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Lucy Hounsom: Author

Also writing as Lucy Holland

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Author, SFF podcaster, book merchant Read More…

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silvanhistorian

Hands up who isn't going out 🖐 [Insert vaguely

Hands up who isn't going out 🖐

[Insert vaguely melancholic Basho-style observation on rain]

#rain #rainyday #january #winterrain #raindropsonglass #stayinghome #windandrain

What a grey day it's been! Maybe this photo I took

What a grey day it's been! Maybe this photo I took a few afternoons ago will make up for it 😊
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#sidmouth #esplanade #devon #beach #winter #calm #lockdown #sea #seascape

It's Sunday so that means coffee and study time. T

It's Sunday so that means coffee and study time. These books represent the two languages I am learning right now. I finished Strange Weather in Tokyo this morning and enjoyed its gentle ruminations on love and life so thank you to @foldedpaperfoxes for recommending it.

Long been a fan of Olly Richards' story based language learning method and this is the third Italian short story book I have of his. Verbs in particular tend to stick in my head way more if I encounter them in a story context.

Are you learning any languages? I always wanted to but hated French in school. I think it's about finding a language you enjoy. I have been casually studying Italian for 3 years and have made quite a bit of progress though I'm still somewhat terrified of speaking it with a native...

Japanese was a lockdown project I started in March so am still very much a beginner, but I have a proper course for it now so fingers crossed I make some visible progress this year.

Better get back to work, I guess!
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#languages #languagelearning #studying #italiano #日本語 #shortstories #ollyrichards #strangeweatherintokyo #kawakamihiromi #bookstagram #fictionreads #coffeetime #lockdownproject #sunday

Have you been following my bone harp collaboration

Have you been following my bone harp collaboration with @pepperdinecreations? We're up to our third livestream which is happening Thursday 21st Jan at 6.30PM GMT.

This harp is the central motif of the Two Sisters ballad, created from the bones of the murdered girl. Her new body allows her to reveal the truth of what happened, but it also condemns her to a half life, where she is forced to sing the same song over and over again – at least that's how I see it.

Becky has always been fascinated with the idea of the bone harp and so we teamed up to bring it to ghoulish life!

Link to the video is https://youtu.be/CGGOrvnPrO0. If you have questions for either of us, do swing by YouTube next Thursday 😁
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#bookstagram #igreads #twosisters #FolkloreThursday #folklore #Sistersong #boneharp #livestream #crafting #visualstorytelling #writing #fantasy #historicalfiction #2021reads #ballad #folktale #magic

Tapestry hung✔ Pictures moved✔ Chaise stolen f

Tapestry hung✔
Pictures moved✔
Chaise stolen from downstairs✔
Art deco throw✔
Bed sheets so nice I don't want to get out of them which is 👌 because lockdown ✔

I think I'm done with my new look bedroom 😍

Stoked I have another place to write apart from on my bed. (Yeah I don't write at my desk like a sensible human).

#homedecorating #tapestry #williammorris #bedroom #cosyroom #writingspace

The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site and en

The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site and encompasses around 185 million years of geological history, which is pretty cool really. There's been a settlement here at the very least since the time of the Domesday Book (1086) where it was recorded as Sedemuda.

And those of you who have been following my Sistersong posts will know this area was inhabited many centuries before that still, all the way back to Neolithic times. Clearly it's never been a bad place to live so I will not grumble at being stuck here during lockdown 😅

#sea #naturephotography #worldheritagesite #coastline #ocean #localhistory #geology #jurassiccoast #ancientsettlements #domesdaybook #westcountry #sidmouth #devon #lockdownmusings #Sistersong

❝To the sea, to the sea! The white gulls are cry

❝To the sea, to the sea! The white gulls are crying,
The wind is blowing, and the white foam is flying.
West, west away, the round sun is falling,
Grey ship, grey ship, do you hear them calling,
The voices of my people that have gone before me?
I will leave, I will leave the woods that bore me.❞

Just a bit of Tolkien to go with my photo x
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#tolkien #tolkienquotes #lotr #bookstagram #sea #seashore #devon #sidmouth #england #jurassiccoast #ocean #nature #naturephoto #tranquil

New year, new WiP! I love starting a book in Janua

New year, new WiP! I love starting a book in January. It fits in with the freshness of it all. I wrote the first draft of Sistersong between Jan-Jul 2018 so seems right that its successor follows the pattern.

This new story is set around 150 years after Sistersong (680AD-ish) and is inspired by one of the short tales I retold in the novel: the Herlathing or Wild Hunt. Except I'm recasting the folklores of Herla and the Erlking into a dark feminist fantasy in the style of Angela Carter. My Herla was an Iceni warrior, kin to Boudica, before she fell victim to the Dwarf King. The curse makes her immortal and causes her to bring death to all she meets.

Throw in a young female scholar, an infant heir, a power hungry Wessex king, and the desolate moors of Cornwall and you have an idea of what I'm cooking up next!

If you want to hear more about the characters, the basic story, and its relation to Sistersong, I'm sending out one of my rare newsletters this week. You can find a signup link in my bio. Exciting times!
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#bookstagram #authorlife #writing #wip #thewildhunt #theherlathing #theerlking #angelacarter #historicalfantasy #cornwall #mythsofbritain #sistersong #folklore

Read more classic literature, she said. Challenge

Read more classic literature, she said. Challenge yourself, she said. Might have bitten off more than I can chew though...swipe to see the size of this beast.

The roughly cut pages are gorgeous. Love these deluxe Penguin editions.

#thetaleofgenji #murasakishikibu
#japaneseliterature #tome #tbr #bookstagram #classics #penguindeluxeclassics

First morning of the new year was lovely indeed. I

First morning of the new year was lovely indeed. I'm taking that as a good omen!

#hello2021 #newyear #2021 #morning #morningfrost #frosty #devon #morningsky

Happy New Year! 2021 sees the publication of Sist

Happy New Year!

2021 sees the publication of Sistersong, now just four months away! I'm excited to tell you about the book itself and a special collaboration with visual storyteller @pepperdinecreations

Sistersong is inspired by The Twa Sisters murder ballad, where a young woman drowns her sister out of jealousy and that sister is transformed into a harp after death. The bone harp is such a powerful motif – in itself and as a metaphor for the greater story – that Becky and I wanted to bring it to life. Catch a sneak peek of Becky's 3D model in the video.

We'll be live streaming four videos over the next four months. Keep an eye on our social pages for dates and links.

Sistersong will be available in hardback, ebook and audio format on April 15th. Set in sixth century (AD) Devon, it's perfect for lovers of historical fiction, folklore & fantasy, and fans of Madeline Miller, Naomi Novik & Katherine Arden.

Pre order links are in my bio. Pre ordering will really give the book a boost and I'm very grateful to everyone who has already done so 😊

I hope 2021 brings us all a healthier and happier year. X

#bookstagram #Sistersong #igreads #booklove #instareads #2021 #happynewyear #newbook #2021books #devon #harp #fantasy #historicalfiction #celtic #pagan #anglosaxon
#folklore #folkballad #crafting #visualstorytelling

I chose my own Top 9 because there were plenty of

I chose my own Top 9 because there were plenty of good things that happened this year and I am very thankful for them.

Like hanging out with @clauangelini & @3sol_mo3, exploring Sidmouth in the glorious sunshine, finding the bluebell wood, day trips to Corfe Castle with Mum and Wistman's Wood with @m_leigh_g.

Three fabulously packed days in London with @drvictoriajames, my incredible grandma's 100th birthday. And getting to hold the first incarnation of Sistersong as a fiery proof.

I am surrounded by beautiful humans and yes indeed there is much to be thankful for. A happy and healthy new year to you all. X

#topnine #2020 #happynewyear #whatayear #friends #devon #WistmansWood #sidmouth #london #writing #newbook #Sistersong #100thbirthday #grandma

Cousin gave me these excellent marble book ends (w

Cousin gave me these excellent marble book ends (which double as a murder weapon) so of course I had to clear my mantelpiece and put books there. I went for titles that shaped me / had an impact on me and then my own books too!
📚
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#bookends #bedroombooks #inspirations #inspiringreads #bookstagram #igreads #booklove #fantasy #lotr #thedarkisrising #dragonlance #alangarner #tolkien #susancooper #patriciaamckillip #favbooks

River running fast after Storm Bella. I went out f

River running fast after Storm Bella. I went out for a quick walk but am considering re-donning pjs...it's Christmas right? I've been rereading Lirael all day - forgotten how much I enjoyed these books the first time around!

Anyone else living in pajamas atm? 😅
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#riversid #thebyes #sidmouth #pjday #lirael #garthnix #river #afterthestorm #winter #lazyday

Lovely surprise this morning from a lovely friend.

Lovely surprise this morning from a lovely friend. A parcel from @thecheesegeekuk! Serious inroads already made. In related news, I am now 75% 🧀
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#surprisegift #cheesegift #cheese #christmascheese #allthecheese #somuchcheese

Quick walk around the Byes before December came do

Quick walk around the Byes before December came down and stole away the light
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#twilight #dusk #sidmouth #thebyes #devon #december #winter #river #water #reflection #darktrees

I don't really like nuts all that much but I do li

I don't really like nuts all that much but I do like the nut basket and taking photos of said basket 😅 hazelnuts are particularly pretty and smooth and Christmassy! Anyone a big nut fan on here? What other Christmas foods are a tradition in your house? I'm eagerly awaiting my obligatory Terry's Chocolate Orange.
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#christmas #nuts #christmasfood #hazelnut
#walnut #terryschocolateorange

Happy Yuletide! Yule is an ancient pagan midwinter

Happy Yuletide! Yule is an ancient pagan midwinter festival with variants celebrated in many countries - from Germany to Finland to Iceland and the British Isles. Many Yule traditions have been incorporated into Christmas like the giving of gifts, singing, feasting (including of course the famous yule log). 🤤

On this shortest day of the year, I wish all of you a happy return of the sun and a healthier 2021🙏
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#yule #yuletide #midwinter #shortestday #winterfestival #christmas #celebrations #traditions #pagan #decorating #christmasdecorations

Taken on a wilderness safari in Australia's Northe

Taken on a wilderness safari in Australia's Northern Territory, 2006. I used to consider this the best photo I'd ever taken. Now it seems laughably low res. Still it was a magical trip with friends that I'll never forget. Kind of wish Instagram had been invented then! I'd have had so many photos to share.
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#australia #northernterritory #nostalgia #oldphoto #memories #travel #wilderness #wildswimming

Now that book present shopping for others is done,

Now that book present shopping for others is done, treated myself to a couple! First up is Piranesi by Susanna Clarke and I'm intrigued by the comments I'm hearing about it. Particularly that it clings to you and it's like being caught in a dream?

What do people make of it?
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#susannaclarke #piranesi #newbook #beautifulbooks #readersofinstagram #bookphotography #bookstagram #speculativefiction #igreads #cosy

We went for a socially distanced drink last night!

We went for a socially distanced drink last night! An actual drink in an actual bar. It was all very quiet, but lovely to be out with friends and celebrating @clauangelini's UK anniversary 😘

Thanks to the Firehouse for being so welcoming and decorating so cosily 🔥

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Author, SFF podcaster, book merchant Read More…

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A historical magical folktale

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