P: A to Z Blogging Challenge

For my 2016 A to Z Challenge, I’m sharing three facts for each letter. The genres I write and love to read are mostly science fiction and high or epic fantasy. In fantasy, there is often magic associated with crystals or metals. They also used herbs both for medicine and for magical spells. Each day I will post a short description of an herb or a mineral you might find in medieval or fantasy writings. For the record, most of the herbal remedies I’ve investigated are not recommended by the FDA. Many are actually poisonous and dangerous. As tribute to my second love, I will post a scientific fact that may deal with physics, biology or health science. And because another name for a writer is wordsmith, each day I’ll share a strange word that I would probably never use in my writing, but that amuse me in some way. So enjoy my trio of quick facts. And don’t forget to visit the IWSG site where we’ll share a writer’s resource for every day of the challenge.

Pleonexia: Greed, Covetousness

Papaya is used to flavor candies and ice cream. It's also used to make facial creams and to tenderize meat. 

Pilosism is excessive or abnormal hairiness. This is a real thing and throughout history people with this have appeared in circus side-shows as wolf people. That could really fit into a novel without it even being paranormal in nature.

Every use papaya? What for? Have you heard of pilosism? Can you see how to use it in a novel? I'm pretty sure I saw it on CSI at some time.

"Lust and greed are more gullible than innocence." Mason Cooley