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Update

Our lucky winner hales from Scotland and even has a selkie tattoo! What a fun event and way to take part in my writing community. Besides my short story, I sent Holly a happy mail swag package, which is something I love doing for all sorts of reasons.

I thought I would share because happy mail is… well… happy.

Stop by my Instagram Wednesday through Friday for a fun event where you will have a chance to acquire a pod of selkie stories and swag!

What is MerMay you ask?

A Disney creator back in 2016 posted an illustration of two mermaids chatting on their “shell phones” and the craze was born. Every May, artists follow daily prompts to draw something mermaid-inspired throughout the month. Check out MerMay.com and this NPR piece for the scoop.

I’m guessing your next question is…

What is a Selkie?

I wrote a story from a prompt about a selkie pining for a human and their long-awaited meeting beneath her prismed light. A lighthouse keeper finds himself more alone than he bargained for when a mysterious disease wipes out the human population. He dreams of bringing the creature who watches him from the waves every full moon to shore and making her his bride. When it works and she sheds her seal skin to reveal her human side, his regret is instantaneous. He doesn’t want her to fall victim to the human disease and decides to send her back before consummating their relationship. Then, she offers him an astonishing alternative.

I was surprised at how few people knew about selkies when I shared my story. I admit I had only scratched the surface before writing Beneath the Prismed Light. But digging deeper through research is a huge part of the fun of writing, and now I can’t get enough about the lore of the North Sea.

From IntrepidusOutdoors.com

The selkie is a mythological being found amongst the folklore of Scotland. Selkies are shapeshifters, transforming between seal and human form by shedding and replacing their skin. In their human form, selkie folk are always referred to as being incredibly attractive. They are graceful, kind natured and amorous, resulting in any humans coming across them falling desperately in love.

Tales of Selkies are predominantly found in the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland, though they are not restricted to Scotland. Selkies also appear in the folklore of Ireland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and seal tales are also present in the folklore of the Inuit as well as the Chinook people of the West coast of America, where the Columbia river meets the sea

These Faroese stamps tell the story of Kópakonan, or the Seal Woman. You can enjoy a short blog about the story behind the stamps here.

What are your favorite selkie stories?

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