D is for Duergar. From Middle-Earth across all fantasy to the newest Rick Riordan Magnus Chase novel, dwarfs are all the rage. Folklore The Fairy Mythology by Thomas Keightley [1870] THE DUERGAR By ek fur jőrth nethan, A ek, undir stein, stath. Alvis–Mal. (I dwell the earth beneath, I possess, under the stone, my seat.) …
C is for Cù Sìth. The Cù Sìth or Faery Dog plays an important role in most of my stories. Most of my heroines have an important task to perform in the future of Faerie – and that makes them targets for the bad guys. So they have a Cù Sìth protector. Before we get …
B is for Brownie. Who wouldn’t want a faery creature to work for them? We’ll be looking at various household faeries this month, but the Brownie must be the most versatile of them all. The Brownie is said to finish all tasks left undone in the dark of night… Folklore The Fairy Mythology by Thomas …
A is for Ankou If you’ve immersed yourself in my world, you’ll know that in Faerie there are different power players. Today we’re looking at Ankou, King of the Dead. Folklore The Old Man and Death An Old Man cut himself a bundle of faggots in a wood and started to carry them home. He had a …
Selkies are such marvellous Fae. Not only are they able to take two forms, they are also able to grant wishes and bring luck. They’ve captured the imagination of artists, writers and folklore enthusiasts. They are another great addition to the therianthrope group: changing from seal to human form by shedding their skin. Therianthrope n …
Bats have always been the subject of scary stories. They are strange creatures, neither animal or bird – but something from a nightmare realm. And their stories can be found in ever culture, most likely due to their world domination – they can be found everywhere but for the iciest places on Earth. But are …
I’ve always thought of monkeys as mischievous. And looking at folklore, it seems that I’m right. Folktales and Folklore of Monkeys from Around the World The Forest in Folklore and Mythology by Alexander Porteous [1928], p147 In the forests of Brazil a lame Demon leads the hunter astray. In these forests, as in all other …
I did a post about the enchanted forest a few years ago on my old site, but decided to give it a complete rewrite and new title. The Lure of Enchanted Forests in Folklore, Fairy Tales and Fiction Forests can enchant and enthrall if we’re not careful. Folklore, folktales and fairy tales have tried to …
One of my favourite faeries to use in my writing – sometimes just popping up in a story without forethought! – is the will-o’-the-wisp. Folklore Most faeries with fiery appearances and a tendency to lead night-time travellers astray are categorised as “will-o’-the-wisp”, which is why there are so many differing names for something that seems …
Last week we looked at what I write: Dark Fantasy. This week we’re looking at what features in my writing. Once upon a time I wrote about what folklore is and why folklore is important. I wrote about how we embrace it in our Disney movies and young adult novels – disguised as fairy tales. …
