I subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter, so the moment this series went live, I knew about it. The first book is free on all platforms, and though I had it and had bought the second installment as an ebook, I decided to buy the complete paperback as a Christmas present last year (along with other books …
Z is for Zany. zany adjective amusingly unconventional and idiosyncratic (Oxford English Dictionary) There’s this peculiar little creature from folklore that caught my fancy. He goes by two names. Yet no-one can disagree that he’s quite gross. Grogoch or Phynnodderee is the name of this Faery. The folklore attached to his origins is quite sad… …
X is for X-Factor. No matter the name or how you spell it, the Fates are everywhere and in every culture. Folklore The Poetic Edda “Norns are figures of fate who may be present at a child’s birth, prophesying his future, as in the First Poem of Helgi Hundingsbani. As determiners of fate, the norns are …
V is for Valkyries. Valkyries are one of my favourite groups of women from ancient times. Folklore The Children of Odin by Padraic Colum [1920] AGAINST the time when the riders of Muspelheim, with the Giants and the evil powers of the Underworld, would bring on battle, Odin All-Father was preparing a host of defenders …
U is for Ululate. ululate v howl or wail as an expression of strong emotion Oxford English Dictionary Hyenas, those giggling beasts, freaked me out in The Lion King when I was just a little girl. I got over it. And then I learned of the Werehyena. Folklore The Magicality of the Hyena: Beliefs and Practices in …
S is for Sirens. Mermaids are alive and well in every corner of the world. Mermaid definition (by Ronel)A familiar figure in folklore from around the world, this half-woman, half-fish creature is usually depicted as being a beautiful woman from the waist up and a glistening fish from the waist down. For the most part, …
R is for Red Cap. You think you know fear? Have you met the Red Cap? Folklore Notes on the Folk-Lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders by William Henderson [1879] Redcap, Redcomb, or Bloody Cap, is a sprite of another sort from the friendly Brownie. He is cruel and malignant of …
L is for Laird. laird n Scottish landowner (Collins English Dictionary) Though I usually use creatures found in folklore as-is with minor adjustments, I had this wonderful idea for a specific Faery race that incorporated a variety of Celtic races, customs and histories. Where possible, I’ll give you the original text that inspired me. Influence …
K is for Kelpie. Of all the shape-shifting Fae, this one embodies the capricious nature of the Fae the most. At least in my opinion. Caprice [kap-reess] n sudden change in attitude capricious adj tending to have sudden changes in attitude (Collins English Dictionary). For clarification… Which, of course, makes this creature a lot of fun to write about. But let …
J is for Jailer. Leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann (the race thought to be the Fae), Dagda is seen as a master of magic, a great warrior and a man of great appetite. Folklore Gods and Fighting Men by Lady Gregory [1904] AND it was at Brugh na Boinne the Dagda, the Red Man …
Sign up here.
