In Tampa bay, lives a hammerhead shark. 20 feet long and has a head as wide as a pick up truck, nearing 1000 pounds, the shark has been spotted, but never caught by citizens of Tampa bay for decades. His legend has lived on since the 60's.
One story has it that fisherman caught a baby hammerhead while tarpon hunting. It was too small to keep so they decided to release it. Before release, a fisherman painted a swastika on its back before tossing it into the water.
The fish, and the story grew. In the sixties, a fisherman reported the sight of a 20 foot shark, its fin bigger than the boat motor, it swam next to the boat, tilting its head to watch the fisherman on deck.
"It broke a 400-pound braided wire leader right under the bait house," reported one fisherman. "That is a big boy," says another fisherman. "He's bigger and badder than jaws." Came reports from fisherman around the bay.
One man claimed to have caught Old Hitler and buried him without ceremenony, though years later, sightings still occur.
The giant shark has been sited for decades, even now, people from fisherman to bridge workers claim to have seen its eerie shadow gliding across Tampa Bay. Eager shark fisherman have sought to capture the huge creature.
Old Hitler has been said to chomp a giant ray or Tarpon in one bite, but has he ever hurt boaters or swimmers? There have been many suicide attempts, folks jumping off the skyway bridge into Tampa Bay, but no one ever reported being bothered by sharks in the water.
I lived around Tampa Bay most of my life and I have never heard of anyone being attacked by a shark in Tampa Bay. I have seen and heard tales of dolphins. I have this to add to the tale.
Could it be that a newly released baby shark bearing the symbol of Ameirca's enemy has indeed ruled the waters of Tampa Bay, but instead of a vicious man eater, he bears the old symbol of hatred while living its original meaning.
The swastika is an ancient symbol of peace. Used by the Vikings, the Navajo's and also found in India. Old Hitler swims among the school of dolphin in peaceful co-existence. Is this a lesson from nature that peace is indeed possible, or is it that a few drunk fisherman saw a really big shark?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monsters
Suspension of disbelief:
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Watching "Dawn of the dead" with my patient is making me think of how the suspension of disbelief is important to the one experiencing the story.
Having been in nurisng for 25 years sispension is a bit harder when dealing with horror films.
First, let's look at zombies.
I believe the genre was inspired by a bored office worker's quest for coffee. The zombies enthusiasm for brains has been the single woman's deepest desire afer the afterglow wears off. j'Brains. Brains? How to find a man who has one?"
In "Dead Snow'" the zombies are Nazi's fallen in battle. The suckers are fast-very well coordinated- cosidering rigor mortis set in 60 years ago and they are frozen in ice.
I had to laugh at one zombie flick whan a chaacter pointed to the lumbering monster and screamed. '"It's a zombie, run!"
"Why?" the hero responsded knowing he had plenty of time to escape.
Sorry, but the bowels release upon death, one would smell a zombie before seeing it.
As monsters go, zombies are the wall flowers, yet the cult classics live on with parodies, satire, and attempts to make them more interesting by ingnoring the biological and throwning n some dark humor.
"Send more paramedics," says one zombie over the radio after the formers EMT's were chomped.
Werewolves:
My favorite monsters.
These characters stay truest to the classics I grew up with. Tortured souls under a curse, werewolves hope for release from the bloodlust overtaking them during a full moon.
A writer has the most room with our fuzzy friends becasue they are just folks most of the time. like any ohter life condition, lycanthropy will affect different people different ways. Werewolves generally have the intelligence to seperate themselves from people during a full moon.
I had th scoff at Remus Lupin, Hogwarts teacher. When protecting Harry Potter he forgot about both the moon and the potion (it kept him sane during the change) and ran off in his desperation to keep the boy safe. Wouldn't this be more motivation to take the potion early?
I never got an explanation for the werewolves who turn all wolf versus the wolf man versus the monstrous wolf like creature portrayed in some movies.
In my opinion, "Brothers Grimm" portrayed best the way I see them.
I can more esily suspend my disbelief with the author because whether a curse, dark spell, or ancient ritual, the werewolf can get past my nursing barometer via the use of magic or ritual.
I like the wolf like atributes.
I can see a werewolf being loyal, family/pack oriented and protective. As a result, I have a probelm with them being promiscuous, wolves do mate for life. A point well played by Jack Nicholson in "Wolf".
When he caught his wife cheating she told him "It meant nothing" the werewolf responded with something like "Its supposed to make me feel better that you threw away our marriage over nothing?"
Perfect.
Vampires:
They are almost over done.
My inner nurse has to wonder what women find sexy aobut something cold and dead sucking thier neck.
Eww...
can you say necrophilia?
I notice the crosses and holy water are gone from the stories now..
The symbols of good no longer are mentioned. As with zombies, Vamps have no reason to be coordinated and agile as they are. Intelligent I can accept. When you're 200 you should know something.
Sorry ladies.
Vamps got no blood circulation. They wouldn't be able to have an erection.
No Blood. No party.
(werewolves dont' have this problem)
Why would you want to cuddle something room temp at best?
Dead things are cold, they probably clean up, but the vamps would have a dead smell too.
"Blade" had an interesting idea using Calcium Caltrate as a means of starving vampires to death. (it makes blood clot).
I finally watched "Twilight" not too bad though vampires in the day light bugs me as a purist-hence Washington's constant cloud cover, I suppose.
Other things are logical. They don't eat, use the bathroom, and they have loyalty to the clan. Wasn't wild about the diamond skin. Sun makes vamps didintegrate-maybe Cullen's quest to be harmless allows the day trips?
Big plot hole:
Bella's (heroine) scent drives him (Edward, vamp boy) wlid, even at a distance.
He tells her its like a heroin addiction, so what happens when she menstruates?
A group of women spending lots of time together will frequently cycle around the same time. Vampires in a high school would lead to a blood bath.
It's YA so its nice to keep the ick factor down. I like Edward's manners and compassion so suspend (the disbelief) I do.
He calls himslef a monster and fights to control himself while being respectful of Bella. Girls need to see that, but I look forwared to more Jacob. The kind hearted and loyal werewolf who lives on a reservation with his pack.
He can apparently change form at will which makes him more shapeshifter than werewolf, but I look forward to seeing what the author does with his pack.
A werewolf is evenly matched against a vampire. The "underworld" movies where werwolves are vampy pets.
give me a break!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Watching "Dawn of the dead" with my patient is making me think of how the suspension of disbelief is important to the one experiencing the story.
Having been in nurisng for 25 years sispension is a bit harder when dealing with horror films.
First, let's look at zombies.
I believe the genre was inspired by a bored office worker's quest for coffee. The zombies enthusiasm for brains has been the single woman's deepest desire afer the afterglow wears off. j'Brains. Brains? How to find a man who has one?"
In "Dead Snow'" the zombies are Nazi's fallen in battle. The suckers are fast-very well coordinated- cosidering rigor mortis set in 60 years ago and they are frozen in ice.
I had to laugh at one zombie flick whan a chaacter pointed to the lumbering monster and screamed. '"It's a zombie, run!"
"Why?" the hero responsded knowing he had plenty of time to escape.
Sorry, but the bowels release upon death, one would smell a zombie before seeing it.
As monsters go, zombies are the wall flowers, yet the cult classics live on with parodies, satire, and attempts to make them more interesting by ingnoring the biological and throwning n some dark humor.
"Send more paramedics," says one zombie over the radio after the formers EMT's were chomped.
Werewolves:
My favorite monsters.
These characters stay truest to the classics I grew up with. Tortured souls under a curse, werewolves hope for release from the bloodlust overtaking them during a full moon.
A writer has the most room with our fuzzy friends becasue they are just folks most of the time. like any ohter life condition, lycanthropy will affect different people different ways. Werewolves generally have the intelligence to seperate themselves from people during a full moon.
I had th scoff at Remus Lupin, Hogwarts teacher. When protecting Harry Potter he forgot about both the moon and the potion (it kept him sane during the change) and ran off in his desperation to keep the boy safe. Wouldn't this be more motivation to take the potion early?
I never got an explanation for the werewolves who turn all wolf versus the wolf man versus the monstrous wolf like creature portrayed in some movies.
In my opinion, "Brothers Grimm" portrayed best the way I see them.
I can more esily suspend my disbelief with the author because whether a curse, dark spell, or ancient ritual, the werewolf can get past my nursing barometer via the use of magic or ritual.
I like the wolf like atributes.
I can see a werewolf being loyal, family/pack oriented and protective. As a result, I have a probelm with them being promiscuous, wolves do mate for life. A point well played by Jack Nicholson in "Wolf".
When he caught his wife cheating she told him "It meant nothing" the werewolf responded with something like "Its supposed to make me feel better that you threw away our marriage over nothing?"
Perfect.
Vampires:
They are almost over done.
My inner nurse has to wonder what women find sexy aobut something cold and dead sucking thier neck.
Eww...
can you say necrophilia?
I notice the crosses and holy water are gone from the stories now..
The symbols of good no longer are mentioned. As with zombies, Vamps have no reason to be coordinated and agile as they are. Intelligent I can accept. When you're 200 you should know something.
Sorry ladies.
Vamps got no blood circulation. They wouldn't be able to have an erection.
No Blood. No party.
(werewolves dont' have this problem)
Why would you want to cuddle something room temp at best?
Dead things are cold, they probably clean up, but the vamps would have a dead smell too.
"Blade" had an interesting idea using Calcium Caltrate as a means of starving vampires to death. (it makes blood clot).
I finally watched "Twilight" not too bad though vampires in the day light bugs me as a purist-hence Washington's constant cloud cover, I suppose.
Other things are logical. They don't eat, use the bathroom, and they have loyalty to the clan. Wasn't wild about the diamond skin. Sun makes vamps didintegrate-maybe Cullen's quest to be harmless allows the day trips?
Big plot hole:
Bella's (heroine) scent drives him (Edward, vamp boy) wlid, even at a distance.
He tells her its like a heroin addiction, so what happens when she menstruates?
A group of women spending lots of time together will frequently cycle around the same time. Vampires in a high school would lead to a blood bath.
It's YA so its nice to keep the ick factor down. I like Edward's manners and compassion so suspend (the disbelief) I do.
He calls himslef a monster and fights to control himself while being respectful of Bella. Girls need to see that, but I look forwared to more Jacob. The kind hearted and loyal werewolf who lives on a reservation with his pack.
He can apparently change form at will which makes him more shapeshifter than werewolf, but I look forward to seeing what the author does with his pack.
A werewolf is evenly matched against a vampire. The "underworld" movies where werwolves are vampy pets.
give me a break!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Flames On The Sky is Out in Print/Contest
Flames On The Sky, a time travel romance, in print format is an Early Bird Special at The Wild Rose Press. The evil spirt in the story makes it a perfect story for Halloween. The ebook will be out October 23, 2009. I hope you'll take a look.
The Anasazi whispered of this evil and of thewoman who could defeat it.
Fire, sky, and stone must unite to fulfill an ancient prophecy.
Blurb:
Blurb:
Madison Evans inherits a turquoise locket, travels to New Mexico, and discovers the stone dates back to the Chacoan Anasazi. When she's attacked, parks ranger Lonan Stone, of Chacoan ancestry, fears Madison's turquoise is a missing twin of the revered Fallen Skystone, an egg size piece of turquoise on display in Albuquerque. The mystical stone is missing two slivers – one’s in Madison’s necklace, the others whereabouts unknown, but if united by evil they can destroy.
Madison and Lonan are part of a 1000 year old prophecy to save Chaco Canyon. Thrust back in time, they meet a witch, solve a murder, fall in love, and imprison a 1000 year old evil spirit. Their mission complete, can these two people from different cultures blend their lives as the prophecy predicted?
Excerpt:
Madison felt as if she’d traveled to the Twilight Zone. Lilly’s claims were preposterous, but, she couldn’t deny what she’d seen on the cliff face or the dreams.
“Yes, you need to tell me about the dreams. They started at the time you received the necklace, right?”
Madison nodded. “How did you know?”
“I assumed the ancient Elders would haunt you, but when Lonan called yesterday, I knew so for a fact.” Her smile was sympathetic. “Tell me about them.”
Lilly’s eyes lit with excitement as Madison talked. When she finished, the older woman leaned back and closed her eyes.
Lonan’s brow was furrowed, his mouth pinched. “What did you mean when you said, ‘You are the one.’?”
She pierced him with an intent look. “Did not Madison say you were the very image of the warrior in her dream? The prophecy requires that someone from the past, which is you, son, be chosen to be Madison’s protector.” Lilly turned to Madison.
Oh, no. I don’t think I want to hear this. She held up her hands and shook her head. “No—”
“Yes, Madison, with hair of fire, whether you like it or not, the Gods chose you, someone from the future, to find the third stone and reunite the twins with the mother stone. Together, you two will find a way to consign the evil one to the pit below mother earth where he belongs.”
You can buy your print copy at The Wild Rose Press.
In celebration of the release of Flames On The Sky I'm giving away a pair of amber and sterling earrings. For details go to my blog Linda LaRoque's Musings.
Thanks for Reading!
Linda
Linda LaRoque ~Western Romance with a Twist in Time~ Forever Faithful, Investment of the Heart, When the Ocotillo Bloom, A Law of Her Own, Desires of the Heart, My Heart Will Find Yours, Flames on the Sky10-9 www.lindalaroque.com/ http://wwww.lindalaroqueauthor.blogspot.com/
Friday, October 2, 2009
Released Today - Healer's Fate
What a way to start off the month of October. My wolf shifter paranormal novella - Healer's Fate - released today from Whispers Publishing. Here's a first look at my hero Liam:
Healer's Fate Excerpt:
Liam couldn’t watch the ceremony that would mate Corliss to someone else. He could’ve challenged for her, but that meant fighting his father—the ruling wolf, who was neither a tyrant nor senile. Both of them in their prime, a fight would have ended in one of their deaths, and he couldn’t justify the loss of life.
Not even for her. Unable to keep control of his wolf, Liam let the animal free to seek solace in the forest. Except every tree, every scent roused memories of her, and the wolf circled back towards the clearing, towards the woman who should be his.
Stark quiet alerted him to trouble as the wolf crept along the edge of the grass. People were missing and those who remained stood as if waiting for the ceremony to start. He circled around to the front to get a better view, hiding in the shadows so as not to alert anyone. Raymond was unaccounted for. Corliss stood stiff-backed, facing away from the audience.
Her caramel-colored hair was piled atop her head, darkened to walnut in the moonlight. Shadows hid her sea-green eyes and emphasized her high cheekbones. She appeared cold, harsh, and removed from events going on around her. Yet he knew her to be warm and caring, often too caring.
Giving to others more of her personal energy through her healing powers than she should. As her friend, he could offer support, but he couldn’t push too hard for her to rest, or she’d rip out his throat.
He chuffed. The dark blue specks in her eyes glowed when she was angry. That spark had been missing from her eyes for days. He repressed a growl as Corliss bit the inside of her cheek. Before the wind shifted, he backed away. She wouldn’t appreciate someone seeing her close to tears.
The wolf wanted to rip a hole in Raymond’s belly, but even the animals had rules for a challenge. He trotted to a cache of clothes. Only the man could help her now.
Healer's Fate Excerpt:
Liam couldn’t watch the ceremony that would mate Corliss to someone else. He could’ve challenged for her, but that meant fighting his father—the ruling wolf, who was neither a tyrant nor senile. Both of them in their prime, a fight would have ended in one of their deaths, and he couldn’t justify the loss of life.
Not even for her. Unable to keep control of his wolf, Liam let the animal free to seek solace in the forest. Except every tree, every scent roused memories of her, and the wolf circled back towards the clearing, towards the woman who should be his.
Stark quiet alerted him to trouble as the wolf crept along the edge of the grass. People were missing and those who remained stood as if waiting for the ceremony to start. He circled around to the front to get a better view, hiding in the shadows so as not to alert anyone. Raymond was unaccounted for. Corliss stood stiff-backed, facing away from the audience.
Her caramel-colored hair was piled atop her head, darkened to walnut in the moonlight. Shadows hid her sea-green eyes and emphasized her high cheekbones. She appeared cold, harsh, and removed from events going on around her. Yet he knew her to be warm and caring, often too caring.
Giving to others more of her personal energy through her healing powers than she should. As her friend, he could offer support, but he couldn’t push too hard for her to rest, or she’d rip out his throat.
He chuffed. The dark blue specks in her eyes glowed when she was angry. That spark had been missing from her eyes for days. He repressed a growl as Corliss bit the inside of her cheek. Before the wind shifted, he backed away. She wouldn’t appreciate someone seeing her close to tears.
The wolf wanted to rip a hole in Raymond’s belly, but even the animals had rules for a challenge. He trotted to a cache of clothes. Only the man could help her now.
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