The Arassas...the...the...oh forget it...

QUICK FACTS
Name: The Arassas
Origin: French folklore.
Type: dragon (hybrid reptile / feline)
Danger Factor: HIGH

Imagine an cave dwelling animal... part cat, part lizard, of medium size.
I've lost you already haven't I?
Meet the Arassas...

Image courtesy: Culpeo Fox Deviant Art

The Arassas is a bizarre creature that hails from French medieval folk lore. They live in the French Alps, dwelling in caves, and rocky overhangs. As the French Alps span several countries, the Arassas has several names including:

• Tatzelwurm ('claw wurm'), Praatzelwurm, or Lindwurm,  in Austria.
• Bergstutzen  ('mountain stump'), springewurm ( 'jumping worm'), stollwurm, stollemvurm ('tunnel worm) and tazzelwurm  in Switzerland 
• Daazelwurm and hockwurm in Slovenia.

You may be wondering why they are called 'wurms'. Well, a 'wurm' or 'wyrm' is said to be lowest 'species' of dragon. 

They live in the valleys of the Swiss, Bavarian, and Austrian Alps but historical sightings have been reported all over the Alps, including Spain, France, and Italy. The majority of reports however occur in Switzerland.

Most Arassas 'sightings' suggest that it is actually a rather diminutive creature, in some cases it is said to be no more than 91 cm, whilst others suggest they can grow to nearly 2 m. Descriptions (as always in mythology) are varied. Some say they are thin lizard like creatures, others suggest they are short and stocky. They also have flat heads, large eyes and short forelimbs. The skin is almost white, and some reports suggest scales. There is one report of a Swiss hunter claiming the skin was so thick he could not penetrate it with a knife.

The Arassas appears as the Tatzelwurm in many nineteenth century almanacs, bestiaries and guides of the Alps. That said, the body / skin / scat or any other physical evidence of its actual existence has never been studied.

There are however some interesting historical reports of it existence.

• 1779, Hans Fuchs saw two Tatzelwurms appear suddenly, and the fright they gave him triggered a heart attack. He told his family about the encounter as he tried to recover. Unfortunately, he did not recover, and one of his family members painted a memorial to him, with two large lizard-like creatures a-lurk in the background.

1934 photo

• 1828, a peasant in Solothurn, Canton found a dead Tatzelwurm in a dried-up marsh. He set it aside for a local professor, who later reported it to Heidelberg. The remains were lost in transit before they went to Heidelberg.

•  1929, an Austrian schoolteacher reported spotting a Tatzelwurm. He said it kept staring at him, and when he went to capture the creature, it moved with the agility of a lizard, disappearing into a nearby hole. 

• 1934, a Swiss photographer took an accidental photo of a Tatzelwurm poking its head out of a tree stump. The photo shows a blunt head and the forepart of a lizard, but it looks like a crude model. Many cryptozoologists consider this photography to be a hoax.

•  6 February 1970, a story appeared in La Tribune de Geneve, a Swiss Newspaper. It was written by Georges Hardy. 

reference: http://www.blackdrago.com/species/tazelwurm.htm

So what have these people actually seen? Or is the Arassas / Tatzelwurm just the workings of a delirious or insane mind?

The cryptozoologist Bernard Heuvelmans suggests this creature could be a relative to the Gila Monster of the American Southeast, or the Mexican Bearded Lizard. Both of these lizards have large, heavy bodies; scaly protective skin and dangerous bites.
I'm very sceptical about that. Although the Alps are home to a large variety of small lizards, none seem to meet the size suggested in the reports and the temperature variations of the Alps would kill both of these lizards.

cave salamander, courtesy: Wikipedia

It's my personal belief that the  Tatzelwurm / Arassas is a fanciful fisherman's tale about some sort of amphibian, probably a relative to the Giant Salamander (check out my earlier post on River Monsters / Kappa) or  most likely an abnormally large Cave Salamander.

And that my dear readers is the lo-down on the Arassas. I hope you feel fully educated on the matter.

Enjoy your week!

Viveka Portman and Raunchy Regency

I'm in love with this genre. I have been for a long time, I just only re-discovered it recently.

Viveka Portman writes a very particular brand of racy, raunchy Regency Romance.

Two of her books have been finalists in the Australian Romance Readers Awards for best Erotic Romance.

Her latest release 'Observations of a Curious Governess' is book 4 in the Regency Diaries series - and gives the reader another, closer glimpse behind the doors of Lord Stanton's home. This is, according to Portman her favourite story in the entire series.
It is the diary of a young, naive, but curious young Governess, who realises that although her professional calling provides a level of independence a woman otherwise would never enjoy, she's missing something else. Something more potent and entrancing than even the independence she has longed for. So, suffice to say, she goes about trying to find a way to enjoy both.

It is a great read.

The final instalment in the Regency Diaries is 'The Journal of a Vicar's Wife', is due for release in July. Some of the attendees of the Australian Romance Reader's Convention in Canberra last month were lucky enough to be treated with a live reading of one of her more 'outrageous' sex scenes, from this upcoming title. Which went down very well, or so I've been told. ;P

So if you want to support an Aussie writer, give Viveka's Regency Diaries a go. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Otherworldly erotica... yes I'm going there.

buy link

So... what have you been reading lately?

With titles like Taken by the T-rex, Mounted by a monster, or some such - there seems to be a plethora of 'out there' erotic reads available in the modern market - that seemingly sell very well.

I usually avoid them.

This time I didn't.

Recently, I dared to dip my toe into the murky waters of self-published erotic e-books.


You may indeed ask why, for I certainly have asked myself that same question...

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I have admittedly turned my nose up to reading these kinds of books for quite sometime. Whether it has been my literary snobbery, my distrust of self-published books or my distaste at the content - I can't be sure. So when I was first introduced Rosemary Button's Alien Games I was a little bit squeamish, a little bit embarrassed but ultimately pleasantly surprised.

It was actually rather good.

The premise is great and it's witty, strangely romantic and completely out-there in the way only a sci-fi erotica novel could be. Combine that with some decent editing, and a good story arc, and well, you have a strange, but very easy read.

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Was it sexy, you ask? Well, that depends on what you find sexy really... Some of it yes, other bits no.

Still, it's given me a great insight into why some people are devouring these books (some of which are as short as 3000 words). They're quick to read, titillating, and the ultimate in escapism.

Will I read more of them? Rosemary Button? Certainly. The other's... maybe, if I see one that tickles my fancy.

In truth I don't really know what it says about society, but the rise in short-length otherwordly erotica is certainly a fascinating phenomena and one I will be watching with interest from now on.

Mothman... you're kidding right?

Ah, no.

Mothman Statue, West Virginia

The mythological or cryptid monster known as the "Mothman" is a relatively modern phenomenon - first sighted on the 12th of November 1966, near the town of Clendenin in West Virginia. It is alleged that five men were digging a grave in the local cemetery saw a strange creature take to the air from some nearby trees.

A few days later, a couple were driving a long a road and saw what appeared to be a humanoid figure, about six foot tall with large wings folded against his back.
Many months later the same couple saw the creature again, this time on a hillside, where it spread its wings and rose into the air and followed them in the car. The creature kept pace with the car for several miles.

Yet another alleged sighting took place in Salem. The man was watching television when he heared a an odd whining sound, swiftly followed by the alarmed howl of a dog. He went outside to investigate and allegedly saw two glowing red eyes that looked similar to bicycle reflectors. He rushed inside to get his gun, but when he returned the creature was gone and so was his dog...

It is unsurprising that The Mothman became quite a cult figure, and in 2002 actor Richard Gere
played a lead role in a successful movie called "The Mothman Prophesies" - which was based on a book of the same name written in 1975.

So realistically what could the 'mothman' be? Some suggest it was a large American Crane bird, with reddish markings around its eyes that had wondered off its migration route. Other cryptozoologists and alien-fanciers suggest it is an alien.

Either way, it's fascinating to see that belief in the strange and bizarre still has its followers! Check out the video below.
http://youtu.be/a9qvZXlSJ-8

Six Line Sunday... WIPping "Big Girl"

So... amongst all the *many* other writing projects I have going on at the moment I have still been finding some time to write my latest Paranormal Romance work.

Here you go.... six lines (well actually it's a little more than six lines) of my WIP tentatively titled "Big Girl".

This scene is where our half giant heroine, Correctional Officer Eudora Splat, takes matters into her own hands to rescue her charge, the accused felon Evander "Bear" Gordon, from an attack by Human Purists.

The quiet made the temptation to look unbearable. Cautiously, he craned his neck once more around the trunk of his tree, and the scene that met his eyes belied belief. Officer Splat had torn a young tree from its roots and effectively clobbered Claver it.

The man was sprawled on the leafy wet ground, the trunk of the tree flat across his chest.

Officer Splat, stared down at the man. Her shoulder’s heaving. As if she sensed his presence, she turned. Her electric blue eyes met his, and held them a long dazzling second. Then, unexpectedly, her wide generous mouth tilted at the corners, and a delighted, cheeky smile appeared.

Bear felt his heart stutter to a halt.

I like this girl.

 ©Nicola E. Sheridan 2014

I really love this story, it's the genre I love, with heaps of action and adventure. My enthusiasm for this project has been buoyed by my wonderful critique partner Loretta Hill's comments on the manuscript at our meeting last week... "That was really fun! I really love their chemistry. It's so sweet.... I'm disappointed there's none left to read!"

Which was a relief. It's always a worry when I'm loving writing something, that my readers may not... critique partners are just the best for raw honesty!

I am really trying to get this manuscript finished in a few months, and sent to my publisher as soon as I possibly can.

Have a wonderful New Year!

Searching for the Queen of Sheba

 Who is this woman - whose name crops up when we think of wealth and beauty? Where is the country of Sheba? Was she real?

Let's take a look.

According to the Bible, the Queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem to visit King Solomon "with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones" (I Kings 10:2). "Never again came such an abundance of spices" (10:10; II Chron. 9:1–9).
 
Yet the Queen of Sheba is mentioned not only in Christian traditions, but also Jewish and Islamic traditions as well. Which one, if any is true?

Where was the country of Sheba?

Most researchers agree that Sheba is possibly the South Arabian kingdom of Saba, now known as Yemen.

 Saba had a virtual monopoly had a monopoly on frankincense. 
The city of Marib in Saba would have wealth accumulated to such an extent that the city became a byword for riches beyond belief throughout the Arab world.

Its people, the Sabeans - a group whose name bears the same etymological root as Saba - lived in South Arabia between the tenth and sixth centuries BC. Their main temple - Mahram Bilqis, or temple of the moon god (situated about three miles from the capital city of Marib) - was so famous that it remained sacred even after the collapse of the Sabean civilisation in the sixth century BC - caused by the rerouting of the spice trail. 

Saba was known by the Hebrews as Sheba, and it survives today (Saba = Sa'abia = Saudi Arabia). Reference History Files

It has also been suggested though archaeological evidence that during the10th Century BC, Ethiopia and Yemen were ruled by a single dynasty probably based in Yemen. Since the political and cultural ties between ancient Yemen and Ethiopia seem to have been strong in that era, the Queen of Sheba may have reigned over both Ethiopia and Yemen. It makes sense then that she could have been either Yemeni or Ethiopian in race.

Who was she then?

Possibility 1.

The Ethiopian Queen - Makeba 
 

Every country has an epic tale - and Ethiopia's appears to be the Kebra Nagast or "Glory of Kings." This tells the story of a queen named Makeda from the city of Axum who traveled to meet the King Solomon of Jerusalem.
The Queen stayed in Jerusalem for some months... and unsurprisingly King Solomon fell in love / lust with her.
As Makeda's visit neared its end, Solomon asked her to stay in his own, private wing of the castle.
Not wanting to offend him, she agreed, but made Solomon promise not to get frisky or fresh with her.
Solomon reluctantly agreed to her stipulation but only if Makeda agreed to one of his own. Makeda must not take anything belonging to the King, if she did, well, then then he could be as frisky and fresh as he wanted with her.

Being a wily fellow, Solomon ordered a spicy and salty dinner for her. Which she ate. That night, he placed a glass of water beside Makeda's bed. Naturally from the salty meal - she woke up thirsty, and drank it.

Upon drinking the water, Solomon entered her room and said that she'd drunk his water... and now he could do with her what he wished.

No surprise then that Makeda and Solomon had sex - and when she returned to Ethiopia, she was pregnant with his child.

In Ethiopian tradition, Solomon and Sheba's child, Emperor Menelik I, founded the Solomonid dynasty, which continued until Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed in 1974. Menelik also went to Jerusalem to meet his father, and either received as a gift (or possibly stole) the Ark of the Covenant, depending upon the version of the story. Although most Ethiopians today believe that Makeda was the biblical Queen of Sheba, many scholars give preference to a Yemeni origin, instead. Reference

Possibility 2.

The Yemeni Queen Bilqis

An important component of Yemen's claim on the Queen of Sheba is the name. We know that a great kingdom called Saba existed in Yemen during this period, and many historians believe that Saba is Sheba. There is also the Temple of Mahram Bilqis that adds weight to the argument.

 Islamic folklore holds that the Sabean queen's name was Bilqis.
According to Surah 27 of the Qu'ran, Queen Bilqis and her people worshipped a Moon god rather than adhering to Abrahamaic monotheist beliefs.

In the Qu'ranic verses, it it said that King Solomon sent her a letter inviting her to worship his God. Bilqis  was offended and feared that the Jewish king would invade her country. To this end Bilqis decided to visit Jerusalem and question him more about his faith.
In the Qu'ran's version of the story, Solomon enlisted the help of a djinn or genie to help impress her. He ordered the djinn to transport Bilqis's throne from her castle in Sheba to Solomon's in Jerusalem - all in the blinking of an eye.
Understandably, Bilqis was so impressed by this that she converted to Solomon's religion.

Unlike in the Ethiopian epic, the Islamic version does not in anyway suggest a romantic involvement between Solomon and Bilqis.

Is there any archaeological evidence of Bilqis, Makeda or the Queen of Sheba?

2000 - Canadian researchers recommenced studies of the Mahram Bilqis (Temple of the Moon God) in Yemen, which is believed to have been frequented by the Queen of Sheba.  "The sanctuary is packed with artifacts, pottery, artwork and inscriptions, opening a new door to the ancient civilizations of southern

Arabia," says Glanzman. "We've probably excavated less than one per cent of the site, with many of its treasures still buried far beneath the sands. This is the largest and one of the most important pre-Islamic sanctuary sites in Arabia." Reference
The excavation was started in 1951 but halted due to political unrest.
The site contains evidence of animal sacrifices and pottery.

 In 2008 - German archaeologists in the town of Axum in Ethiopia claimed to have discovered the Queen of Sheba's Palace. The remains of the palace were discovered under a more recent palace of a Christian King. Allegedly during this dig, they also found an altar - which allegedly once held The Ark of the Covenant. Ethiopian tradition has long since claimed that the Ark, which contained the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written, were smuggled into Ethiopia by Menelik - the Queen's son. It is said that The Queen of Sheba's son returned to Sirius (star constellation) worship after her death, and there is evidence of bull sacrifice around the altar.

In 2012 - British archaeologists claim to have found the Queen of Sheba's mines - or rather ancient gold mines that provided wealth to the country of Sheba. The mines are marked by a 20ft stone slab that bare the mark of the Sabeans - a crescent moon and sun.

2014 - Visitors to Nigeria are able to make a pilgrimage to the Queen of Sheba's Tomb.
In the south western jungle of Nigeria in an area known as Oke -Eiri is allegedly the Queen of Sheba's final resting place. Local tradition in the area states that tomb belonged to a very wealthy, wise widow called Bilikisu Sungo.

It was at her request that her slaves to built an eredo monument for her remembrance. The monument was rediscovered in 1994 by Patrick Darling, a British Geographer. According to local legend the Queen of Sheba left her own lands and ruled over the smaller 1,400 km territory in Nigeria until her death.

Whether the palace, mines or tomb, are really linked to the true Queen of Sheba, is questionable. Yet, she remains a fascinating historical figure, and one I'm certain many would love to uncover the truth about.

A wee rant about e-book piracy....

A sad fact is, I bet if I tag this post 'free download e-book', it will get more traffic.

 Did you know, within one day of being released A Warlord's Lady had already been posted on a pirate website?

There is no such thing as a free-download ebook for an author. 

Unless done by a publisher for promotional reasons, not many authors simply give away their hard earned books.

It's wrong to download pirated e-books.

Why? 

 Aren't e-books are cheap anyway? Surely the author isn't going to miss $3.99?

Ah, yeah... Trust me, most will.

 

Despite what most people think, your average authors do not earn huge amounts for their efforts (and writing a book does take a bit of effort!).  If you do hit it big that's great, but chances are you'll just get a a nice spike in your sales... for a while, (it could be hours, it could be days, weeks or years) but eventually you'll see your book ranking drop and begin to languish... and as it does your royalty statements dwindle to embarrassing I-can't-even-buy-a-coffee-with-this levels.

Over the years, particularly as a debut author back in 2011, I had utterly dismal royalty statements. I'm talking about less than $10 for a three months of sales. That's right. LESS THAN TEN BUCKS.

When you're earning only 25% or less of your retail amount... and you're trying to sell in a glutted market filled with selfpubbed, cheap and cheerful 99c reads... it can take a while to earn any decent amount... So believe me, any author worth his or her salt will miss their ebook sales when book pirates get their mits on their hard earned pdfs.

 It's not just one person illegally downloading a book, because once that book is on a pirate site it can be downloaded hundreds....thousands... of times without the author or their publisher ever seeing a cent.
Over the years, I have sent countless 'Take Down' notices to pirate book websites who offer my books (and those of my colleagues) for free illegal download. It is demoralising and disappointing, because rest assured as one gets taken down, another will take its place.

Pirates like Captain Jack are sexy.

Book pirates are not...

Courtesy here

Nobody wants to work for free... and despite writing being my personal passion, it is also my job.

  As a direct result of low sales due to a glutted market and illegal downloading problems, I have markedly reduced time spent writing for Paranormal Romance. Frankly the time and effort that goes into creating these types novels isn't worth the (very) limited rewards.

So in a sense though this is a rant about illegal downloading of books, it's also an apology to those fans still waiting on my next release. It is coming, but coming slowly. Frustratingly, other more lucrative writing projects have had to take precedence over my Paranormal Romance.

So if you know of someone who does sneakily download those e-books, innocently thinking they're not doing any harm... please set them straight. The fiction market is glutted at the moment, more and more authors are releasing work, so it's increasingly hard to get noticed and bought.... combine this atmosphere with the increase in illegal e-book websites and you're sentencing budding authors, and established authors alike to career of mediocrity and disappointment.