Santa's Evil Helpers Around the World

Santa's Evil Helpers Around the World

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. However, when writers think of monster stories, they typically think of Halloween monsters and not of the monsters that are associated with Christmas.
Frau Perchta
In Austria, Frau Perchta is a witch that is known for punishing and rewarding people during the holiday season. Her favorite punishment is to replace the criminal’s organs with garbage and to laugh as they slowly die. Those that Frau Perchta sees doing good deeds, she rewards with good luck or a gift hidden under their bed.
Krampus
In Europe, Krampus is believed to be Santa's twin, but while Santa is the carrot that rewards children, Krampus is the stick that punishes them. Krampus punishes the children on Santa's naughty list and will occasionally satiate his appetite by eating children who have been on the naughty list for more than two years in a row.
Hans Trapp
In France, Hans Trapp is an anti-Santa character who used to be an evil man that ate children until one day he was struck by lightning when attempting to eat a child. However, that was not the end of Hans Trapp as every year during the holiday season he rises from the grave as a demonic scarecrow that hunts and scares naughty children in the days leading up to Christmas.   
Père Fouettard
Also in France is Père Fouettard whom Santa Claus caught trying to butcher three young children for a holiday feast. Santa Claus saved the boys and made Père Fouettard into a servant that he could use to punish bad children on St. Nicholas Day; however, it is also believed that Santa Claus does not allow Père Fouettard to permanently harm or kill any of the bad children.
Jólasveinar
In Norway, the Yule Lads are a group of 13 trolls that were caught causing trouble on Christmas by Julenisse (Santa Claus). Julenisse then gave the Yule Lads the job scaring the children of Norway into good behavior so that they can get gifts from Julenisse on Christmas.
Jólakötturinn
In Iceland, Jólakötturinn is an evil cat that eats lazy children. In Iceland, children who finish their work on time get new clothes for Christmas. When Christmas Day has passed, Jólakötturinn wanders Iceland, looking for children that did not get new clothing and whenever Jólakötturinn finds a child without new clothing, he eats them whole.
Belsnickel
In Germany, Belsnickel is a creature that wears a tattered old cloak that hides his face and only leaves his long, fur covered arms visible. Belsnickel wanders the streets of Germany during the week before Christmas, carrying a switch that he uses to either threaten or punish naughty children with in order to teach them a lesson in time for them to change their ways before Christmas Eve so as to get a visit from St. Nicholas.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Italian Monsters

Italian Monsters

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is Italy.
Ferocious Beast
The Ferocious Beast was a monster with wolf-like features that was the size of a large horse. It was used as a cautionary tale by parents to scare their children into being home before dark. It was after dark that the Ferocious Beast was known to hunt for its food and its food of choice was children, though if none were available, it was known to eat pets as well. It preferred to hunt in villages, towns, and cities and was rarely seen hunting in the forest, even though that was where its den was often located.
 Badalisc
The Badalisc, also known as the Badalisk, was the size of a large bear with the head of a goat, two small horns on its head, a large mouth with razor sharp teeth, and large glowing eyes. The Badalisc was known for being a transient creature that made its home in the forests of Italy. However, it was not an intelligent monster and it often entered the local communities in the area where it made its home to cause trouble, only to find itself driven off. The Badalisc was only ever driven off as it was considered bad luck to harm or kill the creature, especially because the trouble it caused was always mischief and never deadly or truly harmful.
Squass
 The Squass is a small elf that looks a bit like a squirrel without a tail with some human features and pointed ears. The Squass is known for being summoned to frighten unruly children. However, once summoned, the Squass has a mind of its own and often deviates from the summoner’s wishes once it has frightened the children it was summoned to frighten. Once its mission is complete, the Squass can often be found laughing behind the backs of drunks, playing jokes on random people, and its true joy comes from playing pranks on young girls that it considers pretty.
Marabbecca
The Marabbecca is an aquatic creature that is best known for living in wells. The Marabbecca prefers to make its home in only the most popular wells as its food of choice is children, and it will often be able to drag in unwary children who play by its well without being careful. The Marabbecca sometimes gets lucky and will get food without having to hunt when a careless child plays on or near the well and falls in.
La Bissabova
La Bissabova is a reptilian creature that has the ability to control storms and cause high winds. La Bissabova has been known to use its abilities to cause tornados and hurricanes to destroy entire villages when it has been offended by an inhabitant of a village. However, it has also been known to turn storms away from those who have paid it respect and provided it with gifts.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Monsters and Creatures of Canada

Monsters and Creatures of Canada

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is the Canada.
Mussie
Mussie (also known as Hapyxelor or Hapaxelor) is a creature that is believed to have made its home in Muskrat Lake. Mussie is believed to be a mostly aquatic creature that has three eyes, three ears, one large fin located halfway up its back, or a razor sharp silver-green tooth, and the body of a walrus that is twenty-four feet long. Some believe that Mussy was frozen during the ice age and was released when the ice melted, while others believe that Mussie was dropped in Muskrat Lake by aliens in a UFO. It is also debated whether Mussie is a single entity of a species that has been breeding in Muskrat Lake.
Old Yellow Top
Old Yellow Top was first spotted in 1906 where it was believed to be a large blond bear. However, it was soon discovered that Old Yellow Top was not a bear, but in fact a blond Sasquatch that had made Ontario its home. Old Yellow Top has been known to mostly ignore humans, though in 1970 it was spotted walking across a road, carrying several miners to safety after a mine collapse.
Adlets
Adlets are creatures that have the upper body of a human and the lower body of a dog. It is believed that the Adlets were first created from a union between a human woman and a male dog. The human female gave birth to ten puppies and five of them ran away from their mother in order to embrace their human side; these five are believed to have become the very first Europeans. However, the other five that stayed with their mother ended up embracing their dog side and became monsters that spent their time either fighting each other or hunting for humans in human villages. Those humans that they managed to hunt they would devour, whether alive or dead.
The Thetis Lake Monster
The Thetis Lake Monster or the Canadian Lizard Man has the form of a man, but the features of a lizard and insect. The Canadian Lizard Man is believed to have silver blue scales, webbed claws, and a single barbed fin on his back. This creature generally leaves humans alone as long as they stay clear of its territory. However, those that trespass on its territory, no matter how unknowingly or unwillingly, find themselves mauled by the creature's webbed claws and bitten by its razor sharp teeth. It is rare that a human survives an encounter with the Canadian Lizard Man and those that do are never the same again.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Mythical Creatures of Switzerland

Mythical Creatures of Switzerland

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is Switzerland.
Barbegazi
Barbegazi are similar to dwarves and gnomes in their stature and manner. Barbegazi have the appearance of a short human man with white fur, a long beard, and huge feet. The Barbegazi are best known for living in the mountains of Switzerland because they love using their large feet as skies for traveling down the mountains, and as snowshoes for climbing back up the mountains. The Barbegazi also enjoy making their own tunnels which connect to caves within the mountains that they call home. Barbegazi have been occasionally known to aid lost travelers in finding the path off the mountain, shepherds in rounding up their flocks, and rescuing humans that have been buried by avalanches.
White Women
White Women are spirits with an elfish appearance that may only be seen in direct sunlight. These White Women are beautiful creatures that are most often seen bathing in small bodies of water near a sandy shore. These White Women were once human women that were often killed ritualistically to force them to guard castles and/or treasures from robbers or those seeking treasure. While White Women are forced by their nature to kill those seeking to rob, they have been known to willingly allow humans to break their curse to allow them their final rest. Once the curse has been broken, the spirit will often give the one that freed it a clue to where the treasure is located in thanks for giving it the freedom to leave the living world.
Nix
Nix are intriguing water creatures whose natural form is that of a half human half fish. However, a Nix can also take the form of a beautiful woman, an invisible form, or that of an old woman at will in order to enjoy the human world. The Nix are well known for their love of music and dancing, as well as their ability to give accurate prophecies to those that they love or respect. Every Nix has their own unique personality and nature that make them different from other Nix. For instance, some Nix have been known to kidnap human children to use as bait to get humans close enough to the water to drown them. Other Nix have been known to fall in love with human men, marry them, and even have children with them. These children that are born from the union of a Nix and a human always take on a human appearance, but some have been known to inherit their mother's gift for shape changing or invisibility.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

How to Find a Less Than Modern Monster

How to Find a Less Than Modern Monster

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. However, I did not explain the different resources that could be used to discover and research these less than modern monsters. The first step in researching and finding your monster is deciding what culture you want your monster to come from.
Books
If you are looking for a truly old and unknown monster then books are your best bet, especially older books that do not have digital versions. Once you know what culture you want to research, you need to seek out old books that contain mythology and legends from your chosen culture. These books can sometimes be located at libraries; however, more often than not they can be found at used books stores and sometime estate auctions. Since these books are going to be older, you should keep in my mind that they will be written in the languge(s) used by the culture you are researching. Make sure to choose your culture based on your own language knowledge or make sure to have a translator available to you.
People
One of the best ways to find out about the monsters from your chosen culture is to travel to the place and talk to people about their monster legends and myths. Tour guides can be an invaluable source as not only do they often live in the area, but they also know a lot about the area and its backgrounds in both legends and history. A tour guide could also recommend some locals that might have more knowledge of local mythology that was passed down through the generations. Just make sure that when you talk to people about the legends and myths from their culture to always remain polite and do not claim that the monster or creature does not exist if the local population believes it does.
Internet
The internet is the easiest option for exploring monster myths as Google and other search engines will allow you to research a multitude of monsters and cultures without leaving your home. However, not all legends and myths have been digitized and made available online so you may be missing out on some of the best monsters that mythology has to offer if you only confine yourself to the internet. Many of the older books on mythology have never been made into digital books or posted online.
Combining Methods
The best way to truly understand your monster, once you have chosen one, is to research it using all of these methods so that you can truly interpret all of the different legends surrounding the monster. Different sources will often offer a different view on the legend and they might also see the monster’s actions differently.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

The Mythical Spirits of Venezuela

The Mythical Spirits of Venezuela

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is Venezuela. Venezuela is officially known as the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and it is located in South America; it is mostly known for its high level of biodiversity.
El Silbon
El Silbon was once a spoiled child who killed his own father in order to eat his entrails, but was caught by his grandfather who whipped the boy. The grandfather then gave the boy his father’s bones in a sack, banished him from his home, set his dogs on him, and then cursed him. When the dogs caught up to the boy, they killed him, and the grandfather’s curse took hold, turning the boy into El Silbon. El Silbon takes the appearance of a ghostly man, over six feet tall, who is very skinny, and he carries a large sack on his back. El Silbon can be recognized by his eerie whistling which causes humans to feel intense fear and dread. At night, El Silbon sneaks into houses where he will count his father’s bones all night long. If the family living in the house hears El Silbon, then they will have good luck for a year; however, if no one hears El Silbon then at least one member of the household will die before morning.
La Sayona
La Sayona was once a very pretty young woman called Melissa who was married and had a young son. Melissa would swim naked in a river near her village every day, and one day a man came across and was hypnotized by her beauty. For weeks he would come to the river to watch her swim, until one day Melissa caught him and told him to leave her alone. The man told Melissa that he was there to warn her that her husband was sleeping with Melissa's mother. In anger Melissa killed her husband and her son, and then set out to kill her mother. As her mother was dying, she laid a curse on Melissa that she would have to avenge all women for all of time who had unfaithful husbands. When Melissa’s mother took her last breath, Melissa was transformed into the ghostly figure that became known as La Sayona. La Sayona is a mostly transparent ghost that can take the form of any woman to lure unfaithful husbands to come near. Once the unfaithful are within her grasp, La Sayona kills them and devours their life energy.   
La Llorana
La Llorana was once a young woman called Maria who drowned her two children to get revenge on her husband, who left her for a younger woman. However, she quickly fell into a deep despair when she realized that she had not just punished her husband, but also killed her own children. In her despair, she killed herself in the same river as she drowned her children. She then rose as a spirit known as La Llorana, who searches without rest for her children to beg their forgiveness. La Llorana will often drown any child that resembles her own dead children in the hope that their lives could be exchanged for those of her own children. She often asks for forgiveness from these children before she drowns them.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Monsters of Poland

Monsters of Poland

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is Poland.
Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga is an old witch that lives in Poland. She has gone by many different names over the centuries such as Jedza, Wiedzma, and Czarownica. It is believed that Baba Yaga lives in a hut that is held up by dead birds' feet, with a fence made of human skulls and bones, and the very walls of the hut are made out of human organs and skin. Baba Yaga is a witch that is both destructive and nurturing in that she is a cannibal that feasts upon the flesh of children, yet she is also known for reuniting lovers. She can take the form of a bird, fish, or reptile at will, yet in those forms she is known for nurturing life and not taking it. She can also alter her human form from that of a young maiden princess to that of an old crone.
Topielec
Topielec, also known as Vodník and Utopiec, are spirits of the water that were once humans who died violent deaths caused by drowning. After losing their human life due to a watery death, the spirit rises as a Topielec. Once risen, a Topielec immediately begins to hunt for humans who wander into the water that once stole the spirit’s human life away. Those humans that wander into the domain of a Topielec find themselves dragged and held underwater until they breathe their last breath. Topielecs are believed to feed off the misery and fear of the humans they drown; if there are not enough humans close to the Topielecs’ domain, they have been known to drown animals.
Leśny Dziadek
Leśny Dziadek loosely translates to forest gramps; these creatures appear like harmless, elderly human males. Yet, they have a sinister appetite for human flesh and organs. The Leśny Dziadek uses its harmless appearance to lure its victims with pleas for assistance. When its victim comes to help, the Leśny Dziadek strikes. Leśny Dziadek drags its victims back to its cave where it strips the victim of as much meat, skin, and organs as possible before the victim dies. The Leśny Dziadek has a particular taste for flesh and meat that is harvested while its victim still breathes.
Cmentar
Cmentar is a somewhat harmless monster known for living in cemeteries and feeding off the corpses of the dead. The Cmentar waits until midnight and then digs up the bodies of the freshly dead, which it then harvests for meat, flesh, and organs before putting the skeleton back into the grave and restoring the grave to its original appearance. The meat, flesh, and organs are then either eaten or preserved so that the Cmentar has a food supply, even if a new body does not come into the cemetery for a while. The Cmentar does not hunt humans for food nor does it wish them any harm unless it is attacked by them.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Mythical Creatures of New Zealand

Mythical Creatures of New Zealand

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is New Zealand.
Nuku-mai-tore
The Nuku-mai-tore are creatures that appear as humans with short limbs, and sit on the branches of the tallest trees, just like a bird. These Nuku-mai-tore will only eat raw food and have a terrible fear of fire. The Nuku-mai-tore only give birth through Caesarean section performed by other Nuku-mai-tore, and the birth always kills the mother as the newborn Nuku-mai-tore takes the life energy of its birth mother. The Nuku-mai-tore generally ignore humans unless they attempt to chop down the tree that the Nuku-mai-tore call home; those that attempt this have been known to go missing.
Kahui-Tipua
The Kahui-Tipua are ogres that are believed to have been the very first inhabitants of New Zealand’s South Island. The Kahui-Tipua could shape shift into any form they desired at will and were best known for hunting with giant two headed dogs. The Kahui-Tipua had to move often as their hunger and thirst would cause them to leave their environment quickly barren of both prey and water. The Kahui-Tipua were believed to have been hunted to extinction after one of them took a human woman as a captive pet. When the woman managed to escape, she rallied her people to trap the Kahui-Tipua inside the cave that was their home and set it on fire.
Porotai
The Porotai are creatures that are made up of an equal measure of both flesh and stone and are invisible to humans. It is often believed that people who trip over “nothing” are in fact tripping over a Porotai. The Porotai are believed to be mostly reclusive creatures who occasionally come out of their seclusion to cause a bit of mischief to humans they dislike.
Maero
Maero are creatures that appear mostly human with knife like fingernails, long thin fingers, and with long, messy black hair. These Maero live in the forests of New Zealand and are known for their extreme strength and for being cannibals. Maero lie in wait in the forests they call home for unwary humans to wander into the forests, where the Maero hunt, and kill them using only stone clubs and their sharp fingernails.
Manaia
Manaia are believed to be creatures with the body of a human male and the head of a bird. The Manaia are messengers that can carry messages between living humans and the spirits of their friends, family, and ancestors. The Manaia have also become known as a protective spirit as they have the ability to fight off nefarious spirits who try to stop them from delivering their messages.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Mythical Creatures of New Zealand

Mythical Creatures of New Zealand

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is New Zealand.
Nuku-mai-tore
The Nuku-mai-tore are creatures that appear as humans with short limbs, and sit on the branches of the tallest trees, just like a bird. These Nuku-mai-tore will only eat raw food and have a terrible fear of fire. The Nuku-mai-tore only give birth through Caesarean section performed by other Nuku-mai-tore, and the birth always kills the mother as the newborn Nuku-mai-tore takes the life energy of its birth mother. The Nuku-mai-tore generally ignore humans unless they attempt to chop down the tree that the Nuku-mai-tore call home; those that attempt this have been known to go missing.
Kahui-Tipua
The Kahui-Tipua are ogres that are believed to have been the very first inhabitants of New Zealand’s South Island. The Kahui-Tipua could shape shift into any form they desired at will and were best known for hunting with giant two headed dogs. The Kahui-Tipua had to move often as their hunger and thirst would cause them to leave their environment quickly barren of both prey and water. The Kahui-Tipua were believed to have been hunted to extinction after one of them took a human woman as a captive pet. When the woman managed to escape, she rallied her people to trap the Kahui-Tipua inside the cave that was their home and set it on fire.
Porotai
The Porotai are creatures that are made up of an equal measure of both flesh and stone and are invisible to humans. It is often believed that people who trip over “nothing” are in fact tripping over a Porotai. The Porotai are believed to be mostly reclusive creatures who occasionally come out of their seclusion to cause a bit of mischief to humans they dislike.
Maero
Maero are creatures that appear mostly human with knife like fingernails, long thin fingers, and with long, messy black hair. These Maero live in the forests of New Zealand and are known for their extreme strength and for being cannibals. Maero lie in wait in the forests they call home for unwary humans to wander into the forests, where the Maero hunt, and kill them using only stone clubs and their sharp fingernails.
Manaia
Manaia are believed to be creatures with the body of a human male and the head of a bird. The Manaia are messengers that can carry messages between living humans and the spirits of their friends, family, and ancestors. The Manaia have also become known as a protective spirit as they have the ability to fight off nefarious spirits who try to stop them from delivering their messages.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Monsters from Mesopotamian Myths

Monsters from Mesopotamian Myths

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. Mesopotamian mythology has a rich diversity of monster myths and legends.
 Asag
Asag was a demon so monstrous that his very presence was enough to cause large bodies of water to boil to the point that the fish in the water would be cooked alive. Asag was often accompanied by his offspring, which were rock demons born of his unions with the mountains of the Earth. Asag was known for his warring nature and his cruelty that he inflicted on those he went to war against.
Kulullu
Kulullu loosely translates to Fish-Man. Kulullu had the form of a human male, except for the fact that his lower body was that of a fish. Kulullu’s presence was believed to provide prosperity and good luck to those to whom he revealed himself. Yet, Kulullu was not an entirely benevolent figure as he could just as quickly cause bad luck to fall upon those who disrespected him and the creatures of the water.  
Basmu
Basmu, also known as Bašmu or Bashmu, translates loosely into venomous snake. The Basmu had the appearance of a giant snake with horns atop its head, two giant legs, and a pair of wings. The Basmu was believed to be almost invincible in that a single drop of its venom would guarantee the death of the one it came into contact with.
Asakku
Asakku were evil spirits that often clashed with good spirits known as the Utukku. Unlike the Utukku who protected humans, the Asakku were spirits that set out to kill humans by making them develop a head fever that would usually claim the life of the human afflicted with it. The only time that the Asakku would not claim human lives is when one of the Utukku would interfere and best the Asakku in a battle for the human’s life.
Urmahlullu
The Urmahlullu was a creature similar to the centaur, except for the fact that it was not a combination of a human and a horse, but instead the combination of a lion and a human. The Urmahlullu were known for having their top half appear human and their lower half to be that of a lion. The Urmahlullu were predators and hunters, capable of taking down almost any prey with human intelligence and lion instinct.
Girtablilu
The Girtablilu were creatures that had the top half of a human and the bottom half of a scorpion, making them a sort of scorpion-centaur creature. The Girtablilu were known for their ability to strike quickly and with deadly precision. Their scorpion tail made them almost impossible to kill as one sting from their tail would leave their victim in paralyzed agony until the victim died.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Three Most Fearsome Mythical Creatures of Brazil

Three Most Fearsome Mythical Creatures of Brazil

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is Brazil. Brazil is officially known as the Federative Republic of Brazil and it is the largest country in Latin America and South America.
Cabeça Satânica/Cabeça Errante
The Cabeça Satânica, also known as Cabeça Errante, translates to 'wandering devil’s head.' This creature is, in fact, a disembodied demon head that is often thrown by evil demons at humans in order for the demon to get enjoyment out of the human’s descent into madness and insanity. Most people go insane from the mere sight of the Cabeça Satânica/Cabeça Errante. For those with a strong constitution who manage to maintain their sanity, the Cabeça Satânica/Cabeça Errante will bounce up and down until it touches the person, as one touch is all it takes to kill a person.
Caboclo D’água
The Caboclo D’água is a monster with green skin, two legs, one eye, and razor sharp teeth that makes its home in the Rio São Francisco River and can transform into any creature that lives in its river with a single thought. The Caboclo D’água despises those that try to enter its river and will often act to either scare or kill the fishermen who not only enter its river, but wish to take from the river’s bounty. Caboclo D’água is known for scaring fish away from the fishermen, flipping their boats, and running their boats aground. The only known way to survive Caboclo D’água once the monster has spotted a fisherman is to placate the monster by throwing tobacco into the water, which will distract Caboclo D’água long enough for the fisherman to escape.
Mapinguari
Mapinguari translates to 'roaring animal and fetid beast,' and this creature is very similar to the legends of Bigfoot. Mapinguari has the legs of a grizzly bear, the face of a monkey, the fur of a musk ox, a second mouth on its stomach, and a skin thick enough to stop bullets. Mapinguari is seen as either a protector or a monster, depending if the person encountering the creature is trying to take more from the forests of Brazil than they need. The Mapinguari is believed to protect the forests from hunters and individuals that wish to strip away the resources of the forest for selfish gain; however it will allow people to take from the forest as long as the person only takes what he or she needs and no more than that. The Mapinguari will first play tricks on those that are greedy by making them get lost and causing them to experience feelings of confusion; only those that ignore these warnings have found themselves truly harmed or killed by the Mapinguari.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Austrian Monster Myths

Austrian Monster Myths

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries with some unique myths is Austria. Austria is located in Central Europe, and is filled with mountain villages, alpine terrain, and Imperial history.
Habergeiß
Habergeiß translates to buck goat and the creature itself is a combination of a bird and a goat. Some legends portray Habergeiß as a creature that can shift its physical form from goat to bird at will; others see Habergeiß as a three-legged bird with a goat’s face, and a few myths believe that Habergeiß is the result of the mating of a bird and a goat that left Habergeiß with an equal blend of bird and goat features. Habergeiß is a creature that was born when the ancient people of Austria were in danger from a famine as their harvest was poor. Habergeiß became the spirit of corn and its job was to see that the harvest was protected so that the people of Austria would not starve. While Habergeiß is mostly a benign creature, it has been known to turn violent against any person or group that seeks to harm the harvest.
Krampus
Krampus is believed to be a demonic beast that punishes naughty children during the holiday season. Krampus has thick brown-black hair that covers his whole body, the hooves of a horse, the horns of a goat, and a long pointed tongue that rolls out of his mouth to his chest. Krampus stalks the streets at night with rusty chains draped over his shoulder, a large black sack in his hand, and large bells that, when rung, make all those that hear them feel deep despair. Krampus is known for punishing children that are naughty during the holiday season, though the punishment is almost always more extreme than the naughtiness committed by the child. Those children that Krampus deems the worst of the worst are kidnapped from their beds and thrown into his sack; all that is known is that once the children enter the sack, Krampus takes them back to his lair and the children are never seen or heard from again. Some believe that Krampus eats the children while others believe that the children are forced to work for Krampus and they are the ones that identify the naughty children for Krampus to kidnap and punish.
Frau Perchta
Frau Perchta is the descendent of the Alpine goddess of nature and is a witch known for punishing and rewarding people from December 25th through January 6th. For those who commit crimes during the holidays, Frau Perchta’s favorite punishment is to replace the criminal’s organs with garbage and to laugh as they slowly die.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Jamaican Monsters

Jamaican Monsters

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is Jamaica. Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean with lush mountains and beautiful beaches lined with coral reefs.
Duppies
Duppies are restless spirits that can be either good or bad. A good duppy is typically the spirit of a family member or friend that visits those they cared about in life in dreams. Bad duppies, however, can cause physical and mental harm to those they choose as their victims. A high pitched voice, the feeling of unexplained heat, and a massive headache can identify the presence of a duppy. Duppies can be warded off with salt and avoided by a person wearing their clothes inside out.
Rolling Calf
A Rolling Calf is a monster from Jamaican folklore that has the appearance of a calf with blood red eyes and a massive chain that it drags behind itself. This creature only appears at night and is believed to have been born from the death of evil butchers. These Rolling Calfs will block the path of unwary travelers at night and hunt them with the intention of killing them. The only known ways to avoid death by a Rolling Calf, once it chooses a victim, is by dropping random items that it will stop to count before continuing its pursuit, lose it at a crossroads, or stab a penknife into the ground in front of it.
Ol’ Hige or Sukuyan
Ol’ Hige, also known as Sukuyan, is a witch that sheds her skin at night to assume the form of an owl. In owl form, she flies around and sucks out the life breath of sleeping people, leaving them to suffocate in their sleep with no hope of regaining their breath. The witch has a particular taste for baby’s breath and will often choose an infant as her victim over an adult. The only known way to kill her is to find her skin and cover it in salt and pepper so that when she puts her skin back on, she will burn to death.
River Mumma
River Mumma is a female water spirit that lives within rivers and guards water from pollution and those that would litter within the water she protects. She lures those that disrespect the water she protects to the water with a golden comb on the riverbank. Then. when her victim comes to get the comb, she strikes and drags her victim into a watery grave. Those that wish to cross River Mumma’s water unharmed are required to make a sacrifice to her to ensure safe passage. During times of drought, River Mumma can be bargained with to provide water to those willing to make sacrifices to her.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

How to Avoid Writer's Block

How to Avoid Writer's Block

All writers have at some point or another in their writing career experienced the awful sensation of writer’s block. The internet has all sorts of advice for writers on how to get over writer’s block, but many writers often prefer to avoid writer’s block in the first place. Writer’s block cannot be escaped indefinitely, but there are some ways to decrease a writer’s chances of suffering from writer’s block that is caused by a lack of inspiration and/or a fear of judgment from one’s audience.
Avoiding Writer’s Block That Stems From a Lack of Inspiration
“Discipline allows magic. To be a writer is to be the very best of assassins. You do not sit down and write every day to force the Muse to show up. You get into the habit of writing every day so that when she shows up, you have the maximum chance of catching her, bashing her on the head, and squeezing every last drop out of that bitch.” ~ Lili St. Crow
Many writers have successfully avoided writer’s block by not limiting themselves to only one writing project at a time. These writers will often have two or three writing projects that they either switch between as the inspiration strikes them, or that they assign a specific amount of time to each project. For example, some writers will have two writing projects that they work on and they will alternate months or weeks for each project. This method of switching between projects at a scheduled time truly allows the writer to develop a sense of discipline and a strong writing habit that allows the writer to truly embrace Lili St. Crow’s method of writing to avoid writer’s block.
Some writers also find it helpful to not just have more than one writing project going on at a time, but to have one of the projects be a fiction project and the other project a non-fiction writing project. When writers keep switching between fiction and non-fiction writing projects, it often makes it harder for writer’s block to start.
Avoiding Writer’s Block That Stems From a Fear of Judgment
 “All writing problems are psychological problems. Blocks usually stem from the fear of being judged. If you imagine the world listening, you'll never write a line. That's why privacy is so important. You should write first drafts as if they will never be shown to anyone.” ~ Erica Jong
Many writers have had success by using Erica Jong’s method of writing; this method allows the writer to avoid writer’s block by simply writing for themselves without fear of any sort of judgement from anyone else. The writers that use this method tend to write straight from the heart without letting themselves get bogged down by proper punctuation, thoughts about what other people will think about their writing, or marketing. By removing all of these worries from the equation entirely, these writers are able to avoid writer's block.
Create a Unique Method of Avoiding Writer’s Block
Every writer is unique and thus each method of avoiding writer’s block will need to be adjusted and made unique to each writer’s struggles with writer’s block and their writing method. If a writer is more prone to having everything planned out and organized then Lili St. Crow’s method might be best, but that writer might also prefer to work only on one writing project at a time. In that case, the writer might devise a schedule for when to switch between chapters or sections of their writing project. A writer that is more spontaneous might benefit more from switching between their main writing project and short story writing, as it would allow the writer to switch from one type of writing to another based on their inclination and inspiration.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke

Monsters from Mesopotamian Myths

Monsters from Mesopotamian Myths

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. Mesopotamian mythology has a rich diversity of monster myths and legends.
 Asag
Asag was a demon so monstrous that his very presence was enough to cause large bodies of water to boil to the point that the fish in the water would be cooked alive. Asag was often accompanied by his offspring, which were rock demons born of his unions with the mountains of the Earth. Asag was known for his warring nature and his cruelty that he inflicted on those he went to war against.
Kulullu
Kulullu loosely translates to Fish-Man. Kulullu had the form of a human male, except for the fact that his lower body was that of a fish. Kulullu’s presence was believed to provide prosperity and good luck to those to whom he revealed himself. Yet, Kulullu was not an entirely benevolent figure as he could just as quickly cause bad luck to fall upon those who disrespected him and the creatures of the water.  
Basmu
Basmu, also known as Bašmu or Bashmu, translates loosely into venomous snake. The Basmu had the appearance of a giant snake with horns atop its head, two giant legs, and a pair of wings. The Basmu was believed to be almost invincible in that a single drop of its venom would guarantee the death of the one it came into contact with.
Asakku
Asakku were evil spirits that often clashed with good spirits known as the Utukku. Unlike the Utukku who protected humans, the Asakku were spirits that set out to kill humans by making them develop a head fever that would usually claim the life of the human afflicted with it. The only time that the Asakku would not claim human lives is when one of the Utukku would interfere and best the Asakku in a battle for the human’s life.
Urmahlullu
The Urmahlullu was a creature similar to the centaur, except for the fact that it was not a combination of a human and a horse, but instead the combination of a lion and a human. The Urmahlullu were known for having their top half appear human and their lower half to be that of a lion. The Urmahlullu were predators and hunters, capable of taking down almost any prey with human intelligence and lion instinct.
Girtablilu
The Girtablilu were creatures that had the top half of a human and the bottom half of a scorpion, making them a sort of scorpion-centaur creature. The Girtablilu were known for their ability to strike quickly and with deadly precision. Their scorpion tail made them almost impossible to kill as one sting from their tail would leave their victim in paralyzed agony until the victim died.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Monsters and Creatures of Albanian Myth

Monsters and Creatures of Albanian Myth

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to unearth something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique and old mythical creatures is Albania.
Bolla
Bolla is a type of dragon that was believed to have lived in Albania. Bolla is a snake-like dragon and is described as having the body of a giant snake, but the wings of a dragon. Bolla slumbers in Albania in a deep sleep on all days except Saint George’s Day. For on Saint George’s Day, Bolla opens its giant eyes and will devour the first human it sees. This cycle continues for twelve years until Bolla has devoured the bodies of twelve humans. In its thirteenth year, Bolla transforms into Kulshedra.
Kulshedra
Kulshedra is the evolved form of the monster known as Bolla. Kulshedra is three times the size of Bolla and has nine tongues and the ability to breath fire. Kulshedra can also assume the form of a female giant with hanging breasts and a hairy body. In this form, Kulshedra can communicate with humans and demands human sacrifices in exchange for ending water shortages. Those unlucky enough to be chosen as the sacrifices find themselves either burned alive from Kulshedra’s flames or swallowed whole and alive. If sacrifices are not provided when demanded, then the inhabitants of the villages surrounding Kulshedra’s home often find themselves dying from dehydration as Kulshedra’s rage at being denied often makes her cause droughts until her demands are met or all that defied her lie dead or dying from thirst.
Xindhi and Xindha
The Xindhi are male elves and the Xindha are female elves; both genders were believed to live in Albania and could be identified by the creaking of a door or a flickering flame that heralded their approach. These elves can be kind or cruel, depending on the individual elf’s personality and the human they encounter. Some have been known to offer a kindness to those they take a fancy to, while others have been known to cause cruel accidents that lead to massive amounts of pain and humiliation, if not death to those that they dislike.
Ora
The Ora is a race of protective spirits that choose a human child to protect at the time of the child’s birth. The Ora’s appearance depends on the personality of the human they choose to protect, as a lazy human will have an Ora with a black face while humans who are courageous and intelligent have an Ora with a white face.
Kukuth
Kukuth are ancient Albanian demons of the female gender who in life were considered to be a Scrooge or a miser. In death, these unhappy souls find themselves transformed into evil demons who can never find peace or rest. In their anger at being denied the peace that they believe they were owed, these demons spread sickness and plague everywhere they go.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Mythical Creatures in The People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

Mythical Creatures in The People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find a creature or creatures with a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern and that is certainly not well known. One of the countries that have some interesting, unique and old mythical creatures, that are often overlooked, is the country known as The People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, a sovereign state in North Africa that is located on the Mediterranean coast.
H’awouahoua
H’awouahoua is a monstrous creature that is known for eating children alive. The H’awouahoua has the tail of a scorpion, one leg from a donkey, one leg from a panther, the claw of a lobster as a right hand, the hand of a monkey for a left hand, the chest of a turtle, the horns of a mountain goat, the face of an ape, and eyes of flaming spit. Its long dangling hair is not in fact hair, but live poisonous snakes waiting to strike and poison anyone unwary enough to enter within striking range. Its long patched coat is made up of the clothing from the children that it has devoured. This creature might not be attractive enough to lure children to their unsuspecting demise, but it is more than fast enough to scoop up those children who travel lonely roads at night without caution.
Witches
Algeria has a number of deep and convoluted myths about magical practices and witches. While many of the tales do not share many common factors, the one factor they do seem to have in common is the moon. It was believed that witches often created potions under different moon phases, as different phases caused the potions to have different effects. It was believed that many of these potions and magical practices were erotic in nature. It was often believed that the witch would make a potion under a full moon by filling a vessel with water and, when the vessel that was filled with water boiled, the water could then be used as an ingredient in various procedures and practices.
Vampires
Algeria has many intriguing myths and legends that feature vampires as creatures of the night. Unlike most vampire legends, the vampires from Algeria were always female. The common myth of vampire creation in Algeria was that vampires were women who were turned into vampires by men, and that the transformation was caused by cruelty. This is an interesting and different perception from the stories of vampires from Europe. Some believed that the act of seeing a woman as an object dehumanized her, and humiliating her was what turned her into a cold, vampiric beast who could only survive by preying on the blood of others. In these tales, it was often the man that turned the woman into the vampire who was seen as the true monster, and the man was firmly denounced by those who knew of what he had done.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Argentinian Myth Monsters

Argentinian Myth Monsters

Want to write your own spooky story? In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I advised either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique and old mythical creatures is Argentina.
Pombéro/Karai Pyhare/Señor de la noche
The Pombéro has many names that all translate to “The Man of the Night”. The Pombéro is a small, ugly, humanoid-like figure with hairy feet and hands. The Pombéro is generally seen as a mischievous forest dweller that is known for protecting birds. The Pombéro will often commit small acts of mischief upon farmers that live near its home; these acts generally include things like setting cattle loose, stealing small items like eggs or honey, causing horses to throw off riders, and tricking single ungrateful women into having sex with them through minor illusions. The Pombéro can be befriended with gifts of honey, cigars, and rum left out near its territory at night.
El Familiar
El Familiar is a demonic creature that appears as an enormous decapitated black dog dragging a heavy collar and chain upon its back, with no head in sight. This creature wanders the lands of former sugar plantation owners that made a deal with the devil to be protected from financial woes in exchange for a yearly human sacrifice. It is said that El Familiar was the one that came to collect the sacrifice and he still travels the lands where such bargains were made, searching for the next victim for the sacrifice. The only protection from El Familiar is a rosary and a blessed crucifix.
Tuyango
The Tuyango was believed to be a carnivorous swamp bird that had two long legs for running, short wings for short flights, and a long hooked beak for hunting. The Tuyango were believed to hunt humans exclusively, with a preference for children. It was believed that a single Hawk that had a vendetta against the species hunted the Tuyango to extinction.
Okpe
The Okpe was believed to be an enormous, quadrupedal ogre that had the appearance of a pig with stone skin. The Okpe was a carnivorous creature whose meat of choice was human children. The Okpe would kill adult humans that were cooking or eating braised meat, and then steal the meat to use as a lure for children. As soon as an unwary child came to investigate the enticing smell, the Okpe would scoop the child up and carry the child off on its back to be devoured. The only way for a child to escape an Okpe was to be lucky enough to grasp a tree branch as the Okpe journeyed back to its lair. Any attacks upon an Okpe always ended in failure, as its skin was too thick for any weapon to penetrate.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Zimbabwean Legends

Zimbabwean Legends

You can write your unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. Researching myths and legends in other cultures will help you to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique and old mythical creatures is Zimbabwe. This is a landlocked country located in southern Africa and is well known for its diverse wildlife and its dramatic landscapes.
Nyaminyami the River God
Nyaminyami the River God is believed to live in Lake Kariba. It is thought that Nyaminyami has the body of a giant snake and the head of a fish. Most believe that Nyaminyami is more than three meters wide and there is no current guess on the length of his massive body as it is too massive for anyone to see all of it at once. Legend states that Nyaminyami the River God leaves a trail of red stained water in his wake when he swims. Nyaminyami used to be seen more often, but according to Chief Sampakaruma, the River God has been in hiding since white men entered the country. During Nyaminyami's more active period, the creature was known for sucking unwary people in canoes down into deep whirlpools. These victims were never seen again and some theorize that they were either sustenance for the River God or that they had angered the creature in some manner.
Ambuya Nehanda
Ambuya Nehanda is believed to be a spirit of freedom, due to the fact that she had escaped death numerous times. It was believed that she had a small packet that allowed her to escape from death as long as it remained clutched tight in her hands. When trickery stole the packet away from her, she was hanged and died. There are others, however, that believe that Ambuya Nehanda was not in fact killed, but instead that the woman that Ambuya Nehanda was possessing was killed and that the spirit of freedom still lives on.
The Master of Deception
The Master of Deception is a figure in myth believed to be the spirit of Gwasela, who was known for never accepting the election that gave Zanu PF the leadership of the country. In life, Gwasela was seen as something of a Rambo with how he would terrorize those he opposed while still being able to blend seamlessly with crowds in order to never miss a soccer match. In death, Gwasela was said to become The Master of Deception and that he could aid those with a righteous aim in being able to escape the notice of those hunting them.
Mysterious Mount Nyanga
Mysterious Mount Nyanga is, in fact, the highest known mountain in Zimbabwe. However, the myth surrounding Mount Nyanga is that it is alive or possessed by a spirit that can cause people who walk on it to vanish without a single trace. Some believe that Mount Nyanga kills those who speak against it or its people. Others believe that Mount Nyanga devours the life force of those who speak ill of it in order to sustain the spirit of Mount Nyanga. Many believe that Mount Nyanga has a particular taste for children as many have vanished on Mount Nyanga.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

The Republic of Yemen Myth Monsters

The Republic of Yemen Myth Monsters

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is the Republic of Yemen, an Arab country in Western Asia located on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula; Yemen is the second largest country in the peninsula.
Nesnas
The Nesnas is a monster that roamed the Hadramaut region of Yemen. The Nesnas takes the form of a half-dead male human that is divided down the middle with the tail of a lamb. Only one half of the Nesnas is visible to the human eye at the time. It is unknown if the Nesnas chooses which half to show, but it is believed the one half of the Nesnas is skeletal while the other half still has flesh. The Nesnas knows no peace as it is only half-dead, yet it is also half-alive. This lack of peace often drives the Nesnas to act against those it believes are not grateful for the full life that they possess. The Nesnas often makes these poor people its victims and once the Nesnas has chosen them, they are never seen again. Some believe that the Nesnas hope they will return to full life by taking the lives of others.
Falak
Falak is a massive snake that is believed to be so massive that no human eyes can see all of Falak at once. Falak is a creature of the underworld that bides its time until the world ends and it can emerge to punish and torture all the sinners that inhabit Earth.
Al Anqa’a
Al Anqa’a translates to “the one with the long neck” in English. The Al Anqa’a is a massive bird that is so big it can carry any living creature on its back while maintaining flight and it is believed to be fire proof. Its wings and head crown are fire red, its body is the color of sand, and its feet are black. The creature is believed to be neutral in nature, being neither good nor evil, but rather interested mainly in itself. However, Al Anqa’a is believed to have occasionally rescued children and animals from fire.
Al Ghol
The Al Ghol, also known as ghouls, are zombie-like djinns who are known for haunting graveyards and feasting upon human flesh. They feast upon the flesh of the dead to sustain themselves until they have the opportunity to eat human flesh. These creatures are simply incapable of being good and will do anything to taste fresh human flesh taken from a still living human. These creatures do not care about age, beliefs, or gender, merely the flesh that they can strip from the bone to satiate their huge appetites.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Spooky Monsters, Creatures, and Horrors from German Myth and Legend

Spooky Monsters, Creatures, and Horrors from German Myth and Legend

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that has some unique and old monsters is Germany. According to Honor the Roots, “Germanic creatures are some of the oldest and monstrous figures that humans encountered in the past.” Here are six such creatures, monsters, and horrors found in German legend.
Weisse Frauen
 Weisse Frauen translated loosely means white woman. A Weisse Frauen is a white creature that takes the form that is a cross between a ghostly woman and an elf. These creatures were believed to be creatures of enchanting light that would guard castles or treasures from humans.
Drude
A Drude was believed to be a malevolent nocturnal spirit that would haunt humans while asleep, turning their peaceful dreams into horrifying nightmares. A Drude was thought to be a type of demon that often participated in the Wild Hunt.
Knecht Ruprecht
Knecht Ruprecht is an old German word that translates to Servant Rupert or Farmhand Rupert, depending on the use of the word. The Knecht Ruprecht was the companion of Santa Claus and was known for abducting and punishing disobedient children for their lack of obedience. Knecht Ruprecht had the body of an ox with long devil horns, sharp claws, a horse's tail, and a huge tongue.
Alps
Alps are creatures that induce nightmares in adults during the night. These horrifying creatures were in fact demons that would cause night terrors, sleep apnea and sleep paralysis in their chosen victims by remaining either on or above the victim as he or she slept. They could conceal themselves in shadows and transform into butterflies, pigs, cats, snakes, and dogs at will to hide themselves from discovery.
Erdhenne
The Erdhenne is a spirit that inhabited the houses of those who lived in the Alpine regions and would only appear when someone was going to die within a year or less. The Erdhenne could choose to remain invisible or take physical form to communicate with those that will soon die. Its physical appearance when it chooses to manifest itself is that of a hen-like figure that has a short neck and shaggy features. Some might have thought these creatures benevolent, but those that they warned about coming death would also die and some wondered if they were merely warning or were they also killing?
Nachzehrer
The Nachzehrer is a vampire-like creature that returns to life after having committed suicide. A Nachzehrer returns from their self-inflicted deaths in order to haunt those among the living. Yet, unlike most vampires, the Nachzehrer does not feast upon blood, but on the flesh of the dead. The only way to truly kill a Nachzehrer is to put a coin in its mouth and then cut off its head; any other killing method will result in the Nachzehrer coming back to life with a vengeance for the one that attempted to kill it.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

French Horrors of Myth, Legend, and History

French Horrors of Myth, Legend, and History

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to discover something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique and old monsters is France.
Tarasque
The Tarasque was believed to have originated in Nerluc in Provence, France; this creature has the head of a lion, the back of a turtle, the legs of a bear, the chest of an ox, and a scorpion’s tail. The Tarasque was a killing machine that not only killed all that came across it in battle, but also destroyed the very land it walked on. According to legend, Saint Martha managed to tame the beast, only for the people of Nerluc to kill it in fear when it was brought to their town. In remorse, they named their town Tarasque.
Nain Rouge
The Nain Rouge is literally a red dwarf, the size of a child, has red skin, blood red eyes, rotting teeth, and wears fur boots that are either black or red. This creature might not be large, but it is a nasty harbinger of doom and a trickster. The Nain Rouge is believed to be seen prior to some of the most horrid tragedies that have ever occurred. Did the Nain Rouge cause these events or was its presence merely a warning of the horror to come?
Lou Carcolh
Lou Carcolh is a massive monster with long slimy tentacles that are miles long, the body of a serpent, and the shell of a snail. The Lou Carcolh lives underground until it is ready to snap up and paralyze its human prey before eating it whole, alive and conscious. The last thing its human victims see is its gaping mouth before they are swallowed up.
Loup-Garou
The Loup-Garou is a sub type of werewolf that can transform at will, no matter if there is a full moon in the sky or not. Once these Loups-Garous have assumed the form of a wolf, they achieve superhuman strength and speed while also retaining their human intellect. The monsters are much harder to kill than the traditional werewolf as they can become a wolf in the blink of an eye and, with their human intellect, they are able to both hunt and evade with startling accuracy.
Cheval Mallet
Cheval Mallet translates to mallet horse or evil horse and this creatures looks like a beautiful horse with an elegant set of tack. The Cheval Mallet appears on lonely roads and lures weary travelers onto its back only to ride away with them. Such travelers are never seen again. What does the Cheval Mallet do with its victims; are they eaten, absorbed, killed, or sent to a different dimension?
Beast of Gévaudan
The Beast of Gévaudan is one of the scariest monsters from French legend, not only because of its ferocious appearance, but because of the fact that it was documented in history as a man-eating wolf dog. It lived from1764 to 1767 and was described as having massive teeth and multiple huge tails. Hundreds of people were left with their throats ripped out and organs missing because of this beast. Its reign of terror across the country was only halted when King Louis XV sent professional hunters after it.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Japanese Folk Monsters

Japanese Folk Monsters

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to discover something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique and old monsters is Japan.
Ushi-Oni
The Ushi-Oni is commonly referred to as a cow demon or an ox demon due to the fact that its appearance is not always the same. Sometimes it will have a crab body and an ox head, the body of a spider with giant tusks in addition to flying squirrel wings, and other times it will appear as a very unfriendly cow. The Ushi-Oni will typically conceal itself close to the shore in order to terrorize local fishermen with its ghastly appearance.
Shuten Doji
The Shuten Doji lived in Kyoto and would feed its appetite for human flesh by luring women into its castle. Once the women were inside the castle, they would find themselves imprisoned until the Shuten Doji was hungry enough to eat them. The Shuten Doji was near impossible to slay, as a hero looking to feed it drugged sake to lull it to sleep would quickly find that creature would transform into a red demon when it ingested sake. If beheaded, the head of the Shuten Doji would remain alive to seek vengeance on those that had sought to kill it.
Teke Teke
Teke Teke was once a young schoolgirl by the name of Kashima Reiko who fell on to the Meishin Railway where her legs were cut off by a train. After her death from blood loss, she became the vengeful spirit known as Teke Teke. She often haunts railways where she will kill those she comes across that do not flee fast enough by cutting off their legs and watching them bleed out. Other times she is known to haunt bathroom stalls where she will ask three questions and a wrong answer will see her victim lose their legs and their life. Her questions are:
1. Where are my legs? Answer: Meishin Railway
2. Who told you this? Answer: Kashima Reiko
2. What is my name? Answer: Mask Death Demon
Gashadokuro
Gashadokuro are spirits that are fifteen time taller than the average person and look like giant skeletons. The bones in their bodies were collected by the spirits from people that died of starvation. They hunt for unwary travelers only after midnight in order to satisfying their craving for fresh blood. They decapitate their victims and then drink the blood that comes spraying out of the body. They have powers of invisibility and are indestructible. The only way to stay safe from these spirts is to have a Shinto charm.
Aka Manto
Aka Manto is a spirit that takes the appearance of a handsome man with a mask covering his face that haunts public and school bathrooms. Aka Manto can choose to be visible or invisible to his chosen victims as he asks his victim a question that will determine their fate. The questions and the results of the different answers are:
1. Do you want red paper or blue paper?
Red: Aka Manto slices them apart until the victim's clothes are covered in red blood.
Blue: Aka Manto strangles the victim until they turn blue.
Requests for different color paper means the victim is dragged by Aka Manto to the Netherworld.
Silence: Aka Manto will depart if no answer is given.
2. Do you want a red cape or blue cape?
Red: Aka Manto will rip the skin off his victim's back.
Blue: Aka Manto will drain all the blood from the victim’s body.
Yellow: Aka Manto will drown the victim multiple times, but eventually leave the victim alive.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Monsters and Creatures of Afghanistan

Monsters and Creatures of Afghanistan

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to discover something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique and old monsters is Afghanistan. Afghanistan has a unique view that is different from most countries in regards to monsters as many in the country still hold true belief in the existence of such monsters. Yet, they are also known for not having the plethora of monster legends and myths that some countries do. Is this because Afghanistan monsters really did used to exist and do exist or does their culture just keep the myths to a minimum?
Giants
While most people view giants as a mythological tale, Afghan culture actually believes in the existence of such creatures. There is a grave marker that is 20 meters (65 feet long), that is supposedly the grave of a real giant. An article from Marking Time Living War had a police officer talking about giants that had died out about eighty years ago that were twenty to thirty meters tall. Many of the current residents of Afghanistan were told of giants by their grandparents or great-grandparents, who saw giants with their own eyes (Marking Time Living War, 2013). The fact that so many people do, in fact, believe that giants were real has created a large pool of legends about the creatures for a writer to draw from. However, if the story is going to be written with the intent of being read by an Afghan audience, then be careful to either clearly label the story as fiction or take care not to give offense.
Djinn
There are multiple sub types of the mythical species known as Djinn, which range from malevolent to benevolent. There have been myths surrounding Djinn in Afghanistan that paint the creatures as having monstrous red eyes, the body of a man, but with the edges of its figure being smoky in nature. The creatures often take delight in scaring those that trespass into its territory, but the encounters often remain non violent unless the creature is provoked by violence. If provoked, these creatures will kill their intended victim in horrible, painful ways. The method and type of the kill can vary from Djinn to Djinn as each creature has its own preferred kill method for those who provoke its ire. Unlike most Djinn legends which occurred hundreds if not thousands of years ago, there are supposed sightings of Djinn in present day Afghanistan.
Ghosts and Spirits
Afghanistan has many legends and myths that refer to spirits and ghosts and yet most of these stories involve simple hauntings that were caused by a dead person having unfinished business or wanting vengeance on those that caused their death. Afghanistan’s myths are rather lacking when it comes to famous or well-known ghosts.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Creatures from Bahamas Myth and Legend

Creatures from Bahamas Myth and Legend

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique creatures is the Bahamas. Each of islands in the Bahamas has their own unique legends filled with  creatures from different myths.
Andros Bahamas: Lusca
Lusca is a monsterous creature that is believed to live in the blue holes of Andros Bahamas. Lusca is a Bahamas legend that is akin to the Loch Ness Monster; it is believed that Lusca is a half octopus with its other half being either a dragon or shark, depending on the legend that Lusca is featured in. Lusca has long strong metallic tentacles that gleam in the sun when they are raised out of the water to drag sailors and ships down into Lusca’s underwater lair when they trespass on the territory that belongs to Lusca. However, no matter the legend, Lusca is always referred to as a female monster that lives underwater. It is believed that she is responsible for drowning those that sail into the blue holes that she calls home. Many of the residents of the Bahamas still steer clear of the blue holes to this day out of fear of Lusca dragging them to an underwater grave.
Exuma Bahamas: Pretty Molly
Pretty Molly is a legend unique to Little Exuma, as she was so named due to her believing to reside in Pretty Molly Bay. Pretty Molly is a legend with two different tellings. The first legend is that Pretty Molly is a mermaid with a beautiful tail with three fins that look like underwater wings. In this version she is a beautiful and somewhat harmless creature that lives in Pretty Molly Bay and the only time she shows any hint of violence is against those that would try to harm her and even then, those that try are often left half drowned, but alive. The second legend  is that Pretty Molly is in fact a ghost that was once a slave, one that committed suicide in Pretty Molly Bay to escape her masters by walking into the bay and drowning herself to escape her life of pain. In this legend, Pretty Molly can take on the form of a mermaid if she so chooses and she haunts the shore of the beach where she once committed suicide. Her ghost has been known to terrify those that destroy her solitude at night with horrible screams and the feeling of the pain that she once endured.
Andros Bahamas: The Chickcharnies
The Chickcharnies are believed to reside in the tallest pine trees and they make their nests in the spot where the two tallest pine trees are joined together. The Chickcharnies are bird-like creatures that look like an owl with three fingers, three toes, and the ability to rotate their heads a complete 360 degrees. It is believed that the Chickcharnies can grant good fortune for a lifetime to those that  show them respect. Those who fail to show the proper amount of respect can find themselves cursed with a lifetime of ill fortune and, in extreme cases, the Chickcharnies have been known to leave those they dislike with their heads turned around backwards.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

How to Write a Unique Spooky Story

How to Write a Unique Spooky Story

Writing a spooky story can be difficult with so many different monster books and movies that hog all the best monsters. If you choose zombies, your story is automatically going to be compared to The Walking Dead and Z Nation; if you choose vampires you are going to have to face off against Twilight, and there are just so many books, movies, and TV shows with ghosts that it is hardly worth it. In order to write a truly spooky story that will attract readers, you need to produce a well-written story that is unique from what is already available.
Choosing Your Type of Horror: Stephen King, well known author of all thing scary and spooky, has categorized the three types of terror that are essential in a spooky story. According to him, there is: “The Gross-out: a severed head tumbling down the stairs, the lights go out, and something slimy splatters against you. The Horror: the unnatural, spiders the size of bears, the dead walking, the lights go out and something claws you. The Terror: the lights go out and you feel something behind you, you hear it, you feel its breath against your ear, but when you turn around, there's nothing there.” (Stephen King)
A spooky story does not need to include all of these elements, but each spooky story should include at least one, unless you are aiming for a child friendly story or more of a cute spook like Casper the Friendly Ghost. Whether you choose to include one, two, or all three of the elements in your spooky story, you need to own them and make them unique to your story and not a cliché.
Making Your Monster or Spooky Fiend: Once you have chosen your element(s) of horror, the next step is constructing your spooky monster or fiend. In order to make your story unique, you should avoid the well-known monsters by either digging into myths and legends to find a terrifying monster or fiend that is not well known, or by creating your own unique creature.
 Finding a Creature of Myth or Legend
If you have made the choice to find a monster that is not well known, then you should begin by doing research into myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. Some examples of such creatures and fiends would be: the Jewish demon Dybbuk, the German Nachzehrer, the Sumerian Gugalanna, the Chinese were-tigers, the Romanian Strigoi, and the Slavic Koschei the Deathless. All of these monsters and creature are horrors buried deep in the myths and legends from around the world that most people would not know about. This would allow you to have a rich mythology base that you can use to pull your reader in.
Crafting Your Own Monster
If you are a particularly creative person, you might be able to create your own monster or creature from scratch with just your imagination to guide you. However, if you are not extremely creatively gifted, then the easiest way to make your own monster is to pick two or three already existing monsters that you like and combine your favorite elements in a new monster that you can make up a name for.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Mythical Creatures of Iceland

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique and old monsters is Iceland.

Lagarfljotsormur
Lagarfljotsormur loosely translates to 'worm monster' and the Lagarfljotsormur is the Icelandic version of the Loch Ness Monster. Lagarfljotsormur is believed to live in the Lagarfljot Lake, which is located near Egilsstadir in East Iceland. Lagarfljotsormur is believed to have been born when a young girl placed a gold ring under a heath-dragon (also known as a lungworm) in her dresser. A few days later the lungworm had grown so big, it broke the girl’s dresser. In fear, the girl tossed the lungworm and the ring into Lagarfljot Lake. Once in the lake, the growth of the lungworm accelerated until it became so big that it was able to terrorize people and animals that came too close to the lake.
Trolls
Trolls have a mostly humanoid form with a stooped back and a general level of ugliness that marks them as trolls and not humans. The trolls of Iceland are generally known for their fierce temperament that can cause them to act rashly, yet they have also been known to be fair deal makers. The trolls are believed to live in small communities hidden in the mountains that keep them safe from the rays of the sun, which would turn them into stone, and humans who would hunt them for their ability to create all sorts of things from stone. Trolls can be bargained with and favors can be exchanged, yet they can also become enraged at slights and their revenge is always crueler than the slight.
Skugga-Baldurs and Skoffíns
Both Skugga-Baldurs and Skoffíns are creatures that are born from the mating of a cat and a fox, though their appearances differ greatly. Skoffíns are generally the size of a small house cat and often look like underfed runts; these creatures are known for using their intellect to try to outwit humans. The Skugga-Baldurs is a giant cat the size of a mountain lion with fox-like features. These large creatures will often hunt humans that enter their territory, as well as those that try to capture their smaller cousins, the Skoffíns. Both Skugga-Baldurs and Skoffíns can kill or paralyze humans with one glance and the only known defense is to turn their own gaze against them using a reflective surface.  
Marbendill
Marbendill are male mermaids that live in Iceland. These creatures often have more fish traits than human traits, which make them well suited for colder weather, but less suited for pleasant human interaction. Marbendill can sense the innermost emotions of humans and animals and this makes them well aware of the intention of the person seeking them out. The Marbendill will often ignore humans who are just curious, but will play cruel tricks on those looking to capture a Marbendill. If the human persists after the Marbendill trick, then that human is pulled into the dark depths of the water that the Marbendill live in and is never seen again.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke