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Giveaway & Guest Post – The Mermaid and the Unicorns by L T Getty @GoddessFish

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I love mermaids and unicorns, so I am super excited to share The Mermaid and the Unicorns by L T Getty. Isn’t this a gorgeous cover? And how about this fantastic guest post. Horses are such an elegant animal to watch. (guest post images linked to Wikipedia)

Ten Horses found in Mythology throughout the world

            The horse is so iconic in our ancient myth and folklore, when I found myself researching what I thought would be an easy topic I found myself having a hard time narrowing it down. To qualify for this list specifically, the horse itself had to have supernatural qualities or features, as opposed to the many relatively ordinary yet magnificent steeds owned by famous literary and legendary figures. I also considered characters like Shadowfax from The Lord of the Rings, but decided against more modern depictions but feel free to discuss them below.

            When I was researching this article I found that there was at times a bit of conflicting information (I’m looking at you, Pegasus). For the most part I’m going to go with the most common interpretation or origin. I encourage you to read more on the articles or discuss below.

  1. Hippocampus

The name coming from the Greek tradition, although there were similar depictions among the Picts, Phoencians and Etruscans. The mythical water horse is said have the front half of a horse, with the back half of a fish, and was said to pull Poseidon’s underwater chariot.

  • Pegasus

The most common greek story the winged horse was named Pegasus, which came out of the head of Medusa after Perseus slew Medusa, but today the name has become synonymous with most winged horses in the western tradition. The winged horses are found throughout the world in myth and legend, from the traditional mounts of the Norse Valkyries and the Korean Chollima, if I try to start naming them all I’m likely to forget one.

  • Tulpar

The tulpar was a winged or swift horse found inside Turkish folklore, and is on the official state emblem of Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Bashkortostan. The wings were not necessarily to indicate flight, but speed.

4)     Uchchaihshravas

            A seven-headed flying horse said to be created at the churning of the milk oceans. Uchchaihshravras is said to be the greatest horse, and was taken by Indra, king of the gods and used as his own personal mount but is also recorded as the horse of Bali, king of the asuras (demons).

  • Sleipnir

Odin’s seven-legged horse, said to be fathered by Svaðilfari and er… “mothered” by Loki when he was in the shape of a mare. Look, if you read Norse Mythology, you’ll know that this isn’t the least weird thing Loki has done. We could circle back to an earlier tangent on Pegasus if you’d like, but moving on…

6)     Centaur

Okay, this one’s a bit of a cheat. They have the body of a horse, but the upper body of a man or woman. Originating from ancient Greek mythology, centaurs were sometimes rumoured to be more like wild horses, and were often depicted kidnapping human women.

7)     Kelpie

            A Scottish fae creature with shape shifting abilities, could appear human or in the shape of a horse. Virtually every significant body of water in Scotland is associated with some Kelpie. In horse shape, it would bid the unsuspecting rider to mount, then would take them to the nearest body of water and drown them, or at least give them a solid dunking.

 

8)     Each-Uisge (Ech-ooshkya) (Scottish) or Aughisky (Agh-iski) (Irish)

Very similar to the kelpie, these were the more vicious variations. These shapeshifter horses were also of a tradition to let the rider on their backs, although they could take the shape of a handsome young man to come courting. However if they smelled water, their skin would become adhesive take their rider to it and drown, and then devour them, leaving behind only their liver.

 

9)     Quilin

Another bit of a cheat, the quilin often is depicted in the west as a Chinese Unicorn, but they often have very distinct physical differences that aliken them sometimes more similar to a dragon. The quilin is scaled and often depicted with the body like a deer or a horse, and are almost depicted with hooves, and their appearance is often associated with the impending death of a sage or ruler. They have similar depictions in the Japanese and Korean mythology where they are called Kirin.

10) Unicorn

            Unicorns have become synonymous with goodness and purity, and were often hunted for their horns, which were said to be able to cure poison. The trick was luring the unicorn, in which the help of a virgin was necessary to lull it to sleep. The unicorn is often depicted as very similar to a horse, but having some key differences; almost always they are depicted with a single horn. Some times these features include the tail of a lion and the cloven hooves of a goat, as well as the depiction of wings, although a more modern term naming unicorns with wings alicorns.

  These are just ten mythical horses found throughout culture, and they’ve been depicted in many tales of folklore and legend, and many are staples in fantasy movies and literature to this day. What are some of your favourites above, and not on the list? What would you like to see more of? Who are your favourite individual horses as characters? Is Starlite from Rainbow Brite really the most magnificent horse, or do you prefer She-ra’s Swift Wind? Comment below.

What an awesome post. Thanks so much for sharing L T.

The Mermaid and the Unicorns by L.T. Getty

GENRE: Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure

BLURB

Daphne’s a typical mermaid, and at least according to her, that’s a problem. She’s courageous and has a beautiful singing voice, but lacks the power of an elemental, the ability to command water with the sound of her voice. Jealous of her best friend, she makes a deal with a sea-witch, only to be betrayed, in place of her beautiful tail and flukes Daphne’s left beached with a pair of human legs. The spell keeping Daphne looking human will become permanent, unless Daphne can hunt down and bring the scheming Lorelei a unicorn horn before the next full moon.

Unable to reach her friends and family for help, Daphne doesn’t know how to walk, much less where to find a unicorn or how to catch one. Even if she’s successful, Daphne’s still not sure if she can trust Lorelei and her pint-sized kraken to keep their end of the bargain and let her return to the sea.

NOTE: The book is only $0.99.

EXCERPT

“What’s Pass the Lumberjack’s Hat Around?” she asked Esperanza once the other girl got called to go work the front.

“Possibly the worst song in existence,” Esperanza said. “You know how sometimes songs don’t make sense? At all?”

“Yeah,” Daphne said. “But sometimes, people don’t understand the hidden meaning…”

Esperanza arched an eyebrow, cleared her throat, then began to tap her foot before singing,

            “Throw the mouses in the skittle

            Round and Round a hey diddle-diddle!

            Rubes be dark and ducks do quack,

            Shall My Lady Love turn back?”

            Daphne tried not to laugh. “You just made that up.”

            “It gets better,” Esperanza said, still tapping.

            “Round the goose to my captain’s ball,

            The goat’s favourite clover is a free-for-all!

            Dirty socks all about the town,

            Pass the lumberjack’s hat around!”

Esperanza stopped tapping and made a face. “Fortunately, you need a half-gallon jug filled a third to blow, three people playing the spoons, and two violins to get an idea what it’s supposed to sound like. It’s also supposed to have a cowbell and a really loud drum, but most people just clang on whatever they find.”

Daphne said, “Can you teach me a song that would be appropriate for the contest?”

“Sure. I know what a bunch of the others said they were doing, so that way you won’t have anyone singing the same thing. I can teach you Maid in Mourning or Velvet Tears in less than an hour. Is there a specific song you’d like to learn?”

“Maybe something a little less weepy,” Daphne suggested.

“Okay—how about The Forlorn Rose or Indigo Woods? You’re allowed a single person for accompaniment…”Esperanza kept talking, but Daphne overheard one of the girls whistling, and then, someone sang,

“Shoo bee doo my feet turned blue”

“Dancing round and around my nose achoo!” sang the girl, sweeping nearby.

“The Duke’s in the henhouse and the earl’s a clown,”

“PASS THE LUMBERJACK’S HAT AROOOOUND!” sang the artist, horribly, from the main room.

“I don’t pay you lot to sing!” Irene shouted from where she worked near the ovens, but like all bad songs, the little diddy had caught on like wildfire.

“Pass the Lumberjack’s hat around, hat around, hat around,

“Pass the Lumberjack’s hat around,

“Until we get some GRAVY!”

Almost everyone in the bakery was stomping and clapping. One of the girls was dancing a jig on a table because she knew Irene couldn’t see her.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

L.T. Getty is a rural paramedic from Manitoba. She enjoys writing science fiction and fantasy and generally being creative.

Amazon (American) / Amazon (Canadian) / Kobo / BarnesandNobles

Author Links: My Blog

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Giveaway – Witchslayer’s Scion by L T Getty @GoddessFish

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I love a ‘morally grey protagonist’. I love villains. I think it makes it more interesting…and real. It’s not like we don’t need a little help and redemption at times. Besides, who are we to judge? So, let’s see what L T Getty has to share about her characters.

Morally Grey Protagonists?

               I grew up reading stories about heroes and villains, where things were not clear cut that the hero was perfect but there were definitive light and dark sides. Somewhere along the lines, the stories that claimed that they were for a more adult audience started to blur the lines of hero and villain. I didn’t mind it, because so long as the hero didn’t cross the line and had some redemptive qualities, I could still cheer for them.

               Suddenly reading more ‘mature’ stories meant more nuanced themes and ideas. I didn’t mind unreliable narrators, and even stories where there were no heroes. Perhaps the most honest among these is William Makepeace Thackery’s Vanity Fair. Its subtitle is A Novel without a Hero. It’s satire but not in the way you think.

               But what makes a hero?  I suppose we should define some terms.

               A Hero in the modern sense, is probably a loaded term. For the sake of this article, I will define as someone who at least attempts to do good. We’re not here to talk subversions, so I don’t want to hear about how much Hero A sucks at it. A Villain conversely, is someone who attempts to do bad. There are many, many many subversions of these tropes, and there’s no way I can go over all of them in any brief article. The fact that I had to define these terms speaks volumes, but let’s focus.

               A Protagonist is the center of the story. The antagonist is the person or force that opposes the actions of the protagonist.

               Up until recently, in most stories, we follow a heroic protagonist.  Think of most renditions of Cinderella or The Ugly Duckling. In more modern renditions of stories, we tend to flesh out the characters, or tell the story from a different perspective. My favourite novel, Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis, tells the story from a villain protagonist. Lewis also pinned The Screwtape Letters, which was literally advice from one demon to another, whereas Till We Have Faces paints the character of Orual as incredibly sympathetic, but also completely in the wrong by the end of the tale.

               I’ve done villain protagonists. Dreams of Mariposa, Marie is a villain, and I didn’t want the audience to think she was the victim or somehow loveable, so much as delve into an extremely narcissistic mindset. I’ve written heroic characters; Daphne from The Mermaid and the Unicorns is jealous and stubborn, but she’s also brave and loyal, and grows from her mistakes. I’d say that Marie is a very flawed villain, and Daphne is a flawed heroine.

               What about the morally grey characters?

               When I was doing research for this article, I stumbled across why Heroic Fantasy deviated from Sword and Sorcery. I always assumed that Sword and Sorcery were referring to elements in the story, like sword and sandal (Vaguely historical romanish stories) or Sword and Gun (John Carter Space Opera). Turns out it was to deviate from the legacy of morally compromised protagonists common in sword and sorcery. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroic_fantasy )

               Although comics, movies, and other adaptations didn’t always stay true to the original, I grew up reading Conan the Barbarian shorts, and there’s plenty of stories where Conan gets himself into a situation because he’s blatantly there to steal something or do something that would land him up in the local jail. He takes up with pirates, isn’t shy on killing, and has been attributed to an awful lot of ravishing. He’s still an incredibly iconic hero that has stood the test of time.

               Why the morally grey heroes in Sword and Sorcery tales? In my opinion, sometimes stories lean better towards characters who might not be on the up and up in their society. There are certain situations that have to get pretty convoluted for a Lawful Good Hero go find himself in.

               I found this with my novel Tower of Obsidian. Kale gets betrayed by his lord’s men and they set out to sea to hide from the wrath of said lord, where they are attacked by drougr and Kale’s captors become captive themselves, and thus the adventure truely kicks off. I’m not calling Kale a morally perfect hero, far from it, but he’s also not the sort of person who’d go sailing off into contested waters. The drougr are looking for warriors and rough men to send to the tower; they don’t typically have access to people like Kale.

               I for one don’t like to think of people as morally complex but inherently flawed – even paragons of virtue probably should have a testing point or a weakness, and it’s ultimately their actions, and not their motives, that make them heroes or villains in the story. As a writer, I eventually have to take a side in a conflict, even if it’s “Hey, you’re all awful”. That doesn’t mean that I have to make the answers easy.

               For instance, in Witchslayer’s Scion, one of the major issues in the growing empire of Tenagee is that these conquered territories aren’t happy being ruled by people who aren’t from their island or culture. Yes, the Imperium is conquering the islands and sometimes they treat the natives pretty terribly. BUT they are also bringing in trade between the communities, and establishing a form of law that protects women and children. YES, the islanders are right to want to control their own futures, BUT the people who tend to rise to power tend to be the sort who use people and will sell their own people out to better their own positions.

               To me, the morally grey area is the situation which a given character is faced with making a decision in which there is no right answer. I love well-written characters who are upstanding moral citizens to which I inspire. The problem is that, when I was a younger writer they were difficult to write well. I think it depends on the audience, but in general most readers want a main character who is relatable, and even if they’re not perfect, understandable, and if they’re a villain, motivations that the reader can understand or even sympathize with.

               In short, I don’t think a character has to be capable of stealing but not of murder to be morally grey. I think the vast majority of characters in fiction need to be realized, and that includes flaws. It’s not such a bad thing as the vast majority of characters in modern fiction overcome their flaws and grow as people. An upright person, with a teeny tiny tint of darkness, could still be considered grey by this standard, but it’s ultimately their actions in spite of of these flaws that differentiate the heroes from the villains.

I loved the article and it only makes me want to check out your characters more. Thanks so much, LT.

Witchslayer’s Scion by L.T. Getty

GENRE:   Sword and Sorcery/Fantasy

BLURB

Koth’s life was decided for him since before he was born, for his ability to heal wounds by touch is rare even among his people. When an attempted kidnapping turns to sacrificial murder, he embraces vengeance and the sword. As he journeys far from his small isolated village in the north, he learns the truth as to why his bloodline is targeted by strange magic, in a world still rebuilding from a time when dark sorcerers didn’t bother with secrecy.

Koth thinks his quest is straightforward enough–find the men responsible, and kill them–and any who aid them. He will soon learn that those who have both privilege and power, there are few things they lack–and in the pursuit of godhood, their allies can prove even more sinister as mere mortals seek to advent empires and dynasties.

EXCERPT

“Something’s wrong,” Una said. “Koth, wait here.”

“Why?” If there was a problem, she should be waiting outside for him.

He sensed inside, his aunt’s thoughts remained hidden from him. Una shouted, and he ran inside the building. He thought there were lights on inside, but he saw no candles.

The tea house was very dark, and he felt a sudden dread—he wanted to leave. Baro barked from the outside. ~Una!~  he thought, before something hit his neck.

He knew at once it was a poison dart, and ripping it out he tried to smell what it was. Seeing metal reflect moonlight and he moved his hand, his skin cut. Moving instinctively out of the way, his next reaction was to purge the toxin that coursed through his body and tried to understand the wound. It was mostly his forearm, deep but he could still use it, the bone unaffected. He’d do a better healing later. He focused on something not unlike a burn before going for the knife at his hip. Striking 85 in the next liquid motion, Koth realized he was attacking his aunt.

She grabbed onto his injured flesh and seared it, destroying, weakening the sinew and the cartilage and causing it to age and die, following up the bloodstream, to find the heart and kill. Koth tried to brace; he couldn’t heal and keep her at bay. He was physically stronger and much heavier, but she was weakening his muscles. He tried to wrench the knife from her.

He knocked the blade to the ground then tried to lock minds with her to find nothing short of blinding pain take him over, wrestling him to the ground and making him drop his knife. She took the dagger and when he tried to force himself up, a familiar sense washed over him. Magic, but not coming from Una.

“Do not kill him yet,” Yeshbel said, “we will bleed him first.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links

L.T. Getty is a rural paramedic from Manitoba. She enjoys writing science fiction and fantasy and generally being creative.

Author Links: My Blog: https://ltgetty.ca/

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Giveaway – Dreams of Mariposa by L T Getty @GoddessFish

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Welcome to my tour stop for Dreams of Mariposa by L T Getty. I hope you enjoy the post and don’t forget to enter the giveaway below.

I am a sucker for a great cover and L T Getty has chosen a good one. I am so happy to share her thoughts with you today. What do you think?

Cover Etiquette

I have a pretty cover.

…oh, you wanted something of substance, did you?

I don’t have anything good to show you, but I was known more in High School for being an artist than a writer. Granted, I didn’t share my writing outside of the designated class, whereas I had conte and paintings occasionally in the hallways.

Now that I have the space I’m getting back into oil painting now, and now I’m a giant cover snob. Aren’t we all? My first reaction to seeing the cove: Well, that’s pretty, and it’ll be an easy sell for a thumbnail. The red stands out against the blue, so it’s striking.

The general feedback I’ve gotten from others is that the cover doesn’t scream ‘steampunk horror’ so much as paranormal romance. I disagree; one of my coworkers reads a ton of paranormal romance and there’s no rock hard abs to be found.

There’s some subtle details. The Studded bodice. The soft wrapping. The red lipstick isn’t to showcase Marie’s lovely lips.

Kinda contrasts to my Pinterest Book Board and What I suggested:

I could have definitely done worse in the cover department. It’s subtle, and while I’m the first one to put a plague doctor mask and disturbing imagery front and center, I’m just going to have to be really honest with y’all: it’s a steampunk horror novel. I don’t doubt that there’ll be some interest from readers from paranormal romance, but this is more about what happens when the heroine loses the love of her life and her afterlife ebbs ever forward without him, and her refusing to let go, unable to die because she’s maxed out her vamp stats.

If you are in the mood for a straight up paranormal romance, my publisher does have several titles. I’ll recommend Celia Breslin’s Haven.

So if anyone wants me to wax dramatic about the cover, I won’t. There have been many other, big name authors who got the “What were they thinking?!” covers. I can work with this.

Thanks so much for sharing with us today.

Dreams of Mariposa by L.T. Getty

GENRE:   Steampunk-Horror

BLURB

Every decade, Marie must leave her home and everything she loves to start anew. She can’t risk the locals learning the truth of her immortality, much less her vampiric need of feeding off fear. Fortunately for Marie, fear comes easily and she spends her endless days mourning the loss of her beloved.

When she is summoned to the leaders of the masquerade, she is persuaded to assist them in uncovering a mystery of powers possibly more ancient then their own order.

As a rare daywalker of exquisite beauty, there is no society Marie cannot infiltrate. Having spent the last few centuries growing into her abilities, she expects to learn of the old powers, and return to her lonely eternity of mourning.

She doesn’t expect to fall in love.

EXCERPT

“Where is this fool taking us?” one of Raoul’s men asked.

I realized then that they hadn’t been paying attention.

“Driver!” He reached his arm outside the open window to rap and get his attention, but I could smell the hiss of venom and knew it was intentional.

The horses ran quicker, and I could hear more coming up. They sought to isolate us and do their deed in the woods. Interesting choice, as there was no need to restrain ourselves without potential witnesses.         

One of Raoul’s guards kicked open the door. He glided out. His gift included some manipulation of his form, and like a shadow he leapt onto the path, while his fellow went to climb up on the stagecoach.

Raoul glanced at me. “You’ll be safest in here.”

“Do not leave your men, guardian mine.”

His gaze darted from mine as I recognized the smell of flesh turning to ash, and light pierced the chest of the fellow on the roof of the coach. He exploded into dust before he could scream. The stench of sulphur was undeniable, even without our honed senses. The other fellow met a similar end a moment later.

Unfazed by the strange tool on a chain, Raoul unsheathed a rapier from his cane and struck the driver in the leg. The man was young. He met a knife at the rapier for the second strike, but the riders coming up were too late. Raoul knocked aside the gun and slashed the driver’s face before he pierced his heart. I bounced along uncomfortably as the driver was pushed forward and went under the back left wheel.

The horses squealed and ran faster. Raoul reached for the reins, but a rider came up from beside the carriage, then put her pistol in through the open window at me. I grabbed the weapon with such force I nearly knocked her off her horse and into the carriage’s paneling.



AUTHOR

L.T. Getty is a science fiction and fantasy writer who hails from the Canadian Prairies. When she’s not writing, you can likely find her driving an ambulance and dreaming about travel.

Blog: https://ltgetty.wordpress.com/

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Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!