Mr. Water Moccasin or Cottonmouth
Today, my dear friends, I thought I’d talk about creepy, slithering Florida snakes. Well, just a little.You see, Lila, the main character, in Secondhand Shoes, has many fears. Mother induced, of course.
So many chapters in, we learn of her horrific fear of snakes. In fact, it could’ve been the catalyst to her taking a different path than the one she chose in the novel.
Ms. Copperhead
Snakes come in many shapes and sizes. They can also be symbols in dreams. Usually when this occurs it means you can’t trust some one. For me, it also meant that my mother-in-law was coming to town. Really. I’d see snakes and dream of snakes three days before I’d hear she’d be coming. Just to let you know, she’s now my ex-mother-in-law. So don’t worry, I’m always in trouble no matter what I say or do, even when I was married to her toad-boy.
Anyway, my point today is fear can keep us from climbing through any window of opportunity if we let it. Even the fear of snakes.
And before I give you a little diddy allow me to give you a website on Florida’s poisonous snakes. Just in case you all decide to visit and go hiking in the Florida woods or, you happen to open your car door and are greeted by one of these creatures when you get here. You need to be able to identify one correctly. Click on the link below for more information.
Time for the diddy.
Woods spread beyond the diner’s dumpsters. Trees all the way to the interstate’s on-ramp to my left and on down behind the gas station to my right and beyond.
A light wind blew my hair across my face. I looked at the sky. Dark clouds coming up I-75. I looked back at the woods. Snakes came to mind.
“Don’t be afraid, Lila,” Gram said.
DISCLAIMER: This written content may not be used by anyone. It belongs to Shelly Arkon.
My significant other's grandparents live in Florida and we went down to visit them last winter. In the community center of their development, there was a big poster devoted to all the poisonous snakes in the area. It was almost enough to make me hightail it back to the northeast. =)
ReplyDeleteI had my first experience with a 12 foot Eastern Diamond Back Rattler when I was 11. I was hanging or taking clothes off the line for my mom when I felt like something was watching me. Yup. Two beety eyes were watching me all righ. The dog gone thing was in up right position mesmerized by me. It had no intentions of striking me. Weird. But I screamed and ran into the sliding glass door. I hurt my face and the snake slithered into the woods. My step-dad caught it and chopped off its head.
DeleteOh, and now that I think of it, I had a dreams with snakes in it. I was barefoot and they were chasing me. One was cobra-esque and bit me. It was scary.
ReplyDeleteEwww...I hate snake dreams. Just beware what you tell other people about yourself.
DeleteI pained a large picture depicting a snake once.
ReplyDeleteOh, and, of course there's Nemahh in my second book with 2 snake tails--just to make him creepier. *shiver*. I don't mind snakes as long as they keep their distance. But they are great to use in a story for obvious fear factor.
Yes. You made Nemahh very creepy. Eww-gross-creepy.
DeleteFortunately I live in a part of the continent with snakes that are non venomous. There are rattlers in remote areas, but they tend to be rare here.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you work Lila through her fears through the book.
Your lucky, Sir Wills. I don't car for snakes. And thank you.
DeleteWe get those in the Carolinas as well. Several times we've found baby snakes in our garage.
ReplyDeleteAlex,
DeleteI would totally freak out if I found baby rattle snakes in my garage. However, we have a black snake that resides in ours but he/sh doesn't bother anyone. Well, except for the occasional nosiness. He likes to come out of hiding and gets real close to watch what you're doing.