Inspired by...Pagan Mysteries

Following on from the latest blog entry by Fiona Dunbar on Notes from the Slushpile, I've put together a list of my inspirations for my WIP, The Moonlocket.  I've mentioned some of these before in this blog, but thought it might be fun to briefly list some of my other influences:

1) The Wicker Man
It might be slightly dated, but for me, this film really captures the dark underbelly of British tradition and the ancient customs that exist in remote communities. Some of this stuff still happens in Derbyshire, honest! The ending is truly horrific. Drama, death, fire and damnation!

2) A Year of Wonders - Geraldine Brooks
I'd already written a few drafts of The Moonlocket when I read A Year of Wonders. It's a fictionalised account based on the real-life story of Eyam, a Derbyshire village ravaged by plague in the 17th century.  I'm not hugely into historical novels, but Geraldine Brooks' interpretation of events is both beautifully written and mesmerising. 

3) The Watcher in the Woods
Ruined chapels, ghostly reflections and cryptic messages - this definitely wasn't your standard Disney flick and I remember being terrified by it when I was younger (I avoided looking into mirrors for days afterwards). Nowadays the film doesn't have the same fear factor, but it still manages to capture that unsettling sensation of being watched.

4) A Warning to the Curious
A dark tale of curiosity gone bad.  I'm a massive fan of M.R. James' work and particularly like the creepy BBC film adaptations (you can watch a clip below).  Many of the stories involve cursed artifacts - a much-used theme, but scary nonetheless.

Hope you've enjoyed this round-up of pagan oddities and entertainment. If you have a liking for all things weird and wonderful then you might also want to check out Atlas Obscura.