible-based spellwork, and the supernatural forces believed to influence daily life, we explore how faith, folklore, and necessity created one of America’s most fascinating magical systems.
Discover how these practices blended cultures, helped isolated communities survive, and left behind a legacy of superstition, ritual, and old-world wisdom that still echoes through the mountains today.
✨ Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoy the show!
🔮 Stay safe. Keep the nightlight on. And sleep with one eye open.
#SpookyAppalachia #FolkMagic #GrannyWitch 

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SOURCES: 
Backwoods Witchcraft by Jake Richards: https://www.everand.com/read/406077222/Backwoods-Witchcraft-Conjure-Folk-Magic-from-Appalachia
Powwowing in Pennsylvania: https://www.scribd.com/document/790868511/Powwowing-in-PA?v=0.906
Your PA Dutch Minute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D4AMQISqzI 
The Long Lost Friend by John George Hohman (Johann Georg Hohman): https://archive.org/details/b33030467/page/40/mode/2up
The Akashic Garden Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAkashicGarden
Hoodoo for Beginners by History Brought Alive: https://www.everand.com/read/625759363/Hoodoo-for-Beginners-Connect-To-The-Ancient-Spirit-World-of-Africa-Manifest-Success-With-Spells-Root-Magic-Conjuring-Herbs-Traditions-History  
Mojo Workin The Old African American Hoodoo System: https://www.scribd.com/document/672979967/Mojo-Workin-the-Old-African-American-Hoodoo-System-pdf-Versao-1
Granny’s Secret Conjury: https://www.scribd.com/document/711442215/Granny-Conjure
The Roots of healing; Archaeological and Historical Investigations of African-American herbal Medicine: https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=6256&context=utk_graddiss
Mountain Conjure and Southern Root Work: https://www.everand.com/read/582644442/Mountain-Conjure-and-Southern-Root-Work#u_search-menu_12730
Appalachian Mimic TikTok @Morgshauntings: https://www.tiktok.com/@morgshauntings/video/7566759213783993631?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7145241069697254958 

Direct Link to be notified of upcoming Livestream on Beer, Boos & Boogeymen: 
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Next Airing: Dec. 4, 2025 | 5pm PST/7pm CST
Topic: The Most Ridiculous Way You’ve Been Injured

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