Dragons, Mythology, and Romance by Nancy Lee Badger

Welcome back to History Undresesd, guest blogger, Nancy Lee Badger! Nancy writers historical/paranormal romance. Today she's written a post for us on dragons and mythology! You may remember reading a couple of years ago her post on Dragons of Scotland, if not its worth a read! Enjoy! 

Dragons, Mythology, and Romance

 by Nancy Lee Badger for History Undressed

I love dragons. Who doesn’t? Whether you consider them an extinct species, or mythological hokum, there is mystery to dragons that make them work in a paranormal romance novel. They fill books and songs, have been immortalized in paintings, and their stories have been passed down through folklore. I have written several books where one of my main characters is a Scottish dragon in human form. Some have chosen to change into a human while others transform into a dragon unwillingly.

If you were to open a dictionary, you might see dragons described as mythical monsters that are traditionally represented as great in size, having a lion’s claws and serpent tales. They usually have wings, some have horns, and all are covered by scales. Of course, the word ‘dragon’ is sometimes used to describe a fiercely vigilant or intractable person, or any of various lizards, such as the Komodo dragon, or a flying lizard. Representations of dragons appear in normal life since many countries have adopted them on their flags, coins, statues, and other decorations.

Why choose dragons when I could have just as easily wrote about shape-shifting wolves or cheetahs? We know wolves and big cats are real animals, and people would most likely relate to them more than to dragons, but I like that dragons are naturally surrounded by mystery. Who are we to say they do not exist? This possibility intrigued me. Unicorns give me the same warm feelings, since I love horses, but I focused on dragons. Maybe a story filled with unicorns will pop into my head next!

DRAGON Bites, my collection of several Scottish dragon tales, includes Dragon’s Curse, the story of Draco and Brianna. I searched maps and the internet for an island that would suit my story. When I came across a video of Staffa, near the island of Mull, I saw a huge cave. This cave has been the subject of paintings, and I immediately felt it would be the perfect place for my hero to hide when in his dragon form.

In Southern Fried Dragon, I chose my story’s setting after I visited Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, down in coastal South Carolina. Why couldn’t my heroine be a Scottish dragon looking for love among a fort filled with soldiers while hiding from a rogue dragon?

While researching stories about dragons for these stories, I came across a listing of Loch Ness. Folk lore says that the Loch Ness monster is a dragon? I was very surprised since I always thought it might be a trapped dinosaur. The idea formed into my award-winning short story, Dragon in the Mist. All three of these stories are available individually in ebook form, but I recently bundled them into one book that is also available in print.   

You can find more about dragons in books such as:

DRAGONS by Jonathan Evans 

You can find information on dragons at websites such as:

All About Dragons  

The Circle of the Dragon

The Serene Dragon

BOOK BLURB: Dragon Bites

This is a collection of three novellas. DRAGON’S CURSE, set on the Scottish island of Staffa in the late 16th century, features a young man cursed to transform into dragon at inopportune times and the woman he protects. SOUTHERN FRIED DRAGON pairs a Scottish dragon-turned woman and a federal soldier at Ft. Sumter on the eve of Civil War. DRAGON IN THE MIST is a contemporary love story on the shores of Loch Ness.

More About Nancy Lee Badger

She loves chocolate-chip shortbread, wool plaids wrapped around the trim waist of a Scottish Highlander, the clang of broadswords, and the sound of bagpipes in the air. After growing up in Huntington, New York, and raising two handsome sons in New Hampshire, she moved to North Carolina where she writes full-time. Nancy is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, Triangle Area Freelancers, and the Celtic Heart Romance Writers.  

Connect with Nancy:

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Twitter                           

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Goodreads                       

AmazonAuthor Page     

DRAGON Bites, a 3book Collection of Dragon Tales

Amazon Ebook      

Amazon Print          

NOOK Ebook         

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WIN your own piece of dragon art: Nancy is giving away this beautiful double-sided window sticker created by Jen Delyth to one person who leaves a comment. Please include your contact info. Winner will be chosen Friday Oct. 18^th.

Guest Blogger Nancy Lee Badger on Dragons of Scotland

Welcome back to History Undressed Nancy!  Some of you may recall Nancy's previous appearances here when she discussed Scottish proverbs, or when she gave us a little taste of Scots ale,  or perhaps you read her article on Scottish Mythology.  Today we are in for a treat by Nancy, Dragons!

DRAGONS OF SCOTLAND

By Nancy Lee Badger

Today I am talking about Dragons. These legendary creatures are typically pictured as having serpent-like or reptilian traits. Dragons are featured in the myths of cultures spanning the globe. Today, I will concentrate on the mythological dragons of Scotland. Scotland is where I base my newest novella, DRAGON’S CURSE.



From Cirein Croin, a sea serpent believed to be the largest creature ever, to the long, thick tailed wingless Beithar who haunted the quarries and mountains around Glen Coe, to the infamous Loch Ness Monster, dragons have been a part of Scottish folklore. Some say dragons are a mix of the serpent, the feline, and the predatory bird, the great predators of prehistoric times. Once man started to walk upright, he combined them into one terrifying beast, and the dragon was born.

One tale of bravery and love mentions the Rowan Tree. In the tale of Froach & the Rowan Tree, Froach swims to an island to gather berries from a magic Rowan Tree to save the life of his lover’s mother. He slips past the dragon guarding the tree then swims home only to discover he needs the entire branch. Back he goes, but the dragon awakes. Froach is wounded and swims toward home. His lover throws him a sword so he can kill the dragon and get to shore. Some say Froach dies, but the romantic in me believes the few who say he and his lover lived happily ever after. I have included the Rowan Tree in my story line in Dragon’s Curse. A Mountain Ash, in the family Rosaceae, it is native throughout the cool, temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It finds a welcome home in the Scottish Highlands. With red foliage and large clumps of red berries each autumn, the Rowan is one of the most familiar wild trees of the British Isles.

Another story revolves around the most famous dragon of Scotland: the Loch Ness Monster or ‘Nessie’. Yes, Nessie is classified as a dragon even though many assume it is a leftover dinosaur or lake fish that has grown to gigantic proportions. Tales of Nessie date from the sixth century and one story goes like this: When Saint Columba traveled through the country of the Picts, he had to cross the River Ness. He came across Picts burying a man said to have been bitten by the water-monster. Not a stupid man, Columba ordered one of his men to swim across and return with a boat. The chosen man, Lugneus Mocumin swam off, but the monster saw him and charged. All on shore stood in horror except Columba, who raised his holy hand and inscribed the Cross in the air. He called upon the name of God and commanded the beast, saying, “Go no further! Do not touch the man! Go back at once!” The monster drew back, retreating to the depths of the Loch. Unharmed, Lugneus brought the boat back. Everyone was astonished. The heathen savages who witnessed the miracle were overcome and came to know the magnificence of the God of the Christians.

Nessie and Loch Ness are the most famous tourist attraction in Scotland and the locals will tell you about the mythical sea creature that some have actually seen in modern times and is probably a stranded dragon. The dragon can be seen as a symbol of the Celts, Picts and other early heathens of the area.



Where does this leave us today? Dragons have found their way into many modern books and movies. Shape shifters are a modern day paranormal storyline and several authors have used dragon lore to create stories to entertain us all. My story is slightly different. My hero has been cursed by a dead witch for a crime he did not commit. Cursed to transform into a dragon at inopportune times, Draco Macdonald decides to live out his years on the uninhabited island of Staffa. These plans go awry when Brianna Macleod arrives with a hunting party.



For more information concerning dragons and dragon lore, check your local library, book store, or these websites:

http://theserenedragon.net

http://www.monstropedia.org

Nancy Lee Badger lives with her husband in Raleigh, NC. She loves everything Scottish and still volunteers annually, with her family, at the New Hampshire Highland Games, www.nhscot.org. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, and Celtic Heart Romance Writers. DRAGON’S CURSE released today at Whispers Publishing. Visit her website: www.nancyleebadger.com, and her blog www.RescuingRomance.nancyleebadger.com For excerpts and more information.