Cleaved by Sue Coletta

The Mystery Surrounding Antlers

Fans of the TV show Hannibal know the cannibal psychiatrist and gourmet chef—although his ingredients are quite questionable—often uses deer antlers to create macabre crime scenes. Some may think the creators of the show stole the idea from HBO’s True Detective, but that isn’t the case. The original idea stemmed from Stephen King. In his 1979 hit Salem’s Lot, King impaled one of the characters with antlers. They say it takes three repetitions to create a trend, and perhaps there’s some truth to that.

Antlers intrigued me enough to write them into my new novel, CLEAVED.

In preparation, I did extensive research into deer antlers. Specifically, white tail deer, the only breed that live in New Hampshire, where the story takes place. The reason antlers and murder elicit such a strong reaction might be because the deer symbolizes purity, rebirth, and regeneration. By showing the antlers of such a majestic creature next to the darkness of murder it strikes at our fears. Subconsciously we think, if the killer could use an innocent animal in this way, maybe none of us are safe.

It’s precisely this symbolism that sent me down a rabbit hole of research. Or was it a jackrabbit hole? LOL Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Finding a way to incorporate antlers into the MO so it made sense became a much harder task. Deer antlers weren’t enough, though. I needed more. So I included the King of Hearts playing card, women encased in oil drums, birch trees, and nursery rhymes. Sounds crazy, I know, but I promise it all makes sense in the end.

Many mysteries surround antlers.

Why do deer shed their antlers? Why do only males and hermaphrodite deer grow antlers? How do antlers grow faster than any other vertebrae bone on earth?

I share some of the mythology and symbolism in the book, so I won’t share it here. A few interesting facts I didn’t include are…

• Hardened antlers (not in velvet) are made up of 45% protein, 22% calcium, 11% phosphorous, and 1% fat. They also contain magnesium, sodium, aluminum, potassium, copper, manganese, and zinc.

• The chemical composition varies according to location and is affected by other factors, like soil and the amount of rainfall during the antler growth cycle.

• Antlers respond to their environment. Genetics, age, and diet are the three key factors.

• Even though only male deer and moose grow antlers, there are exceptions, like caribou, elk, and reindeer. Although, with the exception of reindeer, they’re then called “horns”.

• Why do female reindeer grow antlers when their southern cousins do not?

Here’s a tidbit for speculative fans. The now-extinct Irish Elk, known as the Giant Deer Meglasaurus Gigantus, lived until 5,000 B.C. Analysis of its bone and teeth from scientists showed the huge herbivore stood 7’ tall with gigantic antlers that spanned 12’ across and weighed up to 80 lbs. Imagine running into him? Whoa.

No matter the amount of research, no one really knows whyantlers antlers exist.

Scientists have theories, but no concrete proof. Some theories are…

• To acquire a mate. The bigger the antlers, the better the quality of male. (I’m not commenting on that, especially while on a man’s site)

• They’re used as weapons to fight off other males, even though many times a gorgeous rack is enough to make the lesser male stand down.

• Defense against predators.

What blows the first two theories are female reindeer. If antlers exist merely to attract potential mates, then why do any females grow them? Some scientists believe horned (caribou) or antlered (reindeer) females who live out in open use them for protection and so they don’t stand out from the male members of society.They also use them to clear snow.

With regard to moose, they say the antlers are used as large hearing aids. But then, why don’t females grow them? Are female moose deaf? Or do they just not care what male moose have to say?

As I mentioned earlier, environment plays a key role in antler growth. The photo period is the 24 hour period where the deer are exposed to sunlight. In the summer we have longer days. During which bugs produce higher levels of testosterone, which triggers antler growth. Antlers start out as cartilage in velvet,which is fuzzy and rich in blood vessels. If we were to pet thevelvet, the antlers would be hot to the touch.

When the bugs go through a second cycle of testosterone, it triggers mineralization and hardening of the antlers. In the fall when the sunlight diminishes, deer rub their antlers against trees, other plant life, and bugs. This removes the velvet to reveal bony antlers. They carry these hardened antlers through the fall and winter. In the spring, the bugs drop in testosterone level signals another change. Within days of this drop, the antlers release from their pedicles. In other words, the deer sheds its antlers. A scab-like material grows over these pedicles and the cycle repeats, with these new growth cells.

Cool, right?

 

Blurb:

Author Sage Quintano writes about crime. Her husband Niko investigates it. Together they make an unstoppable team. But no one counted on a twisted serial killer, who stalks their sleepy community, uproots their happy home, and splits the threads that bond their family unit.

Darkness swallows the Quintanos whole–ensnared by a ruthless killer out for blood. Why he focused on Sage remains a mystery, but he won't stop till she dies like the others.

Women impaled by deer antlers, bodies encased in oil drums, nursery rhymes, and the Suicide King. What connects these cryptic clues? For Sage and Niko, the truth may be more terrifying than they ever imagined.

Want to see how I used antlers in CLEAVED? Save $5.00 by pre-ordering now. Only 99c: http://smarturl.it/Cleaved

Bio:

Member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers, Sue Coletta is a multi-published, award-winning author. Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies and collections, including a forensic article in InSinC Quarterly. In addition to her popular crime resource blog, Sue co-hosts the radio show “Partners In Crime” on Blog Talk Radio. She’s also the communications manager for the Serial Killer Project and Forensic Science and founder of #ACrimeChat on Twitter, where she helps other crime writers' stories ring true.

She lives with her husband in a quaint country town in rural New Hampshire where she's surrounded by moose, deer, black bears, and the sultry songs of nature. Course, Sue would love to snuggle with the wildlife, but her husband frowns on the idea.

Connect with Sue at the following locations:

Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads/Amazon

Beyond new fiction

I spent the majority of my day working on blog projects. I'm declaring yesterday a victory, and not getting greedy about it. I have more things to do than new words of fiction.

It does little good to craft new stories, if you're not willing to promote. The tales might be good for the soul, but I want people to read mine. That means dedicating time to other projects.

I worked up one more post for Chris Graham. His StoryReading Ape site has driven me a bunch of traffic. He wants twelve posts for 2017, and by adding one here and there, I can stay ahead of the curve. The challenge with Chris is to promote myself without coming right out and saying, “Buy my book.” I've turned to craft posts and theories for this.

This has the potential to cause me another problem. As a member of Story Empire, we are gearing those posts to craft and skills too. Do I have enough tricks to keep all the posts different and still deliver quality content? I guess we'll all find out together.

I also drafted my next Story Empire post today. I need graphics, and have time to gather them, but the post is in fair shape already. I don't have to post it until March 15th, so I can still make it pretty. The topic is branding, and it should be a good one.

In addition, I worked up the raw shtick for a future Lisa Burton Radio post, and finalized and scheduled next weeks interview.

I also set up a guest post for a friend, but that was pretty easy. I suppose I get to count this post as part of my daily output too.

None of this stuff happens in a vacuum. It takes planning ahead, and getting a few words down ahead of time. I still need to come up with some March wallpaper, and possibly a new banner. I just don't think I'm going to get that far tonight.

Back to the paycheck job tomorrow, but I feel like this was a super productive weekend. I'll surf around this week and see if I can find some images for March, and maybe modify may banner image.

#RRBC SPOTLIGHT Author, Micki Peluso!!

As a member of the Rave Reviews Book Club, I occasionally get to showcase some awesome authors here. Today Micki Peluso is here to talk about her personal journey, and her book The Whippoorwill Sang. Take it away, Micki.

Facing My Fear of Public Speaking

I have always had a fear of public speaking and being the center of attention. That said, while other authors may enjoy the thought of speaking in front of strangers, for me it was about as much fun as facing a firing squad. My local Red Hat Ladies Club cajoled (forcefully pushed) me into doing a speech and book signing at a local restaurant. Panic set in as all kinds of catastrophic phenomena settled in my gut like a bag of cement.

The day arrived way too quickly but I’d gathered a few helpful hints from other writers. One told me to picture the audience naked. Well, I tried that first and now have a fear of naked people. Red Hat Ladies are not in their youth. Another good idea was to speak while focusing on only one person. That seemed logical since the room full of faces made me dizzy. The woman I chose began to twitch after ten minutes or so, broke into a sweat and finally got up and rushed from the room. I survived and relaxed when sitting at a table and signing my books during the luncheon.

The president of the Red Hat Ladies Society, called to tell me we were going to do a local cable TV spot in a few days. I considered packing fast and heading out of town. But there was no way I could avoid it. They were trying to help promote my book, which was a generous thing that deserved my thanks, not my cowardice. The morning of the live interview, I awoke to an attack of allergies, body aches, a sick stomach and every other ailment my subconscious mind could conjure up. I put on a false bravado and drove off into my worst nightmare. My husband, daughter and I got lost finding the place, in spite of Tinkerbell, our sarcastic GPS system. I was sure I’d get a reprieve at that point. Then a kind man gave us directions and I soon walked up the steps into my personal ring of fire.

The TV host had invited three other women to sit at a table much like the television show, “The View.” All had suffered a criminal loss of some kind. As the camera man called out, “Three, two, one,” it felt like I was having an out of body experience. I could see my husband and daughter in the small audience reserved for friends and family. That didn’t calm me as both can be my harshest critics. I avoided looking at the TV screen showing us live. God must have heard my morning prayers because I became completely detached from myself throughout the half hour program.

My family assured me that I gave a calm, cool and professional performance. I remember nothing, except for the blessed words, “Cut, we’re off the air.” Whew! I did it and my book was displayed on the screen, along with the interview. I’d helped fulfill my death bed promise to my dying daughter, Noelle, 26 years ago. I breathed a sigh of relief, quite proud that I’d faced my fears, thinking I’d never have to do this again. But no . . . .

The MADD organization I’d recently joined asked me to speak to one of the local school PTAs, as a victim of a DWI related death. I managed that due to the caring audience, many suffering losses of their own. I sold books at the PTA to interested parents, as we exchanged similar stories. Becoming involved in their losses changed my terror to empathy, making it a bittersweet evening. Will I ever get used to public speaking? I don’t think so, but I’ve learned to interact with my audience which helps make it an more enjoyable experience.

***

Micki Peluso began writing after a personal tragedy. This lead to a first time publication in Victimology: An International Magazine and a career in Journalism. She’s freelanced and been staff writer for one major newspaper, written for two more and has published short fiction and non-fiction, as well as slice of life stories in colleges, magazines and e-zine editions. Her first book was published in 2012; a funny family memoir of love, loss and survival, called, . . . And THE WHIPPOORWILL SANG which won the Nesta CBC Silver Award for ‘Writing That Builds Character’, won third place in the Predators and Editors Contest and first place for People’s Choice Monthly Award. This book is close to her heart since it’s a deathbed promise to her dying child. It has the humor of ‘Cheaper by the Dozen,’ with the heart of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird. Some reviewers liken her writing to a cross between Erma Bombeck and Harper lee. She has over a dozen short stories in ‘Women’s Memoirs’, ‘Tales2inspire’, and ‘Creature Features’. Two of her short horror stories were recently published in an International Award winning anthology called “Speed of Dark.” She is presently working on a collection of short fiction, and slice of life stories in a book collection called, ‘Don’t Pluck the Duck’, due to be released in late 2017. Her first children’s story, ‘The Cat Who Wanted a Dog’ will be released in June of 2017. Author Peluso is a multi-genre and speculative writer who plans to tackle novels next.

 

To learn more about Micki Peluso, or to purchase her book, …AND THE WHIPPOORWILL SANG,

please visit:

Twitter: @mickipeluso

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndTheWhippoorwillSang

Website: http://www.mallie1025.blogspot.com/

Email: mallie1025@aol.com

Meet Author Lincoln Cole

Lincoln is coming to us today via 4-Wills Publishing. So let's all meet Lincoln:

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

When I was about ten I realized I wanted to tell stories. I loved reading books, especially by Stephen King, and I knew I wanted to do that when I grew up.

How long does it take you to write a book?

It depends on the book. Sometimes it takes about a month, and other times it can take as much as a year to put it all together. I’ve gotten better at writing a first draft, but I have a lot less time to write now as well.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I like to outline my stories, but then I completely abandon the outline after only a few stories. It doesn’t make me like doing it any less, though, I just accept that my outline is going to change completely every time I write.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

It’s hard to say, really. I usually think of characters and imagine action scenes for them, and then the story sort of unfolds around that.

When did you write your first book and how old were you?

I was fourteen when I published my first book (it was terrible) and then seventeen for the second (equally as bad). I never really went back to those stories and didn’t even manage to write the third book in the series. One day I would like to go back to it, but not yet.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I work as a software developer, and I like to go for walks, watch tv, and listen to music when I’m not writing.

What does your family think of your writing?

They are kind of supportive of it and help as much as they can. I think in general they view it as a hobby and not a profession and they assume I’ll never really ‘make it’.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

How many different jobs a writer needs to do to really sell books: you have to write, edit, market, promote, solicit reviews, and do everything else on your own. They aren’t kidding when they say writing the book is the easy part.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I’ve written six books, and I’ve been lucky so far in that every book I’ve written has been better than the one before. I think Raven’s Peak is my best, but each book is different, and I like to write in different styles. My favorite changes based on what I’m working on at the moment.

Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?

Get the first draft done, put the book down for a while, and then come back to it with fresh eyes. It’ll help you clean up your manuscript so much more when you give it time to rest. Also, start promoting early. Marketing is a long tem process, and if you wait until your book is established to start, you’re going to be months and months behind.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Not really. I occasionally get emails from people or feedback. People have mixed feelings about my books, which makes sense. For example, with Second Chances I wanted to make it kind of like the real world, but also tremendously different. I wanted the language and dialogue to be jarring and challenge prejudices. For some people this is off-putting and they have a strong reaction to it. I can fully sympathize with their reactions, but in many cases they just aren’t the right audience.

What do you think makes a good story?

If it’s something people can’t put down because it holds their attention, it’s good. There is a phrase thrown around: ‘write to market’ which basically means write a book that will sell to a particular audience. I think it’s entirely true, and also a cop-out. Write the book you want to write, don’t be afraid to be different and bend the rules. If your only goal is to make money, then there are better ways to do it than writing books, so if you’re only writing to market then I don’t know why you even bother.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

Depends on when you asked me. I wanted to be basically everything at one time or another. I love technology, so I guess that’s why I ended up working with software and computers.

***

A quiet little mountain town is hiding a big problem. When the townsfolk of Raven's Peak start acting crazy, Abigail Dressler is called upon to find out what is happening. She uncovers a demonic threat unlike any she's ever faced and finds herself in a fight just to stay alive.

She rescues Haatim Arison from a terrifying fate and discovers that he has a family legacy in the supernatural that he knows nothing about. Now she's forced to protect him, which is easy, and also trust him if she wants to save the townsfolk of Raven's Peak. Trust, however, is considerably more difficult for someone who grew up living on the knife's edge of danger.

Can they discover the cause of the town's insanity and put a stop to it before it is too late?

 

Contact Information for Lincoln Cole:

LincolnJCole@gmail.com

Links:

Website: http://www.LincolnCole.net

Raven’s Peak: http://www.LincolnCole.net/ravens-peak

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LincolnJCole

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/LincolnJCole

Newsletter: http://www.LincolnCole.net/signup

Author Central: http://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Cole/e/B00AUIOU3A

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7MhpGIAWkU

This tour sponsored by 4WillsPublishing.wordpress.com

Meet #RRBC Spotlight Author Kim Cox

You guys have read my posts about the Rave Reviews Book Club before. This club is all about helping and promoting authors to new readers. This week the club’s Spotlight Author is Kim Cox. She’s here to tell us all about writing a Paranormal Mystery. Take it away, Kim.

Writing the Paranormal Mystery

What enticed me to write a paranormal mystery series? Why did I want to write a series about a psychic female private investigator who could communicate with ghosts? What contributed to my interest? I get ideas for writing from everywhere and everyone, but I never use specifics from the instances and persons around me. However, all things spark ideas for totally unrelated subjects.

Ideas

A while back my husband and I were talking about cloning. Not sure where the conversation started, but we were wondering about how a soul comes into play in the overall scheme of this process. Does the cloned person even have a soul? Well, the what-ifs started and I have a futuristic, science fiction book on the back burner, meaning that I have an idea about one that I want to write. So, I added some thoughts about cloning to a file, and I’ve downloaded some books about cloning for research. Anyway, this is insight into how my mind works and where ideas can come from because of a simple conversation.

My reading passion has always included all types of mysteries, and since I started writing, I’ve wanted to write a series about a female sleuth, private investigator. As far as psychics and mediums, they fascinate me along with the ghosts they communicate with. I’ve heard numerous stories about ghosts from family and friends. I’ve come to believe that the state of Ohio is full of them. By the way, I would love to hear from others who live or have lived in Ohio about this.

I grew up watching “Shock Theater” for goodness sake. For those who don’t know, “Shock Theater” came on late nights on Friday in the 1960s and 1970s. These shows featured zombies, vampires, werewolves, Frankenstein, swamp monters, and probably other things I can’t remember right now.

I remember during one episode about zombies, my brother, David, had a large glass of milk and two or three banana sandwiches. I think he was around sixteen or seventeen at the time. We were watching this show where a man was running from the zombies saying, “Feet don’t fail me now,” and David laughed so hard that he spat milk and banana sandwich all over the floor. Tears were streaming from his eyes and he was rolling all over the furniture.

As a teenager, I had a friend who swore they had a ghost named Oscar (not sure if this was the name he gave them or a name they gave him, although, I believe it was the latter) living in their house. He would do odd things—move objects around or write on a steam-covered mirror in the bathroom but he was never mean or scary. Once, I remember hearing them say that Oscar may not be a man after all, because one night the entity climbed into bed my friend’s brother.

This friend lived in a small town in eastern North Carolina, but Oscar had followed or hopped a ride with them back from a place in Ohio where they’d lived during the summer. I don’t remember the name of the town or anything else about it.

Then there was my husband’s aunt who told me numerous ghost stories about houses she’d lived in near Dayton. She’d seen many apparitions over the years and for the life of me, I can’t remember any specific stories except one about her seeing this filmy, translucence spirit which seemed to be more of a residual haunting where the ghost went about their normal routine as if they were still alive.

All of these stories have fascinated me over the years and that fascination manifested itself into the stories in the Lana Malloy Paranormal Mystery series. Not any stories I’ve heard specifically but portions of things in them sparked ideas. I can only think of one specific thing I may have used and that’s the writing on the mirror in Get Out or Die. These stories have contributed in part to me wanting to write about ghosts, psychics, mediums, etc.

After my first book, “Haunted Hearts” was written, television shows such as “Ghost Whisperer” and “Medium” began to air and my interest only grew. I loved those shows and hated it when they stopped showing them.

The Lana Malloy Paranormal Mystery Series

 

In the LANA MALLOY PARANORMAL MYSTERY SERIES, Lana Malloy is a psychic, private investigator who is on a mission to help the dearly departed even when they don’t realize they need help. With each book, Lana’s psychic abilities grow. As she’s pushed to new limits, she learns she’s capable of much more than she knew.

In book one, HAUNTED HEARTS, Lana sets out to solve her first case—the twenty-year old cold-case and double murder of her great aunt and her great aunt’s fiancé. If she succeeds, they’ll spend eternity together; if she can’t, they’ll be stuck as Haunted Hearts. With the help of the ghosts and a new love interest, she is able to find the murderer.

In book two, GET OUT OR DIE, the success of Lana’s first case has spread throughout the local Charleston area and her business is booming. At one pro-bono job, Lana helps a widow communicate with her late husband where she learns of a frightening new ability—an ability that could give the next spirit, an angry ghost, the upper hand if she’s not careful.

In book three, THE WEDDING CRASHER, Lana is on her honeymoon in Gatlinburg, Tennessee when she learns that a reoccurring vision about an abducted woman took place in nearby Knoxville. This case takes her hiking up mountainsides and trekking through rough terrain to find a madman before he can harm this young woman.

In the fourth book, CHRISTMAS CRUISE, Lana boards a cruise ship haunted by dead women who were brutally murdered. While aboard the ship Lana has an experience that mentally injures her. Once she recovers, she’s more determined than ever to find the murderer.

Coming up next, book five, HAUNTED BY HER PAST: Lana is faced with the task of helping, Jena, a domestic abuse victim to escape the ghost of her dead, abusive, ex-boyfriend.

Other Books Coming In This Series

In book six, DEMI’S SERIAL CASE, the town of Charlestonhas a serial killer and Demi requires Lana’s assistance. Demi is Lana’s best friend and a police detective. Lana helps Demi profile the killer who is believed to be a copy-cat killer (copying another serial killer’s modus operandi) of the man who has been in jail for about five years.

In book seven, DEATH COMES CALLING, Derek, Tony’s brother has moved back to Charleston after living in the middle east and Africa, treating serious injuries while associated with the organization, Doctors Without Borders. A ghost that died in his care begins to haunt him.

Book eight is of yet untitled, but the idea is that shortly after Demi is promoted to Police Captain, she will be involved in a shootout that leads to her being charged with murder. Lana will need to find the truth in order to save her friend. The problem, the dead spirit isn’t talking and he’s the only one that knows what truly happened.

About Kim

*INSERT AUTHOR PHOTO*

 

 

 

Kim Cox is an author of Paranormal, Mystery, Suspense and Romance. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with her chain saw artist husband, their West Highland White Terriers–Scooter and Harley, and a Yorkie mix, Candi. Kim is published in novels, short stories and articles.

Sign up for Kim’s Readers List for exclusive information, new releases, contests, giveaways, and free books.

Visit her at the following sites:

Author’s Website: http://www.kimcoxauthor.com

Blogs: Kim’s Musings, Kim’s Author Support Page

Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/kimcox

Social Media locations:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimcoxauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimCoxAuthor

Google: https://plus.google.com/+KimCoxAuthor/posts

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/kimcox

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kimwrtr/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimwrtr

***

Suspicious Minds

Betrayal, Revenge, and Hidden Identity

In the city of Boston lies a story of betrayal, revenge and hidden identity. Ryan Donatelli, posing as Thomas Randolph, sets out to avenge his sister’s death, even if it means using Sam Southard’s daughter to do it. After all, Ryan is sure Sam’s responsible.

Natalie Southard is determined to keep her family business out of the hands of known crime boss, Nick DeMarco. After her father is killed, Natalie and Ryan are forced to run for their lives. But, will they live long enough for their hearts to heal once everything is revealed?

 

Hey, remember me?

We've had a lot of visitors over here, and according to my stats, they tore it up. It looks like they're promoting some pretty outstanding books.

I'm worried that The Playground isn't ready yet. I hope I didn't miss the window of opportunity for releasing new books. Will that stop me? Not at all.

I started a new short story during the evenings this week, and need an expert. I'm looking for someone who knows a bit about broadcast radio. If it matters at all, it involves FM radio. I have a few troubleshooting questions I'd like to ask.

Anyone who can help will get some detailed insight into the story I'm working on.

Blogland is a big place, and I'm willing to bet one of you worked as a DJ or sound engineer at some point in your life. Drop me a comment or an email if you can help.

I'll probably work on The Yak Guy Project this weekend. My short fiction is a fill in project.

Hoist the Colors!

Time for a bit of piracy, mates. Welcome to P. S. Bartlett who’s here to tell us about her newest book; Demons & Pearls, the Razor’s Adventures. Take it away, Peggy.

***

Articles of the Code of the Demon Sea

 

1. The captain of the ship is to be elected by a majority vote of the crew: If any time the crew finds just cause and sufficient evidence to prove the Captain unfit or the Captain is killed in battle, the Quartermaster shall act as Captain until the vote is taken. The Vote must be taken within one full day of its announcement. Failure to follow this procedure will be deemed mutiny.

2. Every man has a vote in affairs of moment; has equal title to the fresh provisions, or strong liquors, at any time seized, and may use them at pleasure, unless a scarcity makes it necessary, for the good of all, to vote a retrenchment.

3. Every man shall obey civil Command; the Captain shall have two full shares and in all Prizes; the Master, Carpenter, Boatswain and Gunner shall have one Share and a quarter. The fund of all payments under the articles is the stock of what is gotten by the expedition, following the same law as other pirates, that is, No prey, no pay.

4. If any man shall offer to run away, or keep any secret from the Company, he shall be marooned with one bottle of powder, one bottle of water, one small arm and shot.

5. If any Many shall steal anything in the company, or game, to the value of a Piece of Eight, he shall be marooned or shot.

6. That Man that shall strike another man whilst aboard ship and whilst these Articles are in force shall receive 40 lashes on the bare back.

7. That Man that shall snap his Arms, or smoke tobacco in the hold, without a cap to his Pipe, or carry a Candle lighted without a lantern, shall suffer the same punishment as in the former Article.

8. Lights and candles must be snuffed out of eight o’clock. If any man desires to drink after such time, he shall do so on the open deck without lights

9. That Man that shall not keep his weapons clean and fit for an Engagement, or neglect his business due to drunkenness, shall be cut off from his share, and suffer such other punishment as the Captain and the Company shall think fit.

10. If any Man shall lose a Joint in time of an Engagement he shall have 400 pieces of Eight; if a limb 800.

11. No boy or woman is to be brought aboard ship or amongst the crew in disguise for the purpose of sexual seduction. If any man is to be found seducing any of the latter sex, and carried her to sea, disguised, he is to suffer death and the woman or boy will be placed in the custody of a sentinel.

Wait, did pirates have iPhones?

Pirate Lore and Superstition – Fact or Rum?

First of all I’d like to thank Entertaining Stories for having me and my new book, Demons & Pearls, on the blog today. I sent up a flare asking for hosts and well, lucky me. Here I am and I hope you will find this story entertaining.

For the past year, I’ve been obsessed with writing pirate stories. On their own, pirates are entertaining to write about. Now hold that thought for a minute and allow me to explain: Pirates and their dirty and often times brutal deeds leave them to history as unscrupulous, murdering, thieving monsters who instilled fear in every vessel they hunted down. I’ve become fascinated with their way of life, the freedom of sea life and most of all, their governance of themselves as equals in all things. There is however one aspect of these men I have yet to delve into; superstition. So in keeping with the theme of this blog, I’d like to explore it with you now.

Sailors have always been some of the most superstitious men in history and these brash and scrappy men (mostly), were no exception. They held deep seeded beliefs which dictated their actions. Everything from their course headings to how they laid their fellow crewmen to rest was steeped in superstitious rituals. From mermaids to the deadly kraken, they told tales of lore that struck fear into even the deadliest of pirates. Although they lived their lives according to their code or what we’d call laws today, their lives were more closely lived by their unwritten beliefs.

Among the more common superstitions, were those associated with the bringing of good or bad luck. Actions such as boarding a ship with your left foot forward or whistling could bring certain doom. If a shark was spotted following the ship, it signified certain death. However if a pod of dolphins were along for the voyage, good luck was certain. Women aboard a ship were considered unlucky, although a naked woman was thought to calm the seas. This is why many ships had figureheads of a bare-breasted woman, which brings me to those mystical, magical and often times maligned ladies of the sea; mermaids.

Stories and imagery of mermaids can be traced back to 2,000bc. However, these mythical creatures were never more romanticized, as well as feared, as they were during the golden age of piracy. Some pirates as well as sailors of any kind, believed them to be sirens, whose sweet singing would lure them off course and ultimately causing the ship to wreck on the rocks and sink. Other tales of mermaids describe sailors who were drowned accidentally by mermaids, who although trying to save them, inadvertently squeezed them to death. Most often, these stories have been discredited to state that these so called mermaids were no more than manatees who were mistakenly identified as half woman half fish by sailors, who’d have taken part in far too much drinking.

One such description of a mermaid sighting went as follows, from http://www.livescience.com/39882-mermaid.html:

Edward Snow’s “Incredible Mysteries and Legends of the Sea” (Dodd Mead, 1967). A sea captain off the coast of Newfoundland described his 1614 encounter: “Captain John Smith saw a mermaid ‘swimming about with all possible grace.’ He pictured her as having large eyes, a finely shaped nose that was ‘somewhat short,’ and well-formed ears that were rather too long. Smith goes on to say that ‘her long green hair imparted to her an original character that was by no means unattractive.'” In fact, Smith was so taken with this lovely woman that he began “to experience the first effects of love” (take that as you will) as he gazed at her before his sudden (and surely profoundly disappointing) realization that she was a fish from the waist down. This dilemma is reflected in a popular song titled “The Mermaid,” by Newfoundland band Great Big Sea:

“I love the girl with all me heart
But I only like the upper part
I do not like the tail!”

Today, sightings of mermaids are mostly contained to entertaining tank or pool shows, where women who are enchanted with the myth of the mermaid, perform beautiful water ballets either together or with marine life. To my knowledge, none of these ethereally beautiful creatures could ever be confused with a manatee. However, with our world being covered with seventy-one percent of water, who’s to say who’s had too much to drink and who saw a mermaid?

Drawn by the author herself.

***

What a cool guest. Written with the general theme of this blog in mind. Check out the book at this link.

She has other books available too. Check them out at her author page