My next novel in the Curse of the Lost Isle series, tentatively titled BELOVED CRUSADER, is scheduled for early 2015 from Books We Love. In that novel, the villain is a Naga. For this medieval fantasy romance, I needed a shape shifter to do the will of the Goddess, one that could attack on sacred ground.
I considered a Djinn, or a demon, but dismissed them as overused. Besides, demons cannot take human shape, and they cannot function on sacred ground. So I kept digging for something that would resonate with the serpent symbols of the Pagan beliefs of the time.
Then I remembered the strange bas-reliefs found in ancient temples in India, and the legends of the Naga. Although these are not depicted as legends, but as historical facts, according to these ancient texts. These looked very much like Melusine the Fae when her curse transforms her into an Ondine, once a month, and she becomes a serpent from the waist down.
Naga in India means python. The ancient Naga were a gentle people, half human and half serpent, who could take human form and travel between dimensions. But my research revealed that among them was once a male Naga who had a predilection for human females and bloody murder. So much so that he was forever banished. His name was Sadangula, and he is the villain of my next novel.
I like a good villain, and Sadangula certainly fits the profile. One wonders if such a creature did not inspire later descriptions of the devil.
So, look for a twisted shape shifter to wreak havoc among the Crusaders and threatening my heroine, in the next installment of the Curse of the Lost Isle series, BELOVED CRUSADER.
In the meantime, I'm having fun writing the story, and researching as I go, because no matter how much research I do in advance, I still research every detail as I go, because I think historical accuracy is foremost, even when writing medieval fantasy.
Wishing you a great Halloween. Have fun, and stay clear of Sadangula if you happen to meet him on the night when ghouls and demons roam the streets.
Vijaya Schartz
Romance with a Kick
http://www.vijayaschartz.com
Showing posts with label evil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label evil. Show all posts
Monday, October 27, 2014
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Popular Posts
-
Deadly Undertaking Click here to purchase ‘Tis the season of the year when the transformation occurs from the darkness of winter to th...
-
I grew up in a tiny place east of Banff. It was not large enough to be given hamlet status – hence they called us ‘a community.’ But i...
-
A common belief in most of Asia is that of reincarnation. After we die, the eternal soul reincarnates into another body. Some believe in m...
-
Click here for purchase information In my February 7th post I wrote about how I was turning an unused room in my house into a long-desired...
-
I am a Seattleite. I wasn't born there, but when I stepped out of the airport, I knew I'd come home. In the winter, the North...
-
Ko bo Smashwords Amazon Barnes & Noble I-tunes Apple I-tunes Apple Amazon Barnes & Noble Smashwords Kobo More memory lane writ...
-
Find my books here! I love book birthdays! My latest, written with my wonderfu...
-
Please click this link for book and author information On January 25th, I fell on an icy Calgar...
-
Vanessa Hawkins Author Page You ever hear of a word war? If your familliar with Nanowrimo or national novel writing month, then y...
-
We all know about black cats and their associations with “witches” and bad luck if one happens to cross your path. But what about bla...