American Folklore

Oregon, October 1990: War is looming in the Middle East. How bad it will be, how long it will go on—who knows? Staff Sergeant Murphie Dawes made it home on a compassionate leave to get married before it all started for real over there—it was his idea. But she waited for her fiancé at the airport baggage claim . . . and waited . . . and waited. Maybe she should have seen trouble coming, but Murphie never did believe in superstitious things like omens in those stories told by her grandmother. Those were just native superstitions, right? It's only coincidence that Murphie had recently ...

Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick is an outstanding collection of stories about love and migration, gender and class, racism and sexism that proudly reflect African-American folk culture. Brought together for the first time in one volume, they include eight of Hurston’s "lost" Harlem stories, which were found in forgotten periodicals and archives. These stories challenge conceptions of Hurston as an author of rural fiction and include gems that flash with her biting, satiric humor, as well as more serious tales.

He’s famous for planting apple trees across the Midwest. But was this mythic nomad a fool, a saint, or something entirely different? Massachusetts, 1797. John Chapman craves love. Treated like an indentured servant by his father, the late-maturing twenty-one-year-old searches for enough money to take his beautiful sweetheart to a dance. But when the introspective young man is caught stealing a few coins, his stern parent condemns him to a long and dangerous journey to claim new land in the recently opened Indian Territory. Discovering unexpected skills as he and his half-brother brave the...

Embark on an enchanting journey into the world of Mythical Hummingbirds, a fascinating new eBook that reveals the wonders of these mesmerizing creatures! Dazzling in color and captivating in flight, hummingbirds have been a source of intrigue and inspiration for centuries. Now, for the first time ever, a captivating eBook explores the countless tales, legends, and myths woven around these magical, nectar-sipping birds. Imagine delving into the rich tapestry of Mesoamerican, South American, and Caribbean folklore, learning about the legendary Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent, and ...

"50 States, 50 Mysteries" is the ultimate travel guide for mystery enthusiasts, featuring unexplained phenomena, haunted places, true crime stories, and more from every corner of America. Take a journey through the country and explore the local legends and unsolved mysteries that make each state unique. Embark on a road trip like no other as you explore the paranormal activity and ghost stories that surround mysterious places and secret locations across the country. From strange occurrences to infamous crimes, this book has it all, providing a mix of true crime, folklore, and regional ...

ATTENTION Readers: This book has been reworked and published as a NEW Book (FALLEN) in a NEW Series (Redemption Series). ____________________________________________________________________________________________ We all have two lives. Jimmy-Mack’s second began the moment he realized he only had one. In the remote mountains of North Carolina, Mack’s new found love for a Cherokee Native woman exposes a tribal secret and an Indian burial ground holding an ancient Viking treasure wrapped in a supernatural mystery so deep its unraveling rewrites the North American history books, toppling a...

You should see this book as a celebration of the resilience, creativity, and wisdom of Black people and their ancestors, and a reminder of the importance of preserving and sharing these stories for generations to come. Whether you're looking for tales of adventure, humor, or wisdom, this has something for everyone. This book is a timeless and inspiring tribute to the enduring power of Black storytelling.

In the tradition of Calvino’s Italian Folktales, Greg Sarris, author of the award-winning novel Grand Avenue, turns his attention to his ancestral homeland of Sonoma Mountain in Northern California. In 16 interconnected original stories, the twin crows Question Woman and Answer Woman take us through a world unlike yet oddly reminiscent of our own: one that blooms bright with poppies, lupines, and clover; one in which Water Bug kidnaps an entire creek; in which songs have the power to enchant; in which Rain is a beautiful woman who keeps people’s memories in stones.

Heart of Thunder and the Seven Sisters: The Story of the Birth of Morro Rock Some legends are more than myth... Long ago, before the forests vanished and the mountains turned to stone, the native people lived in peace beneath towering trees. But when the savage People of the Bear arrived, seeking conquest through blood and savagery, their peaceful world was shattered. Facing certain destruction, their leader Heart of Thunder sought guidance from the Sacred Father, who revealed a vision—one that required great sacrifice and even greater courage. As flames consumed the land and the earth ...

"Fire and silence, two opposing forces that have shaped the destiny of our village. But when fire prevails, it awakens something ancient, something that refuses to be forgotten. And in the midst of it all stands Nathan Zacharia, an unlikely leader thrust into a journey of survival and remembrance." "Set in the untamed wilderness of the early 1700s colonial frontier, The Ashes of Zacharia follows Nathan, a fur trapper turned reluctant guide, as he leads a group of survivors towards the unknown north. But even as they leave their home behind, they cannot escape the memories that haunt them." ...

Join Christopher Fee, co-editor of An Encyclopedia of American Myth, Legend, and Folklore, for an entertaining and revealing look at our nation’s folkloric imagination. In this compelling 24-lecture audio series, you’ll meet figures such as Daniel Boone and John Henry, and learn the stories of characters such as Water Jar Boy and the Woodcutter and the Fairy. Specters also abound, and you’ll encounter frightening figures ranging from the Headless Horseman to La Llorona.

In this ingenious, sweeping novel, Phillip B. Williams introduces us to an enigmatic woman named Saint, a fearsome conjurer who, in the 1830s, annihilates plantations all over Arkansas to rescue the people enslaved there. She brings those she has freed to a haven of her own creation: a town just north of St. Louis, magically concealed from outsiders, named Ours. It is in this miraculous place that Saint’s grand experiment—a truly secluded community where her people may flourish—takes root.

This set includes all five Folklore books in the series! Kidnapped by Her Bigfoot, Loved by Her Yeti, Claimed by Her Sasquatch, Rescued by His Mermaid, and Chasing Her Unicorn. Join these couples as they go out searching for folklore characters and find their "happily ever afters", instead.

Dillan and his two best friends never imagined that a map in their possession could lead them to a treasure so large it would change their lives forever. They also never imagined how finding that treasure would guide them to an even more extraordinary discovery, one that could rewrite human history as we know it. Travel through a time when giants controlled the Americas, and underground kingdoms helped mankind survive cataclysmic events. Experience alternative history told through fiction in a way that only author James Keenan, creator of The UFO and an Alien series, can do. Follow along as...

They Say Harpers Ferry is Haunted. They're Right. Forget the charming shops and scenic trails for a moment. When dusk settles over Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and the fog rolls in from the rivers, the town belongs to its ghosts. And it has more than its share. This collection gathers twenty of the most chilling spectral encounters reported in this legendary haunted town: The infamous John Brown, still pacing, still watching. Armies of the dead marching on Bolivar Heights. A Screaming Lady whose terror echoes near the bridge. Lost children's laughter on Potomac Street. The terrifying ...

Every Tongue Got to Confess is an extensive volume of African American folklore that Zora Neale Hurston collected on her travels through the Gulf States in the late 1920s. The bittersweet and often hilarious tale, which range from longer narratives about God, the Devil, white folk, and mistaken identity to witty one-liners, reveal attitudes about faith, love, family, slavery, race, and community.

A Science Fiction Tale of Horror In this haunting, psychological thriller, a mother must discover what terrorizes her child’s evenings. No parent wants to believe her child’s fears are more than fantasy and imagination, but what can she do when there’s no choice but to accept the truth? Something is terrifying Susan's daughter, something far more sinister than an ordinary nightmare...

As his family prepares for winter, a young, skilled hunter must travel up the mountain to collect obsidian for knapping—the same mountain where his two older brothers died. When he reaches the mountaintop, he is immediately confronted by a terrifying eagle god named Savik. Savik gives the boy a choice: follow me or die like your brothers. What comes next is a harrowing journey to the home of the eagle gods and unexpected lessons on the natural world, the past that shapes us, and the community that binds us.

A sequel to the award-winning CHRISTMAS AT GREY SAGE. Maude and Silas, owners of Grey Sage, are busy making their guests’ experiences memorable ones. But a series of unsettling events has disturbed the serenity at the inn. Nestled in the aspen and pine-covered Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Santa Fe, Grey Sage is the ideal place for artists and writers. It’s late September, and Lily’s group of art students from Chicago has come for a retreat. Drake Dodson, a screenwriter, is there to write, and Dr. Boots Boone, a professor on sabbatical doing research in Native American culture and ...

This Pueblo Indian myth explains how the spirit of the Lord of the Sun was brought to the world of men.