Best of
Folklore

2019

The Girl Who Speaks Bear


Sophie Anderson - 2019
    When she wakes up to find that her legs have become bear legs, she sets off into the forest to discover who she is, on a journey that takes her from icy rivers to smouldering mountains, with an ever-growing group of misfits alongside her... Interwoven with traditional stories of bears, princesses and dragons, Yanka's journey is a gorgeously lyrical adventure from the best-selling author of The House With Chicken Legs.

The Story That Cannot Be Told


J. Kasper Kramer - 2019
    Some are about the past, before the leader of her country tore down her home to make room for his golden palace; back when families had enough food, and the hot water worked on more than just Saturday nights. Others are folktales like the one she was named for, which her father used to tell her at bedtime. But some stories can get you in trouble, like the dangerous one criticizing Romania’s Communist government that Uncle Andrei published—right before he went missing.Fearing for her safety, Ileana’s parents send her to live with the grandparents she’s never met, far from the prying eyes and ears of the secret police and their spies, who could be any of the neighbors. But danger is never far away. Now, to save her family and the village she’s come to love, Ileana will have to tell the most important story of her life.

The Unvarnished Jesus: A Lenten Journey


Brian Zahnd - 2019
    These forty-six daily meditations on the life and ministry of Jesus drawn from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are a spiritual solvent to help remove the layers of lacquer comprised of political and cultural assumptions that prevent us from seeing just how challenging and compelling Jesus of Nazareth really is. The Unvarnished Jesus is a forty-six day project to restore the incomparable image of Christ.

The Morrigan: Celtic Goddess of Magick and Might


Courtney Weber - 2019
    "She is warrior, queen, death omen, mother, murderer, lover, spy, conspirator, faery, shape-shifter, healer, and sometimes the living earth itself. A captivating contradiction: a demonic female who both haunts and heals; benevolent in one moment, ghastly the next, and kind the moment after that.”The Morrigan is one of Pagan Ireland’s most famous—and notorious—goddesses. Her name translated as “phantom queen” or “great queen,” the Morrigan is famous for being a goddess of war, witchcraft and death, protection and retribution. This book also explores her patronage of motherhood, healing, shapeshifting, and the land. Classified among the Sidhe (fairies), the Morrigan dates back at least to Ireland’s Iron Age, but she is as modern as she is ancient―enjoying a growing contemporary and global following.Author Courtney Weber provides a guide for the modern devotee of this complex, mysterious goddess that encompasses practical veneration with modern devotionals, entwined with traditional lore and Irish-Celtic history.

Species Unknown: A Novel of The Watch


Dan Carlson - 2019
    Bigger, stronger and more cunning than any other predator in the woods, this murderer has only existed in legends and the nightmares of the few to survive an encounter … until now. Dr. Jake Sanders, world-renowned expert on predators and predatory behavior, is on a quest to find the monster that did far worse than wound him. Deputy Julie Reed, a strong, beautiful and lethal enforcer of justice, fearlessly pursues a violent adversary unaware of the twisted path destiny will lay before her. Simon Standing Elk, a recovering alcoholic well on the road to atoning for past sins until a terrifying encounter that now threatens not only his life, but his soul as well. Three different people. Three very different backgrounds. One secret organization. This is the story of events that brought them together and, if they’re not careful, could destroy them all – or worse.

Foxfire, Wolfskin and other stories of shapeshifting women


Sharon Blackie - 2019
    These stories are about coming to terms with our animal natures, exploring the ways in which we might renegotiate our fractured relationship with the natural world, and uncovering the wildness - and wilderness - within. Beautifully illustrated by Helen Nicholson, Foxfire, Wolfskin and Other Stories of Shapeshifting Women is her first collection of short stories. All are either reimaginings of older tales, or contain characters, beings and motifs which appear in older tales.

The Sky Atlas: The Greatest Maps, Myths and Discoveries of the Universe


Edward Brooke-Hitching - 2019
    This is the sky as it has never been presented before: the realm of stars and planets, but also of gods, devils, weather wizards, flying sailors, medieval aliens, mythological animals and rampaging spirits. The reader is taken on a tour of star-obsessed cultures around the world, learning about Tibetan sky burials, star-covered Inuit dancing coats, Mongolian astral prophets and Sir William Herschel's 1781 discovery of Uranus, the first planet to be found since antiquity. Even stranger are the forgotten stories from European history, like the English belief of the Middle Ages in ships that sailed a sea above the clouds, 16th-century German UFO sightings and the Edwardian aristocrat who mistakenly mapped alien-made canals on the surface of Mars.As the intricacies of our universe are today being revealed with unprecedented clarity, there has never been a better time for a highly readable book as beautiful as the night sky to contextualise the scale of these achievements for the general reader.

The Little Black Book for Lent 2020: Six-minute meditations on the Sunday Gospels of Lent (Cycle A)


Ken Untener - 2019
    It’s an old-fashioned “vade mecum” (pronounced vahday maykum). That’s Latin for “travel with me” and was used to describe a book that was a constant companion – perhaps a condensed book of prayers for traveling priests, or a handbook for quick reference – something you could take with you anywhere.

Hellebore #1: The Sacrifice Issue


Maria J. Pérez CuervoPaul Watson - 2019
    Associated with the water element, it is known for opening up portals to the Underworld and the subconscious.Hellebore is a collection of writings and essays devoted to British folk horror and the themes that inspire it: folklore, myth, history, archaeology, psychogeography, witches & the occult.The Sacrifice issue examines the role of human sacrifice in folk horror. From The Wicker Man to Blood on Satan's Claw. Delve into a world of witchcraft, megalithic monuments, and pagan survivals in hidden rural areas.Featuring words by Ronald Hutton, Katy Soar, Verity Holloway, David Southwell (Hookland), Dee Dee Chainey, Mercedes Miller, John Reppion, and Maria J. Pérez Cuervo. Artwork by Paul Watson and Eli John.

What Made Jesus Mad?: Rediscover the Blunt, Sarcastic, Passionate Savior of the Bible


Tim Harlow - 2019
    Yet the truth is, while the Son of God was loving and tender, his words could be equally sharp and biting. The same man who said, “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44) also said, “You snakes, how will you escape being condemned to hell?” (Matthew 23:33).  With compelling storytelling and enlightening examinations of Scripture, Tim Harlow journeys through the gospels and looks at what, and who, ignited Jesus’ anger. He guides us through instances of Jesus’ anger in response to the barriers people put up:in the temple, where money changers literally denied access to the Father, especially for the non-Jews and the poor;during his teaching, when little children were denied access;on the Sabbath, when religious leaders put rules above relationship and suffering above healing; and many more.What if, Harlow asks, by coming to understand God’s holy anger, we come to know a savior we never knew before? How can we respond like Jesus when good intentions, prejudices and judgments, traditions and rules, and selfish and joyless people conspire to keep others from God’s presence?

Nine Rupees an Hour: Disappearing Livelihoods of Tamil Nadu


Aparna Karthikeyan - 2019
    Through her five years of travelling across the villages of Tamil Nadu, Aparna Karthikeyan gets to know men and women who do exceptional—yet perfectly ordinary—things to earn a living. She documents, through ten of these stories, the transformations, aspirations and disruptions of the last twenty-five years. The people she meets force these questions of her, and her reader: What is the culture we seek to preserve? What will become of food security without farmers? How can ‘development’ exclude 833 million people? Including interviews with journalist P. Sainath, musician T.M. Krishna and writer Bama, among others, Nine Rupees an Hour is a critical portrayal of the drastic and systematic erosion of traditional livelihoods.These engaging narratives unravel a peoples’ perspective of work and life, where creative beauty and human dignity merge to matter, even if their worth in market-obsessed economics is merely nine rupees an hour. Evocative and relevant, they jostle our comfort. Statistics and economic analyses of wages and work, juxtaposed with the lives people lead, help us understand the situation on the ground. A book all of us must read’—Aruna Roy, Social activistSustainable livelihoods provide the foundation for a happy life. We owe a deep sense of gratitude to Aparna Karthikeyan for bringing out this useful book based on real-life examples. I hope the book will be widely read. —M.S. Swaminathan, plant geneticist and agricultural scientist

Kingdom of Sand and Wishes


J.A. ArmitageMaria Vermisoglou - 2019
     On the dusty streets, around the bustling bazaars, being overlooked by a Sultan’s Palace was a land. A land of magic, secrets and treasures buried deep beneath the desert. Through Arabian nights, dark forces are at work. Dark forces that can threaten the peace of everyone in the Kingdom. Watch our authors as they answer the question, can three wishes save the day? Join our award winning and USA Today best selling authors for nine action packed fantasy and contemporary retellings with Sultans, sorcerers, romance and more magic than a genie’s lamp can hold. One click now for your happily ever after… Other books in the Kingdom of series... Kingdom of Glass and Ashes (Cinderella retellings) Kingdom of Salt and Sirens (Little Mermaid retellings) Kingdom of Sand and Wishes (Aladdin retellings) Kingdom of Mirrors and Roses (Beauty and the Beast retellings) coming soon Kingdom of Thorns and Dreams (Sleeping Beauty retellings) coming soon

Dracopedia Field Guide: Dragons of the World from Amphipteridae Through Wyvernae


William O'Connor - 2019
    This fantasy field guide is required reading--and required packing--for both budding and expert dragon enthusiasts. Don't leave home without it.This comprehensive and elucidating manual identifies the dragons of the world from Amphipteridae through Wyvernae. Each genus of dragon is meticulously chronicled--from winged Coatyls and Sea Orcs to itty, bitty Feydragons to fire-breathing Great Dragons--then broken down into additional subsets to help you discover what sets these magnificent creatures apart. Uncover the biology, history, behavior and habitat of each stunning and primeval beast through written and illustrated descriptions.Each dragon specimen entry includes the following important information for fast and easy identification:- Size - Weight - Visual descriptors, including color, distinguishing marks, wings, horns, beaks, etc. - Habitat - Diet - Conservation status - Common namesDracopedia: The gold standard for dragon enthusiasts everywhere!

Llewellyn's 2020 Witches' Datebook


Llewellyn Publications - 2019
    This wonderful tool features beautiful illustrations from award-winning artist Kathleen Edwards, a variety of ways to celebrate the Wheel of the Year, and powerful wisdom from practicing witches.Find fresh ways to celebrate the sacred seasons and enhance your practice with sabbat musings (Barbara Moore), tasty sabbat recipes (Anna Franklin), Witchy tips (Elizabeth Barrette), and essential oils (Tess Whitehurst). Also included are fascinating articles on guiding goddess archetypes (Danielle Blackwood), pop culture protection magick (Emily Cardin), chakra healing (Melissa Tipton), honoring personally sacred days (Laura Tempest Zakroff), and more. This indispensable, on-the-go tool will make all your days more magical.

Folk Witchcraft: A Guide to Lore, Land, and the Familiar Spirit for the Solitary Practitioner


Roger J. Horne - 2019
    Experienced witches will deepen and enrich their practices by connecting more fully to traditional magics from hundreds of years in the past.Learn how to: -Master ecstatic methods of spirit-flight described in witch-lore-Celebrate the turning of the seasons with traditional rituals-Cultivate closer relationships with nature spirits and personal familiars-Work powerful traditional charms, such as the witches' ladder, the poppet, and blessing/cursing by gesture-Discern the magical properties of herbs and plants without relying on tables from books-Augur practical guidance from the spirit world-utilize old craft incantations, remedies, and recipes-Connect with the Old Ones, the ancestors of Folk Witchcraft-Experience shapeshifting into various animal spirit forms-Craft herbal unguents, oils, powders, tinctures, and infusions-Interpret incantations, charms, and sigils received from your own familiar spirits-Research and hone your own lore and grimoire-sourced magical practicesWith over 50 rituals, charms, and exercises, Folk Witchcraft offers a refreshingly simple approach to the craft that is non-dogmatic, flexible, and rewarding as a personal spiritual practice

My Little Rock Airman


Brittany Fichter - 2019
    Unfortunately, Derrick Allen doesn't seem to care. But what does it matter? Prince Charming had a horse, not a cargo plane. Jessie A strange silence settled over the car. And though I scrolled through my inbox, I found myself more and more unsettled by the man sitting beside me. Which was stupid. This was Derrick, the guy who tormented me for half of our relationship and spent the other half playing pranks and begging me to help him avoid his boss. So why I did I feel like I was really meeting him for the first time? And why did it suddenly feel like maybe...maybe it was time to rethink the rules after all? *** Derrick It had to be the uniform. Women were weird about uniforms. It was just something I wore every day. It had function and utility. Once I’d accidentally terrified a group of kids in a gas station, who I quickly realized were from another country. But Jessie didn’t look terrified. She looked...curious. And though that would have concerned me two months ago, now I couldn’t help but wonder if I liked it. *** My Little Rock Airman is the first in the My Air Force Fairy Tale series, clean and wholesome standalone novels about life and love with military men. Read it today to find love, truth, laughter, and the magic of happily ever after.

Summer Solstice


Nicole MorganAshlee Nicole Bye - 2019
     From shifters to goddesses, vampires to aliens, there's something for everyone within these pages. Look no further for sizzling romances and thrilling adventures that are bound to leave you desperate for a cool down. Featuring stories by: USA Today & International Bestselling Author Nicole Morgan USA Today & International Bestselling Author Laura Greenwood Laurie Treacy Candace Sams Two-time EPIC award winner, Amazon Bestselling Author Lesli Richardson Carly O'Shea Award winning and Amazon Bestselling Author Nikki Landis Kat Parrish Ashlee Nicole Bye International Bestselling Author Krista Ames Bestselling Author Deelylah Mullin Elana Brooks Brenda Sparks Katherine Kingston A Limited Edition Collection of Fantasy & Paranormal Romances.

The Autumn Fairy Trilogy Bookset


Brittany Fichter - 2019
    He made a promise to save her from herself. Katrin knows little about her origins, but whatever she is, it's certainly not human. On an island where humans have banned magic and hunt all who possess it, the dark power within her has become too strong to hide. With each passing day, the threat grows. For if she cannot master her terrifying abilities soon, everyone around her will suffer. And that's something she cannot accept. While Katrin is willing to sacrifice herself to save others, Peter, her childhood friend and protector, is not. But when he promises to save her at all costs, jeopardizing his own kingdom in return, he finds that his failure will mean either Katrin’s death or the isle’s doom. And if unraveling the source of Katrin’s power isn’t difficult enough, a mysterious and powerful stranger from the forest reveals that he has plans of his own for Katrin…and the rest of the isle. To protect their home, Katrin and Peter must face not only their worst fears about who and what they are but their true feelings for one another as well. For if they don't, everything they love will perish... The Autumn Fairy is the first book in The Autumn Fairy Trilogy, where fairies, humans, and legends collide. Buy The Autumn Fairy today to join Peter and Katy on their journey as they search for truth among ancient lies, hope in the darkness, and their own happy ending.

Forgotten Gods: Books 1-3


Laura Greenwood - 2019
    Fall in love with gods and uncover twisted plots alongside Serket, Sekhmet, and Rhodopis. Three standalone paranormal/fantasy romances based on Ancient Egyptian mythology. The Complete Forgotten Gods Series Includes: - Protectors of Poison- Priestess of Truth (a Forgotten Gods short story) - Daughter of the Sun​​​​​​​- Servant of Chaos

Crystal Lore, Legends Myths: The Fascinating History of the World's Most Powerful Gems and Stones


Athena Perrakis - 2019
    Crystal Lore, Legends & Myths presents these fascinating histories and legends of the world's crystals. Crystals, gems, and semi-precious stones have long been sought for their beauty, power, and utility. Historically used as adornments, currency, talismans, and amulets, crystals have been reputed through the ages to bestow magic and power on the user. However, in order to fully harness each stone’s unique power, one must know the unique legends and lore attached to it.Every stone has a narrative or key that unlocks its power. Oftentimes, these legends have been lost—or even deliberately altered—to confuse and obscure. In Crystal Lore, Legends & Myths, leading crystal expert and metaphysical teacher Athena Perrakis presents the fascinating history of the world’s most powerful stones. This comprehensive collection of stones presents to you the legends and relics from different cultures and ancient civilizations, including Lemuria, Sumeria, Egypt and Atlantis, among others. Learn the fascinating stories of how gems and minerals were used to raise power, store wisdom and secret teachings, and give incredible healing—and tap into the powers of the crystals yourself!

Illustrated Stories From China


Li Weiding - 2019
    Specially selected and retold for readers today, each story is brought vividly to life by traditional Chinese brush-and-ink illustrations.

Wolf


Chris Fenwick - 2019
    Alone in the world, Casidhe Keneally is frightened to unravel her family’s secret, a secret her own body has been reporting in disturbing ways. She must travel far from the only home she has ever known, to uncover the clues her dead parents left her.Tracked to a sleepy pub in Butte Montana, Casidhe locates the strange people who can reveal the truth, but the discovery could, quite literally, kill her.Amidst all the changes she struggles to assimilate, Casidhe meets Dana, a woman who simply cannot exist, sparking a fire inside herself, she cannot fight.Her travels take her deep into the realm of the Fae, the powerful and ancient Irish mythological beings, whom she realizes still endure. But some Fae are angry she has returned and will not stop until she follows the way of her parents.In "Wolf," Casidhe discovers her true identity, finds her people, but also finds cruelty and danger as she learns what real magic looks and feels like."Wolf" is the first book in the State Changers series, following the extraordinary life of Casidhe, as she learns about love, magic and the veritable power of her own spirit.

Backwoods Witchcraft: Conjure Folk Magic from Appalachia


Jake Richards - 2019
    This "grounded approach" will be of keen interest to witches and conjure folk regardless of where they live. Readers will be guided in how to build relationships with the spirits and other beings that dwell around them and how to use the materials and tools that are readily available on the land where one lives.This book also provides instructions on how to create a working space and altar and make conjure oils and powders. A wide array of tried-and-true formulas are also offered for creating wealth, protecting one from gossip, spiritual cleansing, and more.

The Secret of the Tattered Shoes


Jackie Morris - 2019
    A young soldier is tasked to discover their night-time adventures. But unlike the story told by the Brothers Grimm, this soldier seeks a different ending. Jackie's dark and poetic text updates this well-known tale and shows how stories evolve and adapt over time.Beautifully illustrated by Ehsan Abdollahi, who has created stunning puppet-like illustrations in rich and delicate detail, this unique illustrative style brings the story to life and perfectly encapsulate the beauty and melancholy of the story.

An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Castle Legends


Theresa Breslin - 2019
    Read much-cherished and little-known legends, each illuminating the character and history of its castle, all brilliantly retold and beautifully illustrated to amuse, thrill and enchant.A wonderful gift, this is a stunning book to be treasured for a lifetime, bringing history, place and story alive for children, parents and grandparents alike.

Thousand Year Old Vampire


Tim Hutchings - 2019
    A creaking hunter among dust and cobwebs, you prowl the night places, seeking the souls on which you feed. You have done this since time immemorial, or so you believe; you have no memories of living as a man-thing like those you catch and eat. But human traces linger; your fingers trace clever arabesques in the dirt of your grave-place and with the flourishes come whispered songs in a language you've forgotten. Far away, in a museum, hangs your portrait in oil by a master five hundred years dead - you might have been lovers but the diary you kept then is long lost.A multi-foiled hardback, digest-sized, 188 fancy color pages: play in a couple of hours or a couple of weeks, solo play, or optional group play.

Nian, the Chinese New Year Dragon


Virginia Loh-Hagan - 2019
    Why? Because it's only in the spring that Nian, a fierce dragon, is able to leave his mountain prison under the sea to terrorize the local village. When the villagers hear the rumblings of Nian's hungry stomach, they know that winter has ended and spring is coming. But this year on the night before the first day of spring, a magical warrior visits Mei in her dreams. He tells Mei that it is her destiny to face and defeat Nian. But she must do it within 15 days or the dragon will be free forever. Author Virginia Loh-Hagan (PoPo's Lucky Chinese New Year) gives this retelling of the Nian legend an original twist, while explaining the origins of Chinese New Year traditions.

Wolf Milk: Chthonic Memory in the Deep Wild


Martin Shaw - 2019
    Through myth, poetics and hard-won brooding he offers a way for modern people to enter an ancient ceremony. This startling book suggests a wingspan of both mystical experience and civic duty underpins the encounter.“It is your task to walk back from the vigil with an animal, not a pelt, not a corpse, but something alive. Curate that energy, feed it, don’t domesticate it, make culture from it. It should be walking alongside you, not slung over your shoulder. You build your structures from its growls.”

Crossroads of Conjure: The Roots and Practices of Granny Magic, Hoodoo, Brujería, and Curanderismo


Katrina Rasbold - 2019
    This authentic and powerful book demonstrates how these systems are interconnected, celebrates their sustainability, and dispels the myths and misunderstandings about them. Learn about each path's beliefs, practitioners, history, and how its traditions are carried on in modern society. Discover the techniques practitioners use for healing, survival, protection, and more. This entertaining and informative exploration of folk magic also helps you determine which practice resonates with you the most.

Last Call: Bartenders on Their Final Drink and the Wisdom and Rituals of Closing Time


Brad Thomas Parsons - 2019
    The resulting interviews and essays reveal a personal portrait of some of the country's top bartenders and their favorite drinks, while over 40 cocktail recipes and stunning photography make this a keepsake for barflies and cocktail enthusiasts of all stripes.

The Little Animals


Sarah Tolmie - 2019
    These tiny creatures are everywhere, even inside us. But who will believe him? Not his wife, not his neighbors, not his fellow merchants-- only his friend Reinier De Graaf, a medical doctor. Then he meets an itinerant goose girl at the market who lives surrounded by tiny, invisible voices. Are these the animalcules also? Leeuwenhoek and the girl form a curious alliance, and gradually the lives of the little animals infiltrate everything around them: Leeuwenhoek's cloth business, the art of his friend Johannes Vermeer, the nascent sex trade, and people's religious certainties. But Leeuwenhoek also needs to cement his reputation as a natural philosopher, and for that he needs the Royal Society of London-- a daunting challenge, indeed, for a Dutch draper who can't communicate in Latin.Ursula K. Le Guin wrote of The Little Animals, ''A vigorous, satisfying historical novel full of interesting and likable characters. To people who do truly unusual things, such as discover microscopic life, or paint Vermeer's pictures, or hear what plague bacilli are saying, these things are just what they do. Sarah Tolmie's novel catches this intersection of the everyday with the unearthly and holds it for us like a drop of pond water under the lens, vibrant with life and activity, fascinating in its strangeness and its familiarity.''

Why Evergreens Keep Their Leaves


Annemarie Riley Guertin - 2019
    As he slept, a strong gust of wind shook him from his cozy nest . . .. . . Little Redbird hurts his wing and misses his chance to fly south for the winter. As he searches for a new home amongst the trees, he begins to realize that not all trees are fit for the winter cold. As more and more trees refuse him shelter, too preoccupied with their preparations for the frost, Little Redbird fears the worst. That is, until he comes across a friendly bunch of evergreens.In the spirit of Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince, Why Evergreens Keep Their Leaves is a timeless story of kindness and why the fir, spruce, and juniper trees are evergreen all winter long.

The Practical Witch's Almanac 2020: Walking Your Path


Friday Gladheart - 2019
    No matter what your path may be, this almanac has all the goodies you are looking for. The focus of this year's almanac is exploring new ideas to forge your own unique path. Special planner pages, worksheets, and articles are included to help you achieve your goals, discover your hidden talents, and explore the awe-inspiring beauty of nature. The projects, articles, and ideas will motivate you to hone your witchy skills no matter your current level of expertise, including divination (tarot, runes, pendulum), herbalism & wortcunning, and using nature's gifts of stones, crystals, and minerals. It can also be used as a companion study guide to the traditional "year and a day" of study prior to initiation or solitary dedication. And as always, it contains astrological and astronomical information, moon phases, trivia, recipes, Sabbats, historical tidbits, and everything you need to get you in touch with the Practical Witch within you. To be more inclusive for the 2020 almanac, significant improvements have been made to make time conversions easier with a larger and more defined time zone map, and charts with actual city time conversions worldwide (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, China, Russia, Greece, and dozens more).

Ghostland: In Search of a Haunted Country


Edward Parnell - 2019
    For comfort, he turned to his bookshelves, back to the ghost stories that obsessed him as a boy, and to the writers through the ages who have attempted to confront what comes after death.In Ghostland, Parnell goes in search of the ‘sequestered places’ of the British Isles, our lonely moors, our moss-covered cemeteries, our stark shores and our folkloric woodlands. He explores how these landscapes conjured and shaped a kaleidoscopic spectrum of literature and cinema, from the ghost stories and weird fiction of M.R. James, Arthur Machen and Algernon Blackwood to the children’s fantasy novels of Alan Garner and Susan Cooper; from W.G. Sebald’s The Rings of Saturn and Graham Swift’s Waterland to the archetypal ‘folk horror’ film The Wicker Man…Ghostland is Parnell’s moving exploration of what has haunted our writers and artists—and what is haunting him. It is a unique and elegiac meditation on grief, memory and longing, and of the redemptive power of stories and nature.

Earth And Spirit: Medicinal Plants And Healing Lore From Puerto Rico


Maria Benedetti - 2019
    This lively and deeply personal glimpse of Caribbean healing presents the voices of dozens of people who knew, loved and worked with medicinal plants and island earth lore. Ten interviews feature traditional curanderos, a granny midwife, spiritual healers, natural beauticians and others. Remedies are presented in an extensive recipe section organized by health condition, ranging from Alcohol Addiction to Warts. The author's foreword and epilog place the work in cultural and ecological contexts, and all plants are cross referenced with their English, Puerto Rican and scientific names. Rich in practical wisdom, anecdotes and humor, Earth and Spirit inspires love and respect for the living world of plants and for the resourceful people of Puerto Rico who have helped keep this tradition alive. A timeless and beautiful experience, a thought-provoking, fun and useful reference. For your kitchen. For your bedroom! Salud!

SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE Official Artworks


FromSoftware - 2019
    The book features story imageboard, character design, and concept design used in creating the unique sengoku era of "SEKIRO".

Wergild: A Heartwarming Tale of Coldblooded Vengeance


Boris L. Slocum - 2019
    It's what happens when you lose a war. Deirdre is just a Surrey farm-girl, but when the Gheet murder those she holds most dear, she refuses to sit around and wait for her own slaughter. She wants justice, she wants vengeance, she wants blood, and she's willing to do anything to get it, even if that means selling her soul to the fiend, a dark and malevolent creature that lurks in the far-off barrow in the blackest woods of the forest. One way or the other, she'll have her vengeance.

Cows on Ice and Owls in the Bog: The Weird and Wonderful World of Scandinavian Sayings


Sarah Lundon - 2019
    They have a higher standard of living, greater economic opportunity and equality, the world's best restaurants, and moody TV dramas involving murders and sweaters.But did you know, amidst the obsession with hygge, IKEA, and lagom, that Scandinavian sayings are absolutely BIZARRE?!Take the Swedish 'Skita i det blåa skåpet', which roughly translates as 'You've done a poop in the blue locker' ('You've really messed things up now'). Or, in Norway, 'Født bak en brunost': 'He was born behind a brown cheese' (this chap is a bit slow on the uptake). In Denmark you might say instead: 'Han har roterende fis i kasketten' (he's got rotating crap in his cap!).This witty, enlightening book will give you 50 phrases you never knew you needed in your life, explaining their origin and literal translations, with fun color illustrations throughout.

The Naseby Horses


Dominic Brownlow - 2019
    The lonely Fenland village the family recently moved to from London is odd, silent, and mysterious. Simon is epileptic and his seizures are increasing in severity, but when he is told of the local curse of the Naseby Horses, he is convinced it has something to do with Charlotte’s disappearance. Despite resistance from the villagers, the police, and his own family, Simon is determined to uncover the truth, and save his sister. Under the oppressive Fenland skies and in the heat of a relentless June, Simon’s bond with Charlotte is fierce, all-consuming, and unbreakable; but can he find her? And does she even want to be found?Drawing on philosophy, science, and the natural world, The Naseby Horses is a moving exploration of the bond between a brother and his sister; of love; and of the meaning of life itself.

The Saint of Milk and Flames


Kate Garrett - 2019
    There is anger, but justifiable anger - the flame as power, illumination, defiance, a force to move us forward; there is milk in nurturing given and received, sometimes to and from unexpected places. From personal experience to myth to historical moments re-imagined, from family bonds to physical disability to spiritual synthesis, these are ultimately poems of healing and becoming.

Beauty's Bell


Brittany Fichter - 2019
    Unfortunately, however, it seems Ever couldn't be less. After their recent costly victory over the Glass Enchanter, the Isa and the residents of the Fortress need the sacred holiday more than ever. Furthermore, Isa is sure this is just what Ever needs to bring him out of the melancholy he's living in, but instead, it seems to bring him more anxiety than ever. A surprise visit from an unexpected, unwelcome familiar face, however, has Isa questioning the very peace she sought for Ever, and before they know it, they're on a mission while the rest of the Fortress celebrates without them. But just as they're sure the day is ruined, perhaps forever, Ever and Isa discover that maybe their beloved Fortress has special plans for them after all. Beauty's Bell is a novelette written for fans of the Becoming Beauty Trilogy and the larger Classical Kingdoms Collection in which the trilogy exists. This story takes place between books #2 and #3 of the trilogy. In it, you'll find a message of hope and joy in the face of uncertainty as only Ever and Isa can bring. Read Beauty's Bell today to revisit beloved friends at the Fortress and find the magic of happily ever after once again.

Valkyrie's Oath


Arizona Tape - 2019
    She's never had much reason to rebel until a new Banshee teacher starts at the Afterlife Academy and shows her a glimpse of a different life.*Valkyrie's Oath is the first paranormal book in The Heir Of The East duology and is set in the Afterlife Academy. The earlier, shorter version was previously titled Valkyrie's Chaos and was part of the Magic and Mayhem anthology.Rest in Series:#1: Valkyrie's Oath#2: Valkyrie's ChoiceRelates Series:- Valkyrie 101 and sequels (The Afterlife Academy series)- Wings of Grief

Aesop's Fables: A Little Apple Classic


Charles Santore - 2019
    This classic edition of short stories is brought to life with breathtaking illustrations by New York Times #1 Bestselling illustrator Charles Santore. The most well known and well loved of Aesop's fables are included to help boys and girls learn which traits are desirable and which are less than desireable, including:  - The Hare and the Tortoise - The Lion and the Mouse - The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse - The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing   The work of New York Times bestselling children’s book illustrator Charles Santore has been widely exhibited in museums and celebrated with recognitions such as the prestigious Hamilton King Award, the Society of Illustrators Award of Excellence, and the Original Art 2000 Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators. He is best known for his luminous interpretations of classic children’s stories, including The Night Before Christmas, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Aesop's Fables, The Classic Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Little Mermaid, Snow White, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Wizard of Oz, and more!

Girl Underground


Lauren McManamon - 2019
    Inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Labyrinth, The Wizard of Oz, Spirited Away and similar tales, Girl Underground is a tabletop roleplaying game about a curious girl and her strange companions as they travel through a wondrous world, complete a quest, and find the way back home.more info: https://girlunderground.org/

The Salix Arcanum


Benjamin Tweddell - 2019
    Walking the hidden paths amongst the reed beds, surrendering himself to tranquillity, he stumbles upon a medieval chapel in the marshes of West-Sedgemoor, forlorn, and seemingly forgotten. Drawn back there, day after day, unable to resist the call of the ancient sanctuary, he finds himself lost in a mysterious reverie, ensnared by an incomprehensible power – The Salix Arcanum. To purchase, please contact exoccidente@gmail.com

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South


Aaron Oberon - 2019
    Through the lens of folklore, animism, and bioregionalism the book shows how to bring rituals in folklore into the modern day and presents a uniquely American approach to witchcraft born out of the land and practical application.

Myths and Legends of the World 1


Alli Brydon - 2019
    Meet gods, goddesses, serpents, talking fish and clever spiders. Cavort with sea nymphs, mystical women, terrifying beasts and volcano people as you discover different tales of how the world began.Retold by Alli Brydon and beautifully illustrated by Julia Iredale, these fascinating myths and legends will transport you to every corner of the globe and link you to the people who preserved these tales through oral tradition. The souls of ancestors, the lives of heroes, and the fates of mortals are waiting to be discovered.Myths from Africa include:''The Creation of the World'' from the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of Congo''The Tale of the Ghosts and the Flutes'' from the Beba people of Cameroon''Anansi and the Box of Stories'' from the Ashanti people of present-day GhanaMyths from Europe include:The Selkies from Scottish mythology''Athena, Arachne and the Dueling Looms'' from Greek mythologyMyths from Asia include:Lord Ganesh from the Hindu pantheon''Nyai Loro Kidul, Queen of the Sea'' from Indone(more...)

The Stone of Destiny


Caroline Logan - 2019
    But, with themark on her face, most people consider her one of them—a changeling.Her secluded life shifts when she rescues two selkies from bloodthirstyraiders. Now she must act as their guard as they travel to the capital andthen, with the help of the Prince of Eilanmor, journey north to find theStone of Destiny - the only object protecting them all from the evil faeriequeen.But all her life a malignant creature has stalked her through the forest.Can Ailsa find the Stone of Destiny before something wicked finds her?

The Orkney Cycle: The Shattering Sea (The Tears Of The Stars Book 1)


Daniel Allison - 2019
    Talorc, whose family were slain by the demon, and Runa, Princess of the Orkadi, set out to destroy the Azawan. The secrets they uncover will change their world forever - if they live long enough to share them.The Shattering Sea is the first volume in a stunning young adult fantasy series set in Prehistoric Scotland. Fast-paced, full of twists and rooted in Celtic myths, it is perfect for fans of Michelle Paver, Philip Pullman, Sophie Anderson and Rick Riordan.The author, Daniel Allison, is an acclaimed oral storyteller who performs Celtic myths and legends throughout the world.'A tremendous read... no end of dramas, surprises & reversals of fortune... a rattling good plot... wonderful stuff'Fay Sampson, Guardian Children's Book Award-Nominated Author'A born storyteller weaves Scottish island myths into a driving narrative of survival'Ian Stephen, Saltire Award-Nominated Author'A thrilling tale that twists and turns as you eagerly turn the pages. It breathes new life into the creatures of Orkney's folklore for a new generation of readers.'Tom Muir, Author of The Mermaid Bride and Orkney Folk Tales'A master storyteller whose words are visions... your eyes dare not blink for fear of missing a single word!'Jess Smith, Author of Way of the Wanderers, reviewing Finn & The Fianna (out 2020)

A Dragon's Rising


Tina Glasneck - 2019
     A god questions his existence. Deadly repercussions follow. A new series by USA Today Bestselling Author Tina Glasneck Baldr is struggling to find his place in Asgard. His brother, Thor, guards the city and fights giants, while his father rules all the unruly Aesir. Because Baldr's death will signal the start of Ragnarok, the end of days, his family prefers him to sit at home, useless. But Baldr refuses to remain a captive of destiny, and the Norns offer Baldr a solution: he can communicate with a mysterious Midgard woman via his dreams.There is only one problem--Baldr's dream woman wears the tattoo of another pantheon. With each communication, he threatens to break the peace treaty and spark a holy war—pitting pantheon against pantheon—with cataclysmic effects.Of course, what his father and brother don't know can't hurt them, can it? War is coming! Readers of legend, lore, and mythology will enjoy this new take on the Norse gods, and the rise of the dragons. Tina Glasneck brings you a fantastical tale where the ancient gods hold power, and the promise of dragons was first imagined.Grab your copy of this historical fantasy now!

The Golden Thread


Amy Dyer - 2019
    Each chapter braids the visible with the invisible, a diverse tapestry of folklore, symbolism, alchemy, psychology and shamanism. The Golden Thread traverses the landscape of imagination and the borderlands of our own lives; those threshold moments of love and loss. It aims to show us in a time of great upheaval, how cosmic, seasonal, and ancestral patterns can help root and connect us. While myth, a vital and steadfast guide, weaves its way throughout.

By the Fire: Sami Folktales and Legends


Emilie Demant Hatt - 2019
    The stories in By the Fire, collected by the Danish artist and ethnographer Emilie Demant Hatt (1873–1958) during her travels in the early twentieth century among the nomadic Sami in Swedish Sápmi, are the exception—and a matchless pleasure, granting entry to a fascinating world of wonder and peril, of nature imbued with spirits, and strangers to be outwitted with gumption and craft.Between 1907 and 1916 Demant Hatt recorded tales of magic animals, otherworldly girls who marry Sami men, and cannibalistic ogres or Stallos. Many of her storytellers were women, and the memorable tales included in this collection tell of plucky girls and women who outfox their attackers (whether Russian bandits, mysterious Dog-Turks, or Swedish farmers) and save their people. Here as well are tales of ghosts and pestilent spirits, murdered babies who come back to haunt their parents, and legends in which the Sami are both persecuted by their enemies and cleverly resistant. By the Fire, first published in Danish in 1922, features Demant Hatt’s original linoleum prints, incorporating and transforming her visual memories of Sápmi in a style influenced by the northern European Expressionists after World War I.With Demant Hatt’s field notes and commentary and translator Barbara Sjoholm’s Afterword (accompanied by photographs), this first English publication of By the Fire is at once a significant contribution to the canon of world literature, a unique glimpse into Sami culture, and a testament to the enduring art of storytelling.

Combat Genesis: Prequel


Misty Zaugg - 2019
    Victory against an angry father is his only chance to save the woman he loves. But if she has the mutation, a win might not be enough. She shows signs of an emerging ability that, uncontrolled, threatens her life. Ojisan is the only one who can save her.In a story spanning generations, Kiriai, a young girl, tears open the wounds from Ojisan’s past. Her parents lie sick and dying, confined to iso. Ojisan is forced to confront the government’s rules entrenched after the devastating plagues of the past. Can he save Kiriai from becoming an orphan? Will one young girl melt a heart that’s been frozen for decades?Fans will love discovering how Ojisan and Kiriai’s story began. New readers will enjoy the intricacies of their world. Experience how past and future collide in this thrilling prequel to the YA World of Combat Dystopia series by Misty Zaugg. **Free Prequel offered for the author's newsletter subscribers.**

Grumpy Old Gods: Volume 1


Vanessa WellsTom Vetter - 2019
     A Low Key Game Night by Elizabeth Shaffer: Family Game night is always a risky situation when a former god of mischief is involved; add in a son bringing a new mortal girlfriend to meet the godly household and the stakes get a bit more interesting than anyone intended. For Want of a Feather by Andrew Dunlop: When the God in charge of afterlife management goes AWOL, two intrepid (if somewhat dead) souls and a talking cat set off to find him. What they find isn’t exactly what they anticipated. Out of Luck by Vanessa Finaighty: Loki, God of Mischief has a history of going too far: when one of his pranks goes wrong, he and the rest of Gods are out of luck…literally. Rule 34 by Avery Vanderlyle: When the Primal Terror goes AWOL, Demeter is forced to chase him down in order to keep humanity from destroying themselves; unfortunately, he has a new hobby, and it’s for mature audiences only. Immanent Domain by Wendy Smyer Yu: When Cara accidentally invokes Coyote after a terrible date, the young woman has to channel her inner trickster so that the bored deity doesn’t wreck her life. God of Morning by Elizabeth McCleary: When Morrow, god of morning is informed he is in danger of losing his position to Chaos god of well...chaos, he has to pull himself out of his recent funk and find joy in the morning once more. Zeus Really Needs To Go by Shawn Klimek: Lactose intolerance and a distinct lack of a statute of limitations combine to give the former King of Olympus one very bad day. Breaking the Habit by Ronel Janse von Vuuren: Odin finds that escaping his throne to make mischief at a rest home might be exactly what the doctor ordered. The New Chief Medical Officer by Tom Vetter: Controlled chaos reigns in the Elysian Fields Retirement facility. The new chief medical officer arrives to take charge; but when retired gods are involved, nothing is ever as easy as it seems at first glance. Playing Hooky by Juneta Key: Death’s FA can’t catch a break; the head reaper himself has gone AWOL and someone placed an ad in the Paranormal Chronicles implying that the position was open! Now Alister has a waiting room full of deities who are demanding to interview for the position, a position he’s fairly certain can’t be filled by anyone except Death himself! Harbinger of Doom by Katharina Gerlach: A mortal with a distasteful job finds that he can be more than he ever dreamed, if he simply has the courage to reach out and take what he wants. Whither Athena by Marshall J. Moore: In which Althea Stagg has a client she can’t refuse and a missing Goddess who has no intention of returning: caught between two primal beings, what’s a demi-goddess detective to do?

Irish Gothic Fairy Stories: From the 32 Counties of Ireland


Steve Lally - 2019
    Each county and its people are unique, but the one thing they all have in common is their respect and regard for the "The Good Folk," the Fairies of all Ireland. Steve Lally and Paula Flynn have compiled this magnificent collection of fairy tales from each county in Ireland. This book is a contemporary take on some classic stories and will be enjoyed for generations to come.

Don't Read This Book: A Novel About a Book You Should Not Read


Benjamin Gorman - 2019
    She just doesn't know it. When three witches inform a thousand year-old necromancer that Mags can write a novel so powerful it can bring an end to human civilization, she's kidnapped and forced to write the book. Rescued, she's on the run with the manuscript - and the fate of humanity - in her backpack, and a whole lot of monsters hot on her heels!

The Food We Eat, the Stories We Tell: Contemporary Appalachian Tables


Elizabeth S. D. Engelhardt - 2019
    Diverse contributors show us that contemporary Appalachian tables and the stories they hold offer new ways into understanding past, present, and future American food practices. The poets, scholars, fiction writers, journalists, and food professionals in these pages show us that what we eat gives a beautifully full picture of Appalachia, where it’s been, and where it’s going.Contributors: Courtney Balestier, Jessie Blackburn, Karida L. Brown, Danille Elise Christensen, Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, Michael Croley, Elizabeth S. D. Engelhardt, Robert Gipe, Suronda Gonzalez, Emily Hilliard, Rebecca Gayle Howell, Abigail Huggins, Erica Abrams Locklear, Ronni Lundy, George Ella Lyon, Jeff Mann, Daniel S. Margolies, William Schumann, Lora E. Smith, Emily Wallace, Crystal Wilkinson

The Complete and Original Norwegian Folktales of Asbjørnsen and Moe


Peter Christen Asbjørnsen - 2019
    Over the next two decades the publication of subsequent editions under the title Norske folkeeventyr made the names Asbjørnsen and Moe synonymous with Norwegian storytelling traditions. Tiina Nunnally’s vivid translation of their monumental collection is the first new English translation in more than 150 years—and the first ever to include all sixty original tales.Magic and myth inhabit these pages in figures both familiar and strange. Giant trolls and talking animals are everywhere. The winds take human form. A one-eyed old woman might seem reminiscent of the Norse god Odin. We meet sly aunts, resourceful princesses, and devious robbers. The clever and fearless boy Ash Lad often takes center stage as he ingeniously breaks spells and defeats enemies to win half the kingdom. These stories, set in Norway’s majestic landscape of towering mountains and dense forests, are filled with humor, mischief, and sometimes surprisingly cruel twists of fate. All are rendered in the deceptively simple narrative style perfected by Asbjørnsen and Moe—now translated into an English that is as finely tuned to the modern ear as it is true to the original Norwegian.Included here—for the very first time in English—are Asbjørnsen and Moe’s Forewords and Introductions to the early Norwegian editions of the tales. Asbjørnsen gives us an intriguing glimpse into the actual collection process and describes how the stories were initially received, both in Norway and abroad. Equally fascinating are Moe’s views on how central characters might be interpreted and his notes on the regions where each story was originally collected. Nunnally’s informative Translator’s Note places the tales in a biographical, historical, and literary context for the twenty-first century.The Norwegian folktales of Asbjørnsen and Moe are timeless stories that will entertain, startle, and enthrall readers of all ages.

Priestess of Truth


Laura Greenwood - 2019
    Until she goes to a local fair and meets a tarot reader who reveals she's already met the Leo who'd complete her life. Her thoughts turn to High Priest and lion-shifter, Menefer, but can she give in to them? Can a matchmaking goddess and a tarot reader convince Edrice to follow her heart? - Priestess of Truth is part of the Forgotten Gods series and is based on Egyptian mythology. Please note that this is a bonus short story for the series.

Rare Birds: Stories


L.S. Johnson - 2019
    Johnson, the eight short stories in this collection look at the ties that bind and the transformations they provoke. Whether bound by love, blood, or violent circumstance, the characters in these tales are fundamentally altered by those closest to them … and not always for the better. Two mothers become entwined in revenge against a violent man, with unexpected consequences. A roving gang of sirens finds themselves challenged from without and within. In a last, desperate act of love, a young surgeon goes under the knife. And in a distant territory, a mother and daughter struggle to survive—but the aid they summon is far more dangerous. At turns brutal and tender, subtle and shocking, these stories blend realism, fantasy, and horror to create an unsettling—and unforgettable—experience.

Pagan Portals - Fairy Queens: Meeting the Queens of the Otherworld


Morgan Daimler - 2019
    Goddesses to some, fictional characters to others, these powerful Queens are bound up in the history of witchcraft and still have a role to play today. This book takes a look at who the Fairy Queens are, explores some of their individual stories, and considers how we can still connect to them and honor them in the world today.

A South You Never Ate: Savoring Flavors and Stories from the Eastern Shore of Virginia


Bernard L. Herman - 2019
    In this inviting narrative, Bernard L. Herman welcomes readers into the communities, stories, and flavors that season a land where the distance from tide to tide is often less than five miles. Blending personal observation, history, memories of harvests and feasts, and recipes, Herman tells of life along the Eastern Shore through the eyes of its growers, watermen, oyster and clam farmers, foragers, church cooks, restaurant owners, and everyday residents. Four centuries of encounter, imagination, and invention continue to shape the foodways of the Eastern Shore of Virginia, melding influences from Indigenous peoples, European migrants, enslaved and free West Africans, and more recent newcomers. Herman reveals how local ingredients and the cooks who have prepared them for the table have developed a distinctly American terroir--the flavors of a place experienced through its culinary and storytelling traditions. This terroir flourishes even as it confronts challenges from climate change, declining fish populations, and farming monoculture. Herman reveals this resilience through the recipes and celebrations that hold meaning, not just for those who live there but for all those folks who sit at their tables--and other tables near and far.

Witches Sail in Eggshells


Chloe Turner - 2019
    She was pounding the shells, hard, with the palm of her hand on the flat of a knife.Bewitched by ‘the sort of girl who’d batter your heart like a thrush with a snail on a stone’, a woman overlooks the one who really loves her.A seaside community is overwhelmed when the sea begins to expel its life forms. But the villagers would rather raise the sea wall, whatever the cost, than confront their past mistakes.A woman’s beloved garden withers as the baby inside her flourishes. When the pregnancy reaches its end, the progeny is not as she expects.A widower feels like his life might have been a quiet nothing, but he’ll end it with the flight he’s always dreamed of. Even that fails, but instead of indignity, in the attempt he finds peace.Perceptive, intriguing, and beautifully told, Chloe Turner’s debut collection explores the themes of love, loss, the little ways we let each other down, and how we can find each other again.

Runic Lore and Legend: Wyrdstaves of Old Northumbria


Nigel Pennick - 2019
    These lands, in what is now northern England and southeast Scotland, were the targets of the first Viking raids on Britain. This violent influx, followed by the establishment of trade routes with the Norse, brought the runes to the region, where they intermingled with local magical traditions and legends, resulting in the development of a practical runic wisdom entirely unique to Northumbria. In this guide to the Wyrdstaves, or runic practices, of Old Northumbria, Nigel Pennick examines the thirty-three runes of the Anglo-Saxon Futhark and how they were used in Old England for weaving the web of Wyrd. Sharing runic lore and legends from the area, he explains how the Northumbrian runes are unique because they contain elements from all the cultures of the region, including the Picts, Britons, Romans, Angles, Scots, and Norse. He illustrates how each rune in this tradition is a storehouse of ancient knowledge, detailing the meanings, historical uses, symbolism, and related tree and plant spirits for each of the thirty-three runes. The author describes the Northumbrian use of runes in magic and encryption and explores geomancy divination practices, the role of sacred numbers, and the power of the eight airts, or directions. He also shows how the Northumbrian runes have a close relationship with Ogam, the tree alphabet of the ancient Celts. Providing a magical history of Northumbria, as well as a look at the otherworldly beings who call these lands home, including boggarts, brownies, and dragons, Pennick explains how traditional spirituality is intimately tied to the landscape and the cycle of the seasons. He reveals how the runic tradition is still vibrantly alive in this area and ready for us to reawaken to it.

Atlas of Monsters and Ghosts


Lonely Planet Kids - 2019
    

Tome of Beasts Pocket Edition


Kobold Staff - 2019
    Whether you need dungeon vermin or a world-shaking personification of evil, the Tome of Beasts has it!These monsters have been designed so that GMs can use them in their favorite settings for fantasy adventure, whether it's Kobold Press's world of Midgard, one of the classic realms of d20-rolling gaming, or their own homebrew worlds.

Weird Walk: Issue One - Beltane 2019


Owen Tromans - 2019
    For us, walking is an active engagement with the British landscape and its lore.Amongst other things, come with us to uncover some medieval graffiti, have a chat with writer/ recording artist Justin Hopper, take a trip around Avebury’s Neolithic wonderland, absorb some blackened dungeon synth, and meet a Tudor weird walking inspiration.Weird Walk zine is your signpost... keep walking weird.

Weird Walk: Issue Two - Samhain 2019


Alex Hornsby - 2019
    In this issue we will be channelling Samhain, the gateway to the darker half of the year, poised between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It is in this spirit that we explore nature’s bounty alongside forager Adele Nozedar and celebrate an uplifting, eclectic take on folk dance with Boss Morris.We remember a time when Doctor Who went folk horror in a Wiltshire village, while our new Readers’ Vibes section brings some location-specific spookiness to the party. Elsewhere, Justin Hopper discovers uncanny vibes within rural perfection, and Benjamin Myers tells of strange goings-on in Calderdale.The veil is thin... keep walking weird.

Magic in Ancient Greece and Rome


Lindsay C. Watson - 2019
    In seven chapters, each addressed to an important arm of Greco-Roman magic, the volume discusses the history of the rediscovery and publication of the so-called Greek Magical Papyri, a key source for our understanding of ancient magic; the startling violence of ancient erotic spells and the use of these by women as well as men; the alteration in the landscape of defixio (curse tablet) studies by major new finds and the confirmation these provide that the frequently lethal intent of such tablets must not be downplayed; the use of herbs in magic, considered from numerous perspectives but with an especial focus on the bizarre-seeming rituals and protocols attendant upon their collection; the employment of animals in magic, the factors determining the choice of animal, the uses to which they were put, and the procuring and storage of animal parts, conceivably in a sorcerer's workshop; the witch as a literary construct, the clear homologies between the magical procedures of fictional witches and those documented for real spells, the gendering of the witch-figure and the reductive presentation of sorceresses as old, risible and ineffectual; the issue of whether ancient magicians practised human sacrifice and the illuminating parallels between such accusations and late 20th century accounts of child-murder in the context of perverted Satanic rituals.By challenging a number of orthodoxies and opening up some underexamined aspects of the subject, this wide-ranging study stakes out important new territory in the field of magical studies.

Of Mud and Flame: A Penda's Fen Sourcebook


Matthew HarleCarl Phelpstead - 2019
    “Make no mistake. We had a major work of television last night,” The Times declared the next morning. Written by the playwright and classicist David Rudkin, the film follows Stephen, an 18-year-old boy, whose identity, sexuality, and suffocating nationalism unravel through a series of strange visions. After its original broadcast, Penda’s Fen vanished into mythic status, with only a single rebroadcast in 1990 sustaining its cult following. Penda’s Fen has now become totemic for those interested in Britain’s deep history, folklore, and landscape. Of Mud & Flame includes insightful essays by scholars across a range of disciplines including television history, literature, theatre, and medieval studies. It also contains a wealth of creative contributions from contemporary writers and poets inspired by this unique cornerstone of Britain’s uncanny archive, as well as recollections from actors Spencer Banks and Christopher Douglas, and reflections from Rudkin himself. Together with this breadth of commentary, Of Mud & Flame also includes the full revised screenplay of Penda’s Fen, its first time in print since 1975.

Magic at Midnight


Ronel Janse van Vuuren - 2019
    Now she needs to put it all on the line to save what is precious to her. Can this simple farm girl survive court-life? Can she stop a war from burning down her world? And what of the mysterious princess of Hazel Wood and her covert glances…? Not to mention the prince of Acacia Wood who might or might not be involved with the prophecies ruling their kingdoms. With mysteries and secrets threatening the life she longs to return to, can she separate her feelings from the mission?TO WHAT LENGTHS WILL SHE GO TO SAVE HER LOVED-ONES?*Book club questions included.

The Rose (The Guard Series, Book Two)


M.B. Saul - 2019
    Splintered by betrayals and unraveling secrets, the guard must find a way to combat the darkest force in existence, a power infiltrating them one at a time.Thrust two years into the past, Caroline’s survival depends upon the mate who deceived her. In search of an ancient treasure – thought to be the key to defeating the Council – the two must find a way to trust each other as they trek a century back in time, navigating the treacherous wild, and battling fey who will go to any lengths to destroy them.

The Land of the White Horse: Visions of England


David Miles - 2019
    Along with Stonehenge, the Horse is widely regarded as one of the Wonders of Britain.For centuries antiquarians, travelers, and local people have speculated about the age of the Horse, who created it, and why. Was it a memorial to King Alfred the Great’s victory over the Danes, an emblem of the first Anglo-Saxon settlers, was the Horse an actor in an elaborate prehistoric ritual, drawing the sun across the sky? Archaeologist David Miles explores the rich history of the ancient white horse, as well as the surrounding landscape, in order to understand the people who have lived there since the end of the Ice Age. As Miles tracks the possible origin of this English landmark, he also illuminates how the White Horse has influenced countless artists, poets, and writers, including Eric Ravilious, John Betjeman, and J. R. R. Tolkien.The White Horse is one of most remarkable monuments of England, not least because it is still intact. People have cared for it and curated it for centuries, even millennia. Ultimately, Miles, using an archaeological framework, roots a myth for modern times in scientific findings.

Faerie, Fae and Otherkin Tribes: The Silver Elves’ Guide for Finding Your Magical Kind and Kin


The Silver Elves - 2019
    It is our hope that in reading the magical narratives contained in FAERIE, FAE AND OTHERKIN: The Silver Elves' Guide for Finding Your Magical Kind and Kin that you will be inspired, our kindred brothers and sisters, to begin if you have not already done so to create your own narrative or add to what you already remember and intuit. Over the last 30 years or so, we Silver Elves have given out over 6,000 elf names in our magical language Arvyndase to individuals who requested them. For years, many of the individuals who requested an elf name would also write to us and say that they felt that they were elven but didn't know any more about their elven or fae tribe. And for years, we told them that they should trust their imaginations and intuitions and while that is still very good advice, we realized in time that this was not any easy thing to do for many of these kindred of ours who were often newly awakened and needed a bit of guidance upon the path. In response to this, we created The Elf, Faerie, Otherkin Survey, as a means of eliciting the information that we needed from these individuals so we might create a narrative for them about their own magical tribe or clan of Elves, Fae or Others that was germane to them and as close as we could get based upon their responses and our own intuition. This book is dedicated to tribes of the faeries, fae that are faerie blends, otherkin, otherworldlies, and miscellaneous assorted fae, but we have also created a companion book that has the elven tribes in it. So if you are of elven kind, you may wish to also check out ELF TRIBES: The Silver Elves' Guide for Finding Your Magical Kind, Kin and Tribe. The over 150 magical narratives we created and that compose Faerie, Fae and Otherkin Tribes are based upon the memories or intuitions and thus the responses we were given to the survey about those of faerie, fae and otherkin nature. We would like to thank all those who participated in this survey and we truly loved their creative responses. Of course, we used our own imagination and intuition in putting their replies into a consistent whole, which was often a challenge but a challenge we very much enjoyed. The book is divided into two main sections, the first section being tribes of faerie and of the fae that are faerie blends; and the second section being tribes of a variety of otherkin, otherworldlies, and various assorted other fae. In putting the tribes and clans in categories, we choose to use preferred locales and environments indicated by the faerie and faerie blends. However, the second part of this book featuring otherkin, otherworldlies and various assorted other fae, just had too many diverse types (over 25) to categorize them by environment, and so we divided these by basic kin type, for example: Devas (Angels), Valkyries, Shining Ones and similar types together, or Dragons, Brownies, Pixies, or Shapeshifters, each in their own categories. Even then, there are many mixed peoples both for the fae and for otherkin of the various types. We did our best to choose the most prominent feature of their being to assign them to a particular chapter. You will find as you read through the many narratives in this book that the faerie, fae and otherkin are beautifully varied in their magic, healing abilities, lifestyle, art, ancient ways, governance, love of nature, relationship to mankind, preferences, symbols and skills. Perhaps, you will find your people as you read through this book, or kindred quite like them. At any rate, you can always do the survey yours'elf, or do it again if you feel you have come to a greater understanding of yours'elf and our peoples in the meantime (or gentle-time as we elves often say).

The Mythology and History of Witchcraft: 25 Books of Sorcery, Demonology & Supernatural: The Wonders of the Invisible World, Salem Witchcraft, Lives of the Necromancers, Modern Magic, Witch Stories…


Frederick George LeeWilliam Henry Davenport Adams - 2019
    Taylor Witchcraft of New England Explained by Modern Spiritualism by Allen Putnam On Witchcraft: Glimpses of the Supernatural – Witchcraft and Necromancy by Frederick George Lee Letters On Demonology And Witchcraft by Sir Walter Scott

Birch


Anna Lewington - 2019
    Exploring birches’ many uses, the ancient beliefs and folklore we associate with them, their abiding portrayal in literature and art, and their biology, Birch presents a fascinating overview of the cultural and ecological significance of these versatile trees. For thousands of years, birches have given the people of northern temperate forests and beyond raw materials in the form of leaves, twigs, branches, bark, wood, and sap—materials used not simply to survive, but to flourish and express identity in practical and spiritual ways. Tough, waterproof, and flexible, birch bark has been used for everything from basketry and clothing to housing, transport, musical instruments, and medicines, and even to communicate and record sacred beliefs: some of our most ancient Buddhist texts and other historic documents are written on birch bark. Birches have not only shaped regional indigenous cultures—for example, in the form of the Native American wigwam and the birch bark canoe—they also continue to be of global economic importance today. Featuring an arbor of illustrations and rich analyses, Birch is an enlightening look into the history and possible future of these beautiful trees.

The Mask of Fudo Vol. 1


Saverio Tenuta - 2019
    PUBLICATION IN 2 VOLUMES - COMPLETED WORK. Nobu Fudo has worn the pale, wooden mask since childhood, when he was still known as Shinnosuke. He was just a poor boy who dreamed of becoming a powerful samurai. When his sister is attacked, his inner warrior awakens and his anger is unstoppable. But something else has also awakened. Something dark and terrible.

The Little Match Girl (Cyberpunk Fairy Tales)


George Saoulidis - 2019
    Read more of the Cyberpunk Fairy Tales, a unique twist on the classic stories you grew up with. Sometimes dark and disturbing like the Grimm stories, other times new and relevant to the modern age.

Morrigan's Revenge (Clockbreakers, #2)


Kate Ristau - 2019
    She rolls her wheelchair into her classroom and then straight into an Ancient Irish battle. But this is not the time travel she expected. Betrayed by her friends, Charlie faces the wrath of the goddess, Morrigan, and the warriors think she is one of the fairies. Can Cuchulain -- the hero of Irish folklore -- help? Or will she be trapped back in an ancient myth forever?***********About the series***********Time travel ain't easy! The first Clockbreakers book brought Charlie to Ancient Greece, and now she's traveling to Ancient Ireland on another epic adventure. She's been dropped straight into a myth, complete with gods, fairies, monsters, and unexpected villains. This is folklore at its finest -- stories that matter to us, retold with a modern twist. Join Charlie's adventure today!

The Tears of Pyrene: Archaeology, Folklore & Traditions of the Pyrenees


Martin Locker - 2019
    Aspects of Pyrenean human occupation (Palaeolithic to present day), bear cults/festivals, witchcraft (including a gazetteer of malefic and sabbath sites mentioned in the folkloric record), animal/plant lore and the traditions of the rural calendar are presented in six chapters, as well as an extensive bibliography of referenced sources. Thoroughly footnoted and researched, this is an invaluable introduction to the cultures, folklore and traditions of the Pyrenees, and the first of its kind in the English language.

Craving Supernatural Creatures: German Fairy-Tale Figures in American Pop Culture


Claudia Schwabe - 2019
    This trend of transformation reflects a greater tolerance of other marginalized groups (in regard to race, ethnicity, ability, age, gender, sexual orientation, social class, religion, etc.) and acceptance of diversity in society today. The fairy-tale adaptations examined here are more than just twists on old stories-they serve as the looking glasses of significant cultural trends, customs, and social challenges. Whereas the fairy-tale adaptations that Claudia Schwabe analyzes suggest that Otherness can and should be fully embraced, they also highlight the gap that still exists between the representation and the reality of embracing diversity wholeheartedly in twenty-first-century America.The book's four chapters are structured around different supernatural creatures, beginning in chapter 1 with Schwabe's examination of the automaton, the golem, and the doppelganger, which emerged as popular figures in Germany in the early nineteenth century, and how media, such as Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow, dramatize, humanize, and infantilize these "uncanny" characters in multifaceted ways. Chapter 2 foregrounds the popular figures of the evil queen and witch in contemporary retellings of the Grimms' fairy tale "Snow White." Chapter 3 deconstructs the concept of the monstrous Other in fairy tales by scrutinizing the figure of the Big Bad Wolf in popular culture, including Once Upon a Time and the Fables comic book series. In chapter 4, Schwabe explores the fairy-tale dwarf, claiming that adaptations today emphasize the diversity of dwarves' personalities and celebrate the potency of their physicality.Craving Supernatural Creatures is a unique contribution to the field of fairy-tale studies and is essential reading for students, scholars, and pop-culture aficionados alike.

The Lost Book of the Grail: The Sevenfold Path of the Grail and the Restoration of the Faery Accord


Caitlín Matthews - 2019
    Beginning with a new translation of The Elucidation by foremost esotericist Gareth Knight and Caitlín Matthews, the authors provide a complete commentary on the poem, revealing a startling alternative cause of the Wasteland and the Grail quest, one which has a profound resonance with our own times. They examine the forgotten story of the Faery Wars and explain the Faery Accord, an agreement that once existed between humans and the Faery and upon which the spiritual and physical health of the land depends. The offering of the Grail and its regenerative powers by the Maidens of the Wells--Faery women--was part of this Accord. King Amangons and his men violated the Accord, through their abuse of the Well Maidens and other evil actions, causing the wasting of the land. The Knights of King Arthur seek to avenge the Well Maidens and rebirth the Grail to restore access to the lost paradisiacal “Courts of Joy” held in ancestral memory. On their quest, they encounter the Rich Company whose greed keeps the Knights occupied in long wars of attrition, yet their quest to restore the generous hospitality of the Wells--the true Grail, the Faery Grail--continues. In addition to the Faery Accord and Knights’ quest, the authors examine the Seven Guardians of the Stories, the Rich Fisher, the Courts of Joy and paradise lost, and the otherworldly Land of Women. They show how this lost book of the Grail reveals themes familiar to the modern world and offers hope of healing the rift between the worlds of Faery and human as well as restoration of our natural belonging to the land.

Cornish Folk Tales of Place: Traditional Stories from North and East Cornwall


Anna Chorlton - 2019
    Here you’ll find tales of powerful mermaids, spiteful witches, crafty smugglers and woeful ghosts. Up on the moors are mischievous creatures, huge giants and elusive beasts. Let the piskeys lead you astray across the windy tors and sandy shorelines to experience wonder, miracles, secrets and magic. Bodmin Moor folklore writer Anna Chorlton retells tales of North and East Cornwall, illustrated by local artists and members of the community.

Vampires and Werewolves: The Legends and Folk Tales about History’s Most Notorious Mythical Beings


Charles River Editors - 2019
    Since the dawn of humanity, people have both cared for those who have deceased yet also tried to keep them away. There are a myriad of legends and beliefs about the dead coming back, and one of the more persistent ones is of the vampire. Werewolves have long been a staple of popular culture. In the 19th century and 20th century, there were countless books, plays, and films about people who turned into wolves or wolf like humanoids and went on rampages. The figure of the werewolf is so familiar that people across the world are familiar with the folklore, and the beliefs that they transform during a full moon, can only be stopped with silver, and transmit their disease by biting their victims. In fact, those beliefs were not originally part of werewolf folklore, but later embellishments by artists. The belief in lycanthropy is far older and more complex than most people suspect, dating all the way back to antiquity, and werewolves were once assumed to be very real. Indeed, people were even put on trial and executed because the courts of law were convinced they could change their form and kill innocent people. For thousands of years, werewolves have represented a strange and ancient tradition that still echoes through culture to this day. Likewise, while everyone has heard of vampires, few people are truly familiar with the history and folklore that have made the mythical beings so popular. Indeed, there are so many legends from so many cultures that it is difficult to come up with a hard definition, and folklore is by its very nature unscientific, but most people in the Western world think of vampires as those who come back from the grave to suck the blood or life essence from the living. This common understanding of vampires actually obscures many European and most non-European traditions of bloodsucking monsters. For example, in China, Japan, and the Middle East, there are spirits that will drain the life force of an unwary person, but these magical beings were never mortal humans. In African and Native American traditions, there are monsters that do the same, but while they are supposed to be of this Earth, they too are not human beings. Furthermore, folklore changes over time, so the vampires people are familiar with today (and the ones some people claim to actually meet) bear little resemblance to the vampires of early modern Europe. Vampires and Werewolves: The Legends and Folk Tales about History’s Most Notorious Mythical Beings chronicles how ancient stories about these mysterious supernatural beings became popular and affected history. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about vampires and werewolves like never before.

Inari Sámi Folklore: Stories from Aanaar


Tim Frandy - 2019
    Collected by August V. Koskimies and Toivo I. Itkonen in the 1880s from nearly two dozen storytellers from the arctic Aanaar (Inari) region of northeast Finland, the material reveals a complex web of social relations that existed both inside and far beyond the community.First published in 1918 only in the Aanaar Sámi language and in Finnish, this anthology is now available in a centennial English-language edition for a global readership. Translator Tim Frandy has added biographies of the storytellers, maps and period photos, annotations, and a glossary. In headnotes that contextualize the stories, he explains such underlying themes as Aanaar conflicts with neighboring Sámi and Finnish communities, the collapse of the wild reindeer populations less than a century before, and the pre-Christian past in Aanaar. He introduces us to the bawdy humor of Antti Kitti, the didacticism of Iisakki Mannermaa, and the feminist leanings of Juho Petteri Lusmaniemi, emphasizing that folktales and proverbs are rooted in the experiences of individuals who are links in a living tradition.

Portrait Of A Snow Queen: Being A Memoir Of My (Not So) Fairy Tale Romance (The Chronicles of Aarastad Book 1)


Micah S. Harris - 2019
    And Ambrose, a failed poet, is in need of a teaching position. He just never suspected how dangerous the extracurricular activities would be!Soon, Ambrose finds himself on a grand adventure fighting to save the vexing but alluring princess from the court occult conspiracies that have targeted her. He is opposed not only by sorcerers and the evil Snow Queen, but also the icy royal damsel who holds his heart.Will Ambrose’s love cause Freyja to thaw…or will she put him in the deep freeze instead?Sensuous, suspenseful, supernatural and filled with witty banter, this romantic fantasy will both turn up the heat and leave you thoroughly frost smitten!A 2019 Critters Readers Poll top ten finalist in the category of Science-Fiction and Fantasy.

Teaching Fairy Tales


Nancy L. CanepaAnn Schmiesing - 2019
    Canepa brings together scholars who have contributed to the field of fairy-tale studies since its origins. This collection offers information on materials, critical approaches and ideas, and pedagogical resources for the teaching of fairy tales in one comprehensive source that will further help bring fairy-tale studies into the academic mainstream.The volume begins by posing some of the big questions that stand at the forefront of fairy-tale studies: How should we define the fairy tale? What is the classic fairy tale? Does it make sense to talk about a fairy-tale canon? The first chapter includes close readings of tales and their variants, in order to show how fairy tales aren't simple, moralizing, and/or static narratives. The second chapter focuses on essential moments and documents in fairy-tale history, investigating how we gain unique perspectives on cultural history through reading fairy tales. Contributors to chapter 3 argue that encouraging students to approach fairy tales critically, either through well-established lenses or newer ways of thinking, enables them to engage actively with material that can otherwise seem over-familiar. Chapter 4 makes a case for using fairy tales to help students learn a foreign language. Teaching Fairy Tales also includes authors' experiences of successful hands-on classroom activities with fairy tales, syllabi samples from a range of courses, and testimonies from storytellers that inspire students to reflect on the construction and transmission of narrative by becoming tale-tellers themselves.Teaching Fairy Tales crosses disciplinary, historical, and national boundaries to consider the fairy-tale corpus integrally and from a variety of perspectives. Scholars from many different academic areas will use this volume to explore and implement new aspects of the field of fairy-tale studies in their teaching and research.

Vickery's Folk Flora: An A-Z of the Folklore and Uses of British and Irish Plants


Roy Vickery - 2019
    Unlike many plant-lore publications Vickery's Folk Flora tells us what people currently do and believe, rather than what Victorians did and believed. The result is a vivid demonstration that plant folklore in the British Isles is not only surviving but flourishing; adapting and evolving as time goes by, even in urban areas.Each entry includes:- The plant's English and scientific (Latin) name, as well as significant local names.- A brief description of the plant and its distribution, and, in the case of cultivated plants, a history of their introduction to the British Isles- Information on the folklore and traditional uses of the plant, arranged where possible in a sequence starting with general folk beliefs (superstitions), use in traditional customs, use in folk medicine, other uses, and legends concerning individual representatives of the plant.In addition to the major entries there are a number of minor entries for feast days, diseases and other subjects which direct readers to relevant major entries, e.g. St. George's Day, on which red roses are worn; dandelions are gathered; and runner beans are planted.

Greek Myths: From the Titans to Icarus and Odysseus


Martin J. Dougherty - 2019
    Those tales of deities and beasts, and of heroes and villains, must have possessed some quality to have lasted so long. Thousands of years on, we still refer in our every day lives to Achilles, Pandora and Narcissus.From Hades in the Underworld to Pegasus in flight, Greek Myths & Legends is an accessible introduction to the world of such characters as the Titans, Aphrodite and Poseidon. The book tells the story of Greek mythology from its creation myths and gods to its tales of mortals. Along the way we see the development of the pantheon of the major Greek deities, the dynastic struggles among the early gods, the creation of the Underworld and we learn how Ariadne, Medea and Perseus, among many others, fit into the mythic universe.The book also examines how Greek myths have survived in written texts, ceramics, art and architecture, and the legacy of Greek mythology in Roman culture and the Middle Ages, as well as its revival in the Renaissance and its enduring appeal today.Illustrated with 180 colour and black-&-white photographs, artworks and maps, Greek Myths & Legends is an engaging, highly informative exploration of a fascinating world and will appeal to anyone interested in legends and ancient cultures.

The Hanged God: Odinn Grimnir


Shani Oates - 2019
    208 pages. German Binding. Velvet Matte (Scuff Free) finish, and Bronze Foil Stamp on cover and backcover. Thoroughly illustrated throughout by Chris Undirheimar (Blood & Fire Ritual Art), Ornamental page (1) in full color printed on glossy paper, Fine typography, printed on Rolland Opaque Natural 160M quality paper.Challenging former atrophied or outdated knowledge regarding Óðinn’s acquisition of the runes and the mead of poetry, this extensive and intense study revisits Hávamál, Vǫluspá, Skáldskaparmál, Grímnismál, Heimskringla and Ynglinga Sagas specifically, to unravel and reconnect crucial factors that collectively reveal a magical formula for rebirth and resurrection. These kennings have preserved the threads of mysteries pertaining to Rúnar entrenched in Taboo. Óðinn’s quest of discovery takes him through three historically attested trials as Rites of Passage that find parallel forms in other animistic traditions. His ordeals of Mound, Tree and Sacral Kingship together with an articulation of the role of Hamingja are hitherto connected.Using a multi-disciplinary approach that includes forensic and ethno-anthropology, mythology, archaeology, folklore and etymology, previous speculations regarding Óðinn’s associations with sacrifice, penal codes and shamanism are shown to be flawed. Instead, for the first time, personal experience is combined with intensive research that provide plausible solutions to age-old puzzles, solving anomalies surrounding Scandinavian lore. A clear Cultus is revealed of a hidden elite totally focused on surviving Ragnarǫk via the application of arcane magics. New insights present the real location ofValhǫll, and explain Óðinn’s ancestral relationship with wolves.Sacred cows are culled in a controversial re-interpretation of Yggdrasil, Sleipnir and Mímir based entirely within information drafted from obscure or overlooked texts. Original extracts interject the text, adding substantial weight that fully support the conclusion offered. Songs and charms, giants and dwarves, cauldrons and manna, totemic beasts, burial customs, fear of the dead, their propitiation and the dead that walk, slaying, sacrifice and tribal mothers feature in this expedition into the past to discover real identities for its key players, and real purpose in their deeds. By sorcerous enchantments, Óðinn traversed a magical pathway to ‘overcome Fate,’ his mastery of runic sorcery and necromancy is finally given cause.CONTENTS:IntroductionThe Hávamál CultusGold Mead: Elixir of Forbidden EnchantmentsOf Mounds and the Dead that WalkYggdrassill: Dread Steed of the DamnedRiding the Gallows: Sorcerous CovenantsAppendicesBibliography

Tudor Folk Tales


Dave Tonge - 2019
    These stories were later collected in the cheap print of the period, and professional storyteller Dave Tonge has sought them out to assemble here. Within these pages hide smooth-talking tricksters, lusty knaves, wayward youths and stories of the eternal struggle to wear the breeches in the family, for a sometimes coarse but often comic telling of the everyday ups and downs in Tudor life.

Faunus: The Decorative Imagination of Arthur Machen


James Machin - 2019
    P. Lovecraft described as a "modern master of the weird tale."Arthur Machen (1863--1947) was not only an author of weird and decadent horror fiction lauded by Stephen King and Guillermo del Toro (among many others); he was also a journalist and essayist who, over decades, produced a vast body of nonfiction on subjects ranging from High Church theology to curry recipes. This anthology gathers some of the highlights of Faunus, from its very first issue to its most recent. Subjects include the Great War, the Celtic Church, the "real" little people, Machen and Modernism, Machen and the occult, and myriad other investigations into Machen's life and legacy.With a new introduction by long-term Friend of Arthur Machen member Stewart Lee, the book makes newly available reprints of rare pieces by Machen himself as well as items from the Faunus archive by writers including Tessa Farmer, Rosalie Parker, Ray Russell, Mark Samuels, and Mark Valentine.

Gwydion's Dawn


H.E. Bulstrode - 2019
    From Haight-Ashbury to Glastonbury, this eccentric figure has been known by many, but understood by few; just who, or what, is he? Is he a fraudster, or a sage? It’s for you to decide.The people of Glastonbury know only so much, although to them he is but one of any number of unconventional characters who grace the streets of their town. For the best part of the last decade, he has devoted himself to the 'Great Work’, which he now believes himself to be upon the brink of realising; an esoteric activity that many, if not most, would regard as lying beyond the bounds of sanity. One night in September 1985, his partial disclosure of the nature of his occult obsession reveals him to be far from the harmless buffoon that people had supposed. There is, it seems, a whiff of death about the man. Also available in paperback, or for Kindle download, with four other tales in Anthology: Wry Out West.

Wake the Sleeping Gods


K. Bird Lincoln - 2019
    Can a lonely girl born in the Year of the Tiger save her family without revealing a forbidden connection to the old gods?

Monster Anthropology: Ethnographic Explorations of Transforming Social Worlds Through Monsters


Geir Presterudstuen - 2019
    Starting from this key premise, this book tackles monsters in the context of social change. Writing in a time of violent upheaval, when technological innovation brings forth new monsters while others perish as part of the widespread extinctions that signify the Anthropocene, contributors argue that putting monsters at the center of social analysis opens up new perspectives on change and social transformation. Through a series of ethnographically grounded analyses they capture monsters that herald, drive, experience, enjoy, and suffer the transformations of the worlds they beleaguer. Topics examined include the evil skulking new roads in Ancient Greece, terror in post-socialist Laos's territorial cults, a horrific flying head that augurs catastrophe in the rain forest of Borneo, benign spirits that accompany people through the mist in Iceland, flesh-eating giants marching through neo-colonial central Australia, and ghosts lingering in Pacific villages in the aftermath of environmental disasters. By taking the proposition that monsters and the humans they haunt are intricately and intimately entangled seriously, this book offers unique, cross-cultural perspectives on how people perceive the world and their place within it. It also shows how these experiences of belonging are mediated by our relationships with the other-than-human.

The Fairy Tale World


Andrew Teverson - 2019
    The book draws on recent critical attention, contesting romantic ideas about timeless tales of good and evil, and arguing that fairy tales are culturally astute narratives that reflect the historical and material circumstances of the societies in which they are produced. The Fairy Tale World takes a uniquely global perspective and broadens the international, cultural, and critical scope of fairy-tale studies. Throughout the five parts, the volume challenges the previously Eurocentric focus of fairy-tale studies, with contributors looking at:- the contrast between traditional, canonical fairy tales and more modern reinterpretations;- responses to the fairy tale around the world, including works from every continent;- applications of the fairy tale in diverse media, from oral tradition to the commercialized films of Hollywood and Bollywood;- debates concerning the global and local ownership of fairy tales, and the impact the digital age and an exponentially globalized world have on traditional narratives;- the fairy tale as told through art, dance, theatre, fan fiction, and film.This volume brings together a selection of the most respected voices in the field, offering ground-breaking analysis of the fairy tale in relation to ethnicity, colonialism, feminism, disability, sexuality, the environment, and class. An indispensable resource for students and scholars alike, The Fairy Tale World seeks to discover how such a traditional area of literature has remained so enduringly relevant in the modern world.

The Sirens of Oak Creek


Robert Louis DeMayo - 2019
    Eight women. Twelve centuries. And a mystical song that connects it all. This is the layout of Robert DeMayo’s new novel, “The Sirens of Oak Creek”, a gripping tale that intertwines local myths with historical facts and the author´s vibrant imagination. The story is also about the different people who passed through Arizona´s magical Oak Creek Canyon over the centuries: Ancient hunter-gatherers, Mayan visitors, Spanish conquistadors, early American settlers and modern-day seekers of bliss. They all will have to face their truth in this remote high-desert canyon. “The Sirens of Oak Creek” is a meditation on the power of immaterial realms, and of nature itself, as perceived through the eyes of these women.