14 November 2012

It’s All About Interpretation



By Elizabeth Morgan
In my honest opinion, the paranormal genre is probably one of the trickiest genres to write. There are a certain number of supernatural creatures that people favour above the rest, or well, tend to write more than others: vampires, werewolves, angels, demons and witches. With so many books out there featuring these creatures it is plain to see why each author has to put their own spin on them. Naturally, they want to keep these well know beings fresh and interesting for the readers, while at the same time fitting their versions of these beings in to the world they have created and giving them a solid place.

I have read a couple of articles in regard to arguments over the physical side of such creatures. For example, lots of people kicked off about Stephanie Meyer’s vampires sparkling. As a lover of vampires and someone who has read up on them I totally get where everyone is coming from, but why the hell not? Why shouldn’t vampires sparkle? It’s new, and different, and it totally works in the world that she has built. It is Stephanie’s interpretation of vampires.

And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Interpretation. There is no wrong or right when it comes to conjuring creatures of myth and magic. It’s fun to see how many different ways these creatures can be created. Its fun to see them in different light, and setting, isn’t it?

I haven’t read every book in the world, and I have only read one book with mermaids in it. So, when I sat down and decided to write On the Rocks, with the intention of sliding a creature from the deep blue sea in there, I had to do some searching for other people’s interpretation of these creatures based on legends.

“The Nixie, like the mermaid, has a fish tail and is bare breasted, but the difference being that she has green skin, hair, and teeth. She can transform herself in to a young woman, or an old woman since she enjoys being on land and nearby communities.”


Alright, I can dig that as one idea for how these creatures may have looked, but for the point and purpose of my story I didn’t want just another longhaired, lushes babe. I wanted something a lot less attractive, and stereotypical. I wanted something a little more like this guy. Oh yeah, now this is the type of creature I wouldn’t want to get up close and personal with, if you know what I mean? ;-P


Some of you may have read that brief description and made up your own version of a Nixie, and now you might be looking at this creepy dude and thinking “no frickin’ way!” But hey, that’s just my interpretation.
(Pictures courtesy of google images. Picture one: The Rhine Maidens Warn Siegfried by Arthur Rackham, 1912. Picture two: The Creature of the Black Lagoon: movie image, 1954.)

OnThe Rocks
(The Edge Erotica Series)

BLURB:
On the Rocks is the hottest club on South Padre Island, and Meghan’s new workplace.

If the warped mermaid uniform isn’t enough, the fact that she can’t stop thinking about the club’s singer, Zenzie, is. Everything about the female gets Meghan hot, but when she finally gets her shot with the temptress, it turns out Zenzie isn’t as perfect, or as human, as Meghan thought. 

2 comments:

  1. It's true. Everyone has their own interpretation of these paranormal creatures. I think that makes the stories that much more interesting to read instead of the same story over and over.

    All the best, Elizabeth!

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    Replies
    1. Amen to that. It's always interesting to see how other authors view such creatures, and how they can change them an make them work in all sorts of worlds.

      The paranormal genre is definitely a playground. You gotta love it.

      Thanks for stopping by, Jessica. :-) x

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