The barguest is a fascinating creature, most often found in the folklore of northern England. Folklorist William Henderson noted the barguest tales covered Northumberland, Durham, and Yorkshire (1879: 274). That said, some appearances also crop up in Lancashire and Cumbria. In many tales, the barguest was most popularly a death omen. In a most fitting […]
Self-Publishing versus Traditional Publishing
Well, hello there, and welcome to this first Ask Me Anything for authors. I had an absolutely cracking question submitted, so thank you very much for that! You can read the post or listen to the audio version here. And the question is, Which do you think is best self publishing or finding a publisher? […]
The Northumberland Silky: Mischievous Fairy or Lonely Ghost?
Many lonely and remote parts of the British Isles echo with tales of local spirits. Whether they’re fairies, remnants of older mythologies, ghosts, or Land Spirits decked out in another guise, their stories live on. The north east of England has one such spirit known as Silky. William Henderson lists Silky among the ‘local sprites’ […]
Cider Folklore: Wassailing and the Apple Tree Man
We’re finishing the Folklore of Drinks theme with cider folklore. Cider has a long history, especially here in Britain. When the Romans arrived in Britain, they discovered the locals drinking a beverage made from apples. It wasn’t quite cider yet, and no one knows how long this drink existed prior to this point. Cider then […]
Meeting The Devil’s Drink: Coffee Folklore in Legend and Ritual
Like its hot beverage sibling tea, coffee is an incredibly popular drink all over the world. Director David Lynch reportedly said, “Even a bad cup of coffee is better than no coffee at all” (James n.d.). Here in the UK, we imported £780 million worth of coffee in 2020 (Ridder 2022). And, like tea, coffee […]
Wine and Witchcraft: A Beverage fit for Apotropaic Success
Like beer, wine has enjoyed a long and prosperous history. It’s been enjoyed by the ancients, used as a safe alternative to water, prescribed as medicine, and offered in ritual. And like beer, wine also has patron deities from a range of cultures. We even have a link between wine and witchcraft. But how does […]
