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