Types of Vampires: Mullo

Every culture has their own collective tales concerning the supernatural or better said, what goes bump in the night.

One of my favorite places to explore is Romania even though you will see me ramble away in the future concerning  much more ancient  of cultures such as Egypt.

Romania has built a historical empire on the vampire though. I doubt there is a need to name famous writers who based their vampire novels on this fertile, Gothic haven. But we have to  sooner or later realize that there was something more than interesting being whispered upon the trembling lips of villagers for so many to seize this golden writing opportunity. So that is my goal here. To drag you along every wondrous avenue of information that I went down myself especially since this is my chocolate—where all these dark and delicious creatures stem from. I didn’t want to base my novels on what writers’ created though. I wanted to base my characters on actual myths and lore and build from there. After all, Bram Stoker did not give birth to the vampire as I like to say. The Vampire gave birth to him.  So in this article I will discuss the Mullo who is a vampire based on Roma (Gypsy) belief and lore.

Interestingly enough, Mullo means ‘living dead’. They are restless spirits who rise up from their damp and darkened graves to either avenge their own deaths or have sexual encounters with those they couldn’t have or were obsessed with in life. If a person died who didn’t like you and then became a Mullo, well you could most certainly expect to see them wrecking some horrid havoc where you’re concerned.

The Mullo seem to be invincible except where their lovers are concerned. They have a sexual desire that is insatiable. The Mullo have been known to ask their lovers to join them in the grave or to marry them. Legend has it that the lovers have even been left weak or have become ill by their encounters with them. That’s how truly powerful their passion can be. In fact, women have been known to become pregnant which is where the term ‘DHAMPIR’ comes from.  In some lore, a DHAMPIR can only be a male.

In order to destroy a Mullo, one must scream a Romanian curse at it. “God send you burst!” Or you can strike them in the tummy with an iron needle or throw some Holy Water. A DHAMPHIR has the power to kill them by shooting them or knifing them with a dagger. Black Dogs, Black Cocks or White Wolves can also kill a Mullo.

In order to destroy a Mullo though, it has to be done 40 days — 3 to 5 days after burial. After that, they are indestructible.

Written by C.H. Scarlett

Types of Vampires : Baobhan Sith

By C.H. Scarlett

In Scottish Lore these are Vampire Fairies. They take the image of young, beautiful women who are noted to wear green. Its interesting because Baobhan Sith happens to be a Highland term for a Banshee and is normally used towards deadly, evil SUCCBI. The legends tell that the Baobhan Sith find men and dance with them until the men are so exhausted that they can’t fight or just pass out. It is then that the Vampire Fairies feed on them.

Weaknesses: Iron –really the only thing that I have found that will kill them. In some stories it explains that they fear sunlight but it does not say as to why or the effects the sun has on them.

Legend tells us that they love hunters and any young man who is found wondering around after dark. One folktale of Scottish descent speaks of four young hunters who didn’t return home once the moon rose. Like most stories in days which the IPOD or CD player didn’t exist, they began to entertain themselves while one of the Hunters played music. The other three hunters began to dance around a small fire when one of the three actually wished he had a female partner to dance with.

Out of  nowhere his wish took flight and four very beautiful women appeared. Three of them danced while one stood quietly by the music maker. When the one who made the music noticed blood falling from his three friends; he panicked and ran away hiding himself among their horses. The vampire fairy encircled him until dawn unable to claim her prey because of the iron shoes the horses wore on their feet.  The angry Baobhan Sith  was forced to disappeared for the sake of her life. The hunter returned to the place he and the others took shelter and was horrified by what he found. There was his three friends dead and drained of all their blood.

Moral of the story? Who really knows if there is one? Why do these stories exist? Were there really Baobhan Sith lurking about  under the cloak of night waiting to find some poor man who easily fell  for her charms?

Maybe these stories were created by women who wanted to make sure their husbands remained faithful and thought twice before they decided not to return home. Maybe too many women were fed up watching their men leave at dawn to hunt only to return some days after having no kill to show for it. Those women later hearing rumors that they spent those days at the local brothel, perhaps?

Or maybe the Baobhan Sith existed and were a human woman’s means to rid of her cruel husband or a lover who had tossed her to the side? Maybe the Baobhan Sith cared nothing for human women at all and thought of men as cattle. The possibilities are endless as  are the theories, but in the end….only you can decide.

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Written by C.H. Scarlett

Types of Vampires: Baital

I have been researching vampires and other creatures for about twenty–plus  years and it never ceases to amaze me that the more I read about different ones, the more obvious it becomes as to where movies and writers get their inspiration from. I think your going to have a taste of that here as we review Baital.

Baital is an Indian term for vampire. The word used before Baital was VETALA. It was believed to be an evil, spirit of mischief that possessed and brought a dead corpse back to life. Somewhat like how a demon possessed the Vampires in the Anne Rice books—or that’s what this reminded me of.

Now if this bad spirit wasn’t taking over a person’s dead flesh and you happened to catch it in its true form, it would look like half a man and half a bat including wings. His skin is very tough and iron-like which means he is hard to kill. He is also known for being very clever. Think about Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Love Never Dies—when Dracula is with Mina in the insane asylum and is interrupted—he takes the form of a bat–like man with huge wings before he explodes into a bunch of rats and disappears.

The Baital is known to ‘hang out’ where he finds his corpse in most cases. If the dead person was hanged then maybe the Baital will be hanging upside down from that very spot.  So, if you finally had enough of your next door neighbors loud music and throwing trash in your yard and decided to off him, but now he is fumbling around by your windows at night looking pretty scary —  I’d suggest you go looking in the Out House where you dumped the body come the light of day. It’s going to be a nasty job but it’s a lot better than being his midnight snack. (wink)

Written By : C.H. Scarlett

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I am Published!!!!

I submitted to Dark Roast Press sometime back and they have offered me a contract. So Bound By Blood will be published! I don’t have a release date as of yet (still drawing up the contract and details) but we have decided on a cover!

It’s been a long road in getting here. And to  be honest, I was wondering if I would ever get here at all. My only regret is that my grandmother wasn’t still here to see it.  Well, where ever she is I am sure she will find out sooner or later.

As far as wondering if I would get here at all– I think that’s what every writer feels like. You are fumbling around in the dark, scratching for a break and wondering if that break will ever come. When you speak to other professional and published writers they tell you that you will cover your walls in rejection slips before someone takes your work on. That doesn’t make people feel better you know? Because you still sit there thinking to yourself…

‘I am in a business which is more than just a rat race—its over populated—writers are a thousand to every dozen. So how do I know that I am even good enough? How do I know I am not wasting my breath and heart?’

You hang in there. You NEVER believe that you have the gift of writing mastered either. When people give you opinions and they differ with your vision—make a list of them and set them to the side. When you are able to look at them from a third party view, THEN consider the suggestions and advice. If someone corrects a mistake, does an edit, tells you to delete something or to add something—leave your ego and pride under the rug. I have had people rip my books apart and leave me with nothing more than the title Chapter___. I kept learning and here I am—

Not even half way there lol. Yep getting published is only ringing the doorbell and peeking inside. You have to earn the right to stay there which means you have to learn to sell yourself and your words. So I am looking inside—and away we go.

C.H. Scarlett

My Web Site

Types of Vampires: Strigoii, Strigoi Part 1

The Strigoii or  also spelt Strigoi are one of my favorite types of Vampires to write about or discuss aside from one more which I won’t reveal just yet. They are the most  popular and common species of Romania and believe it or not, have been the foundation for the imagination of many writers and their novels. There are two types of Strigoii, living and dead. We will be discussing both.

Males are called Strigoii, Strigoi which come from the Latin word Strix. (Striges–plural) These types of vampires can change or Shape-shift into a flying mammal. (Now we know how Dracula turns into a bat. Is it possible that he was a Strigoii?)

Dead Strigoii were those who died unforgiven of something, sins but usually by parents. Those who died before they wed were also high candidates to become Strigoii. If a cat walked over a dead body or the person died filled with pain or having regrets, they to became Strigoii. Precautions had to be taken which are as thick and heavy of a list as ways to become one. But you could bet your bottom dollar a priest would have to be involved, some form of decapitation and cremation.

If the name Strigoii is referred to someone who is living then it would mean that person was a witch, wizard and or made this their means of employment. Funny enough, much of what I have read on these creatures, it seems that some lore suggests that the living Strigoii were a good thing. In fact, they could use their magic to protect humans, particularly children, from being harmed by a dead Strigoii. But every source has its own meaning or version. In some, a living Strigoi was a witch who did favors for a dead Strigoii by way of magic and sooner or later, would become Vampire for their services.

In Romania, a  female is called a Strigoica or Strigoaica. She can be either dead or living. If she is living then she is a witch, can shape-shift and has great power. During life, she takes power from anything having life so when she dies, she then turns into a dead Vampire. Priests often warned women to harness this ability they easily had or else after life, they would be severely punished for it by becoming a vampire.

The stories seem rather silly but it seems these women (living) were obsessed with milk and cows. They would suck all the milk from these cows so that no one else had any.

In one story, a Strigoica had no cow of her own so she got herself a wooden one. With her magic she would milk this wooden cow and the milk from everyone else’s cow would magically come through hers. She was so obsessed with milking her wooden cow that neighbors started to complain to the local priest. He investigated the matter and found the woman milking her wooden cow morning, noon and night. So the priest had the girl make butter from the milk she had bewitched from the wooden creature. He then told her to go out into the forest one morning and throw the butter on a tree.

“In three days,” he told her, “Go back to that tree and tell me what you find.”

She did what the old priest said and in three days was horrified by what she found. When she returned to the tree she saw different kinds of serpents and all kinds of horrible creatures slithering around and eating up the butter. When she ran back to the priest, frightened nearly to death, he warned her what would happen if she continued her naughty ways. “If you keep stealing the life from this world then those creatures will suck your blood for all eternity in the next!.” He warned. And that seemed warning and moral enough to frighten many a congregation.

Something even more interesting in these stories is that Vampires, Evil Witches, Werewolves or whatever else that went bump in the night, were not forced to return to their graves at dawn but rather at 3 am in the morning.

So those of you who awake at 3 am each night for no reason in your beds…are you returning to your mortal bodies which just might be the form of your graves in this life? (Insert Vincent Price evil laughter here—Muahahahahahahaha!)

Who knew this particuliar Vampire would be so popular that we would need a …

Types of Vampires: Strigoii, Strigoi Part 2 <—- Click for it!

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Types of Werewolves : The Many ways of Shifting

 

I am beginning to have an interest in Werewolves thanks to a dark satire I am working on called Wyntress Nyght’s Supernatural Crack. Because of my new found curiosity, I have decided to add them to my “Types Of” list since there seems to be so very little about them out there.

Why is that? Go figure.

Anyway, instead of jumping off into the direction of Culture names, Gods, Goddesses and so forth like I normally do….lets start off with shifting. Apparently there are tons of ways you can become a Werewolf and I find them all fascinating.

I also found that someone had already typed up this list, so therefore I don’t have to.

*grins*

Here is a piece of it:

 

Non-Shifting
Non-Shifting is not a type of shift, but rather a condition. There are many werebeings who have never experienced any kind of Shift. Then why do they think they are werewolves? Simple, their connection with their animal is a way of life. In a way that is very real to them, they are both human and Wolf. Their animal is intertwined with all they do, what they like, how they interact to the world. They do realize that they aren’t a Wolf by the world’s definition, yet that nevertheless is what they are. They often experience some of the symptoms of being a werewolf other than Shifting. And many (perhaps some time or another all??) of them eventually experience Shifts.
Aura Shifting
Aura Shifting is the most common type of Shift, in fact, many Shifters never have any other kind of Shift. In an Aura Shift, the Shifter will immerse him/herself in the animal’s energy, resulting in a Wolf-like mood. The Shifter will feel somewhat animalish, alert, very aware, with an often-pleasurable heightened sense of their physical body. This is very like the mindset that people playing a sport and really mentally absorbed in playing get into. If you’ve ever gotten into a different mode of awareness/concentration/feeling when deep in a Hockey game and having lots of fun, you know pretty much what this is like. Hence the phrase, "I’m in the Zone!" The only big difference is the Shifter has a definite sense of Wolfness (or whatever their totem is) to their mood. The body temp may go up a bit and the behavior will seem more lupine in general.
Astral Shifting
Astral Shifting is where the Shifter goes into the spirit world (astral plane) and Shifts there. It can take awhile to work yourself into the right frame of mind for this, so it’s not as easy as aura shifting, which you can do anywhere and get away with. Dreaming, of shifting into your animal or being your animal, or even dreaming about it, counts as Astral Shifting.

 

To read more and believe me there is a TON more…simply click HERE. I hope no one deletes this information because to me…its a rare find.

Types of Vampires: Strigoii, Strigoi Part 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who knew this one particular type of Vampire would be so popular? Ever since I wrote the first article based on research done by popular resources, (see my book list) my inbox became filled with emails offering up first hand knowledge because they have either worked in Romania or have lived there. So part 2 of this article will be about the knowledge and the very interesting people I have permission to name and about those who prefer to remain nameless.

Now…brace yourself…

Are you ready?

Are you sure?

 

 

 

 

Ok, here’s the scoop….it turns out that the Strigoii Vampire is NOT a Vampire at all—in Romania that is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you believe that?

How the hell did this happen?

How did all these encyclopedias and books concerning demons, monsters and things that go bump in the night be wrong?

 

I honestly do not know. I think somewhere along the way, something would have happened to these Authors that happened to me…someone from Romania or someone who had done a documentary would have emailed them, called them, SOMETHING…to let them know that “Hey, they are not Vampires man! Rewrite it!!!!”

Is it impossible to screw this information up? Nope. When I found out the real scoop, I thought about Bram Stoker who miswrote the meaning of Nosferatu all because the resource he used also defined the creature wrong.

And that’s what did happen to me. My resources were wrong…and not only that…the majority of the resources out there are WRONG.

I was first contacted by Myky (if you check my comments under the first article). And turns out, even though Myky, or Mihaela, doesn’t speak English to well, had a first hand knowledge of these creatures called Strigoi.  Now to avoid any confusion or misinterpretation, I am going to paste exactly what she said…(remember, she doesn’t speak English to well)

I will try to explain you the nature of the strigoi. I think there will be spelling mistakes, because like I told you the other day, I’m learning, haha.
Strigoi are alive creatures with the appereance of normal people. The strigoi are different people. When a baby borns with a kind of skin cap on his/her head, and the baby eats that skin, it means that that baby is a strigoi. While they live, they are normal people, but when they die (I mean when their body die, because their soul doesn’t die unless you fix a stake in its heart), they consume the soul of the most beloved person who the strigoi loved while he was alive. I don’t know if you understand me, sorry for the bad explanation. Like I said before, they consume the soul of the person they loved, and sometimes, the soul of the person beloved by the strigoi falls so ill, that the person dies. So that consummation can be manifested by diseases. In order to kill the soul of the strigoi, it is necessary to fix a stake to the dead body in the heart. Also there is another way of killing his(its) soul which I do not remember…sorry. If you kill his soul, the consummation of the soul of the dear person it won’t happen. I think that’s all. Once more: sorry for the spelling mistakes haha, I hope that this information it will help you. All I have been telling you are the things that my grandmother told me. Remember that this is the truth about strigoi, and this truth is less spectacular that the lies about the strigoi, there are no bats and no drinkers of blood.

See you soon, Mihaela.

Now interestingly enough, after Mihaela gave me that information…another person emailed me. His name is Justin Blair. Turns out that he has created a Documentary on the subject. And again, just so I do not misinterpreted, I will paste what he said…

I was reading your blog entry about strigoi.  I had some comments.  First, let me say that I am a documentary filmmaker and I just released my first film.  It was actually filmed in Transylvania (Ardeal in Romanian).  I spent seven months there collecting folklore stories about the supernatural.  So, I have done a lot of research, in books as well as on the ground in Romania concerning these topics.

I think a lot of what you have written is very accurate, first of all.  Strigoii with two "i" s is simply the way the Romanians pluralize the word.  So strigoi is singular.

Now, as to the shapshifting characteristics of the strigoi, it is true this is possible, though a bat is not one of the animals that is usually mentioned.  We have a story about a strigoi being transformed into a wolf actually in the movie.  Though there is also a kind of entity known to the Romanians called a varcolaci or pricolici which is a kind of were-wolf or were-dog.

You say that the story about the cow seems silly, but you have to understand the context.  Romania is very very poor, so a fatal attack on livestock is essentially a potentially fatal attack on the person or family. Sucking the blood from a cow, could mean no protein for the family for a long winter and could result in death.  It does seem silly to us in America, but it is very serious when life is lived close to the bone.  We actually have a story in our movie about an attack on a woman’s livestock.  You wouldn’t believe the measures she took to rid herself of this strigoi.  (And you are correct that strigoaca is the feminine version, but for the most part they just use strigoi while talking.)

Well, there is a lot to write actually, but I am very tired.  If you want to check out the film, there is a trailer on the website and you can get the DVD from there.  www.acrosstheforest.com The comment by Miky is too harsh.  You are right about quite a lot, if there is even a "right" concerning such matters.  I have read some of the accounts you probably read.  I had to actually go there to get the whole story.  And it is a strange story indeed.  (Plus, Miky is a Hungarian name, which means he is probably more accustomed to the Hungarian version of the strigoi.  A lot of ethnic Hungarians live in Transylvania.)

I would be happy to correspond with you more on this matter.  You can also check out an interview I just did on darkplainsradio.com KLMT is the radio show, it is under archived shows.

Sincerely,

Justin Blair

www.acrosstheforest.com

Now I emailed Justin back explaining why I thought sucking the milk from a cow was so funny. Sometimes, these superstitions, even though people take them seriously, sound more like something that someone made up to bring about fear in the villagers. I mean why would a Vampire suck the milk from a cow? So Justin corrected me on that as well…

Well, blood and mil are related in the sense that they are literally the vitality of the animal, and thus the vitality of the humans that depend on the animals for meat, milk, etc..

Now, the strigoi is not exactly a vampire.  It shares a lot of characteristics of what we would call a ghost.  Bram Stoker essentially popularized the idea of the vampire in the West, though there were actually other authors predating "Dracula" that dealt with a similiear entity.  He made his character a composite of Vlad Tepes and the romanian ethnological accounts he found in the London library, plus some imagination.

The strigoi is a big big subject and our film deals with it in a lot of detail.  In the film we do have a lady who claims to have killed a strigoi with a "stake" through the heart.  Not actually a stake, but I will not go into the detail, because I don’t want to ruin the story for you if you get the movie.

There are strigoii that act like ghosts, haunting, making noises, but fairly harmless.  There are strigoi that kill animals and there are strigoi that kill people.  There are strigoi vii and strgoi mort.  that is simply strigoi that are alive and strigoi that are dead.  It’s very complicated really and there are no set rules since each individual community sees things a little differently.

I hope you get a chance to look at the film.  I think you will really enjoy it and possibly find some material in the interviews about these subjects to use in your work.  It covers all kinds of supernatural creatures in Transilvania including were-creatures and forest spirits.

As far as other subjects, my curiosity is wide ranging.  So, right now I am reading a lot of Joseph Campbell who is the first person to create comparitive mythology.  I am working through the multi-volume "Masks of God" series now.  I practice martial arts, bartend, like to travel.  All kinds of stuff.

Sorry, it took so long to get back to you.  It’s been hectic lately.  Check out our blog on the website www.acrosstheforest.com if ou want to hear some of the interviews I have been doing recently.  The darkness on the edge of town show is probably the best I have done so far.

Sincerely,

Justin Blair

And there you have it…Part 2 to the whole Strigoi confusion. I highly recommend you check out the film by Justin. By what he emailed me, he is very wise concerning all of this.  So I thank Justin and Miky for contacting me and giving me their input…now hopefully these books that publish this stuff can correct it as well!!!!! I know my fiction will be.

Paganism: The Month of November

The month of November comes from the Latin term ‘novem’ which means the number nine. Interestingly enough, November was the ninth month that came after March according to Ancient Rome’s calendar.

November is known as:

Ancient Pagans: ‘Snow Moon’

Some American Indian cultures: “The Moon of the Falling Leaves.’

Old Saxon : ‘The Wind Month’

 

November is known as:

 

‘The coming of the darkness’

‘The first month of Samhain’

 

November is known as:

Come November, Celts would decide which animals were strong enough to survive winter and see a New year and its light. Animals which could not, would then be killed to feed the Celts and their families so that they could endure. Parts of those animals that were inedible would be tossed into bonfires.

 

November is the month of all Scorpios and Sagittarians. and the stone which represents this month is Topaz. The Month stands for ‘Meaning’.

 

Topaz is best known for its manifesting properties. Golden topaz in particular is associated with abundance. Golden topaz is also an energizer. Blue topaz stimulates the throat chakra. Champagne topaz can assist the soul in fulfilling the earthy purpose for its incarnation. Clear topaz is a transformative gemstone that can help facilitate karmic clearings and soul healings.

 

So, now that you understand a little more about November, may your magickal workings explode ten fold!

 

C.H. Scarlett

 

 

 

Pagan Holidays For November 6th, 2009

Stop by the Pagan & the Pen today where I wrote all about today’s Pagan Holidays…

 

Pagan Holiday for Nov. 6th 2009

What Are You Thankful For?

I am blogging at the Pagan & Pen today. And here’s a little something I cooked up…

I AM THANKFUL FOR…

The day my car broke down and I didn’t have the money to fix it.

Now I skipped work  because

 

If your interested in a little humor …check it out!

Click:

Paganism and Thanksgiving

I am blogging over at the Pagan & Pen today about Native American Paganism & European Pagan influence of Thanksgiving.

Check it out!!!!

Paganism & Thanksgiving

Pagan Holiday for Nov. 5th, 2009

 

I blogged over at The Pagan & the Pen this morning. Find out what Pagan Holidays represent today by clicking HERE.

I’ll Just Wait Until It Comes Out In Print

 

The Writer is excited. She or he feels as though a million years of scratching in the dirt, sore fingers, agonizing brains, tear stained and raw cheeks, has finally paid off. Someone, a Publisher, has taken a shine to their work. A contract sits before them.

And the Writer thinks, so what if there isn’t a gazillion dollar advance. So what if the New York Times still won’t know I exist. We all have to start at the bottom right? And for a billion other reasons, a small publisher is the way to go.

*sighs*

The Writer says, “It doesn’t matter because I…I have arrived.”

 

Until you realize the rest of the world has yet to catch up with your enthusiasm because how many of you have told you’re so called supportive friends and family that you are published. And they act excited until they go to purchase the book realizing it is actually an Ebook—not Print. Then comes the weird moment that sometimes flickers a hint of snobbery, uncomfortable fidgeting, and a mile long list of whatever excuses.

Your Friend, “I’ll just wait until it comes out in print. You see,” fidget, fidget, fidget, “I have such a hard time reading anything on the computer.”

(Despite the 24 hour long days they spend on messenger and on web sites mucking around)

“I am not electronically savvy. I just don’t get those electric… or… what is it? Electronic readers?”

(Yet we learned how to turn the computer on and use or text away on a cell phone, didn’t we?)

“I am so excited for you, but, I’ll just wait until it comes out in print.”

 

You, being totally understanding, accept that. In fact, when it comes to your writing career, what little you struggle to have, you learn that you are better off surrounding yourself within a world of strangers (possible readers and other writers like you) rather than share this part of yourself…this HUGE part of yourself with those you know on a personal basis. Why? Because the strangers don’t seem to tear you down so often.  Holding no ill grudge or hurt emotion for lack of support, you move on…trying to further your career, UNTIL you receive a phone call from another friend or family member…

“I just left the restaurant with what’s her name. You know, today was our Reading Group Meeting. I suggested we read your book and discuss it next month. What’s- her- name ruthlessly cuts me down, telling everyone that you were not really published. That just because you got some small press that New York will NEVER recognize, doesn’t mean you are any better than someone who has self published. Why, she even busted out laughing saying you didn’t even have a book in print yet. You were part of some insane trend called Ebooks…which any wanna- be author could get their work published in.”

 

Yep, stand in line because THIS is pretty much what every Writer has to put up with when they start at the bottom in an attempt to work their way up. In fact, my best advice to you is to suck it up and make a list—A LIST of all those people who can SUCK IT (my theme for today) who WILL flock to you and act as though they are your biggest fan when New York does realize you exist, or when Hollywood turns your baby into killer film!

You see, we don’t really live in a world where every person decides what they like and or do not like. We live in a world where the majority of the people want what everyone else has, or what name brand sources tell them they absolutely NEED.

But the truth is this…

Small Publishers exist and are usually very picky on what they put out there. A writer submits a Synthesis, Query, Manuscript and or Chapter by Chapter outline to them like they do a Traditional Pub. And, a writer waits. They are either rejected and or accepted. Period.

Small publishers usually publish extraordinary talent that Traditional Publishers overlook, and then sometimes, some small pubs publish crap. However, if they publish crap then one quick Google will tell you so. In fact you can check sites like Predators & Editors and THEY will tell you whether its a crap pub or not. See, these places are NOT just for Writers. They can also be a readers best friend.

Here’s the thing, Traditional Pubs are very corporate—and in a way, they have to be. They need the next latest thing or a thing much like the latest craze. It costs them a pile of money more to publish and or advertise than what a Small Publisher has to deal with. So when you are dishing out hundreds of thousands to get a new book out there, naturally you ONLY want the books that will bring in a bazillion times more than that. Therefore, a lot of times, extraordinary talent is overlooked.

But when you purchase a book from a Small Publisher, (one with a great reputation), chances are you are about to read something by an Author with a style unseen or unheard of. Chances are you are about to embark on a journey unlike any other. You are about to fade into something original…something fresh. Chances are.

So do not turn your nose up at someone who is published by a Small pub or by someone whose work is only available in an Ebook (for now). Remember, writers makes lists and or can easily immortalize you in fiction as being a pompous, empty headed, jealous and no good frigid twit that had nothing better to do then piss on someone else’s dreams all because you haven’t the class or originality to dream up any of your own. And then lets not forget the spunk to go out there and make them happen. *winks*

Just remember that even though Small Pubs start something out in Ebook form, doesn’t mean it stays that way. After the author sells a certain amount of copies, THEN it will be offered up in Print. Remember that EBooks are the wave of the future and will become expected…as expected as paper, ink and cover. We all know that things change and as time moves forward so does the technology we use and its advancement. With that being said, Ebooks are legit folks. Plain and simple.

Yet if you still have doubts as a Reader, just email the author. Tell them, “Hey, I have gotten screwed over and disappointed by a few books in the past. I have bought them but then nearly cried because they were unreadable. Is there a way I can see a sample of your work so I know I am not wasting my money?”

I bet you anything, that the Author will send you a free chapter to PROVE they have a well polished, professionally edited and great written book.

 

So to all the writers out there…

Keep on keeping on. Remember what it took to get there. Remember what it means to be here. And Remember to keep it real. Don’t let anyone push you down.