Southern Folklore

Living Conjure is a beginner's guide to Conjure written by an authentic Conjure woman with over four decades of working experience. Starr Casas learned Conjure the old-fashioned way: at home, from her relatives and ancestors. She would like to share that knowledge with a new generation of practitioners.

Conjure, hoodoo, rootwork—these are all names for southern American folk magic. Conjure first emerged in the days of slavery and plantations and is widely considered among the most potent forms of magic. Its popularity continues to increase, both in the United States and worldwide. This book...

"Cryptids of the Deep South: Unveiling Myths, Monsters, and Mysteries of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama" takes you deep into the heart of Southern folklore, where shadowy creatures roam the swamps, mountains, and rivers of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama. From the terrifying Rougarou of Cajun legend to the elusive White River Monster and the enigmatic Honey Island Swamp Monster, this book explores the rich tapestry of myths and mysteries that have fascinated generations. Dive into detailed accounts of cryptid sightings, historical folklore, and cultural traditions that reveal the ...

Ghost Stories of the Appalachian Trail: 30 Chilling Tales of Real Hauntings and Legends The Appalachian Trail winds through some of America's most rugged and mysterious wilderness — and not everything lurking in the woods can be explained. In this spine-tingling collection, explore 30 short stories inspired by real events, ghostly encounters, and chilling Appalachian folklore. From vanished hikers and phantom lights to haunted hollows and ancient curses, each story will leave you wondering what's hiding just beyond the next bend in the trail. Whether you're a believer, a skeptic, or ...

Legends and Lore of the Southern Appalachian Mountains invites you on an immersive journey into a world where the veil between the known and the mysterious is thin. Within these pages, you'll delve into a rich tapestry of storytelling traditions, tales passed down through generations, echoing through hollers and clinging to ridgelines like morning mist. This book is divided into three main sections, each offering a unique lens on the myths, mysteries, and cultural memory of the region. In the first, you’ll explore Old and New Legends, Tall Tales, Folk Heroes, and Ghost Lore Motifs, a ...

It’s John Wayne Orkney’s first week as a cop. There’s already one dead body, two old flames, a half-feral foster brother, and a murder suspect who once slept with him… and recently ran over the police chief with a mobility scooter. Welcome back to Camelot, West Virginia—a down-but-not-out Appalachian town full of ghosts, grudges, and folks trying to claw their way back. Some with magic. Some with moonshine. John Wayne never wanted a badge. He’s already juggling EMT runs, trying to launch a business, and keeping tabs on his three wild brothers. Then there’s Gallagher Lance—...

In a forgotten corner of western Kentucky lies a haunted forest referred to locally as "The Deadening", where vampire cults roam wild and time is immaterial. Our protagonist and his accomplice - the one and only Carver Canute - set out down the Old Spur Line in search of the legendary Kudzu House, where an old couple is purported to have been swallowed whole by a hungry vine.

The air hangs heavy in the Deep South, thick with the perfume of magnolia and the stench of the grave. In the murky waters of the bayou and the decaying halls of forgotten plantations, the past is never truly past. It waits, patient and hungry. This chilling anthology of fifteen unsettling tales will drag you into a world of Southern Gothic dread. Witness a desperate fisherman follow a spectral bride into the heart of the swamp, where the only treasure is a tomb. Listen to a voodoo drumbeat that is not a drum at all, but a parasitic heart that feeds on the unwary. Stand vigil on a haunted ...

In the deep hollows where the modern world fades to a whisper, the old ways still hold power. The land is alive, the water holds memories, and ancient things slumber under the hills. For generations, quiet families have served as the keepers of these secrets, their lives bound to a sacred trust. This anthology of ten short stories opens a doorway into this hidden country. Inside, you'll discover: A botanist whose arrogance pits him against a forest with a will of its own. A woman whose gift allows her to hear the ghosts of a creek, a power she must wield to save her valley. A logger whose ...

Taíno Myths: The Stories That Shaped the Caribbean Before any European set foot on Caribbean shores, the Taíno people flourished, their lives intertwined with rich beliefs and powerful ancient tales. This book unveils their legacy. This book is an intimate portrait of a culture that overcame attempts at erasure, colonization, and centuries of enforced silence. The Taíno were declared gone, but their pulse still resonates across the Caribbean, their stories speaking clearly today. Here’s just a fraction of what you can expect inside: Foundational creation myths where sibling rivalry ...

Roberts writes stories from a wide variety of locations: "Night of the Hunt" in Hendersonville, North Carolina; "Return of the Bell Witch" in Adams, Tennessee; "The Shenandoah Stage" in New Market, Virginia; "Chain Gang Man" in Decatur, Alabama; "Fort Mountain" in Fort Mountain, Georgia; "Laura" in Campbellsville, Kentucky; and "The Coming of the Demon" in Middleway, West Virginia.

Deep in the stagnant waters of Bishop’s Creek, a legend is waking up. It begins with a sound—a heavy, wet impact on the roof of a car—and three parallel gouges torn deep into metal. For Frank Henderson, it was a lucky escape. For the rest of the town, it is the beginning of a nightmare. As the oppressive heat of the South Carolina summer settles in, a series of impossible incidents leaves the local authorities baffled. Disappearing livestock, mangled vehicles, and a group of teenagers missing in the impenetrable "Dead Zone" point toward something that shouldn't exist. Sheriff’s ...

The Gate Creaks Open …. An ominous fog obscures the ground below, and the headstones gleam pale, cloaked by the radiance of the full moon’s light. A chilled gust rattles the bare, bone-like limbs of the nearby trees. In Dustin Grammer’s second volume of horror short stories, prepare yet again to be terrified by Southern-style storytelling. Such as: A serial killer on the prowl during a frigid Winter’s night, a tale of picking up a hitchhiker and being dragged through nightmarish events, a bold hunter as he stalks the trail of a bloody and elusive vampire, and more! Cryptids, ghosts,...

A Goodreads Most Anticipated Horror Novel Four unlikely allies in a small town investigate a local teen's disappearance, and what they discover festering at the core of their community is far more sinister and ancient than they could’ve ever imagined. For fans of She is a Haunting, True...

Moo During the early Spring of 1976, outside of the small town of Vine, Alabama, a series of horrific events transpired. A local man by the name of Sherman Marion neglected to properly care for his herd of cattle. The malnourished and starving herd, unnaturally developed carnivorous appetites and freed themselves from captivity. What happened next became the stuff of nightmares.... ©Zombie Media

In the American South, the air is thick—with humidity, memory, and stories that refuse to die. From moss-draped cemeteries to forgotten backroads, from Civil War battlefields to small towns where everyone knows your name, the South carries legends that linger long after the sun goes down. Some are whispered on porches at dusk. Others are told around campfires, in college dorm rooms, or passed down through generations like heirlooms no one asked for. Urban Legends of the American South explores the chilling tales that thrive where heat meets history. Ghostly hitchhikers on rural highways. ...

"Read R.R. Virdi!"―Jim Butcher, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Dresden Files Myths begin, and a storyteller's tale deepens, in the essential sequel to R.R. Virdi's breakout Silk Road-inspired epic fantasy debut, The First Binding. Some stories are hidden for a reason. All tales...

A "lush nightmare" (Paul Tremblay) of a supernatural thriller about a young woman facing down ancient forces in the depths of the bayou. Ever since her father was killed when she was just a child, Miranda Crabtree has kept her head down and her eyes up, ferrying contraband for a mad preacher and...

Book One: A Youngsville Voodoo Affair A Novella by Sylvester Murray A mother’s secret. A child’s glow. A swamp that never forgets. When Mimi Broussard returns to Youngsville, she hopes the quiet Louisiana bayou will give her daughter the peace she’s been searching for. But the swamp remembers what Mimi tried to leave behind—and it remembers her child even more. Strange lights flicker beneath the cypress trees. Whispers curl through the water at night. And when her daughter begins to glow with an otherworldly spark, Mimi realizes the bayou isn’t just alive… it’s watching. As ...

Winner of the RUSA Award for Best Horror When a young woman clears out her deceased grandmother’s home in rural North Carolina, she finds long-hidden secrets about a strange colony of beings in the woods in this chilling novel that reads like The Blair Witch Project meets The Andy Griffith...