Spooky Legends: Rachel Vincent’s Faythe Sanders on “El Chupacabra”

**Visit Dark Faerie Tales today for her Spooky Legends Guest blog with J.K. Beck and a chance to win WHEN WICKED CRAVES**

---

We’re welcoming back Rachel Vincent to ATUF today for Spooky Legends, this time to celebrate the release of ALPHA, the sixth book in her excellent Shifters series (which I recently started and fell in love with). Faythe Sanders is the main character in Rachel’s Shifter series and Rachel is here to tell us all about Faythe’s take on the “El Chupacabra” urban legend and we’re giving away a copy of ALPHA or any of the Shifter books. See details below.

A recent transplant into the deep south, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks — seriously — and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

---

Faythe Sanders’s Expose on “El Chupacabra”
by
Rachel Vincent

You’ve heard of El Chupacabra, right? According to so-called cryptozoologists* , “ scientists” who search for living specimens of “ legendary” creatures, el chupacabra refers to an as-yet unproven-to-exist creature about the size of a coyote that kills and drinks the blood of small livestock. Literally, el chupacabra means “ the goat sucker.”

Sounds more like a description of your ex, right? But what the term actually refers to is a rash of dead livestock including cows, chickens, and yes, goats, most of which were allegedly drained of their blood through 2-3 puncture marks in their necks or chests, by one of the creatures in question.

It so happens that, as a “ legendary” creature myself (as the world’ s first and only female Alpha, I’ m technical super-legendary), I have a bit of insider information about this supposed bloodsucker. So, does el chupacabra exist?

Well…yes. And no. Before I explain that, let me clear up a couple of inaccuracies common in el chupacabra stories.

1. El chupacabra is as big as a small bear. Um…no. That description must have come from those same men who also seriously overestimate the size of their own…assets.
2. Proof of the existence of el chupacabra exists in the remains found in Central America and Texas. Um, no it doesn't. Those were coyotes with mange. For real. Look it up.

“ El chupacabra” is small, and humans will never find a specimen to study—dead or alive—for one simple reason: el chupacabra is actually a baby thunderbird. Or rather, lots of them. And where there’ s a baby thunderbird, there’ s a mama thunderbird. And a father, and a whole flight full of aunts, uncles, and assorted friends and family members. And that flight of thunderbirds would never abandon one of its own, much less an infant. Never. Under any circumstances.

So while the occasional witness might have spotted something vaguely dog-sized hunched over livestock in a field (descriptions vary widely, because immature thunderbirds are in a constant state of mid-Shift, unable to retain either fully human or fully avian form), what that witness obviously did not spot was the dozen or so adult thunderbirds circling overhead in the dark, watching over the youngster’ s first kill. How do I know the other birds weren’t spotted? Because if they had been, the witness never would have lived to tell about it.

So those alleged attacks by el chupacabra? Those were hunting lessons. Does this mean all you amateur cryptozoologists out there can stop searching for the elusive creature? It means you should. Because if you’ re caught trying to capture a baby thunderbird, you won’ t turn up on the news, as the latest partially consumed victim of el chupacabra. In fact, you won’ t turn up at all…

_{* It should be noted that in spite of long, public, and often televised searches for “ legendary creatures,” the entire cryptozoology field remains ignorant of the existence of shapeshifters. In fact, at any given time, a couple of dozen of them can be found stomping around in woods all over the US, searching for “ Bigfoot,” with no clue that the creature they’ re actually looking for is a bruin—a bear shapeshifter—and if they ever find him, they’ll never live to tell about it.}

---

Thanks so much Rachel (and Faythe!)  Come back soon.

Visit Rachel Online:
Website|Blog |Twitter |Facebook|MySpace

Want to read more from Rachel Vincent?

Shifters
1. Stray
2. Rogue
3. Pride
4. Prey
5. Shift
6. Alpha

Soul Screamers
1. My Soul to Take (read my Review)
2. My Soul to Save (read my Review)
3. My Soul to Lose (read my Review)
4. My Soul to Keep (read my Review)
5. My Soul to Steal (2011)

Anthologies
The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance
Immortal: Love Stories With Bite (read my Review)
Kiss Me Deadly

Giveaway

Giveaway courtesy of ATUF
One copy of ALPHA (or any of the Shifters books) by Rachel Vincent

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE FAYTHE...

The unscrupulous new Council chair has charged Jace, Marc, and me with trespassing, kidnapping, murder, and treason. Yeah, we've been busy. But now it's time to take justice into our own hands. We must avenge my brother's death and carve out the rot at the heart of the Council.

It's not going to be easy, and loss seems unavoidable, but I have promised to protect my Pride, no matter what. With a target on my back and Marc at my side, I'm heading for a final showdown that can--that will--change everything forever. A showdown I'm not sure I'm ready for.

But life never waits until you're ready.

Click HERE to read an excerpt from ALPHA

Giveaway Guidelines

1. Open Internationally (anywhere Book Depository ships)
2. Fill out the form
3. Enter by November 6th. All Spooky Legend winners will be announced on November 7th

I would greatly appreciate if you shared this giveaway on your blog or favorite social networks.  And please tell Rachel what you think about “El Chupacabra” in the comments. Thanks!

---

Interested in guest blogging on All Things Urban Fantasy? CONTACT ME