Thank you, Pippa, for inviting me to the blog to
talk dragons!
If you're fascinated by dragon lore, as I am,
then you know there are many different types of dragons from all over the
world. As a practitioner of Okinawan martial arts, I enjoy learning about Asian
dragon lore.
Before I
share some fun facts about Chinese dragons today, let me pour you all a steaming
cup of Golden Dragon yellow tea from China. The tea is called yellow not only because of its bright
golden infusion color, but also, due to the tea’s rarity, it is associated with
the imperial yellow worn exclusively by emperors for centuries.
Did you know the dragon is the most powerful and
majestic creature in Chinese folklore?
Traditionally Chinese dragons symbolize power,
strength, and good fortune. It’s no wonder the symbol for the Emperor of China
was a five-clawed dragon!
Many Chinese dragons are depicted with a pearl
either in its claw, mouth, or under its chin. Though I have read different
meanings for this, the one I see most often states the pearl represents the
dragon’s wisdom. Hmm…could this be where the pearls of wisdom expression comes from?
A dragon and phoenix together are the symbol of
everlasting love and marital happiness. Since the phoenix is the perfect yin
(female) counterpart to the yang (male) dragon, the pairing of these two
creatures represents a union of love, friendship, success, prosperity,
enlightenment, balance, and harmony.
Many times the dragon and phoenix are depicted
in a circular dance, which resembles the yin yang symbol. Knowing that the
union of these two creatures is a symbol for marital happiness, I wore a dragon
and phoenix print dress to two of my cousins’ weddings (both couples are still
married). :)
In Beauty and the Curse (my fairytale
novella co-written with Cathy Tully), the hero, Chase Singleton, owns a pet
Chinese water dragon. When he learns that Anabel Charming has a dragon named
Jinxy, Chase is excited to see what kind of lizard it is. Having met Anabel,
it’s sure to be something exotic like a Komodo dragon. So how will this magic
non-believer react when he comes face-to-face with Jinxy…Anabel’s ten pound,
purple, fire-breathing guardian?
BEAUTY AND THE CURSE (an adult
fairytale)
Cursed by a jealous witch, wealthy recluse
Anabel Charming is destined to grow uglier with each passing year. Only by
having sex before her twenty-first birthday on Halloween can this virgin’s
spell be broken. Yet no man will agree to sleep with the humpbacked,
pockmarked, one-leg-shorter-than-the-other Freak of Park Avenue.
When handsome Chase Singleton shows up on a
quest to retrieve his grandmother’s long-lost talisman, which Anabel now
possesses, Anabel is willing to give up the jewel . . . if Chase agrees to
break her curse. With only two days left before her chance at a normal life is
lost forever, Anabel and Chase discover the reality of beauty, the power of
sexual healing, and the meaning of true love.
What kind of dragon or dragon lore is your
favorite? Do you own a real dragon or lizard? What do you think Chase will do
when he meets Jinxy? Leave a comment; I'd love to talk with you!
K.M. Fawcett is an SFR Galaxy Award recipient for Captive
book 1 in her thrilling sci-fi romance series, The Survival Race. She enjoys
stories filled with adventure and strong, kick-butt heroes and heroines. Ranked
4th degree black belt in Isshinryu Karate and 3rd degree in RyuKonKai (Okinawan
weapons), K.M. and her husband own a karate dojo in NJ. When not writing sci-fi
& paranormal romances or working out at the dojo, K.M. is driving her
children to drum lessons and ballet classes. Please visit her on Facebook, Twitter, and at www.kmfawcett.com to be the first to hear
about her new books or to find out if she accidentally drops off her ballerina
at drum lessons.
