Once upon a time, there lived a girl named Fallon, who was taken far away from home shortly after she was born. A home that held more than strange traditions and bizarre superstitions.Twenty-four years later, she returned to Weeping Hollow, a haunting town she'd only heard about in stories during restless nights under a marble moon, to meet her last living relative. They called her a freakshow--a ghost. They said I couldn't go near her.Still, there was this aching pull to Fallon Grimaldi that I couldn't escape.A nostalgic pull as if we'd been here before.Once upon a time, there lived a mysterious man named Julian with a curse as old as centuries wrapped around his soul. He was one of the four Hollow Heathens, the very dark creatures who caused the town's people to live in fear. And the Blackwell name was stained with darkness and death.They called him a monster. Cold and hollow. They said I shouldn't go near him.Still, there was this aching pull to Julian Blackwell that I couldn't escape.A nostalgic pull as if we'd been here before.

Over in the hollow, where the cobwebs are spun, Live a giant mother spider and her little spidey one. Who else lives over in the hollow? A papa mummy and his little mummies two, a mama owl and her little owlets three...and more! And they all have something to say, whether it's to hoot, to howl, to hiss, or to yowl. Inspired by Olive A. Wadsworth's classic counting rhyme, "Over in the Meadow," Over in the Hollow is a spooky take on the popular Appalachian poem. A wonderful read-aloud, the playful rhyme and repetition will delight readers of all ages who enjoy a fun—not scary—approach to the world of ghosts, werewolves, and the like.

This story begins some 13,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age, before travelling thousands of years ahead to the early pioneers and the farms they established, and right up to the present day. Readers will learn how the local St. John’s Anglican Church welcomed its first worshippers when Beethoven was still performing in the concert halls of Europe. They will meet Cornelius van Nostrand, born in 1730—twenty-six years before Mozart and eleven years before the first performance of Handel’s Messiah—and now at rest in St. John’s churchyard. This rich history also includes such diverse figures as Amelia Earhart—who discovered her love of flying at an aerodrome overlooking Hogg’s Hollow—and Northern Dancer, the most influential Thoroughbred racehorse in history. Members of the British Royal Family—including two Kings of England—were also regular visitors to the area, staying in later years with E.P. Taylor and his wife Winifred at the Taylors’ Windfields Farm, where Northern Dancer was also a resident.

2023 Ontario Author Project Winner in Adult Fiction Rich with folklore and paranormal intrigue, The Hollow Gods is an atmospheric supernatural thriller that will satisfy lovers of Hannah Whitten's FOR THE WOLF, especially those craving a fable with a darker touch. hr Black Hollow is a town with a dark secret. For centuries, residents have foretold the return of the Dreamwalker—an ominous figure from local folklore said to lure young women into the woods and possess them. Yet the boundary between fact and fable is blurred by a troubling statistic: occasionally, women do go missing. And after they return, they almost always end up dead. When Kai wakes up next to the lifeless body of a recently missing girl, his memory blank, he struggles to clear his already threadbare conscience. Miya, a floundering university student, experiences signs that she may be the Dreamwalker's next victim. Can she trust Kai as their paths collide, or does he herald her demise? And after losing a young patient, crestfallen oncologist, Mason, embarks on a quest to debunk the town's superstitions, only to find his sanity tested. A maelstrom of ancient grudges, forgotten traumas, and deadly secrets loom in the foggy forests of Black Hollow. Can three unlikely heroes put aside their fears and unite to confront a centuries-old evil? Will they uncover the truth behind the fable, or will the cycle repeat? "The writing sizzles with menace, and the dark mythology A.J. Vrana weaves from dreams and nightmares is unlike any I've ever encountered, in and out of books." – Katya de Becerra, author of OASIS and WHAT THE WOODS KEEP "Utterly consuming with palpable emotion, an engaging mystery, and absolutely delicious tension, this is one that lingers after you’ve turned the final page, an itch that needs to be scratched." – Verified Reviewer "I would highly recommend this book for anyone with interest in folklore, magical realism, and a dark touch of horror. An absolutely stunning debut from this author. I have pre-ordered my own copy of the book, and I am very much looking forward to the second book in The Chaos Cycle." – Verified Reviewer "The Hollow Gods is a striking debut about guilt, grief, and how the past sometimes finds a way to come back to haunt us. The roots of this story will be familiar to those who enjoy reading about fairytales and folklore, but Vrana has added her own touch to the genre that allows this novel to hold its own against the greats." – Verified Reviewer "A gem of a book. Can’t wait for the next one." – Verified Reviewer "Vrana crafts a unique local mythology and draws from existing lore to create a sense of creeping dread." – Publisher’s Weekly hr The Chaos Cycle Duology is best enjoyed in this order: Book 1: The Hollow Gods Book 2: The Echoed Realm

This hardback edition combines what were originally the first four stories from the 16 titles in the 1980s classic Tales from Fern Hollow series. These gently humourous stories are written and illustrated by English author/illustrator John Patience, with 64 pages of detailed, colourful and cheerful illustrations depicting the animal characters of the village of Fern Hollow, tucked away somewhere in the countryside of Edwardian England. As the inhabitants of Fern Hollow go about their daily lives, there are small adventures to enjoy and little mishaps to overcome. Everyone lends a helping hand and there's always a happy ending - and usually a feast for everyone to share in celebration. Characters in this collection include: Brock Gruffy, Sigmund Swamp, the Rusty family, Lord Trundle, Snitch and Snatch, P.C. Hoppit, Horace Hoppit, Spike Willowbank, Polly Prickles. Brock the Balloonist Brock is not normally an adventurous sort of badger but when he finds a hot air balloon he just has to try it out. Flying high in the sky is fun at first but there is trouble ahead, trouble and lots of it! Mr Rusty's New House One night a terrible storm hits Fern Hollow. Lightning flashes, thunder crashes and the rain comes pouring down. Mr Rusty's house is flooded and he and his family are forced to take refuge on the roof! Things look very bad for the Rusty family. What are they going to do? Sports Day All the Fern Hollow animals are excitedly preparing for the village Sports Day - it is sure to be lots of fun. The only thing they didn't prepare for is a big black cloud and pouring rain! It looks like the Sports Day will have to be called off but Lord Trundle has a bright idea. The Brass Band Robbery Lord Trundle decides that Fern Hollow should have its own brass band. The musical instruments are delivered and the animals begin to practise, but the troublesome weasels, Snitch and Snatch, have other ideas. The map on the endpapers helped children find their way around the village and went on to appear in every single title in the Fern Hollow series. Children really loved the map and enjoyed pointing out where all their favourite Fern Hollow Characters lived and all the stories took place. Naturally, we have retained the map in this new collection. These stories of animal folk have an enduring charm. A generation of people who had the Fern Hollow stories read to them as children have now grown up and are buying the books to read with their own children, nieces and nephews. Parents who shared the books with their children back in the 1980s and 1990s are now enjoying them all over again with their grandchildren. Further collections are planned to incorporate all the original titles

The first book in the Tales from Fern Hollow series, with detailed, colourful and cheerful illustrations, for ages 3-93. Meet Brock Gruffy (badger), Sigmund Swamp (toad), Policeman P C Hoppit (hare), Lord Trundle (fox), the Prickles family (hedgehogs), the Croaker family (frogs) and other fun Fern Hollow characters in this first visit to the village through the seasons of the year. The animals of Fern Hollow are all good friends and neighbours and if you are a stranger they will make you feel at home in next to no time. Written and illustrated by British author/illustrator, John Patience, this book takes us on a visit to the village of Fern Hollow, tucked away in the English countryside in the early 20th Century. 64 pages, richly illustrated in traditional style, introduce us, through the seasons of the year, to some of the animal characters in the 16 stories that followed through the 1980s and 1990s. The map on the endpapers helps children find their way around the village and appears in every single title in the Tales from Fern Hollow series. Children really love the map and enjoy pointing out where all their favourite characters live and the stories take place. These wholesome and gently humorous stories of animal folk have an enduring charm. A generation of people who had the Fern Hollow stories as children now love sharing them with their own children. Parents who read the books with their children back in the 1980s and 1990s are now enjoying them all over again with their grandchildren. Now back in print from John's own imprint, Talewater Press, this edition, published in 2019, contains the same story and illustrations as the original version. The charming and gently humorous Fern Hollow animal stories have remained popular since they were first published in 1980.

Mysterious vanishing hitchhikers, travelers beset by headless dogs, and long-dead moonshiners come alive in this collection of ninety-six Appalachian folktales. Set in coal mines and remote farm cabins, in hidden hollows and on mountain tops, some of these stories look back to the days when West Virginia was first settled; others reflect the rancor and brutality of the Civil War. But most of these tales guide us through the recent past of the uncommonly rich folk heritage of West Virginia. This ghostly collection, with source information and bold illustrations, will thrill longtime lovers of supernatural lore.