Snarkology Halloween Hop: A BAR STORY by Melissa Snark #Giveaway

Welcome to the Snarkology's Halloween Blog Hop. We have 60 author blogs participating this year so there are many opportunities to enter to win one of the hopwide grand prizes. Most blogs are offering individual prizes also. Follow the Linked List at the bottom of this post!

Leave a comment below for a chance to win a signed paperback of HUNGER MOON. A winner will be chosen at random on Nov. 1st. (Shipping restricted to continental U.S.)

Please enter the Raffletoper at the bottom of the post for a chance to win the hop-wide grand prize.

For your reading pleasure, I'd like to present a spooky Halloween short story. Enjoy! 


A BAR STORY by Melissa Snark

The gangly youth scurried on long legs and too-big feet. He stumbled on a cracked tile, but righted himself. Shoulders squared, Daniel Hollar ran a hand through his long orange hair, finger combing the frizzy mess. Hundreds of freckles peppered his pale face, and his green eyes were bright behind wire-rimmed glasses. He slapped on a polite smile for the middle-aged man crouched on a stool at the end of the L-shaped bar.

The customer's arms rested on the counter, the diamond frame forming a protective barrier about the shot glass cradled between his hands. Sweat bullets lined the man's blotchy red forehead. A scraggly crown of damp hair stuck to the collar of his white dress shirt. His gut overhung belted dark trousers. He wore a clean gold band on his left ring finger and his clothing was made from fine fabric.

 "Evenin', sir. What's your poison?"

The customer's lips bowed into a fearsome grin, revealing yellowed teeth. A hint of jaundice touched the sclera of his eyes. "Belladonna," he said softly. "Oh deadly nightshade, beautiful woman."

"Wha– Sorry?" Daniel dipped his head, trying to make out the man's words, and got a good whiff. A malignant scent circled the man like a coiled serpent, the combined cologne of booze, cigarettes, and body odor. Gagging, he jerked back and turned his head to the side.

The man lifted his shot glass in a toast. "If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?"

Daniel's eyes bulged. What a total nut! Biting his lower lip, he spoke at a pace suited to fools and madmen. "I'm sorry? Would you like something to drink?"

"Jack."

"Daniel. Pleased to meet you." He stuck forward his hand, held straight out and rigid.

Wicked humor lit the man's gray eyes. He refused the proffered hand. "Jack Daniels. Neat. Leave the bottle."

"Oh." Cheeks burning, Daniel fumbled through the booze on the back wall until he located the correct bottle. He poured the man's drink, sloshing amber liquid over the rim of the shot glass.

The customer dug into his pocket, extracted his wallet, and deposited a hundred dollar bill on the bar.

"You want change?"

"Nah, just put it toward my tab."

"Yes, sir." Daniel retreated to stand beside his boss.

Patrick Whalen, a grizzled Irishman and owner of the Albatross Tavern, was known as Twitch by the hardened sea-faring locals who frequented the Portsmouth, Maine wharf side bar.

The youth shoved his hands into the pocket of his navy windbreaker, striving to appear nonchalant. He tipped his head toward the customer. "Odd duck, that one."

Twitch's round head rolled on the long stalk of his neck toward the end of the bar. The old man's eyelid pulled in a constant facial tic–wink wink wink. His stretched taut in a sardonic smile. "Arrogant bastard, ain't he, Danny me boy? But he pays his tab 'n comes in regular, so I ain't got no problems with him."

Doing his best to appear disinterested, Daniel picked up a white rag and wiped down the scratched oaken bar counter. He cast a surreptitious glance down the length of the bar. "Who is he?"

"That?" Twitch tilted his head. "That's Jack. Jack Thorn. He's a local author. Horror fic, like that King fella."

"Is he famous?"

"Meybe. Yer an English major, ain'tcha?"

"Yeah, but I've never heard of him."

The old man sniggered and picked up the ice bucket, limping toward the machine. "His stories got less cursin', so I reckon that makes him more of a literary figure."

Too curious to resist temptation, the young man trailed Twitch, hoping to glean more information.

"Are his books movies?"

Twitch shot Daniel a long look as if considering him a moron. He sneered. "Course not.  His books are books. Movies is movies. The one ain't got nuthin' to do with the other. Everyone with a lick o' sense knows that."

Wink wink wink…

Daniel hung his head. "Sorry."

Twitch slapped him on the back, knocking him off his feet. "Don't worry your wee head 'bout it. Ain't your fault that you're greener than the titties on a leprechaun."

The boy's face lit like wildfire, drawing another cackle from the old man. Cursing the pale complexion that went with his ginger hair, Daniel tried and failed to keep his speculative gaze averted from Jack Thorn.

The author sat twisted on his stool, engaged in an animated conversation with the empty seat beside him. There was no one else at the bar in either direction.

Twitch filled the ice bucket to the brim and thrust the container into the boy's hands. "Here, go dump this in the bin. My leg is achin' somethin' fierce."

Obediently, the young man trotted to the ice machine. He emptied the bucket, and returned to fill it again. "Who's he talking to?"

"That one's crazy as a loon." Leaning forward, Twitch tapped his temple and spoke in a hushed voice. "Talks to himself 'n lives all alone in a big house out on the promontory."

Jack Thorn's disquieting gray eyes pinned him. A chill tore through Daniel's soul. He averted his gaze and swallowed convulsively, Adam's apple bobbing. "I've seen it."

The old man's thin lips stretched to reveal cracked, yellow teeth. Wink wink wink… "Jack over there used to have a wife and daughter. Wife was a real beauty and the little girl was an angel. Four years old with blond pigtails and big blue eyes…"

Daniel shivered. He dropped the scoop back into the ice machine and closed the flap. "What happened to them?"

"They ain't been seen for years. Some says they left him, others that he killed 'em. There was a police investigation, but no bodies ever been found. No one knows."

Daniel leaned in so close the old man's sour breath scoured his nostrils. "What do you think happened?"

Twitch's predatory smile swelled. He threw up clawed hands and shouted, "He ate 'em!"

Heart slamming against his breast, Daniel leapt backward. He dropped the bucket and ice cubes scattered across the floor. His foot slipped on the wetness and his knees locked. He slammed his elbow against the counter. Sharp pain lanced through his entire arm.

Twitch roared with laughter.

Humiliation stung Daniel's pride worse than his injured elbow. A cold sweat broke out across his body. Staggering, he retreated toward the bathroom, heading toward the smirking author.

Jack Thorn grabbed the boy's arm as he stumbled past, his ghoulish face leering at him. "They tasted real good!"

Leave a comment below for a chance to win a signed paperback of HUNGER MOON. A winner will be chosen at random on Nov. 1st. (Shipping restricted to continental U.S.) If the winner is International, then an ebook copy will be offered as an alternative.

Please enter the Raffletoper for a chance to win the hop-wide grand prize.

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The Snarkology Paranormal Blog Hop || Werewolves: Man or Monster?

Hop wide grand prize is a $60 Amazon gift card.

Leave a comment on this post  for a chance to win a paperback of HUNGER MOON by Melissa Snark!

(Shipping to the Continental U.S.)

For as long as man has had conscious thought there has been a fascination with the supernatural. Vampires, fairies, witches, sprites and werewolves are just a few of the creatures that populate stories dating back to our oral tradition. What many people fail to realize is the fact that people were tried and executed around the world for lycanthropy, (being a werewolf) in much the same manner as witches and in some places vampires.

Since stories of the werewolf are so widespread and begin before written records were kept it is impossible to pinpoint the exact time or story that started it all. However, you can get a sense of where and why such stories may exist in the first place.

Wolf Connection

Throughout the world, there are stories of creatures able to transform into animal forms. If you look at the myths and legends, you will find areas a huge range of stories about humans changing into hyenas (Africa), tigers (China) and foxes (Japan).

Early civilizations were primitive and did not afford the protections we enjoy today, which means if wolves were present people lived in constant danger. In some areas, it has been said villagers commonly awoke to find the fields strewn with body parts of neighbors and friends. Grizzly scenes such as this were likely fodder for the imagination and resulted in a variety of werewolf story beginnings.

Man’s Base Nature

It has been hypothesized by some that the idea of the werewolf came about to explain the baser nature of humanity. In fact, in the 16^th century teenagers who wandered around breaking curfew and getting into trouble on the island of Guernsey (off the coast of France) were referred to as werewolves. The fact that some would disguise themselves as animals to travel to different communities likely fueled the stories of real werewolves, and it is probably no coincidence that we are talking about adolescence.

Think about the transformation that takes place during puberty. Young men and women experience both physical and psychological transformations, over which they have no control. Is the myth of the werewolf simply a way to understand the human struggle to come to terms with and overcome a more primitive nature? One other interesting tidbit is the lunar shifting. It is commonly held that a female truly begins her journey to womanhood with the onset of menstruation, a monthly occurrence. Is it significant that many times in folklore the werewolf transformation occurs on a full moon, which occurs monthly?

Side Note: The moon has a 29.75-day cycle, which means occasionally there are two full moons in one month. The second full moon in one calendar month is a Blue Moon.

Historical Cases

You would be hard pressed to find someone who has never heard of the witch trials, but very few are aware of similar trials conducted for werewolves during the same time period. (16^th century) It is estimated that between 1520 and 1630 AD some 30,000 people were accused or admitted to being a werewolf. A common practice during these trials was to cut the suspect and peel back the skin to determine if fur were concealed. It was believed that werewolves changed from wolf to human and vice versa by turning their skin inside out.

We may never know the names of every person executed for lycanthropy but there are a few cases that were prominent enough to make it into the written record:

• Werewolf of Dole- Guiles Garnier: In 1574, Garnier was burned at the stake for being a werewolf. He was a hermit living in the area where a number of children had been attacked and devoured. As many as 50 villagers testified at his trial to his various crimes as a wolf and after subsequent torture on the rack, he confessed to all and was sentenced to death.

• Werewolf of Bedberg- Peter Stubb: Germany in 1589 gave us the case of Peter Stubb (multiple spellings of the last name) a man accused of killing for over 25 years in the form of a wolf. There is precious little left save a sensational pamphlet that accuses him of lycanthropy and incest. Once put to the rack Peter admitted to a string of gruesome murders, including that of an infant he fathered with his daughter and that he had made a pact with the devil who gave him a belt allowing him to transform. Peter’s subsequent death sentence was as ghastly as the accusations against him. First he was lashed to a wheel, flesh torn from his body, arms and legs broken and finally beheading.

• Hans the Werewolf-Hans 1651: Around Estonia, there were numerous witch and werewolf trials, most of which included tortured confessions. Not so, with Hans the werewolf an 18 year old who readily confessed and claimed the condition was transferred to him via a bite from a man in black.

These are but a few stories of real life people who were summarily executed for the crime of lycanthropy or being a werewolf.

King Lycaon

Zeus turning Lycaon into a wolf, engraving by Hendrik Goltzius.

The most popular stories about werewolves are those derived from myths, legends and stories from around the globe. It is through these the common characteristics of the werewolf begins to grow and evolve.

Perhaps the first written story about werewolves is The Metamorphoses by Ovid. This ancient Roman myth was penned in 1 AD and tells the tale of King Lycaon who was transformed into a wolf as a punishment from the gods. According to the fable, Jupiter had heard the cry about the evils of mankind and had descended from heaven to determine the truth for himself. During his journeys, he comes to the realm of King Lycaon, where the people are quick to offer adoration. Apparently this did not sit well with the violent king so he devised a scheme to prove whether the visitor was indeed a god or merely human. Lycaon killed and cooked a hostage hoping to bring about the downfall of Jupiter. For his crimes against divinity, Lycaon was transformed into wolf form where he could continue his violent proclivities in a form where such behavior was acceptable.

This ancient myth may be one of the oldest recorded stories, but it is nowhere near the only one:

• Native American- Wisakachek was a spirit god who lived in the woods and shifted regularly to wolf form. He gave the gift of the wolf to two Fox Indian boys who had graciously shared a meal with him. 

• Underworld- One very popular modern story is found in the Underworld series of movies. In this depiction, vampires and werewolves share a common ancestor. Alexander Corvinus was the lone survivor of a deadly plague, but the virus imbedded in his genetic code. He passed the dormant virus on to his three sons, of which two were bitten one by a bat and the other by a wolf. Hence the creation of the two immortal lines.

• Faeries, Witches and Shifters- modern fiction has suggested that werewolves are the a type of fairy (Lost Girl TV series), witches or simply shifters. 

Werewolf Trivia:

The facts about werewolves will vary depending on the originating myth, but here are a few of the most popular beliefs:

• Transmitted via a bite from a werewolf.

• Can be a curse for bad deeds or reward for good.

• Silver may kill or merely impair a werewolf.

Wolfsbane AKA Aconitum

• Wolfsbane is an irritant to werewolves that may repel them. Long ago, toxins were extracted from the plant and used to kill wolves.

• Werewolves are born via a mating including at least one werewolf parent.

• Deals with the devil can garner a belt which allows shifting to wolf form.

• Supernaturally strong

• Uncontrollable rage when in wolf form

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Hunger Moon by Melissa Snark

A Victoria Storm novel

#2 Loki's Wolves series

Genre:  Paranormal/urban fantasy

Published April 25, 2013

ISBN-10: 1492107581

ISBN-13: 978-1492107583

Amazon ASBN B00CJ1D1BI

Blurb:

Victoria Storm faces seemingly insurmountable odds to keep her dwindling pack of werewolves alive and together. She fights hunters- including the brother and father of her deceased lover-and the pack takes another devastating loss. When they seek sanctuary in a small town near Lake Tahoe, high in the secluded Sierra Nevada Mountains, Victoria discovers they are infringing on the territory of a vastly more powerful Alpha wolf. To save her pack, she uses her feminine wiles to seduce the Alpha. Nothing comes easily for Victoria. Her plans are complicated by the Alpha's erratic son, a ghostly wife, and a vengeful witch. Not even her status as a Valkyrie or the favor of the Goddess Freya can change the course of destiny for Victoria or her packmates.

Excerpt :

Victoria felt him before she saw him. His power washed over her with the force of an incoming tide, as dark, mysterious and unstoppable as the ocean. Her wolf rose to answer his in instinctive response, defiant and determined. She challenged his power and altered the irresistible flow so it passed around rather than over her. Before she reached the office entrance, the male werewolf responded to her presence and surged to his feet. He rounded the desk, demonstrating extraordinary grace and strength, and she braced for a physical confrontation. He dwarfed her in both height and weight.

As soon as their gazes met, they locked in a dominance contest. His narrowed eyes pierced hers; the light-pigmented brown irises were the color of honey and eclipsed the whites and round black pupils. Wolf eyes.

Victoria did not approach with her head low or avert her gaze. Instead, she challenged him outright, radiating defiance, posture stiff and erect. While they faced off, she regretted the tactical error, but it was too late to rescind. Her stubborn pride permitted no retreat, and it went against her nature to submit.

"Let's take this outside where there are no humans to bear witness," he said in a deep, resonant voice she found appealing.

Aroused, her wolf took an immediate interest in him as a fine, fit male animal. For the first time, Victoria noticed his physical appearance, and her wolf found him more than acceptable. She estimated his age as being in his late thirties. He in no way suffered for the smattering of silver hairs that peppered his dark head. He was a perfect specimen of a man.

Distracted, Victoria broke eye contact, but not to submit. She ran her gaze over his body with blatant approval, lingering on his broad shoulders and chest, muscular arms and legs. He wore a tailored navy suit with a light shirt and dark blue tie. From the way his clothing fit, there was not an ounce of spare fat anywhere on him.

His features possessed splendid symmetry, though a silver scar on his right cheek marred his perfection. The shape of his brow, nose, and lower face hinted at a distant Roman heritage. High cheekbones alluded to his Nordic blood. He cleared his throat, and Victoria scented both his arousal and amusement.

"Did you come to challenge me, or do you have something else in mind?"

His devilish smile hinted at a sense of humor, and Victoria seized on the opening. A ballsy gamble carried inherent risk, but her initial inept blundering had left her with no other graceful out. Her eyes rose to meet his once again.

"I am Victoria, daughter of Adair and Katherine, High Priestess of Freya, Lady Valkyrie, shaman, and healer," she said, making her boast. "I am also the Alpha of my pack, and I am seeking a mate. I have come to assess whether you would make an acceptable suitor."

"You're kidding." He registered surprise and disbelief.

Victoria arched her brow. "I am not."

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Author BIO

Melissa Snark is a paranormal and romance author with a particular interest in werewolf and Norse mythology. Her Loki's Wolves series combines elements of both in a contemporary fantasy setting. She lives in Northern California with her husband, three children and glaring of cats.

Where to find Melissa on the Internet:

Website

The Snarkology

Email:  melissasnark at gmail dot com

Facebook

Twitter: @MelissaSnark

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a paperback of HUNGER MOON by Melissa Snark! 

(Shipping to the Continental U.S.)