The contest to win a copy of the book of erotic short stories "Monster Mash" is now closed, and a winner was selected last night (Thursday). If you'd like to buy "Monster Mash", please go to this link and pick up your copy. Elizabeth Black wrote "Sweet Spot" (erotic horror) and "The Face In The Mirror" (paranormal erotic romance) for "Monster Mash".
Monster Mash - Whiskey Creek Press Torrid
If you are interested in the book of unusual mythology, called "Like A Myth", in which Lizzie's short story "Mud Licker" appears, it is now available for sale at Circlet Press. Here are links for you to purchase the book:
Like A Myth (Palm/ereader format)
Like A Myth (PDF format)
"Like A Myth" will be going live on the Amazon Kindle Store and at Fictionwise in the next 2 weeks.
Once again, thank you so much for visiting Elizabeth Black's blog The Countess, the Deadly Vixens blog, and entering this contest. Have a happy holiday season and a happy 2009.
******
Paranormal Creatures You Don't See Every Day
By Elizabeth Black
Vampires and werewolves are very popular with women who like paranormal erotic romance. We can thank Anne Rice for making vampires sleek and incredibly sexy, unlike the way they had been portrayed before her Vampire Lestat came along. Prior to Lestat, vampires were deadly and scary walking corpses. Not at all sexy. Christopher Lee and Frank Langella helped to make vampires sexy in movies.
I have never been all that turned on by vampires. I found Rice's books to be too wordy, but I did enjoy Poppy Z. Brites vamps. However, Brite writes horror, not erotic romance. So, when I decided to create some paranormal characters, I looked towards the unusual. There are already too many vamps and werewolves out there, and I didn't want to add to the slush pile. So I looked towards other, lesser known folklore.
Hence "Mud Licker", coming soon from Circlet Press. "Mud Licker" will appear in the "Like A Myth" anthology, which will be released in 2009. The story is a hot and sexy romp based on Japanese folklore. Suffice to say this odd little creature lives in bathrooms, and cleans them up - with his two foot long tongue.
Imagine what else it can do with that delicious tongue, and you have a good idea what happens in my story. 
I have discovered a treasure trove of unusual characters that I would likely someday use to create more erotic fiction. I have a special fondness for Japanese folklore because it is so unusual. Here are a few that caught my attention (from Wikipedia).
Agloolik: In Inuit mythology, Agloolik is a spirit that lives underneath the ice and gives aid to fishermen and hunters.
Bakezōri is a creature from Japanese folklore. It is a straw zori sandal which has been transformed into a tsukumogami, a yokai (spirit creature) which was once an ordinary household item. It runs through the house and chants "kararin, kororin, kankororin!"
Cambion (Medieval folklore)- In medieval legend, a cambion is the half-human offspring of the union between a human male and a succubus (succubus pictured above), or of an incubus and a human female.
Funayurei (Japanese) - Ghosts of people who drowned at sea
Fylgia (Scandinavian) - Animal familiar
Grigori (Christian) - Fallen angels
Kamikiri (Japanese) - Hair-cutting spirit
Kupua (Hawaiian) - Shapeshifting tricksters
La Sayona (Venezuela) - Female ghost that punishes unfaithful husbands
Makura-gaeshi (Japanese) - Pillow-moving spirit
Nando-baba (Japanese) - Old woman who hides under the floor in abandoned storerooms
Shokera (Japanese) - Creature that peers in through skylights
Those creatures listed sound much more interesting to me than vamps or werewolves. Also, one of the creatures on that list also makes an appearance in "Mud Licker". Buy "Like A Myth" when it comes out to see which one it is. I've put up the Whiskey Creek Press Torrid book "Monster Mash" as the prize today because of my story, "Sweet Spot". It's based on a very odd creature from Irish folklore. Suffice to say that if you ever venture to a particular cemetery in Ireland, don't stay after the mourners leave because you will meet up with a bogie that is particularly nasty. I understand that the cemetery in question has since been torn down.
Once "Mud Licker" is out, I'll post buy links.
Here's an excerpt. Enjoy!
Breathing slow and steady, she dozed off. The warm water made her feel drowsy. As she rested, she felt something soft like a finger between her big and middle toes. The finger moved in between each of her toes, massaging gently with slow, fluid movements. Nanako moaned at the delightful touch. She hadn't had a dream like this in a long time, and it was nice to have a pleasant dream rather than a stressful nightmare for a change. The finger pressed against her arches in a back and forth motion, making her skin tingle. Ah, you found one of my erogenous zones. I love to have my arches massaged. Eyes closed, she enjoyed the gentle touch.
The finger slid down from her toes and wrapped around her ankle, using that slow, back and forth, very gentle motion. There was something strange about the massage that at first she couldn't put her finger on because it felt so good, but she soon realized that she felt as if something licked her feet! Curious, she pulled away the washcloth, and opened her eyes.
Crouched at the foot of the tub was a small, misshapen creature, the color of brick, with long, spindly arms, legs that stuck out like tree limbs, and a thick tongue stretched out nearly two feet. That tongue wrapped around her left ankle.
Nanako screamed. The creature shrieked, leaped high into the air, and crashed against the ceiling.
"Get away from me, you pervert! Sick, toe sucking pervert!" What the hell is that thing?
It knocked the feng shui plaque onto the floor. The basket of soaps flew across the room as the creature crashed against the walls. Surprisingly, the lit candles stayed in place, casting the creature's shadow around the room. Flaying her arms around her body to keep it at a distance, Nanako slid about the tub trying to gain some traction. The creature banged the lid of the toilet open against the tank, and jumped into the blue water. Nanako leaped from the tub, and slammed the lid down. The creature banged against the lid, trying to get out. Terrified, Nanako sat on the lid to keep the thing safely inside the toilet. Her body jumped each time the thing slammed against the lid. In retaliation, and also overcome by fear and disgust, she flushed the toilet.
Wary that if she stood too soon the creature would emerge from the toilet and bounce around her bathroom again, she sat still and tensed, holding her hands against the lid to prevent it from coming up. Her heart thumped hard in her chest. Now I know why the rent is so cheap.
Whiskey Creek Press
Elizabeth's Myspace
Elizabeth Black Yahoo Group
Lizzie's Sexy Newsletter
*****
If you're interested in winning a copy of Whiskey Creek Press Torrid's e-book anthology, Monster Mash, which features Elizabeth's short stories Sweet Spot and The Face In The Mirror, leave a comment! One lucky winner will be announced later today. Good luck!
81 deadly screams:
How interesting! I'm always on the lookout for new paranormal creatures, it keeps me from getting bored!
Thanks for sharing!
Glad you liked my post, macbeaner! I do prefer paranormals that are off the beaten track. Keep track of my blog and Yahoo groups so you'll know when "Like A Myth" gets released. It will be sometime in 2009. I don't have a release date yet. My story "Mud Licker" appears in it.
Great post, Elizabeth. I went and looked up the Fylgja since my husband is from Scandinavia. And I think you just gave me an idea for a story! :D Or at least to incorporate it in a story I already have. I love reading about different kinds of paranormal creatures. I adore werewolves and werecats of all kinds, but I'm definitely going to have to look up more of the folklore creatures, since really werewolves and vampires are creatures of folklore, so why not delve into others? Woohoo!
I had first heard of the Fylgia about twenty years ago. I have a book full of faery-type mythology, mainly from western Europe, and the Fylgia is in there. One story was about a man who constantly tripped over his own feet. He was known for being clumsy, and he was very embarrassed about it. One day, after tripping yet again and falling flat on his face, a man saw him and started laughing out loud. Angry, the poor guy who tripped wanted to know what was so funny. The man replied that he just saw him trip over his Fylgia, which had taken the form of a bear cub. He said it was funny to see him fall over it, when the poor guy couldn't even see it. LOL!
I've always been a fan of obscure mythological creatures -- love the exerpt!
Fun and Fascinating and just erie enough to get the blood going. Good job using 'unusual' creatures - gives the imagination a good workout!
I've never been a fan of Anne Rice either, but I've never read any of Poppy Z. Brite's stuff, but I want to.
Now that is a use for esoteric mythology I'd not considered.
It gives you room to play a wide gamut of emotion. Just the excerpt you posted ran from bleary contentment to horrified revulsion.
Very interesting indeed.
Is this where we post to win a book?
Want to see some of my horror art?
http://normdoering.blogspot.com/2008/07/want-to-see-some-of-my-art.html
Japanese folklore seems to be heavily populated by supernatural creatures with boring day jobs. Bathroom cleaning? Hair-cutting? Skylight peering? Pillow-moving? Sounds like the position of poltergeist was apportioned and distributed as part of a job-sharing program for a tough economy.
I'm curious about the nature of cultures and the characteristics they imbue their creepy-crawlies with. I’d be grateful if anyone here might share their recommendations for introductory books on comparative mythology/folklore.
Wow! That was a fun story!
I do have to disagree with one thing you said. I think Bram Stoker's vampires were all about seduction and sexuality.
Thanks, godfreytemple. While most of what I write is paranormal erotic romance, I do love my horror, and the influence of horror shows in quite a bit of my writing. "Mud Licker" is no exception, even though it is primarily an erotica story.
You're right, Science Pundit. How could I forget Stoker's "Dracula"? That was one of my favorite books in high school, especially the beginning when Harker was a guest at Dracula's castle.
I had never heard of those creatures. Time to do more reading.
Looks like a great read!
That was quite interesting and especially refreshing to see some lesser known supernatural creatures get some time in the spotlight!
May I suggest looking into some of Africa's supernatural legends as well? Try the Tokoloshe for instance.
I'll second Eugene's comment and recommend Indaba, My Children by Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa. I can't attest at all to its accuracy, but it is a great read.
Thanks, Eugene and Brownian. I did look at some African folklore, but the Asian folklore caught my attention more. I'll definitely take your advice, and look more into African folklore.
I went through an Anne Rice phase, but ultimately, like you, I found her too wordy. "Okay, it's a moss-covered crypt. I get it. What happens?"
I may have to look up Poppy Z. Brite.
Thanks for posting this. It looks interesting.
My sheltie does that toe licking thing. Fun & disgusting at the same time. Cool concept for a story.
A great break from cramming for exams. Thanks!
Sounds good. Some of the mythical erotica like that can be pretty awesome. :)
Since the category is erotic horror, let's try something a little classic for this"
"In Heav'n, when at th' Assembly, and in sight
Of all the Seraphim with thee combin'd
In bold conspiracy against Heav'ns King,
All on a sudden miserable pain
Surpris'd thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzie swumm
In darkness, while thy head flames thick and fast
Threw forth, till on the left side op'ning wide,
Likest to thee in shape and count'nance bright,
Then shining heav'nly fair, a Goddess arm'd
Out of thy head I sprung: amazement seis'd
All th' Host of Heav'n; back they recoild affraid
At first, and call'd me SIN, and for a Sign
Portentous held me; but familiar grown,
I pleas'd, and with attractive graces won
The most averse, thee chiefly, who full oft
Thy self in me thy perfect image viewing
Becam'st enamour'd, and such joy thou took'st
With me in secret, that my womb conceiv'd
A growing burden."
The Birth of Sin from the head of Satan.
Very enlightening. I had never considered erotic horror and using other creatures as agents of pleasure and whatever... I enjoy reading a writing erotic stories and look forward to reading more to inspire me! Thanks.
That's pretty cool. I've never been one much for pop horror, but this seems much more interesting. Primarily I'm posting here to have a chance to win the book, which I think would be an AWESOME post-xmas gift for my wife, who likes erotic horror/thrillers (big Dark Hunters fan, she is.)
Wow, Lizzie, you have certainly attracted quite a bit of "deadly screams"! Awesome! Bravo!
I was familiar with only one creature you listed and that was the Grigori. I just blogged about them and their Nephilim offspring on December 5th. Here's the link:
http://www.thedeadlyvixens.com/2008/12/sons-of-god.html
I always love it when you blog with us because you always tell me something new that I haven't heard before or give it to me in a different perspective.
I'm like you, I love horror, so I tried to create elements of horror in my book, The Devil's Den. There were certainly some no-holds-bar type of scenes in it.
I read all of the Anne Rice vampire books until she wrote Armand and I finally tossed it aside after getting half-way into the book. Haven't read another book by her sense. Never read Poppy Z. Brite, but I'll have to check into her books. Thanks for the tip.
Hey, btw, how do we get in touch with your publicist? lol Just kidding, but whatever you did to get so many comments, a big bravo to you!
I like the idea of using more offbeat creatures. I'd have to agree that vamps and werewolves are worn out. Have you thought of incorporating some Hindu folklore?
Oh, this is quite delicious. I've always been quite enamoured with horror creatures, but to have stories that are involving different creatures is a very fabulous idea. This is definitely going to be added to my wish list, and maybe I've found that perfect gift for my horror-loving friend!
I agree with you about Anne Rice: wordy. Right around the same time as her early work, The Hunger also featured some sexy sexy vampires. Catherine Deneuve can suck my neck anytime!
I'm having an absolute blast today, Gracen! I'm so glad I was able to attract so many commenters here today. I sent a notice about the post and the contest to several Yahoo groups and bloggers I know, and science and atheist blogger PZ Myers (Pharyngula) posted my link today. He's the main reason we're getting so many posts. I'd like to thank PZ and his readers for coming here and to my blog today. Here's a link to Pharyngula if you'd like to read his blog:
Pharyngula
I've heard of the Grigori, too, and the Fylgia. Both are fascinating. I found the Japanese creatures the most fascinating, though. And I second comments about African folklore. Very interesting stuff.
William, I did find some Hindu creatures that were interesting, and I plan to look more into Hindu lore in the future. African and Native American lore also caught my attention. There are so many interesting folklore creatures out there, aren't there?
I love to hear about (and read) new and interesting stuff! I'd be so excited to win the book.
Uh... and I might be drunk, but those things can have sex, can they?
Any stories about Shoggoths?
Comment for the book! It looks awesome!
I just discovered this blog today (Via Pharyngula) and I have to say that I'm very impressed. I read some Anne Rice years ago but stopped and hadn't really looked at this genre again.
I love the use of more obscure folklore than the traditional vampires/werewolves and I loved the sample. I'll definitely have to give this genre another chance. Keep up the good work!
Definitely looking forward to the results of the book giveaway.
Awesome!!!Thanks for blogging Elizabeth.
Tierney
It is inaccurate to credit Anne Rice with the sexualization of vampires. Vampires were connected to sex well before Anne Rice although they weren't directly "sexy" in many forms. Note for example Dracula's brides. One major undertone of the original Dracula is the strange Eastern European man coming to take away all the English women.
Prior to Dracula (by almost 30 years), was Carmilla which involves a female vampire going after young females. In that case there are strong lesbian undertones.
Vampires became less sexualized for a time post Dracula (look at Nosferatu for example). And Rice's work certainly help herald that return. But it is inaccurate to say that prior to her work "vampires were deadly and scary walking corpses. Not at all sexy."
Werewolves as sexual creatures is in contrast a much more modern invention. I'm not aware of any sexualization of werewolves prior to about 30 years ago.
Hi.
Haven't read much horror erotica (other than Laurell K Hamilton) but it's nice to see erotica always expanding its genre boundaries. Good luck with the contest
What? No erotic fiction involving Chupacabra?
I seem to recall a BBC TV adaptation of Dracula that was shown in the early evening and had scenes of spectacular dry humping taking place. Unfortunately my whole sex life is currently under the category of mythological, not because it contains anything wondrous or supernatural, just because its existance is in some doubt.
I ought to win the book, sheerly for the fact that I'm daring enough to post from a conservative firm.
Oh, and I love the Japanese monsters too. Possessed sandals? Spirits that push pillows around? Makes you feel like being in a Japanese horror movie would be more surreal than scary.
Well, at least till the well-woman crawls out of the TV.
Chupacabra erotic fiction would be interesting. Not my thing, goats are really not my thing.
Cruithne, sadly my sex life is also currently something of the mythological realm.
Wow, Sweetspot, what an interseting title for such an outrageously erotic and funny story. I absolutely love it! Look forward to readng many more.
Definitely not like anything I've ever read before.. Thanks for opening up a new genre of literature for me!
I love these "alternate" beings, but don't agree that vampires are played out. I think the problem is that they're too easy too use, and most of what they get used in is crap. I still love Westerfeld's "Peeps" for a great take on the whole vampire mythos but will use my first time travel spree to run Anne Rice and Stephanie Meyer down with a bus.
Lovely excerpt! I'm looking forward to reading more.
@ BaldySlapHead, don't you think shoggoth erotica would likely be too dark & smelly? Makes me think of hot-tubbing in motor oil. But I can see Cthulhu as kinda Dracula-sexy-scary. "O, Cthulhu Ia! Ia, IA!!!
I licked mud once. It didn't taste so good.
Well, this sounds like an awesome book. Count me in!
The mud licking kami reminds me of this one Arabic demon called a "Palis." The Palis lives in the desert, and searches for sleeping travelers to attack (it can never be seen by the waking). Having found a potential victim, it proceeds to quietly drink all the blood out by licking the soles of the feet.
@Juliana - Shoggoths get horny too, you know. Probably.
You're just being species-ist. Probably.
Too kewl. I love it.
Bite hard as you want (or need to), baby. Thanks for the dreefee.
Hi!
The excerpt was really interesting...
I'd love to read more.
Btw the fylgja-story was very typical of Norwegian folklore/fairy tales. Sometimes the reason why someone can see such creatures when others can't is said to be that they are part hulder. (If you don't know her, huldra is a beautiful woman - but w/a cow's tail - who belongs to a "people" living under ground, in hills, or under water.)
Neat!
Intriguing creature! If I don't win a copy of the book, I'll definitely have to go out and buy it!
As an avid toe sucker, myself, I found this very interesting. I will probably pick up this book (since I never win anything) and it meets two literature needs of mine.
Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for supporting Elizabeth with your comments. It's super exciting to see this many people come out and support her!
I will officially close the contest at 9:00 C.S.T. and announce a winner.
So, GOOD LUCK to everyone!
I don't usually go in for the foot thing because I really don't like my feet being messed with but that was pretty hot up until the creature... It's just a little hard to stick with the erotic feeling on that one. Even so, good writing and I'd like the chance to get past the weird creature.
This was a funny and very informative post. Who knew all of these strange creatures were lurking about? LOL
Deidre
My favorite obscure supernatural creature (if it even qualifies as supernatural, I guess) is the tsuchinoko. The fat little snake with the smiling face. Sounds fun.
Wow! Thank you, PZ! I enjoy good erotica, and look forward to reading your blog regularly. Kind Regards, Anne
Cool. I'm not sure if vampires are entirely played out, but they're definitely a cliche at some level. I like the creative branching out. There's a lot of usable stuff that's come out of the recesses of human brains over the millenia. ^_^
This sounds intriguing to say the least. I agree that vamps and weres are badly overdone, it's really cool to see other supernatural entities getting their time in the erotic spotlight.
I'd love to win it, but if I don't, I'll probably buy it.
That was a nice break from all this linear algebra I've been studying!
I never even knew 'erotic horror' existed, so thanks!
Just under 40 minutes until I announce a winner!!!
Am I too late? I did not see this until now.
Oh well, I tried. If I can enter, great. If not, I'll try again another day.
Toni
electricbarbarella@verizon.net
ElectricBarbarella, you are not too late. I am about to enter all the contestants into Random.org and announce a winner.
Good luck to everyone!!!!
THE WINNER IS....
NURSE ANNIE!!!!
Congratulations, Nurse Annie! Pleae contact us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your winning e-book!
Thanks again to everyone for all your comments. It was awesome having you all with us!
Nurse Annie, I forgot to mention that you need to claim your prize by the end of the day on Monday. If you have not claimed your prize by Monday, then a new winner will be chosen on Tuesday from the remaining contestants!
Thanks.
Well, now, this is an interesting idea for erotica. Those sappy harlequinn type ones always get so boring.
This sounds fascinating. Thanks to PZ for pointing the way over here.
Much better than that Twilight stuff. ;)
Twilight may spell the death knell of the vampire genre, but (and I don't wish to appear to be dog-piling here) as a fan of Bram Stoker, Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee (who first starred as a savage, sexy Dracula in 1958), and Jonathan Frid (reluctant vampire Barnabas Collins on the late '60s Gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, a glow-in-the-dark poster of whom I had tacked to the ceiling over my bed), I can testify that Anne Rice built her stories on a longstanding erotic foundation. Too bad she had that psychotic break and went all religious...
Blogger's "word verification" code generator just gave me something that could be the name of one of those obscure supernaturals: siruping.
@BaldySlaphead - Horny shoggoth, in a hot tub full of motor oil... I'll try to keep my mind open.
@Sanity Jane - Oooh, Jonathan Frid, that pushed a nostalgic button; I had the hots for Barnabas when I was too young to know what hots were.
This was fun! And now I can add a horror section to the books on that "special" shelf.
Actually the Like a Myth ebook just went live on Circlet.com in Palm/eReader format! I just uploaded it to here:
http://www.circlet.com/?page_id=12&category=4&product_id=72
The PDF will be up next, and it will also be going live on the Amazon Kindle Store and at Fictionwise in the next 2 weeks.
And here is the PDF version of Like a Myth, too!
http://www.circlet.com/?page_id=12&category=4&product_id=73
It's been uploaded to Fictionwise but their next conversion day isn't until December 23rd, and it often takes 3-4 days to appear after that. With the holiday I'm guessing it will be more like Jan 1.
Loved the excerpt. I also love your unusual creatures. I know I for one would love to have a Cambion in my house. Sounds very interesting.
Excerpt looked great! Can't wait to read more.
Thank you thank you thank you Elizabeth Black for going for untraditional paranormal characters! No offense to all the vampire and werewolf writers out there, but that is a pretty crowded field. . .it's good to see more untraditional work out there! You may have made a new fan here. . .
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