NOT YOUR USUAL SUSPECTS

A group blog featuring an international array of killer mystery, suspense, and romantic suspense writers. With premises and story lines different from your run-of-the-mill whodunits, we tend to write outside the box. We blog several times a week on all topics relating to romantic suspense and mystery, our writing, and our readers. We welcome all comments and often have guest bloggers. All our authors can be contacted separately, too, using their own social media links.

We find our genre delightfully, dangerously, and deliciously exciting - join us here, if you do too!

NOTE: the blog is currently dormant but please enjoy the posts we're keeping online.


Julie Moffet . Cathy Perkins . Jean Harrington . Daryl Anderson . Nico Rosso . Maureen A Miller . Sandy Parks . Lisa Q Mathews . Sharon Calvin . Lynne Connolly . Janis Patterson . Vanessa Keir . Tonya Kappes . Julie Rowe . Joni M Fisher . Leslie Langtry

Monday, October 20, 2014

SUPERSTITIONS: ARE YOU A BELIEVER?



I grew up in South Florida and spent many a happy vacation going to the beach and/or visiting with family and friends along the Florida Keys and Key West.  Imagine my surprise when I found out that after a day combing the shore for spectacular seashells that I wasn't allowed to bring them inside the house.


Why?  Because it's bad luck to have real shells in your house.  Bet you didn't know that (unless you were brought up by a very superstitious grandmother and mother.)  

Most of you know the superstitions or omens which are fairly common.  Don't walk under a ladder.  A black cat crossing in front of you is bad luck.  Finding a 4-leaf clover is good luck.  Always hang a horseshoe pointing up, so the good luck doesn't run out.

But those are only the beginning.  Here are a few you may or may not have heard of:

·      It's bad luck to put your shoes on top of the bed. 
·      Never let someone sweep under your feet, or you'll never get married. 
·      Putting your purse on the floor is bad luck.
·      A bird in the house means a death in the family.
·      If the palm of your right hand itches, it means you'll unexpectedly receive money.  But, if the palm of your left hand itches, it means you're going to spend money you weren't planning to spend.
·      If the bottom of your foot itches, you're going to take a trip. 
·      Don't open an umbrella in the house, its bad luck.
·      Never kill a spider inside the house, again bad luck.

Seems like a lot of superstitions point toward bad luck, although some predict good fortune.  So, how do you feel about superstitions?  Do you believe in omens or have a ritual that you do, hoping for good things.  Share it with us in the comments. 

Kathy Ivan is an award-winning author of romantic suspense and paranormal romance, currently working on her next romantic suspense when she's not checking to make sure she hasn't left her purse on the floor or put her shoes on the bed.  You can check out all her releases on her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kathyivanauthor. 


5 comments:

jean harrington said...

Kathy, If you had a character in a book who was an old crone, I could see sprinkling these superstitions throughout the mss. and having her recite them--in her croaky, evil voice, of course!

Anne Marie Becker said...

I hadn't heard of many of those. :) Makes me wonder how they came about!

Kathy Ivan said...

I grew up hearing tons of these all the time. I lived in Key West for many years, plus that's where my grandmother was from. There are so many down there because of all the blending of cultures down in the Florida Keys.

It's funny how even if you don't believe in them, you still find yourself doing some of the things. For instance, even after all these years, I don't put my purse on the floor, because it's bad luck. I'll catch myself the second I put it down, and pick it up immediately, not even stopping to think about why.

Sometimes they are so ingrained in her psyche without you even realizing it.

Marcelle Dubé said...

What about knocking on wood to keep something you've just said from coming true? Or tossing salt over your shoulder? (I can't remember why you're supposed to do that one. Must get messy...)

Ana Barrons said...

Oh my God, my purse LIVES on the floor. No wonder my sales are so lousy!!

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