The White Hind of Hope
What does it mean if you see a white deer in the woods? Lisa Schneidau explores the folklore and folk tale of this mythical creature and the inspiration it brings for our times.
Sleepy Hollow: The Headless Horseman’s European Roots
orever immortalised in Washington Irving’s ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ the Headless Horseman has undoubtedly become one of horror fiction’s most iconic spectres. This monstrous phantom which torments and pursues the lanky figure of Ichabod Crane set against backdrop of Tarrytown New York has become a staple of Americana. Whilst it’s said Irving was influenced […]
A Treasury of British Folklore: Maypoles, Mandrakes and Mistletoe
I began writing ‘Maypoles, Mandrakes and Mistletoe: A Treasury of British Folklore’ back in April last year.
“The neck! The neck! The neck!” – Kern Dollies, Corn Spirits & Harvest Home
Incorporating folklore can add authenticity, richness and whole new layers of meaning to historical fiction. Novelist Melissa Harrison explores how traditional practices and beliefs around the harvest informed her creative process when she was writing her new book, All Among the Barley
“Magical Folk”: A Review
Dr. Bob Curran reviews “Magical Folk”, a new book edited by Simon Young and Ceri Houlbrook, which explores a range of fairy folklore from across the world.