From controversial cryptozoologist and explorer Dr. Veronica Wigberht-Blackwater, The Compendium of Magical Beasts is a definitive field guide that explores the history, biology, and anatomy of mythological creatures. Approaching the fantastic with a scientific eye, Dr. Wigberht-Blackwater explains the history, habits, and biology of each creature's existence with equal attention to detail. Her research is accompanied by stunning scientific illustrations of each specimen's anatomy, providing a comprehensive view of creatures most often dismissed as pure fantasy. Combining biological fact with folklore, cultural studies, and history, this volume is crucial to science both fringe and mainstream. Locked in a dusty attic for almost a century, Dr. Wigberht-Blackwater's trailblazing work was recently discovered by writer Melissa Brinks, who spent months transcribing the journals she found. Brinks joined forces with artist Lily Seika Jones to digitize the doctor's amazingly detailed anatomical diagrams in order to share these revolutionary findings with the world for the first time. The Mermaid, Unicorn, Wild Man, Gnome, Werewolf, Troll, Fairy, Jackalope, Winged Horse, Centaur, Minotaur, Vampire, Dragon, Sea Monsters/Loch Ness/Kraken, Goblin, Sphinx, Phoenix, Harpy, Cyclops, Banshee, Incubus/Succubus, Nymph, Ghoul, Selkie, Kelpie
Author
Melissa Brinks is a freelance writer, editor, and podcaster. Melissa graduated in 2014 from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in English with a creative writing emphasis, having spent several years editing and writing for newspapers and a literary journal. Since graduation, she has pursued writing as a career and has published many articles for a variety of entertainment sites, including Game Rant and Women Write About Comics. Raised on a rich diet of fantasy novels and pop music, Melissa developed an early taste for the intersection of magic and modern society. Finding the lack and/or mistreatment of female characters in her favorite novels distasteful, she took to writing her own, kicking off a lifelong love of writing women slaying dragons, overcoming obstacles, and losing their cups of tea to misplaced curses. Melissa’s short story, “Damn It,” was published in Vibrations, Everett Community College’s arts and literature magazine, and can be found here. Her poem, “Cecaelia,” can be found in issue ten of AU, the University of Washington’s speculative fiction magazine. She currently co-edits the Women Write About Comics game section, co-hosts a podcast about geeky stuff and intersectional feminism, and tweets about cats and Sailor Moon.
