What's Halloween Without Ghost Stories? Join Us ... if You Dare

-



I’ll be participating in a Halloween ghost story swap meet Oct. 27 at my local library. 

I can't wait. I've loved ghost stories since I was a little girl. My mother used to tell the best ones, and every one of her stories was real ... so she said. They made such an impact on me that I wrote my own collection of ghostly tales. 

My stories in Joss Paper feature Southeast Asian ghosts and folklore monsters. Please check the book out. 

And please join us for the library event if you’re in the area. It’s from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Strasburg Community Library.

It’ll be a chance to enjoy a slice of pizza and some chills. Don’t forget to bring your scariest tale of terror …


*****

Strasburg Community Library

195 W. King Street

Strasburg, VA. 22657

540-465-8464



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Spend a Haunting Halloween With These Ghost Movies

-
Image
As many of you know, Halloween, or All Hallows’ Eve, has roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (it’s Gaelic and pronounced SAH-win). The Celts believed that between October 31 and November 1, the boundaries between the physical and spiritual worlds were weak and could be breached. That meant that the dead, fairy folk and even monsters could cross into the human world at this time. The Celts left offerings for the Sidhs, or fairies, outside their villages and in fields. They also dressed up as animals and monsters to fool the fairies into not kidnapping them. For this Halloween, I thought it might be fun to breach the walls between the world of the living and the world of the dead. How about watching a few movies about ghosts while waiting for the trick-or-treaters to arrive? If you’re interested, I have a few recommendations for you. My list is in no particular order. Some of these are older movies and/or classics. They are among my favorite horror movies, and they all br
Read more

The 'Geomancer's Apprentice' Series: Dragon Lines and Ley Lines

-
Image
The phrase “dragon lines” appears often in T he Geomancer’s Apprentice series . So what are they? You may know them as ley lines. Ley lines are pathways of supernatural or spiritual energy that connect primitive sacred sites. Almost every ancient culture has its version of such routes. They are known as “fairy paths” in Irish folklore. The aborigines of Australia call them “dreaming tracks” or “songlines.” The people of ancient Peru referred to them as “spirit lines.” Such pathways have been recognized in China for thousands of years. Dragon lines are roadways of qi , or vital energy, that cut across the world. The lines correspond to the concept in Chinese medicine of the human body’s meridians—energy passageways associated with the various organs. According to the ancient Chinese, dragon lines originate from certain geographical locations, typically a low hill set in a valley. The energies are the most potent and active at these “dragon hearts.” The best and most auspicious sit
Read more

'Jiangshi': the Hopping Vampire in Chinese Folklore

-
Image
My latest book  The Corpse Ritual features a vampire-like Chinese folklore monster that some of you may recognize. It’s a “jiangshi,” which means “stiff corpse” in Mandarin. Those of you who’ve watched the Mr. Vampire Hong Kong comedy movies from the 1980s will be familiar with this creature. It’s basically a reanimated corpse. Its appearance depends on how long it’s been dead. It hops because its limbs are stiff from rigor mortis.  In Chinese popular culture, the jiangshi usually is shown wearing clothes from the Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1911). Although it’s called a “vampire” in the movies, there are major differences between a jiangshi and a vampire.  A jiangshi— doesn’t drink blood. It sucks a person’s life essence, or qi. isn’t good-looking or suave. behaves more like a zombie. doesn’t turn into a bat. doesn’t command other creatures of the night. doesn’t sparkle in daylight and won’t ever get the girl (or guy). The hopping corpse folklore supposedly dates back to olden t
Read more