Creative writing activity: Spooky story starters from Kwaidan

The demons in Takeshita Demons originated in Japanese mythology and ghost stories from many years ago. Many spooky Japanese stories appear in Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things, a book published in 1903 by a Greek-born journalist named Lafcadio Hearn. A resident of Japan for nearly 15 years, Hearn translated the stories from old [...]

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Yokai featured in Takeshita Demons

Subarashii! Yabai! Takeshita Demons Things are going super-well for Takeshita Demons at the moment. The Filth Licker is ready for pre-order in the UK and Monster Matsuri is in its 50-millionth-draft-phase, so getting where I want it (YAY!). If you have read Takeshita Demons you will know that Miku Takeshita and her pal Cait run [...]

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Japanese ghost stories: the yokai without a face

Lafcadio Hearn, also known as Koizumi Yakumo, was a journalist best known for Kwaidan, his book of super-spooky Japanese ghost stories. Hearn’s ghost story “Mujina” appears in Kwaidan and features a faceless yokai he calls a mujina, also known as a noppera-bō. “Mujina” is reproduced below… ENJOY! And…as you read it, just remember that similar [...]

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More Takeshita Demons coverage

Over a weekend of sunshine, shopping (bought a celebratory bag full of cute things from Baby Gap) and great food (Brick Lane curry!), there’s been even more coverage of the Frances Lincoln award and Takeshita Demons…YAY: – This great post from terrific writer and wonderful mentor, Julia Lawrinson. Julia mentored me (and still does ) [...]

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