Friday recommendations:

The gorgeously atmospheric video above is the new trailer for Kathrine Langrish's novel Dark Angels (published in the US as The Shadow Hunt): an historical faery fantasy set in the hills of medieval Wales. I absolutely adore this YA novel, and want it to be far better known that it currently is outside the UK -- so please check out the trailer, which will surely whet your appetitie for the book if you haven't read it already. (I think the US cover makes the novel look like it might be just for kids, without adult appeal too -- and this is certainly not the case!!!!) Also, Kath is currently running a contest to give away three signed copies of the book. You'll find the details over on her blog, Seven Miles of Steel Thistles. Please spread the word!

This other week's magpie gleanings:

* Fairy tale scholar Helen Pilinovsky discusses princesses in fairy tales, fantasy, and film in Fantasy Magazine.

* Alex Ross discusses Oscar Wilde's "Dorian Gray" in The New Yorker.

* Susan Goodman discusses "Henry James and the American Idea" in Humanities Magazine.

* Stephen J. Gertz discusses English illustrator Warwick Goble (1862-1943) at Booktryst: A Nest for Book Lovers. (via Michelle in NYC)

* Dianne Hofmeyr discusses the "sand art" of Andrew van der Merwe at An Awfully Big Blog Adventure.

* Robert Parry discusses Stunner: The Rise and Fall of Fanny Cornforth, a new biography of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's model and mistress, by Kristy Stonell Walker. (I gather the book is self-published and may not be entirely professionally produced, but it looks interesting nonetheless.)

* Fiction/poetry recommendations: "White Lines on a Green Field," a Trickster tale by Catherynne M. Valente at Subterranean Press; and Issue 7 of Jabberwocky, featuring fox tricksters, daemon lovers, and more (edited by Sean Wallace and Erzebet YellowBoy).

* Art recommendation: Don't miss David Wyatt's "Comfort in Quilting,"   which is a thoroughly enchanting picture of a mutual friend here in the village, posed with her dog Ozzie (a great pal of Tilly's), against a background of William Morris fabrics and wallpaper. The painting is part of David's "Local Characters" series, and like all the others in the series, it's simply gorgeous. Also, check out the "Craftydermer" exhibition profiled in The Guardian. ("Mr. Fox" by Emma Cocker is particularly charming.)

* Video recommendation this week (in addition to the trailer above): a timelapse film of an acorn turning into an oak tree on the New Scientist site. The magic of nature indeed.

* And a few last bits & pieces: Amal El-Mohtar has a lyrical little post on reading Bordertown in uncertain weather at Voices on the Midnight Air. Howard & Rex send a postcard from their holiday travels on John Barleycorn. And there's a really lovely review of the French edition of my novel The Wood Wife,  by Clémence Fournerie, at the Fees Divers site (for those of you who read French).

* Oh, wait, one more! I've recently been introduced to The Black Letters, a terrific literary blog "celebrating all aspects of bibliophilia, with a slant towards speculative fiction," written by "ravening bibliophiles" Kakaner and Emera. I particularly love the Booklish: Bibliophile's Kitchen posts, where you can find such delicacies as Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell Black Forest Raven Cake and Matilda Honey Oatmeal Scones. (via Ellen Kushner)

Have a good weekend.