Mythos and the Muse

Does anyone else cringe when they hear a story is about vampires?  I'll admit to doing just that, not because of the story itself (I'm sure they're fantastic), but because I don't understand why someone would choose to go down such a worn path when there are so many more interesting trails one can venture down.

I've heard it said that there are no new stories, only new ways to tell them, and I think this is true.  So why not embrace the old and make it new again?  I've often found myself paging through an encyclopedia of mythology as my imagination races through the posibilities.  There are so many mythological creatures to pick from, and so many amazing stories waiting to be retold in a new and fresh way that's relevant to our time.

Here are a few sites on mythology and mythological creatures to help you guide your muse down that path less traveled.

• Wikipedia's list of Mythological Creatures - This is an amazing list and the best part is there's a brief description for each creature so you don't have to keep clicking. 
• Wikipedia's list of Creatures by Type- The above list divided up into type of creature.
• Wikipedia's list of Folklore
• Wikipedia's list of Mythologies - Impressive and thorough.
• Wikipedia's list of Deities
• Wikipedia's list of Mythological Objects
• Wikipedia's list of Women Warriors
• Theoi Greek Mythology- A fantastic site!
• God Checker- A great resource with many different cultures listed.
• Luminarium- Fantastic page for all things Irish.
• Encyclopedia Mythica - Another amazing site- very thorough with an extensive list of cultures.
• A World History of Art- So many great works of art have been inspired from mythology. This is a great site if you prefer something more visual for your research.

I hope you find these links useful!  Please let me know of any others.