Fantasy: April 27, 2011 Issue [#4359]
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Fantasy


 This week: Chupacabras and other cryptids
  Edited by: Prosperous Snow celebrating Author IconMail Icon
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Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

In 1983 John E. Wall coined the term cryptid, which comes from a Greek word meaning hide or hidden. A cryptid is any creature (plant or animal) whose existence is implied but unproven. A cryptid can also refer to a living animal or plant that is of interest to cryptozoologists or cryptobotanists.


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Letter from the editor

Cryptid sightings are worldwide phenomenon, which dates back centuries. A cryptid can be any plant or animal whose existence is unconfirmed and therefore questionable. This word can also refer to sightings of creatures thought extinct.

Some cryptids, such as the Chupacabra, Loch Ness Monster, and Mongolian Death Worm, are well known. The fame of these creatures is the results of newspaper articles, photos, and television shows. Others, such as the Umdhlebi, Tsul 'Kalu, and Peluda, are just as intriguing and frightening; all though they are not as famous.

Because cryptids make good additions to any setting, writers of fantasy and science fiction can use these creatures to enhance a plot or inspire a story. Wikipedia has an alphabetized list of cryptids with the name, description, location, status, and other names for the animal or plant.

Cryptids, even though some are hoaxes or misidentifies animals, are fascinating creature. Some of them are frightening and some are amusing, but all of them deserve a place in a writers toolbox of monsters.


Editor's Picks

Stories and Poems


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#1763280 by Not Available.

"It was about the eyes really. Right from the beginning I realized, no I KNEW, it was the answer."

 Help from the Future Open in new Window. (E)
Not your conventional love story.
#1763659 by Francille_em81 Author IconMail Icon

His heart danced as he gazed at her.

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#1765436 by Not Available.

A young girl with long red curls pressed her face against her bedroom window. A dark blotch crept across the silver, moon-lit clouds, drawing ever nearer.

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#1747055 by Not Available.

Slip mud, no-stop fall! The wolf thought while watching near a circle of stones that surrounded the Neanderthal's smoking fire.

 The Stone Open in new Window. (13+)
What's the best way to lose weight? Well, Carl's doing it wrong...
#1766015 by Salem O'Rourke Author IconMail Icon

Carl trudged through the parking lot of the airport, head hung low. He had been kicked off another flight.

 The Smell of Copper Open in new Window. (13+)
Flash Fiction. A creature of terror learns he isn't the baddest on the block.
#1713890 by LCVarnum Author IconMail Icon

The smell of copper. It made his skin tingle and saliva run from his lips.

Submitted to the Newsletter


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#1758607 by Not Available.

Dear Aryanne,
Please share this with my parents, family and friends, as it may be the last words I will ever share with you all.


 Waiting for a Son Open in new Window. (18+)
A werewolf waits for his soldier son to come home, and reflects on how they first met.
#1762427 by BIG BAD WOLF is Merry Author IconMail Icon

Corporal Jason Ripfangs was at the airport, sitting on a bench in the corner. Like most members of his family, Jason was a werewolf, and was quite proud of it. Also, for the past fifty or so years, at least one member of each branch in the family served in the military, in one way or another.

Sylvester & Tuette: Cursed Doubt Open in new Window. (13+)
A fantasy-adventure: King Sylvester and Tuette, a Cursed sorceress, must save Decennia!
#1664623 by Than Pence Author IconMail Icon

In the world of Valent, Magik is accessible to all but held in check by a few. King Sylvester is the latest to be born with the kingstone, a birthright that decrees him to be the leader of Decennia.

Contests and Review Forums


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Ask & Answer

Hyperiongate Author Icon writes: Hi Prosperous Snow,
I like writing prompts - a lot. But I'm not sure about how much they help me write when I'd rather watch CNN. I like them because they stir the creative juices rather than help create a word count. Nice newsletter and topic.

Jim

BIG BAD WOLF is Merry Author Icon writes: I think prompts can be useful; they make people do some thinking.

atwhatcost writes: Most of my short stories come from prompts. My novel ideas come through fictionalizing life. Since I just started writing my first novel in the last year, I consider short stories as important as the novel. When my novel is finished, I want some of my short stories published to have some experience included in my query letters.

Writemaster Author Icon writes: I have a blog in which I post prompts every Saturday (http://spawningworlds.blogspot.com/), and I belong to a Sunday Writing (exercise) group that uses prompts for the writing of 40 minute narratives. Prompts for the blog and the group include pictures, words, sentence fragments, quotes, titles of newsarticles, etc.

Steev the Friction Wizurd Author Icon writes: There is a difference between a prompt and an idea. Technically, I am never blocked because I can start writing for any reason at all. I can make my own prompt just by randomly choosing a word. The real problem for me in writing is not the actual writing. The real problem is in coming up with an idea, theme, or plot that motivates me to put maximum effort into constructing a complete story or essay.

carlgrimes writes: I find that if good advice. Once I begin putting words into a document. I continue working until I get a good start to the story or reach my minimum word count goal.

Than Pence Author Icon writes: What do I think about writing prompts? I think they're wonderful. They can be a savior when you think you've reached a dry spell.

You'll sit down to write something - anything! - and nothing comes to you. But, with a prompt, you're good to go. You are given the idea and then, boom, you take it where you want it and you have something that's fresh and original and usually enough to break you of your dry spell!

I appreciate writing prompts a great deal. They've helped me when I've felt helpless.

Look at the list of cryptids and let me know what you think of them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cryptids
Prosperous Snow celebrating Author Icon



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