Best of
Folklore

2020

Sugar in Milk


Thrity Umrigar - 2020
    A young immigrant girl joins her aunt and uncle in a new country that is unfamiliar to her. She struggles with loneliness, with a fierce longing for the culture and familiarity of home, until one day, her aunt takes her on a walk. As the duo strolls through their city park, the girl's aunt begins to tell her an old myth, and a story within the story begins.A long time ago, a group of refugees arrived on a foreign shore. The local king met them, determined to refuse their request for refuge. But there was a language barrier, so the king filled a glass with milk and pointed to it as a way of saying that the land was full and couldn't accommodate the strangers. Then, the leader of the refugees dissolved sugar in the glass of milk. His message was clear: Like sugar in milk, our presence in your country will sweeten your lives. The king embraced the refugee, welcoming him and his people.

The Fabled Life of Aesop: The Extraordinary Journey and Collected Tales of the World’s Greatest Storyteller


Ian Lendler - 2020
    Stunningly illustrated by two-time Caldecott Honor winner Pamela Zagarenski.

Brother Wulf


Joseph Delaney - 2020
    Johnson boasts to Wulf of his battles against demonic creatures, and even seems to imprisons local witches, though Wulf is sceptical - not least because the church has taught him that Spooks are a force for evil, and not to be trusted. But then the monsters Johnson claims to fight turn out to be very real indeed, and soon Wulf is forced to seek help from another young Spook, Tom Ward, who terrifies and charms him in equal measure.But the forces of the dark are many, and it's not long until Wulf and Tom realise they've bitten off far more than they can chew. A horrifying new enemy is rising - and only Wulf can stop it.

Amish Snow White


Ashley Emma - 2020
    “My…heart?”“He wants you dead, and he will stop at nothing. You have to go.” When she hesitated, the assassin roared, “Go!”*An heiress on the run.A heartbroken Amish man, sleep-walking through life.Can true love's kiss break the spell?After his wife dies and he returns to his Amish community, Dominic feels numb and frozen, like he's under a spell. When he rescues a woman from an exploding car wreck in a snowstorm, he brings her home to his mother and six younger siblings. They care for her while she sleeps for several days, and when she wakes up in a panic, she pretends to have amnesia.But waking up is only the beginning of Snow's story. Snow's real name is Adriana Daniels, and in order to protect herself and her niece from a dangerous relative, she must keep her true identity a secret from Dominic and his family. So, she pretends to have amnesia, hiding out within the Amish community, lying to everyone--especially Dominic.Dominic's sister Damaris is set on convincing him to court her best friend Margaret so he stays with them in the Amish community, but Dominic’s mother sees how Snow has brought light back into Dominic’s eyes once again, and how she makes him laugh. As Adriana and Dominic grow closer, she feels more guilty with each passing day about lying, especially after they took her in when she was a stranger.But time is running out, and Adriana’s niece needs her now more than ever.Can Adriana trust Dominic with her secret, even if it means he’d risk losing everything to help them? Though Dominic pulls Snow from the wreckage, Snow is the one who rescues him. Amish Snow White is a HEA standalone novella in the Amish Fairytale Series.

Courting the Wild Twin


Martin Shaw - 2020
    If there was something we were meant to do with our few, brief years on Earth, we can be sure that the wild twin is holding the key.In Courting the Wild Twin, Dr. Martin Shaw invites us to seek out our wild twin––a metaphor for the part of ourselves that we generally shun or ignore to conform to societal norms––to invite them back into our consciousness, for they have something important to tell us. He challenges us to examine our broken relationship with the world, to think boldly, wildly, and in new ways about ourselves—as individuals and as a collective.Through the use of scholarship, storytelling, and personal reflection, Shaw unpacks two ancient European fairy tales that concern the mysterious wild twin. By reading these tales and becoming storytellers ourselves, he suggests we can restore our agency and confront modern challenges with purpose, courage, and creativity.Courting the Wild Twin is a declaration of literary activism and an antidote to the shallow thinking that typifies our age. Shaw asks us to recognize mythology as a secret weapon—a radical, beautiful, heart-shuddering agent of deep, lasting change.

Untethered Magic: A wizard in Bremen Part 1


Steve Higgs - 2020
    I think. When a missing person case brings me into contact with the only other supernatural creature I have ever seen, it’s not long before I am ass-deep in trouble. The police don’t like me, there’s a clandestine organisation who want me to join them, and what might be a demon trying to catch me. When I refuse to play ball with any of them, my life starts to get tough, but I had no idea how low they might stoop to force my hand. Soon they will find out just how badly they underestimated me. I hope. Have I bitten off more than I can chew? Somehow, I need to escape captivity, cross to a mysterious demon realm, rescue a girl, and find my way back. Easy, right? It might be if they hadn’t confiscated my wand. Thankfully, I’m not alone, I have a powerful werewolf as an ally. If only he wasn’t such an annoying, snarky d-bag.

The Door on Half-Bald Hill


Helena Sorensen - 2020
    Now the water is bitter, blight consumes everything, and the Crone haunts the hills.While the Druid of Blackthorn searches desperately for hope, the Ovate returns from the underworld bringing omens of despair. But Idris, the young bard, Keeper of the Sacred Word, will walk through fire and iron to uncover a question no one has ever dared to ask--a question that carries a world of answers on its back, a question that can change everything.But his time is short. The land is dying. And the Bloodmoon is rising again.

Reynard the Fox


Anne Louise Avery - 2020
    He has been summoned to the court of King Noble the Lion, charged with all manner of crimes and misdemeanours. How will he pit his wits against his accusers - greedy Bruin the Bear, pretentious Courtoys the Hound or dark and dangerous Isengrim the Wolf - to escape the gallows?Reynard was once the most popular and beloved character in European folklore, as familiar as Robin Hood, King Arthur or Cinderella. His character spoke eloquently for the unvoiced and disenfranchised, but also amused and delighted the elite, capturing hearts and minds across borders and societal classes for centuries.Based on William Caxton's bestselling 1481 English translation of the Middle Dutch, but expanded with new interpretations, innovative language and characterisation, this edition is an imaginative retelling of the Reynard story. With its themes of protest, resistance and duplicity fronted by a personable, anti-heroic Fox making his way in a dangerous and cruel world, this gripping tale is as relevant and controversial today as it was in the fifteenth century.

Desert Oracle: Volume 1: Strange True Tales from the American Southwest


Ken Layne - 2020
    It became a radio show, a podcast, a live performance. Now, for the first time--and including both classic and new, never-before-seen revelations--Desert Oracle has been bound between two hard covers and is available to you.Straight out of Joshua Tree, California, Desert Oracle is "The Voice of the Desert" a field guide to the strange tales, singing sand dunes, sagebrush trails, artists and aliens, authors and oddballs, ghost towns and modern legends, musicians and mystics, scorpions and saguaros, out there in the sand. Desert Oracle is your companion at a roadside diner, around a campfire, in your tent or cabin (or high-rise apartment or suburban living room) as the wind and the coyotes howl outside at night.From journal entries of long-deceased adventurers to stray railroad ad copy, and musings on everything from desert flora, rumored cryptid sightings, and other paranormal phenomena, Ken Layne's Desert Oracle collects the weird and the wonderful of the American Southwest into a single, essential volume.

Why The Moon Travels


Oein DeBharduin - 2020
    Brave vixens, prophetic owls and stalwart horses live alongside the human characters as guides, protectors, friends and foes while spirits, giants and fairies blur the lines between this world and the otherworld. Collected by Oein DeBhairduin throughout his childhood, retold in his lyrical style, and beautifully illustrated by Leanne McDonagh.

How the Stars Came To Be


Poonam Mistry - 2020
    But when the moon disappeared for a few nights each month, she worried about her father and how he would find his way home from the sea in the deep darkness. When the sun finds her sobbing one night, he takes one of his rays and shatters it onto the ground, creating the stars and giving the girl the task of putting them into the dark night sky. This beautifully illustrated story gives us a new folk tale, and a new way to look up at the night sky.

Enchanted Waters


Alice IvinyaHelena Scatterthwaite - 2020
    Befriend selkie royalty, break fearsome curses, and swoon as you fall in love.This book is fully illustrated with sketches and stunning water colour by Helena Satterthwaite and Elena Shelest.All profits go to Oceana to support their mission to protect the world’s oceans and promote sustainable fishing.

The Lost Coven


Bekah Harris - 2020
    Could magic really exist? Were all of Nan's stories true? Were her parents really who they seemed to be? Desperate for answers, Felicity follows the boy deep into the forest to discover a secret world lost to time itself.Too late, Felicity realizes the truth has consequences, that her search may come with a price she is unwilling to pay.Lured into a deadly world where blood is more valuable than precious stones, Felicity must call upon the hidden magic inside her if she has any hope of surviving in this dangerous new realm where the supernatural reigns.Filled with magic, folklore, and romance, The Lost Coven is the first book in Bekah Harris' captivating new series, The Lost Cove Darklings.

Ásatrú for Beginners: A Modern Heathen's Guide to the Ancient Northern Way


Mathias Nordvig - 2020
    It gained popularity in the 1970s across Europe and North America and is still thriving today, sought out for its non-dogmatic structure and emphasis on individuality, hospitality, and community-based values. Ásatrú for Beginners is a newcomer’s guide to this spirituality. It breaks down everything from the history and traditions to the gods and goddesses, ancient texts, sacred rituals, and the use of runes with simple language anyone can dive into. It’s an inclusive and practical guide that makes it easy to apply Ásatrú in your modern-day life and find greater spiritual satisfaction. Ásatrú for Beginners offers: See yourself more clearly—Ásatrú centers around ideas like friendship, community, and sharing. Discover what’s important to you and how to worship in a way that fits your life. What’s old is new again—Explore the thousand-year-old roots of the original Ásatrú religion and what makes its recent rebirth so powerful. Gods and goddesses—Find wonder, purpose, and inspiration in the stories and poems about gods like Thor, Loki, and Frigg. Enter the world of Ásatrú with a simple guide that puts you on the path to spiritual health.

Where the Footprints End: High Strangeness and the Bigfoot Phenomenon, Volume I: Folklore


Joshua Cutchin - 2020
    Bigfoot may be howling from a lonely mountaintop, but the bigfoot phenomenon is whispering secrets... if we will only listen.Eyewitnesses, investigators, and cryptozoologists worldwide contend ample evidence exists supporting the survival of large, hairy, apelike creatures alongside mankind today, lurking in the wilderness. By all appearances, these beings seem wholly natural, interacting with their surroundings and leaving behind hair, blood, droppings, and, of course, footprints.Yet despite their apparently physical nature, bigfoot and its hairy hominid kin consistently appear mired in High Strangeness—the peculiar, ineffable, and nonsensical absurdities so often encountered in paranormal phenomena.Some sightings seem more consistent with mythology than biology. Bigfoot often present supernatural attributes, like luminescent eyes or the ability to pass, ghostlike, through structures. Anomalous lights are regulalry seen in areas of frequent sasquatch activity. Footprints persistently, if rarely, display odd numbered toes, and—most bafflingly—bigfoot trackways suddenly terminate in the middle of open, untouched terrain.In Volume 1 of Where the Footprints End: High Strangeness and the Bigfoot Phenomenon, authors Joshua Cutchin and Timothy Renner carefully examine not only the intersection of hairy apemen with global folklore—of poltergeists, faeries, extraterrestrials, magic, witches, ghosts, and archetypal women-in-white—but also question the fundamental assumptions underlying contemporary cryptozoological beliefs surrounding bigfoot.

Inspired Imperfection: How the Bible's Problems Enhance Its Divine Authority


Gregory A. Boyd - 2020
    Boyd adds another counterintuitive and provocative thesis to his corpus. While conservative scholars and pastors have struggled for years to show that the Bible is without errors, Boyd considers this a fool's errand. Instead, he says, we should embrace the mistakes and contradictions in Scripture, for they show that God chose to use fallible humans to communicate timeless truths. Just as God ultimately came to save humanity in the form of a human, God chose to impart truth through the imperfect medium of human writing. Instead of the Bible's imperfections being a reason to attack its veracity, these "problems" actually support the trustworthiness of Christian Scripture. Inspired Imperfection is required reading for anyone who's questioned the Bible because of its contradictions.

Plantopedia: The Definitive Guide to House Plants


Lauren Camilleri - 2020
    

Black Cranes: Tales of Unquiet Women


Lee MurrayAngela Yuriko Smith - 2020
    Quiet, submissive, demure. In Black Cranes: Tales of Unquiet Women, Southeast Asian writers of horror both embrace and reject these traditional roles in a unique collection of stories which dissect their experiences of ‘otherness’, be it in the colour of their skin, the angle of their cheekbones, the things they dare to write, or the places they have made for themselves in the world.Black Cranes is a dark and intimate exploration of what it is to be a perpetual outsider.Featuring 14 stories by Nadia Bulkin, Grace Chan, Rin Chupeco, Elaine Cuyegkeng, Geneve Flynn, Gabriela Lee, Rena Mason, Lee Murray, Angela Yuriko Smith, and Christina Sng, and a foreword by Alma Katstu.

Feathered Serpent and the Five Suns: A Mesoamerican Creation Myth


Duncan Tonatiuh - 2020
    They tried many times during each sun, or age. When all their attempts failed and the gods grew tired, only one did not give up: Quetzalcóatl—the Feathered Serpent. To continue, he first had to retrieve the sacred bones of creation guarded by Mictlantecuhtli, lord of the underworld. Gathering his staff, shield, cloak, and shell ornament for good luck, Feathered Serpent embarked on the dangerous quest to create humankind. Award-winning author and illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh brings to life the story of Feathered Serpent, one of the most important deities in ancient Mesoamerica. With his instantly recognizable, acclaimed art style and grand storytelling, Tonatiuh recounts a thrilling creation tale of epic proportions.

The Fair Queen


Lyndsey Hall - 2020
    She's about to learn you should be careful what you wish for.After a chilling encounter at the local summer fair, Aria is ripped from her normal life and dragged through the Veil into the Fair Realm by a strange, silver-eyed boy and his band of fairy soldiers. They believe she is the legendary Fair Queen, the subject of a prophecy that promises to unite the war-ravaged realm and bring an end to the centuries-long conflict between the Five Kingdoms.But it can't be true. Can it?Beset by terrifying creatures at every turn, and hunted by a tyrannical king who will stop at nothing to prevent the prophecy from coming true, Aria will have to rely on her wits if she's to escape the Fair Realm with her life.

She is a Beast


Christina Rosso - 2020
    Some are re-imaginings of the classic tales we know, such as Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella, while others are completely original. This collection is about women reclaiming their stories and finding agency by embracing their beastly natures and adopting monstrous appetites deemed inappropriate by society. In their wildness they find freedom. She is a Beast is Christina Rosso's first book.

Pagan Portals - Raven Goddess: Going Deeper with the Morrigan


Morgan Daimler - 2020
    As the Morrigan has grown in popularity, understandings of who she was and is have shifted and become even more nebulous. Raven Goddess is intended to clarify some common points of confusion and help people go deeper in their study of the Morrigan and assist in nurturing a devotional relationship to her.

Unfamiliar Familiars: Extraordinary Animal Companions for the Modern Witch


Megan Lynn Kott - 2020
    Unfamiliar Familiars is a comprehensive and humorous handbook to finding and caring for the unconventional animal companion.This guide will help you find the animal best suited to your personality and particular magical needs.Animals include a narwhal (strong in clairvoyance and fencing), an albatross (best for sea-faring witches), or an earthworm (for garden-based magic and fish summoning).• Features real-world facts with a playful, magical spin• Includes a helpful quiz for finding your own familiar• Brimming with suggested names, strengths, weaknesses, and moreForget the toads and black cats: Every witch is unique, so shouldn't you have a familiar as one-of-a-kind and extraordinary as yourself? Unfamiliar Familiars is an entertaining and educational guide to a menagerie of magical, less-appreciated creatures that may just become your ideal partner in the arcane arts.• Filled with quirky, charming watercolor illustrations• Perfect gift for anyone who wants to find their own familiar, just as they love learning about their own horoscope, zodiac reading, or Pottermore Patronus• Sure to delight animal lovers who have a sense of humor• A visually gorgeous book that will be at home on the shelf or on the coffee table as a conversation starter• Add it to the shelf with books like Sad Animal Facts by Brooke Barker; Basic Witches: How to Summon Success, Banish Drama, and Raise Hell with Your Coven by Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman; and The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit Deck and Guidebook by Kim Krans.

Savage Her Reply


Deirdre Sullivan - 2020
    A retelling of the favourite Irish fairytale The Children of Lir. Aife marries Lir, a king with four children by his previous wife. Jealous of his affection for his children, the witch Aife turns them into swans for 900 years. Retold through the voice of Aife, Savage Her Reply is unsettling and dark, feminist and fierce, yet nuanced in its exploration of the guilt of a complex character. Voiced in Sullivan's trademark rich, lyrical prose as developed in Tangleweed and Brine - the multiple award-winner which established Sullivan as the queen of witchy YA. Another dark & witchy feminist fairytale from the author of Tangleweed and Brine

A New Dictionary of Fairies: A 21st Century Exploration of Celtic and Related Western European Fairies


Morgan Daimler - 2020
    Focusing primarily on the Celtic speaking cultures, with some material from adjacent cultures including Anglo-Saxon and Norse, A New Dictionary of Fairies has in-depth entries on a variety of fairies as well as subjects related to them, such as why we picture elves with pointed ears or where the idea of fairies being invisible comes from. It also tackles more complicated topics like the nature and physicality of the fairy people. Anyone with an interest in the Good Neighbours will find this book a solid resource to draw from.

Storm's Child


John Ortega - 2020
    But after the mysterious death of one of his employees, Nathan finds himself suspecting the fae, an ancient and powerful race he would rather avoid. Nathan’s choice is clear; dive back into a world that thinks he is dead, or let a murderer go free.

Irish Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends (Scholastic Classics)


Kieran Fanning - 2020
    Enjoy the rich mythical history of Ireland from the arrival of the Tuatha De Danann on the island and their great battles with the Fomorians, right up to the modern day fairy tales of Irish storytelling. Including the Ulster Cycle, The Fenian Cycle and featuring heroes such as Cúchulainn and Fionn Mac Cumhaill and many traditional favourites such as The Children of Lir.

Of Myth and Monster: A Phoenix Fiction Writers Anthology


Faye FiteE.B. Dawson - 2020
    There’s a monstrosity lurking in the streets of Hestia’s polis. The magical pest control units haven’t seen anything like it before, and now people are beginning to die…After ten years of war, Odysseus leaves the battlefields of Troy only to discover more enemies in the ether of space, including a great and terrible creature waiting to devour any ship that comes too near.From alebrijes to unicorns to phoenixes, this collection of short stories is a menagerie of fantastical creatures and unforgettable adventures.

Timeless Tales from Marwar


Vijaydan Detha - 2020
    It is a hand-picked compilation from the much-celebrated Batan ri Phulwari--'Garden of Tales'--a fourteen-volume collection written over a span of nearly fifty years.Retold in Detha's magical narrative style complete with imagery, this selection offers some of the oldest and most popular fables from the Thar Desert region. Discover tales of handsome rajkanwars, evil witches, exploitative thakars, miserly seths, clever insects, benevolent snakes and more. Vishes Kothari's vivid English translation introduces one of the most venerated figures in Rajasthani folk culture to a wider audience.

Waa'aka': The Bird Who Fell in Love with the Sun


Cindi Alvitre - 2020
    "A Tongva creation story of Catalina Island and how the black-crowned night heron came to be"--

Fanning the Flames


Alexa Whitewolf - 2020
    TytusFamily can be a pain in the ass. Even more so when the only blood relative I have left is a brother intent on destroying the world as punishment for a millennia of imprisonment. Da, one can say I need to be razor-focused in order to figure out what zmeu magic he’s unleashed and how to fix it. Imagine my surprise when my travels to my ancestral home, deep in the Carpathian Mountains, are disturbed by a doe-eyed witch as intriguing as she is broken. I don’t have time for fixing her. I need to fix everything else, first. Top of the list being myself and these wounds that won’t heal. The last thing I need is to get dragged into her quest for redemption.... yet somehow I find myself doing just that. And the worst part? I kind of like being her knight in shining armour. Fiona>When you’ve been used, bruised and battered as I am, you stop trusting people real fast. Especially supernatural beings who have more power in their pinky than I do in my entire being. I don’t trust humans, and I sure as hell don’t trust Tytus. He’s a zmeu, and despite those stormy eyes that see right through me, I’m fully aware he’s only in this quest for himself. But I’m hoping I can get something out of it, too. Something to save my soul, and maybe cut this curse I feel dragging me down to the depths of Hell itself. Only, I’m learning Tytus doesn’t take kindly to being told half truths. Nor to having his charms ignored. And when he turns the full power of his zmeu seduction onto me, I don’t stand a chance. Because the most dangerous thing of all? He’s making me hope for a future that’ll never be.

Queen of the Two Lands


Laura Greenwood - 2020
    When Osiris is crowned as the first Pharaoh of the Two Lands, she takes it as a chance to change things between them.As the two get to know one another, they discover that they have more in common than they ever thought, and things start to change for the better between them. Can the two rulers fall in love?Queen of the Two Lands is a fantasy romance, and prequel to the Forgotten Gods series, and follows Isis and Osiris as they go from a loveless marriage to a power couple who will do anything for one another. It is based on Egyptian mythology and set in the past.

Pagan Portals - Thor


Morgan Daimler - 2020
    Often depicted as oafish, he was clever enough to outwit the dwarf Alviss (All-wise). A god of storms and thunder, he brought fertility and blessed brides at weddings and although a defender of civilization and order, he usually travelled with a trickster deity. Pagan Portals - Thor is an introductory book that examines both history and mythology, untangling older beliefs from modern pop-culture.

Magickal Mediumship: Partnering with the Ancestors for Healing and Spiritual Development


Danielle Dionne - 2020
    Professional medium Danielle Dionne provides hands-on exercises and accessible techniques for honoring your ancestors and working with them for divination and healing.Magickal Mediumship shows you how connecting with the spirits of the dead enhances your spiritual development and empowers your magickal practice. You'll explore recipes and rites to aid communication and psychic ability, rituals to strengthen your relationship with spirit allies and deities, methods for spiritual hygiene and protection, and much more. Death comes to all of us, but it is not an end. This book helps you partner with those beyond the veil and face death as a positive and natural part of your magick. Includes a foreword by Christopher Penczak.

The Monster Theory Reader


Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock - 2020
    From the mythical monstrous races of the ancient world to the murderous cyborgs of our day, monsters have haunted the human imagination, giving shape to the fears and desires of their time. And as long as there have been monsters, there have been attempts to make sense of them, to explain where they come from and what they mean. This book collects the best of what contemporary scholars have to say on the subject, in the process creating a map of the monstrous across the vast and complex terrain of the human psyche.Editor Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock prepares the way with a genealogy of monster theory, traveling from the earliest explanations of monsters through psychoanalysis, poststructuralism, and cultural studies, to the development of monster theory per se—and including Jeffrey Jerome Cohen’s foundational essay “Monster Theory (Seven Theses),” reproduced here in its entirety. There follow sections devoted to the terminology and concepts used in talking about monstrosity; the relevance of race, religion, gender, class, sexuality, and physical appearance; the application of monster theory to contemporary cultural concerns such as ecology, religion, and terrorism; and finally the possibilities monsters present for envisioning a different future. Including the most interesting and important proponents of monster theory and its progenitors, from Sigmund Freud to Julia Kristeva to J. Halberstam, Donna Haraway, Barbara Creed, and Stephen T. Asma—as well as harder-to-find contributions such as Robin Wood’s and Masahiro Mori’s—this is the most extensive and comprehensive collection of scholarship on monsters and monstrosity across disciplines and methods ever to be assembled and will serve as an invaluable resource for students of the uncanny in all its guises.Contributors: Stephen T. Asma, Columbia College Chicago; Timothy K. Beal, Case Western Reserve U; Harry Benshoff, U of North Texas; Bettina Bildhauer, U of St. Andrews; Noel Carroll, The Graduate Center, CUNY; Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, Arizona State U; Barbara Creed, U of Melbourne; Michael Dylan Foster, UC Davis; Sigmund Freud; Elizabeth Grosz, Duke U; J. Halberstam, Columbia U; Donna Haraway, UC Santa Cruz; Julia Kristeva, Paris Diderot U; Anthony Lioi, The Julliard School; Patricia MacCormack, Anglia Ruskin U; Masahiro Mori; Annalee Newitz; Jasbir K. Puar, Rutgers U; Amit A. Rai, Queen Mary U of London; Margrit Shildrick, Stockholm U; Jon Stratton, U of South Australia; Erin Suzuki, UC San Diego; Robin Wood, York U; Alexa Wright, U of Westminster.

Taíno Tales: The Secret of the Hummingbird


Vicky Weber - 2020
    One day, she is startled by a boy from the opposing tribe, the Carib. Meeting daily in a hidden place, Alida and the boy, Taroo, soon become friends ー and then their friendship blossoms into something more. What will happen if someone discovers their forbidden love? A retelling of the Taíno legend of how the hummingbird came to be, this story brings an ancient cultureー and a young loveー to colorful life.

The Fisherman King


Kathrina Mohd Daud - 2020
    Now he’s back, and he says he can prove it. Six hundred years ago, a forbidden relationship between the royal children of Brunei set into motion a chain of events that will end with the death of a king...or the death of a god. As the story of Lisan’s true intentions – and what he was really doing in those years away – unravels, the story of those doomed royal children also spins to its inevitable conclusion.

Secret Shadows


Alexa Whitewolf - 2020
    Now, they've become a relic of the past, an obsolete reminder of lesser times. But are the gods truly done with humanity? For millennia, Hades has been the black sheep of Olympus. Privy to a secret only he and Zeus know, he's taken to drowning his sorrows - and his thoughts. Most definitely his thoughts. Then things get really weird, starting with Fenrir of the Nordic gods attacking him. Followed by Morrigan of the Celts dropping warnings of a danger to come. And amid all that? Zeus decides it's time to assign him not one, but two immortal guardians to keep him out of trouble. How's he supposed to keep his secret, now that his every move is watched? And what machinations are at play, that even the wisest of the gods fear what is coming? Immortal Rogues is a paranormal romance series featuring gods and goddesses of various pantheons and their strange tales. Mythology mixes with romance and the supernatural in this new series, part of the Moonlight Rogues extended universe.

Long Ago and Far Away: Six Fantasy Novels Inspired by Fairy Tales, Myths, Legends, Folklore, & Magic


Christine Pope - 2020
    Rhianne Menyon has dreams of being a painter, but her world changes forever when a single moment of sacrifice brings her to Black's Keep as the Dragon's latest Bride. As she attempts to adjust to her new life - and to know something of the monster who is now her husband - she begins to see that the curse is far crueler than she first believed. Unraveling the mystery of what happened to the Dragon's Brides is only the beginning...Jennifer Blackstream - Before Midnight (Blood Prince #1)An alpha wolf fighting a powerful curse...The werewolf prince Etienne is turning into a human. A fierce and loyal pack, Etienne and his family have protected their kingdom with tooth and claw - literally - for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, the spell of a well-meaning witch is slowly stealing the beast from inside him. Only the bite of a cursed werewolf - one who was not born with the beast inside - can save him from losing everything. He has no time for anything that will not lead him to a cure for the curse. Not even the beautiful maiden whose gentle nature soothes his soul even as she tempts him into primal pursuits of an entirely different nature…A maiden enslaved by her stepfamily, who dares to reach for more...Loupe lives in terror. Terror of the bloodthirsty stepfamily who treats her like a slave, and terror of the beast trapped inside her. Bitten by a werewolf while dealing with the illegal gains of her step-family’s poaching, Loupe’s dreams of a strong husband who would take her away from her servant-like existence are over. A woman who becomes a mindless beast on the night of the full moon has no place in a marriage bed. Not even if that bed belongs to a prince with the manners of royalty and the hungry eyes of a wolf.Nothing will stand between an alpha wolf and his mate...A grand ball. The stroke of twelve. A magic “slipper.” All kinds of things can happen when you don’t leave the ball... Before Midnight.Laura Greenwood - Spindles And Spells (Grimm Academy #1)Briar doesn't believe in Once Upon A Time...Her whole life, Briar has been told about her fate, but she doesn't believe a word. Now she's forced to go to Grimm Academy along with all the other fairy tale characters trying to avoid their tales.When she finds a spindle in one of the tallest towers, she begins to believe, but is it already too late?Welcome to Grimm Academy, where fairy tale characters go to escape their foretold fate.Kat Parrish - Bride Of The Midnight King (Grimm Blood Tale #1)And the story begins with... once upon a timeThe land was called Eindar, and those who lived there called it “home,” but those who lived beyond its borders called it “The Divided Kingdom” because it was a place where humans and vampires shared the land but divided the day’s hours into sunlight and shadow, and there were only a few whose lives were lived in both realms.Eindar had once been ruled by a royal house of humans, but that era ended when the last human king - Lorant the Third - took a vampire wife and died, leaving the kingdom in her care. Queen Isix abdicated in favor of her son Adraxus, and the sons of his line had occupied the throne of the Shadow Palace ever since.By custom, the vampire kings choose human consorts to rule by their side. A king chose his consort for any number of reasons, but rarely was love involved. Or so it was until the last consort of King Idrax died, leaving behind a most unusual bequest. Lady Judita’s final gift to the kingdom and the king she’d loved was a complete surprise, and it changed… everything.Jenna Elizabeth Johnson - Faeborne (Otherworld #9)Brennon Roarke is cursed. Stolen from his family at the age of sixteen and forced to use his glamour in the service of Eilé’s most malevolent goddess, Brenn has little room for warmth in his heart. For seven long years, he endured hardship and pain, only to escape and find his parents and sister murdered, his nephew left blind and broken. With the stain of dark magic on his soul, Brennon perseveres for the sake of his young ward, always worrying that one day the evil infecting his spirit will destroy him for good.Seren is an outcast among her own kind, ridiculed and ostracized by all but her mother. Born to the Fahndí tribe of the Weald, Seren’s glamour allows her to transform into a deer, but it also grants her the power to heal grave wounds. When she reveals this gift to her peers, jealousy and hatred drive them to murder, forcing Seren to either flee or fall victim to their malice. Taking on her animal form, Seren leaves her old life behind hoping to find a safe haven in a world that has only ever offered her hardship.Despite being worlds apart, Seren and Brennon are brought together in a single life-altering moment. When the doe Brenn shoots turns into a young woman before his very eyes, he has no choice but to bring her home with the hope that she’ll recover. What he doesn’t realize, however, is that Seren is quite capable of healing herself with glamour that may be able to cure his wounds as well, and not only the ones that run skin deep.Julia Crane - Down The Rabbit HoleDown the Rabbit hole is a twisted tale of two sisters bound by blood and separated by magick.Alice is not the lovable girl the stories depict. A lifetime of pain and illusion has left her disturbed. Unpredictable. Dangerous.For years, she’s watched her twin sister - a girl born into light and destined for power – with great envy. According to the prophecy, only one of them will rule. Only one of them will survive.What will Alice sacrifice? The sister she hates, the man she loves, or the innocent lives caught in her twisted web of magick?

The Dog and the Sailor


Pete Jordi Wood - 2020
    However, he soon learns that sometimes we should be careful what we wish for when a journey across the ocean takes a terrible turn for the worse. Fortunately, a chance encounter with a mysterious dog steers Ruan away from danger, leading him on the adventure of his wildest dreams...Written and illustrated by Pete Jordi Wood, an ancient LGBTQ+ fairy tale resurfaces once more to delight and entertain a new generation of readers.NOTE: This edition is the Exhibition Edition of "The Dog and the Sailor", first published as a limited edition run in August 2020 to accompany "The Dog and the Sailor" Exhibition at the Bodega Bijou Illustration Gallery. No longer in print / sold out.

From Dill to Dracula: A Romanian Food & Folklore Cookbook


A.M. Ruggirello - 2020
    But, just because it's hidden, doesn't mean it's forgotten. Filled with lush ingredients, many picked fresh from the field, you'll find a traditional Romanian plate loaded to the brim with vegetables and lean proteins, never lacking in flavor.And nestled in those hidden hills and winding landscapes, lies a culture as rich and decadent as their meals. Journey through the countryside with over 80 recipes as unique as the people who have been perfecting them for centuries, all the while learning about the folklore and traditions that have steeped Romania in mystical mystery for so long.

The Language of Flowers: A Fully Illustrated Compendium of Meaning, Literature, and Lore for the Modern Romantic


Odessa Begay - 2020
    A sumptuous, contemporary anthology of 50 of the world's most storied and popular flowers, each of its entries offers insight to the meaning associated with the flower, and is a fascinating mix of foklore, classic mythology, literature, botanical information and popular culture. Following an introduction that provides a short history of the language of flowers, a fad which reached its peak during the reign of Queen Victoria, each uniquely illustrated and designed entry is an enjoyable read full of history and little-known facts. Here is the story of Tulipmania; how the pansy got its "face," and why the most particular pollination process of a certain orchid has made the vanilla bean a very dear commodity. You'll also dicover how Christian Dior's passion for lily of the valley inspired his classic perfume Diorissimo and its extraordinary bottle; why Oscar Wilde had a penchant for wearing green carnations in his lapel; and how Greeks and Romans believed snapdragons could ward off witchcraft, so they planted them at entryways to their homes.With more than a dozen two-page paintings evoking the romance of noteworthy Victorian gardens and symbolic bouquets, a cross-referenced index of flowers and meanings, and suggestions for further reading, this book is a must for lovers of floriology and Victoriana.

Under the Bramble Arch


Corinne Boyer - 2020
    This book presents a wealth of hands-on practices exploring charms, spells, recipes, and rites.

Tooth and Claw


Michaela Thorn - 2020
    When she's bitten by a vampire but doesn't die from the venom, everything changes. Overnight, she becomes one of the monsters she reviled. Severed from her girlfriend, her people, her home, and her faith, everything is called into question.And then the Man in the Moon whispers about something even more terrible lurking on the horizon.

Gods & Ghosts


Cynthia D. Witherspoon - 2020
    Those were stories for kids. Hollywood.Until the Sibyl came along.Eva McRayne wanted nothing more than to get back to her Hollywood life after a senseless tragedy derailed it. So when she and her film crew went to Rome, North Carolina to film an episode for her show, Grave Messages, she had no idea that she was walking straight into a trap.One that only Jonah Rowe could help her escape from.

The Fiends in the Furrows II: More Tales of Folk Horror


David T. Neal - 2020
    Fans of Folk Horror will find herein more terrifying tales of rural isolation, urban alienation, suburban superstition, pastoral paranoia, as well as mindless and monstrous ritual that epitomize the atmospheric dread of this fascinating and developing subgenre. Featuring: Alys Hobbs, 'Yan; Coy Hall, 'Hour of the Cat’s Eye'; Elizabeth Twist, 'The Complete Compleat Gardener'; Neil McRobert, 'A Well-Fed Man'; Shawn Wallace, 'The Binding Tide'; Jack Lothian, 'A Deed Without a Name'; Hazel King, 'The Hanging Tree and The Old Tom Pit'; Sara Century, 'The Death of a Drop of Water'; Kristi DeMeester, 'A Ritual for Pleasure and Atonement'; Tim Major, 'The Slow King'; Tracy Fahey, Dearg-an-Daol'.

The Balance


Kev Harrison - 2020
    Natalia’s in trouble. She only looked away for a second, and now her brother’s hurt. Her relationship with her mother is fractured, her brother’s condition is deteriorating, and her only hope lays deep in the unforgiving forest. A secret spoken only in whispers offers a way out. But when help comes in occult forms a sacrifice may be the only way to restore the balance. Humanity and nature collide in The Balance by Kev Harrison, a modern reimagining of the Slavic folk tale of Baba Yaga, set in Cold War Poland.

Quest Master


Austin Dragon - 2020
    Many will risk all, even death, for the magical adventure and the reward of ultimate treasure.A boy arrives in one of the last villages before the Trail. Men arrive from the far reaches of the Seven Empires to northern Avalonia—the sole gateway into the magical lands for the year or more long journey.A quest of unimaginable dangers, both mortal and magical, of men and monsters, by day and night.The epic fantasy adventure of the Fabled Quest Chronicles. The most fantastic and deadliest adventure of all time. The story of how a human boy would become the caravan master called Traveler, with his magical sword and shape-shifting companion.Read how it all begins!Quest Master, the Boy Who Would Be (A Prequel to the Fabled Quest Chronicles)

Cinderella Assassin: A Glass Slipper Adventure


Allie Burton - 2020
    The royals are imprisoning anyone with fairytale blood in a crusade to get rid of magic and make technology—something they can control—dominant. It all gets personal when Ellery’s best friend, a smoke sprite, is arrested, and Ellery must find a way to rescue her.Ellery’s fairy godmother devises a devious deal. She will get Ellery into the hi-tech palace to save her friend, if she kills the prince while at the ball. But there’s a problem. Several, actually.Ellery passes as human but if the truth is discovered she’d be imprisoned. A truth she refuses to face. She doesn’t travel in royal circles and wouldn’t recognize the prince if he kissed her. And, she certainly doesn’t want to kill anyone. Ever.But Ellery will do anything to save her friend.When Ellery arrives at the ball, she meets a charming stranger and attraction ignites. He follows her into the palace prison. There they discover a dark royal plot that will destroy the fairytale creatures. Will she choose to fight for her magical friends or her heart?“It’s fun and quirky and colorful…” – ReviewerOther books in the series: Cinderella Soldier and Cinderella Spy.

The Unicorn Handbook: A Spellbinding Collection of Literature, Lore, Art, Recipes, and Projects


Carolyn Turgeon - 2020
    Known for its preference for solitary living in the depths of enchanted and perfumed forests, the unicorn will only occasionally reveal itself to virginal ladies and/or save the day with its magical horn, which is said to neutralize poison when dipped into food or drink.In medieval times, unicorns were a symbol of chivalry and aristocracy, so it’s no surprise that they became the ideal companion for gallant knights, and eventually, the symbol of Jesus in many illuminated bestiaries. They also came to represent unknown danger in the ancient city of Persepolis in 515 BCE, a belief immortalized on the British coat of arms with the unicorn shown as the mighty lion’s fiercest opponent. This feud also appears in a traditional English nursery that was the origin of the quarrel between The Lion and the Unicorn in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass.It wasn’t long before a piece of the unicorn’s mane, blood, and horn became hot commodity in man’s pursuit for immortality. Today, unicorns can be found in modern tales like Harry Potter, television shows like My Little Pony, colorful Lisa Frank-inspired fashion and makeup trends, and must-have food crazes like the Unicorn Frappuccino and bagels.Divided into four sections: flora and fauna; fashion and beauty; arts and culture; home, food, and entertaining—The Unicorn Handbook is the ultimate compilation and guidebook filled with step-by-step projects and recipes throughout. Learn how to make your very own unicorn tail loop braid or unicorn dust for that extra sparkle in your life. There are recipes to make a plum cake straight from the world of Alice in Wonderland and tips on how to throw the most unique garden party ever (complete with instructions on how to make unicorn horn table favors and utensils). And there’s also an exclusive interview with Peter S. Beagle, the author of the classic tale The Last Unicorn.

Behind Picketwire


M. Day Hampton - 2020
    After suffering a fall, he wakes to find himself alone in the world with no evidence of human existence other than his house and his dog, Jake. Desperate to find a way back to his family and the world he knew, Red journeys across the country in hopes of finding someone, anyone to help him. As he searches the vast wilderness and struggles for survival, he reflects on the life he took for granted. Meanwhile, his own history begins to unfold before him in the form of strange memories and hauntingly vivid dreams. They make him yearn for what he had, and fall in love with his wife all over again. As Red struggles alone through the wilderness, he comes face to face with a hidden family history that completely changes his past...and his future.We are all on a journey to find meaning, and Behind Picketwire is one man's struggle through the wilderness to know himself and to finally see his life in stunning clarity.

Playing Card Divination: Every Card Tells a Story


Stephen Ball - 2020
    This brings a unique meaning to every combination - the three of hearts becomes “Healer’s Triumph”, representing gratitude, recognition, and teamwork. With detailed advice, spread ideas, sample readings, and imaginative stories to help deepen your connection to the roles within the cards, each deck is transformed into a rich book of new tales!

The Myth Made Fact: Reading Greek and Roman Mythology through Christian Eyes


Louis A. Markos - 2020
    Louis Markos on an unparalleled adventure for the modern Christian! In the spirit of C. S. Lewis, whose own acceptance of Christ hinged on his understanding that Christ is the myth become fact, The Myth Made Fact: Reading Greek and Roman Mythology through Christian Eyes mines wisdom of eternal value from the great storehouses of Greek and Roman mythology and traces the links that bind those myths to the Bible and the Christian life.The Myth Made Fact takes its readers on an exploration of Greek and Roman characters, art, and stories one that spans 50 myths and sheds new light on the legends of Hercules, Orpheus, Jason, Phaedra, Oedipus, and many more! The journey through myth unfolds through six unique parts, each pointing beyond the lustful and wrathful Olympian gods to the One Holy Creator who stands, like Aslan, at the back of all our stories.Part I: Journeys and OriginsPart II: Platonic MythsPart III: The Four Great HeroesPart IV: The Tragic House of ThebesPart V: The Tragic House of AtreusPart VI: Love Lost and FoundThe Myth Made Fact offers distinct insight into how the common people of pagan Greece and Rome received their myths and used them as guides to virtuous living. By doing so, Dr. Markos helps his readers receive myth in the right spirit: not as historical tales that contradict the Bible, but as testimonies to the yearnings of people who lacked clear revelation but nevertheless hungered and thirsted for Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.

Upon a Once Time


N.A. SulwayCat Rambo - 2020
    They are a way to interpret - through magic and monsters, princesses and paupers, queens and quests - lessons on morality and society. They show a once upon a time world of simple archetypes in fantastical situations.This book gathers twenty-one authors who have brought new focus to fairy tales by combining two well known stories with a literary genre of their choice.Upon a Once Time contains the following tales re-imagined: The Arthurian Cycle, The Bad Wife, Beauty and the Beast, The Boy Who Drew Cats, The Brown Bear of Norway, Caliph Stork, Cinderella, Diamonds and Toads, The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf, The Goblin Spider, The Golem of Prague, Iron John, The Little Mermaid, Little Red Riding Hood, Math Fab Mathonwy, Momotaro, The Nightingale, Petrosinella, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed, The Red Shoes, Rumpelstiltskin, Rusalka Tales, Schneewittchen, The Selkie Bride, Sleeping Beauty, The Swineherd, Taketori Monogatari, Thousandfurs, Tom Thumb, The Twelve Months, The Valiant Little Tailor, Vasilisa the Beautiful, Vasilisa the Wise, The Waters of Life, The Well of the World’s End, The Wild Swans, and The Woodcutter’s Daughter.List of stories:Six Rusalki - NA SulwayThe Waters At The End Of The Worlds - Mike MorganLittle Tom’s Reality - Rebecca E. TreasureDiamonds, Toads, And… Pumpkins? - Melissa MeadThe Rabbi’s Daughter And The Golem - Alex Langer Abigail Washington And The Angelic Organ Of Far Khitan - Joshua GageStrings That Ought To Be Pondered, Even In Urgent Times - M. Regan Lady Of The Slake - Suri ParmarRed Boots Blues - Cat RamboTaketori Momogatari - Evan Dicken Two Of Our Kind - Anna MartinoCurrants To The Sea - Taryn Haas Cloak Of Bearskin - Anna Madden Sunshine Noir For Synthetic Lovers - Lin DarrowThe Candlewood Trail - Dennis Mombauer Gell Who Makes - Kit Falbo Mutability - Maya Chhabra The Pilot - C.J. DotsonA Dark Path Through The Forest Of Stars - Jude Reid The Forest Magic Protects Its Own - Jamie Lackey Where The Earth Meets The Sea And The Sea Meets The Sky - Brent Baldwin

Tome of Beasts 2


Wolfgang Baur - 2020
    Swamp Nagas and Magma Octopuses.Sasquatch and Shriekbats.Walled Horrors and Wraith Bears.Keep your players surprised, entertained, and terrified with all-new opponents they've never seen before-and won't be expected.

Cinderbiter: Celtic Poems


Martin Shaw - 2020
    In the spirit of recasting these legends and voices for new audiences, celebrated mythologist and storyteller Martin Shaw and award-winning poet Tony Hoagland have created extraordinary new versions of these bardic lyrics, folkloric sagas, and heroes’ journeys, as they have never been rendered before.In long, shaggy tales of the unlikely ascensions of previously unknown heroes such as Cinderbiter, in the shrouded origin stories of figures such as Arthur and Merlin, and in anonymous flickering lyrics of elegy, praise, and heartbreak, these poems retain at once the rapturous, supernatural imagination of the deep past layered with an austere, devout allegiance to the Christian faith. Shaw and Hoagland’s collaboration summons the power within this storehouse of the Celtic mind to arrive at this rare book—distinctive, audacious, and tuned to our time and condition with a convincing resonance.

You Don’t Have to Go to Mars for Love


Yona Harvey - 2020
    

The Seeking


Marlena Frank - 2020
    Whether through disguise or bribe, through trusted friends or perfect hiding places, every child of the Priest family must avoid capture for the full day of The Seeking. When things go wrong with the renewal, it’s up to seventeen-year-old Dahlia, the middle child of the Priest family, and her girlfriend, Bisa, to escape Carra and find the magical beings responsible for the protection. They must learn who would require such a cruel game every year and if the protection of the Gray People is really worth such a price. What they will discover is far worse.

The Generous Fish


Jacqueline Jules - 2020
    The result of his daily act is a giant talking fish with golden scales! Boy and fish spend idyllic days together until the villagers realize those scales are real gold. Every villager has good reason to ask for one. Devorah needs clothes for her children. Old Joseph needs money for a cane. The fish says he has plenty to share. But he grows weak from giving away too much, too fast. Can Reuven stand up to the village and save his friend? Through a unique friendship between a boy and a magic fish, award-winning author Jacqueline Jules has created an environmental fable sure to generate discussion in the classroom and at home. What happens when we want something that depletes another's resources? Frances Tyrrell's finely detailed illustrations delightfully capture a child's innocent love for the natural world. An author's note provides biblical sources on human interaction with the environment.

The Complete Book of Moon Spells: Rituals, Practices, and Potions for Abundance


Michael Herkes - 2020
    The Complete Book of Moon Spells provides down-to-earth guidance on the phases, folklore, and science of the moon, as well as contemporary life-changing moon spells you can perform to cultivate love, money, health, success, and happiness in your everyday life.Discover a primer on the orbit cycles and phases of the moon, as well as how moon magic manifests in abundance. Create your lunar atmosphere with advice on various techniques for casting moon spells in alignment with the moon’s phases, including ceremonies to perform and the ingredients you’ll need. Once your intention has been set, watch it manifest with easy-to-follow moon spells, rituals, and potions for love, success, joy, and peace.The Complete Book of Moon Spells includes:Nighttime rituals―Live in magical abundance with more than 60 simple-to-do moon spells and potions divided by the 8 lunar phases, including additional considerations to make the most of each moon spell.Many moons ago―Explore the mysteries of the moon with an overview of the history and modern practice of moon magic, the effects of each moon phase, and which cycles will yield the abundance you seek.Magical mind―Whether setting an intention or self-reflecting, The Complete Book of Moon Spells provides space in each section to imagine, inspect, and inspire you on your magical journey.Embrace lunar power and enrich your life each day with The Complete Book of Moon Spells.

Rónán and the Mermaid: A Tale of Old Ireland


Marianne McShane - 2020
    Long ago, on the eastern coast of Ireland, a monk from the Abbey of Bangor was collecting driftwood along the wave-tossed shore when he found a boy washed up amid a circle of seals. At first the boy, wrapped in a shawl of woven seagrass, could barely move or speak. But when he regained his strength, he recalled being brought ashore by a lady with long golden hair who sang him to safety and gave him a silver ring. The monks knew the legend of a mermaid who had wandered the coast for three hundred years. Could it possibly have been her? Inspired by a story told in medieval chronicles of Irish history about a wondrous happening in the year 558, debut author Marianne McShane weaves a captivating tale, while Jordi Solano captures the legend's spare but welcoming abbey on the rocky shore -- a setting that makes you believe that if you listen hard enough, you too can hear the mermaid's song.

Following in the Footsteps of King Arthur


Andrew Beattie - 2020
    These stories have been told and re-told hundreds of times - and over the centuries the actual figure of Arthur has retreated into obscurity, with many scholars suggesting that he was a mythical figure who never actually existed. Arthur has been the subject of thousands of books; yet this one tells his story in a way that is wholly new - through the places where the events surrounding his life supposedly unfolded.From Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, Arthur's reputed place of birth, to Slaughterbridge in the same county, one of the contenders for the location of his final battle against the Saxons, and from Cadbury Castle in Somerset, one of the numerous claimants to be the site of Arthur's fort of Camelot, to Glastonbury, where in 1191 his grave was reputedly discovered by local monks, the trail through some of England's most historic places throws a whole new light on this most compelling of legends.

Unnatural Order


Lyss WickramasingheLeife Shallcross - 2020
    A robot with a broken heart. Dishonest hearts searching for peace. Unlikely friendships, unlikelier dinners.Rebuffing the status quo, Unnatural Order shines a light on the monstrous beings of myth and legend; framing the beast as the protagonist and seeking their humanity. Featuring established and emerging authors, Unnatural Order bares its fangs and brings the paws, maws and claws front and centre.Because this time, it’s the monster’s turn.

Once... Tales, Myths and Legends of Faerie


Ronel Janse van Vuuren - 2020
    Can Faerie and its denizens survive an all-powerful ruler’s pain manifest in natural disasters?Even if they can, the Dark King has schemes of his own and Solitary Fae cannot be trusted to live in peace.As Faerie fractures and the lives of mortals and fae intertwine even more, the lines between what’s right and what’s easy becomes blurry for even the best of them.And nothing is what it seems.Damsels in distress, curses, echoes of faery tales and tragic love affairs swirl together in sixteen stories found in a dragon’s lair by a curious half-fae.Discover their secrets and enter the realm of the fae.Scroll up to buy now!

Downtown Selkie


Angelika Rust - 2020
    Suffering from a strange addiction, she needs to swim almost as much as she needs to breathe. For her, uptown is a blessing. The rich people never notice a clandestine pre-dawn visitor in their pool. Until they do. Now Xan is caught between the murderous realities of two worlds, in a desperate race to either pay her debts, or save a life. She could really do with some magic...

The Painter's Widow (Chase & Daniels Book 3)


L.S. Johnson - 2020
    

Balkan Folk Magic: Zmaj (Guides to the Underworld)


Katarina Pejovic - 2020
    

The Man in the Pines


David Nash - 2020
    What he doesn't realize is the ruinous cost of his conquest.The Man in the Pines is the reimagined life story of the famous American folk legend, Paul Bunyan. It is a tale of demi-god strength, love lost, hubris, and destruction. It is a story of conservation and, hopefully, redemption. It is the life of Paul Bunyan you've never heard before.Review"David Nash artfully, poignantly reimagines Paul Bunyan, breathing new life into the legendary lumberjack with an affecting story anchored in a clear understanding of old time woods work, while aptly engaging contemporary ecological concerns." --James P. Leary, Emeritus Professor of Folklore, University of Wisconsin-MadisonAbout the AuthorDavid Nash is a Minnesota native who made his first visit to the giant, talking Paul Bunyan in Brainerd, Minnesota, before the age of six. He is an award-winning singer-songwriter, and you can find his first studio recorded album that serves as a companion to the book (also titled The Man in the Pines) anywhere music is streamed. He lives in Wisconsin with his wife and two children, where he works as a pediatric ophthalmologist.

Rise of the Morrigan: The Queen of Samhuinn


Theophilus Monroe - 2020
    But the Morrigan is subservient to no man, no matter how powerful a god he fashions himself to be. If she is to rule, however, she must do more than defy the god who made her.She must win the heart of a mortal... Cú Chulainn didn’t want to be a warrior.He dreamed of becoming a bard, a poet... But when he discovers he has the ríastrad, that he transforms into a werewolf when enraged, he finds he has little choice but to serve the whims of his king and defend Ulster. But can the beast be controlled? A faerie touched his heart… it calmed his rage… and he longs for her still…But there’s another who pursues him, who hopes to win his heart… a goddess…Will the Morrigan win the heart of her beloved? Will Cú Chulainn find peace, or will he be destined to a life of battle? Rise of the Morrigan is a stand-alone epic in fantasy mythology. It is also a prequel to Theolphilus Monroe's Gates of Eden world. Readers of Monroe's Voodoo Legacy, Druid Legacy, or other modern Arthurian fantasies will be captivated by this epic fantasy adventure romance: Rise of the Morrigan: The Queen of Samhuinn.

Horse Magick: Spells and Rituals for Self-Empowerment, Protection, and Prosperity


Lawren Leo - 2020
    They appear in 25,000-year-old cave paintings, such as those at Lascaux. They find a role in the modern African diaspora traditions such as Haitian Vodou, whose devotees are called “horses” for the spirits who ride them during trances.The spirit of the horse exists in the subconscious minds of humans and takes shape in various forms, whether as a symbol of fertility in the land, as in Celtic mythology, or as a psychopomp, which leads the dead to the next world. The horse has made its way into the current of our collective unconscious as a universal archetype.Horse Magick contains spells, rituals, chants, and meditations for many purposes, loosely based around equine imagery. Numerous traditions are represented, as are many deities, including Athena, Epona, and Baba Yaga. No contact with actual horses is required.Through the use of spells and rituals, readers are able to magickally ride to their chosen destinies and fulfill their desires. Workings involve crystals, candles, and Tarot cards, items easily accessible for most readers.

Japanese Myths Tales: Epic Tales


Flame Tree Studio - 2020
    Often bloody, and fantastic, the tales are a powerful, rewarding read, gathered together in the gorgeous, deluxe hardcover editions of the Flame Tree Epic Tales. The latest title in Flame Tree's beautiful, comprehensive series of Gothic Fantasy titles, concentrates on the ancient, epic origins of modern fantasy.

The Pulcher's Last Dance (Tinker Tailor Book 1)


Charles N. Palmer - 2020
    

SouCou Yant


Marsha Gomes-Mckie - 2020
    Born a Sharman in Africa she is a prized possession because of her talents, she finds love then heart break but through it all she wants her daughter to be free. She refuses to believe that her new owner Governor Yant will keep any of his promises and instead bargains with the God of Fire, Shango to grant her, her heart’s desire in exchange for her very soul... but SouCou’s rage is so powerful that she does not die, she is consumed by unquenchable hatred which is manifested through the fire and becomes a new creature of the night …

Come Tomorrow: And Other Tales of Bangalore Terror


Jayaprakash Satyamurthy - 2020
    There are shades of Lovecraft, Ligotti and Aickman, but most of all these stories seek to capture something of the layered, uncanny nature of the city they are set in. Let Jayaprakash Satyamurthy be your guide on a tour of the bean town that might change you forever.

MOOM


Bani Basu - 2020
    But even after her death, Savitri remains in the house, invisible yet constantly audible. Gradually, the inmates begin to rely on Savitri’s voice to have their lives managed.One day, Savitri falls silent. Soon afterwards, Moom, a young girl of 11 or 12 mysteriously appears in Agarwal House. And her arrival reveals several secrets.

The Witches' Almanac 50 Year Anniversary Edition: An Anthology of Half a Century of Collected Magical Lore


Theitic - 2020
    Elizabeth, whose own Basque witchcraft tradition was rich in lore and myth, knew that witchcraft was at a crossroads that the paltry amounts of literature needed remedy. The community immediately embraced The Witches’ Almanac’s wit, conversant, and sophisticated style, with it appealing to general readers as well as hard-core Wiccans. Andrew Theitic—Elizabeth’s literary heir, as well as a prominent member of the New England community—has continued, as well as expanded, the mission of The Witches’ Almanac’s. For both of the publishers The Witches’ Almanac’s has been a labor of love. The Witches’ Almanac 50 Year Anniversary Edition is an anthology of articles spanning the five decades that the almanac has been published. The table of contents is inclusive of several articles for each of the years that the almanac has been published. The reader will find material that has been drawn from numerous world cultures, spanning a variety of age groups. The spells, myth, folklore, and mystical poetry present the reader with new and classic perspectives that are timeless. This is the first time such an expansive collection of articles about witchcraft, magic, herbalism, charms, spells, and related topics is being presented in a single volume, and it will surely be treasured as occult memorabilia immediately upon its release.

Wisconsin Legends Lore


Tea Krulos - 2020
    It was the "mother of all circuses," a place of buried treasure and home to eerie ghosts and monsters. Native American legends, tall tales told at lumberjack camps and taverns, ghostlore and modern urban legends all form the wonderful mythology of the Dairy State. Many know of Rhinelander's famous Hodag, the Beast of Bray Road in Elkhorn, Milwaukee's haunted Pfister Hotel and the Ridgeway Ghost. But few have heard obscure tales like the Christmas Tree Ghost Ship of Two Rivers, the Goatman of Richfield's Hogsback Road and the legend of the Witch's Tower of Whitewater. Author Tea Krulos, an expert in all things strange and unusual, digs up Wisconsin favorites and arcane lore.

The Dark Side of Seoul: Weird Tales from Korean Lore #1


Shawn Morrissey - 2020
    Three tales are included:"Summoner's Hour" - A reviled hermit retains a secret power that bridges two worlds."Wicked Things Love Darkness" - A grandmother's wisdom helps a girl outwit an evil wizard."The Truly Blind" - A man with second sight must prove himself to the king or be put to death.These are all authentic traditional tales illustrated in all their gore.

Endless Song


Nammalvar - 2020
    Ingeniously weaving a garland of words-where each beginning is also an ending-the poet traces his cyclical quest for union with the supreme lord, Visnu. In this magnificent translation, Archana Venkatesan transports the flavour and cadences of Tamil into English, capturing the different voices and range of emotions through which the poet expresses his enduring desire for release. The scholarly introduction illuminates the poem's kaleidoscopic brilliance and the traditions of devotional religiosity it inspired.

Faecons (The Blue Moon Series Book 3)


Marsha Gomes-Mckie - 2020
    However, with four children they lock horns in private as they have two very different parenting styles. Arn practices tough love while in Luna’s world a royal is pampered. We follow their love, their rule and the coming of age of their eldest children, a twin Prince Leon and Princess Arnya. Even though Arnya is being trained to be the crown Princess of the Fairies her heart wants to be a wolf. With her brother’s help she infiltrates a male Alpha-in-training competition in disguise and forever changes pack life. She chooses ambition over love, but love has a way of always finding you and holding you account.

The Fairest of Them All: Snow White and 21 Tales of Mothers and Daughters


Maria Tatar - 2020
    But acclaimed folklorist Maria Tatar reveals dazzling variations from across the globe.The story of the rivalry between a beautiful, innocent girl and her equally beautiful and cruel mother has been endlessly repeated and refashioned all over the world. In Switzerland you might hear about seven dwarfs who shelter a girl, only to be murdered by robbers. In Armenia a mother orders her husband to kill his daughter because the moon has declared her "the most beautiful of all."The Brothers Grimm gave this story the name by which we know it best, and in 1937 Walt Disney sweetened their somber version to make the first feature-length, animated fairy tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Since then the Disney film has become our cultural touchstone--the innocent heroine, her evil stepmother, the envy that divides them, and a romantic rescue from domestic drudgery and maternal persecution. But, as every fan of the story knows, there is more to Snow White than that. The magic mirror, the poisoned apple, the catatonic sleep, and the strange scene of revivification are important elements in the phantasmagoria of the Snow White universe.Maria Tatar, an acclaimed folklorist and translator, brings to life a global melodrama of mother-daughter rivalries that play out across countries and cultures.

Pagan Portals - Persephone: Practicing the Art of Personal Power


Robin Corak - 2020
    'There is something for everyone in this book, which will be of interest to long-standing devotees of Persephone as well as those feeling newly-called to work with this powerful Goddess who helps us to walk a path of empowerment.' Jhenah Telyndru, founder of the Sisterhood of Avalon and author of Rhiannon: Great Queen of the Celtic Britons

Practical Witch's Almanac 2021: Crafting Your Magic


Friday Gladheart - 2020
    The 24th annual edition of Friday Gladheart's beloved almanac is focused on crafting your magic. 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, no matter what kind of magic you practice. 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.

The Tale of Paul Bunyan (Little Golden Book)


Lori Haskins Houran - 2020
    When Paul Bunyan was a baby, his first sneeze blew a flock of ducks south! When Paul Bunyan was a man, his footprints filled with rain, and each one turned into a lake! Paul Bunyan wasn't real, but young children will have a great time hearing his story and learning about tall tales.

Stuff Every Tea Lover Should Know


Candace Rose Rardon - 2020
    Like wine and beer, each tea variety has its own distinct history, source, and flavor profile, from Darjeeling to matcha to Silver Needle. Tea is also embedded in the traditions of many cultures around the world and is shared with others through distinctive ceremonies that include unique customs, foods, and accessories. Within the pages of this pocket-sized guide, you’ll find information, how-tos, and trivia for tea lovers of all levels. Experts and newbies alike will learn about: • Tea Bags vs. Loose Leaf • How to Prepare Tea • Tea Families and Common Varieties • Tea Traditions around the World • How to Host an Afternoon Tea for Adults • How to Throw a Tea Party for Children • And more!

2021 Lunar and Seasonal Diary: Northern Hemisphere


Stacey Demarco - 2020
    A beautifully produced full-color volume with spiral binding that allows the pages to lay flat, plus extra space for recording notes. It includes lunar timings and explanations of the moon phases and their impact on humans, with practical magical suggestions to get the most out of the energies of the season. Packed with invaluable tips and techniques on increasing wealth, improving relationships, boosting vitality, magnifying personal power, and removing obstacles and fears that may be holding you back. Comes complete with gods and goddesses for each month and seasonal spell castings and invocations for specific moon phases including equinoxes and solstices.

The Blue Moon's Calling (The Blue Moon Series Book 2)


Marsha Gomes-Mckie - 2020
    She enters a world that not only unlocks the secret of her lineage but realizes in a most embarrassing way that she actually has a powerful light that only comes out of her when her new husband brings her to an orgasm.Arn commits to helping Lunah master her powers but it triggers a suppressed memory from his childhood, which reveals what really happens the night his parents died. This insight into his past proves to be the key to helping him uncover the fact that he has inherited a complicated rule filled with betrayal, murder and strife. With pure nerve and brute force Arn fights to uncover the conspiracy which threatens to devastate the continuance of his pack. When Lunah is called upon to step in and complete the Blue Moon ceremony she is put in harm’s way and he will do anything to protect his mate. Their ultimate success will come when they both join forces to reconcile their past in time to save a world that depends only on the strength of their love to survive.

Raven and the Hidden Halibut


Hannah Lindoff - 2020
    He spots Raven and invites him to a game of hide and seek. Raven is surprised how well Halibut, a bright white fish, can hide! Raven recruits many friends to join the search. Where could Halibut be?Raven and the Hidden Halibut is based on an original story written by the 2014-2015 fourth and fifth grade Tlingit Culture, Language, and Literacy students at Harborview Elementary in Juneau, Alaska. The students wrote and performed this play as part of a Sealaska Heritage Voices on the Land program. It is a new Tlingit story inspired by ancient oral traditions that have been handed down through generations.

Cursed Crown


Laura Greenwood - 2020
    If only Prince Henry of Alventia hadn’t disappeared a few years ago…Svetlana’s stepmother has been after her for years, wanting her for her youthful beauty. But when the rejection of a Prince sends her into the arms of a King, things take a dark turn. Cursed Crown is a dark fantasy retelling of the Frog Prince crossed with Snow White, and is a prequel to the dark fantasy fairy tale retelling series, Beyond The Curse.

Pagan Portals - Living Fairy: Fairy Witchcraft and Star Worship


Morgan Daimler - 2020
    Cultural and religious shifts have pushed the Other to the fringes and centred humanity in the world and in many spiritual frameworks. As we move into the 21st century the Othercrowd is pushing back, seeking a return to their place in things. Many witches are feeling this shift. Living Fairy is a look at ways to deepen your practice of fairy witchcraft by actively calling the Good Neighbours back, and connecting to them more experientially. It emphasizes older ways of relating to them within a modern framework, while acknowledging the good and the bad that comes with this work. There is also an emphasis on moving away from solar and lunar holy days into a system focused on the stars, which may perhaps be an older way to relate to both the fairies and our spirituality.

Another Life


Owen W. Knight - 2020
    if we could combine dreams and reality in a world where we live forever. Oliver believes his life to be one of disappointment and failure. Haunted by the memory of a mysterious woman he encountered thirty years ago, and obsessed with finding her, he embarks on a strange journey of grief, hope, myths and legends where dreams and truth merge.

The Forest and the Ecogothic: The Deep Dark Woods in the Popular Imagination


Elizabeth Parker - 2020
    The idea of the forest as deep, dark, and dangerous has an extensive history and continues to resonate throughout contemporary popular culture. The Forest and the EcoGothic examines both why we fear the forest and how exactly these fears manifest in our stories. It draws on and furthers the nascent field of the ecoGothic, which seeks to explore the intersections between ecocriticism and Gothic studies. In the age of the Anthropocene, this work importantly interrogates our relationship to and understandings of the more-than-human world. This work introduces the trope of the Gothic forest, as well as important critical contexts for its discussion, and examines the three main ways in which this trope manifests: as a living, animated threat; as a traditional habitat for monsters; and as a dangerous site for human settlement. This book will appeal to students and scholars with interests in horror and the Gothic, ecohorror and the ecoGothic, environmentalism, ecocriticism, and popular culture more broadly. The accessibility of the subject of 'The Deep Dark Woods', coupled with increasingly mainstream interests in interactions between humanity and nature, means this work will also be of keen interest to the general public.

New Blood (The Blue Moon Series Book 4)


Marsha Gomes-Mckie - 2020
    Arn and Luna are faced with the hardest decision they will ever make. How to choose their children when they are in breach of the very laws they have asked others to uphold. Leon goes through a transformation which creates a dark reality for every citizen in O’Moriyah. As this new world opens up Leon has make the hardest decision anyone can make and his choice will either lose or win them the battle for O’Moriyah.

Dark Desires (Dark Court Sisters, #1)


Ronel Janse van Vuuren - 2020
    Yet Tasha has no choice but to be in the human realm: her very life is at stake.High School isn’t much safer than Faerie, though. Cliques, falling in love and navigating day-to-day activities are dangerous enough without the added dread of being unmasked as being otherworldly.But when something happens and everyone reveals their true selves, Tasha has a choice to make: will she save them from the curse upon them and reveal her true nature, or will she let them die and stay safe herself?Scroll up to find out how Tasha deals with the upheaval of her world.*This is the first book in the Dark Court Sisters series.

The Inn (Dark Court Sisters, #2)


Ronel Janse van Vuuren - 2020
    She stays away from The Inn, though: it calls to her warring nature. But as leads run thin, she uses the help of a young deathfae to gain entrance to the fae-run place.She is confronted with her heritage and her past in her quest to bring peace to the region.But can she do that without giving in to the shadows that call to her?Scroll up to find out how Kelly deals with the dark dealings happening at The Inn.*This is the second book in the Dark Court Sisters series.

Lumber Of The Kuweakunks


J. Lenni Dorner - 2020
    One minute they were in class, the next they had vanished. They aren't the first people to disappear from the area. Hokus Wood has a mythical secret. A history lesson might be the key to getting the children back.

Visions of the Vampire: Two Centuries of Blood-sucking Tales


Sorcha Ní Fhlainn - 2020
    Born from ancient folklore, writers in the 19th century gave form to the vampire as we know it today. Still haunting our subconscious in the 20th century, a new wave of writers continued to develop the imagery and traditions of the vampire—and the vampire continued to evolve. From John Polidori’s iconic short story "The Vampyre" and tales of parasitic female companions to experimental and freshly thrilling takes by Robert Bloch, Angela Carter, and Anne Rice, this new collection sets out to present the enrapturing range of the vampire story and our undying fascination with the monster at its heart.