Icy Sedgwick's Blog, page 39
January 18, 2018
What are the links between seahorses, folklore and Newcastle upon Tyne?
Seahorses are elusive creatures, almost like a mythological animal made flesh. They appear in Roman and Greek mythology, pulling either Neptune or Poseidon’s chariot. Either Poseidon was very small, or he had extra large seahorses, but it’s a cool image all the same. Others believe Poseidon actually rode a seahorse, which is even cooler. Their […]
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January 11, 2018
What Are Redcaps And Why Should You Avoid Their Lair?
For the unwary visitor to their lair, redcaps can be deeply dangerous creatures. These malevolent little folk are classified ‘goblins’ and that’s a word that’s rarely attached to anything positive. While J.K. Rowling’s redcaps live in ‘northern Europe, they’re most common in Border folklore. Since they’re so dangerous, and I want to keep you safe so […]
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January 4, 2018
Time Slips: Urban Legend, Ghost Story, or Utter Nonsense?
Time slips may feel like a product of science fiction. But they bear similarities with folklore. A person journeys to a strange place, sees odd things, and is not always believed upon their return. Sounds a lot like the tale of Thomas the Rhymer and his trip to Fairyland. Time slips also have things in […]
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December 31, 2017
Third update on the Goodreads 2017 Reading Challenge
The Goodreads Reading Challenge is a great way to motivate yourself to read more in a given period. Though I know what you’re thinking – who needs the motivation to read? Back in early January, I set myself a target to read 24 books in the 2017 Goodreads Reading Challenge. I’ve already posted my first […]
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December 14, 2017
Thomas The Rhymer and His Predilection For Prediction
Wouldn’t it be fantastic to predict the future? Humans have devoted plenty of time to learning the mystic arts. You could read the stars, tarot cards, or tea leaves in an attempt to know the future. Or you could listen to the predictions of others, like Thomas the Rhymer and Mother Shipton. Unlike many of […]
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December 11, 2017
Free Winter Fiction – Winter’s Bride
Marianne huddles in the corner. Only her hands and nose are visible beneath the heap of moth-eaten blankets in which she swathes herself. The winter chill of December seeps through the old fabric, sinking into her bones. A stub remains of her last candle, and she holds her hands either side of the flickering flame, […]
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December 7, 2017
Between Worlds: Folklore and Fairy Tales from Northern Britain (Review)
Northern Britain is a strange place. England’s northernmost counties, Northumberland and Cumbria, sit along the border with Scotland. Land in both counties has been both Scottish and English throughout the years. Hadrian’s Wall once marked the boundary with Scotland. It now cuts through Newcastle upon Tyne to end in Wallsend. Such places nudge up against […]
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November 27, 2017
Should you always write stories in the right order?
The way people choose to write stories can be a personal choice. So hang around any writing forum, blog or Twitter chat for long enough, and talk will inevitably turn to a debate as old as writing itself… Are you a plotter or a pantser? The plotters want you to meticulously detail the contents of […]
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November 11, 2017
Skulls: A Free Short Horror Story
I stumbled across the window full of skulls quite by accident. Indeed, one should never seek out such a window with the explicit purpose of doing so. I discovered them whilst walking through the university grounds, passing a small nook beside the art gallery. Having passed that way many times previously, I wondered that I […]
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November 9, 2017
Pay a visit to the Dead House!
The name ‘dead house’ conjures up all kinds of ideas, doesn’t it? Is it a house occupied by the dead? Is it a rotten house that no one lives in anymore? It’s a common belief that hauntings revolve around the idea of ‘unfinished business’. Spirits are earthbound until they can fix the outstanding problem and move […]
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