Sheryl Nantus's Blog (15)

Just in time for American Thanksgiving: While not technically a vampire, the Wendigo is a fearsome creature, found primarily in Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. While some might think he's related to Sasquatch, this ancient creature has his own horrible past.

This hapless creature would be created through the rough lifestyle and death of early travelers. Failing to find anything to eat, a trapper or mountain man might fall upon the final frontier - the need to devour human flesh to stay…

In ancient Peru there was a type of vampire called a Canchu - it would wait until dark and then attack young strong warriors who were asleep, draining blood from their veins. Often they wouldn't kill the victim outright, but leave them alive in hopes of a return visit!

This legend has endured until the present day with the variation that the Canchu now will attack anyone, since young strong warriors aren't as common as they used to be, and they dwell primarily in mountain passes.…

Looking for some old-school vampires? Cast your eyes to the East to see some ancient vampires that have withstood not only the test of time, but of bad movie-making!

Yama, the God of Death in Nepalese mythology, is often depicted as standing on a pile of skeletons while drinking blood from a cup, usually carved out of a human skull. He is a popular deity in Nepal where, as a member of the Hindu pantheon, he receives respect and adoration along with his fellow gods.

So remember…

My short story "Digging Life" is now avaliable in the October/November issue "Twilight Times" ezine!

Ever been caught between a rock and a hard place? Now imagine that on the moon with your air supply running out and your only hope of survival a criminal who already has a life sentence on his head!

http://www.twilighttimes.com/oct07/s_Nantus31.html

Drop on by and take a look!

Please and thank…

Think that danger only comes in large packages? Think again! In Hungary there's a sweet little creature called the Nora. Looking like a normal human but only a fraction of the size, this monster attacks women who are considered to be immoral; biting them on the breasts and sucking out the blood.

As a result of these attacks the victims suffer an allergic reaction, causing the afflicted area to swell up; revealing to all both the Nora's attack and the iniquity of the woman! This painful…

In Native American lore there's a monster that makes a vampire look mild - the Shampe only comes out at night and only wants to drink blood - yours!

Emitting an eerie high-pitched whistling cry, this relative of the Wendigo and Sasquatch can smell blood from miles away, like a shark and will hunt you down if you are injured or carrying your kill back to safety.

Fortunately the Shampe gives off a rather rancid odor like a skunk, alerting people to his presence and allowing them…

In France, there's plenty of vampires but none so nasty as the Craqueuhhe - he doesn't just drink blood but he also eats flesh! This might seem rather familiar to many of you zombie fans, and in fact the Craqueuhhe is directly related to the movie zombies - he's dead, decomposing and out to get you!

The only way to take this disgusting vampire out is to not only behead the creature (as if you didn't know THAT from the movies!) but also to burn the corpse. If you don't burn the body it…

Tired of watching the same old hockey games over and over again? Want to see some real action on the ice?

Read "Hockey Night In Pittsburgh", a Halloween story about the NZHL playoffs! Available for free on my website to celebrate the holidays (and hockey season!)

And yes - there will be fighting!

Brought to you by "The Second Line" - available now from Mundania Press - Corporate espionage, chocolate and vampires!

For a limited time only order your copy through my…

There may have actually been a real vampire on the books in England - The Red Knight of Ainswick worked for the Lord of Ainswick Castle, but wasn't exactly the picture of a chivalrous knight. He drank, brawled and slept his way around the town; eventually dying when he fell off a roof while trying to spy on his wife, who he suspected of having an affair.

Soon after being buried he returned to terrorize the countryside with plague and attacking everyone in sight; drinking their blood…

For a limited time anyone who visits my website and uses the "Buy This Book" button to purchase a copy of "The Second Line" can receive a 10% discount on their entire purchase from Mundania Press!

Just use the code NANTUS10 at checkout and receive 10% on ANYTHING you purchase!

Huzzah!

www.sherylnantus.com

I'm *very* happy to announce that pre-orders are being taken for my novel, "The Second Line" from Mundania Press!



Information is power—and being a corporate thief means getting the information your client needs, especially on their competitors and their products. Jackie St. George is one of the best in her field and when she sets out to find out the hot new confectionary treat at Chocofun she discovers a bit more than she planned for.



Confronted on the…

In Poland you could run into the Sriz - opinions differ on whether this is technically a vampire or "just" another type of paranormal monster, but you decide!

The Sriz climbs to the top of a church steeple at night and calls out the names of his victims - usually he/she/it is a serial killer that has gained power through unholy means and uses it now to feed his evil urges. The victims will pass away within days of the names being called out; through an accident or health reasons or…

In Ancient Rome there used to be a vampire called a Strix; a vampire-witch who would be able to mingle with humans during the day and walk in the sunlight without any ill effects. But when night fell she would transform herself into an owl or a crow and search for new victims. Her preferred targets were children, who would have the sweetest blood, but she wouldn't kill them outright. Instead she would scratch their chests and drink from the open wounds, returning night after night to feed on…

When traveling in Greece or Macedonia, keep an eye out for the Vrykolaka! These vampires are created with a person either commits suicide or is killed violently, leaving in one case a soul damned for taking his/her own life or a soul confused and insane with rage.

These vampires have a most unique way of killing their prey - they physically smother the victim with their own bodies, pressing the life literally out of them. Survivors of these attacks often describe them with the same…

Thinking of vacationing down south? Well, keep an eye out for a rare mother/child vampire team! The Cihuateteo likes to keep her work close to home, so a woman who dies in childbirth wanders the night as a vampire with her

undead child close at hand, attacking children.



Aside from drinking the victim's blood the Cihuateteo also feeds on the lifeforce of their victim; sucking on the fear and panic their presence creates. Many times a…