If you head away from the hustle and bustle of the Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square), you’ll head into the stranger, more magical part of Venice. It’s in the tangle of narrow streets and courts that you enter the realm of Venetian legend. One such legend characterises the Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo in […]
Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable Review
I’m going to start this review by pointing out that I was never originally a fan of Damien Hirst. As with a lot of the Young British Artists, I found his earlier work crude and needlessly controversial. And yet. I found myself deciding on Venice as a holiday destination when I saw previews of his Treasures […]
The Eyes That See (Free Creepy Short Story)
The swing band in the corner fought for attention over the din of chatter in the hall. Women in furs quaffed champagne as their menfolk told dreary jokes and ignored the exhibits. Gabriel scowled at them – no appreciation for history at all. He’d assembled the finest pieces ancient Egypt could offer, and they were […]
Explore the legend of the Laidly Worm of Spindlestone Heugh
Tales of dragons, known as worms, abound in English folklore. Last week, we looked at the Lambton Worm in County Durham. This week, we’ll head north up the coast to Northumberland to meet the Laidly Worm. The story concerns Spindlestone Heugh, near the mighty fortress of Bamburgh Castle. The tale concerns the beautiful Princess Margaret, […]
The Lambton Worm and Penshaw Monument
Many parts of the UK have tales related to dragons or giant worms. Northumberland has the Laidley Worm, while County Durham boasts the tale of the Lambton Worm. There are varying versions of the story, but I’m discussing the first version I heard. It links the Worm with Penshaw Hill, near Houghton-le-Spring. Other versions associate […]
3 tips to create an anti-hero with Sacha Black
Unless you’re me and firmly Team Bad Guy, most writers want to create awesome heroes. Anti-heroes are even cooler – think Snake Plisskin, John Constantine, or Jack Sparrow. All brilliant, and all hard to replicate. So how do you create an anti-hero? To celebrate the release of her new guide, 13 Steps To Evil, I’ve […]
