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Historical Mass Hysterias

Mass sociogenic illnessโ€”also known as mass hysteria, epidemic hysteria or hysterical contagionโ€”occurs when symptoms without a clear medical cause spread among members of a community. โ€œThink of it as the placebo effect in reverse,โ€ says Dr. Robert Bartholomew, an honorary senior lecturer in the Department of Psychological Medicine at Auckland University. For centuries, human societies… Continue reading Historical Mass Hysterias

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The Sourdough Compendium

โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ ** I received an ARC for an honest review ** Description Within these pages, coffin-makers work hard to keep the dead buried and their own murderous urges in check; poison girls are schooled in the art of marital assassination; books carry forth stories and forbidden secrets; a young witch wreaks a terrible revenge on… Continue reading The Sourdough Compendium

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Emily Wildeโ€™s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ Description Emily Wilde is good at many things: she is the foremost expert on the study of faeries; she is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encylopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik,… Continue reading Emily Wildeโ€™s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

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Scottish Folklore: The Cรน-Sรฌth

The Cรน-Sรฌth (pronounced koo-shee), a legendary fairy hound from Scottish Highland folklore โ€” and itโ€™s actually a very faithful, atmospheric portrayal. What is the Cรน-Sรฌth?โ€ข The name literally means โ€œfairy dogโ€ (cรน = hound, sรฌth = fairy / otherworld).โ€ข It is not just a magical animal โ€” itโ€™s a liminal being, halfway between:โ€ข the fairy… Continue reading Scottish Folklore: The Cรน-Sรฌth

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Countess

โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ Description Virika Sameroo lives in colonized space under the ร†cerbot Empire, much like her ancestors before her in the British West Indies. After years of working hard to rise through the ranks of the empireโ€™s merchant marine, sheโ€™s finally become first lieutenant on an interstellar cargo vessel. When her captain dies under suspicious circumstances,… Continue reading Countess

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The Haunting of Kenmore Aslyum

โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ ** I received an ARC for an honest review ** Description I am always there.Perhaps I always have been?Perhaps there is no end for me โ€ฆ 1910The mentally unwell are considered dangerous and a blight to be kept hidden from family and society. The recently opened Kenmore Asylum is bursting at the seams. Amidst… Continue reading The Haunting of Kenmore Aslyum

Writing

Lunar Calendar Animals

Itโ€™s the lunar new year and wishing everyone a prosperous and healthy year. Itโ€™s also the year of the Fire Horse. Curious about the animals that appear in lunar New year? I was! Turns out Iโ€™m an Ox so hereโ€™s a useful article on the different animals of the lunar calendar. Animals of the Chinese… Continue reading Lunar Calendar Animals

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Aurealis Awards Finalist

I am delighted to share the news that my fantasy novella TRICKSTER TALES from Brigidโ€™s Gate Press is a finalist for the Aurealis Awards, Australiaโ€™s Premier Speculative Fiction Awards. The Aurealis Awards ceremony will be held on February 21st 2026 in Brisbane as part of GenreCon. You can read the full list of finalists here

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Restoration

โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ Description Walking between the worlds has always been dangerous - but this time V's facing the loss of all she holds dear. Verity Fassbinder thought no boss could be worse than her perfectionist ex-boyfriend - until she grudgingly agreed to work for a psychotic fallen angel. And dealing with a career change not entirely… Continue reading Restoration