Williamson, WV resident writes book on UFOs

by Paige Lavender
Charleston Daily Mail staff

WILLIAMSON, W.Va. -- Kyle Lovern of Williamson is no stranger to Unidentified Flying Objects.

Lovern, author of "Appalachian Case Study: UFO Sightings, Alien Encounters and Unexplained Phenomena," said he spotted his first alien spacecraft when he was just eight years old.

"I actually had a sighting with my family," he said. "We were sitting on the front porch in the summertime, and my father, mother, older sister and I saw three UFOs coming from the South."

The objects, which Lovern said "just sat there and hovered over a mountain at treetop level," sparked an interest that led him to attend conventions and conduct research on UFO sightings throughout the Appalachian area.

"It just fascinated me, and it really piqued my interest in UFOs," he said. "When I was younger, I read books in the school library and wherever else I could find them."

Lovern, 52, said it was at first hard to find information on UFOs. He thinks people were hesitant to learn about aliens in the past because of violent depictions of Martian invasions, citing the one in the 1939 radio adaptation of H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds."

"I do think there's a government cover-up," he said. "I think they know more than they let on, but I can understand that because in the 40s, 50s and 60s people would have panicked."

Lovern credits modern books and TV shows like the History Channel's "UFO Hunters" for helping make the subject of UFOs less taboo in recent years.

"I think the times have changed," he said. "People are accepting it more, and it's a popular subject."

- Published on Thursday July 2, 2009, Charleston Daily Mail.