Stephanie Ellis

@stephellis

Author, Elgin & Rhysling award-nominated poet, and reader. Member BFS

2,724 Following3,617 Followers2,617 Posts

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Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· 16d

Haven't been to Minera for a little while, old lime kilns have now been made more visible. Minera quarry still a favourite place to walk (rarely any other people!).

Disused lime kilns partially hidden by undergrowth

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· 18d

Gothic horror. Victorian East End A manipulative demon A deluded hypnotist A murderer walks the streets Read the 1st chapter here (with links to either amazon or my own store for the ebook): stephanieellis.org/gothic/ Paperback out 1st August! #booksky #gothic #horrorwriting #horror #FridayReads

Front cover of A Fragile Thing. A cloaked figure walks away from the viewer towards gaslit gothic buildings.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· 19d

Visited King Offa in Plas Power woods this evening. He's pointing to the part of Offa's Dyke which runs through the wood.

Tree carved with image of King Offs pointing into the distance. Surrounded by trees and foliage.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· 20d

Thank you, Gree! Enjoyed, as always. I saw the cover yesterday for my new Five Turns novel (Mother's Night (Rise of the Hare Witch)) which will be out autumn, but if people want to try out my folk horror/dark fantasy, here's the first two! stephanieellis.org/folk-horror/ #HorrorWritersChat

Sunset over countryside with the two books, The Five Turns of the Wheel and Reborn shown against this backdrop.
Includes a verse from The Dance:
Dance then, wherever you may be
I'll. Lead you all in the Dance, said he.I
Five times, five turns of the Wheel, said he.
This is a Dance for Eternity.

Also includes qr code for Brigids Gate Press

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· 23d

Very much enjoyed this coastal cosmic folk horror for @olijbooks.bsky.social. Humour, ritual, and fish. Great fun. #booksky #folkhorror #horror #horrorwriting www.amazon.co.uk/Welcome-Ferr...

Cover of Welcome to Ferrendale by Oli Jacobs

Green cover with inset picture in the middle showing four fishermen types with a giant fish type creator in the middle.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· 24d

Want to know a bit more about Wrexham? We're more than just a football team & this book has stories all set in a rather spectacular year for the city (or town as it was). Ebook 15th August (print soon!) Profits will be used to support Wrexham's Carnival of Words. mybook.to/1876 #booksky #wrexham

Shows book cover of 1876 on green background, with red dragon holding it at bottom. On the right is lettering 'Celebrating Wrexham's Year of Wonder' on white background.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jul 11

This was around 7pm and it was still sweltering. A gentle, but hot, short 2 mile walk this evening. Not sure if it was England or Wales as it was just outside Oswestry 😁

Blue skies, open field and trees, early evening.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jul 11

Remember, sales from July on, are going to help @cindyoquinn.bsky.social's astronomical healthcare costs. For those of us who can't give a large donation, this is 1 way to help! And you get a lovely collection of poems with foreword written by @nytebird45.bsky.social mybook.to/Foundlings #booksky

Front cover of Foundlings.
Two magpies, one pecking into a book on white canvas background
Underneath them 'A collection of found poetry based on the work of dark poets, Linda D. Addison and Alessandro Manzetti'
with author names Cindy O'Quinn and Stephanie Ellis

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jul 11

I actually finished this little beauty the other day & am currently writing a review (basically, it's wonderful, just go and buy it, you know you want to 😅). And I'm so pleased it says Volume One with more to come! Hookland is on my shelf, add it to yours www.amazon.co.uk/Hookland-Fra...

Image of David Southwell's Hookland Fragments book on bookshelf with a terracotta Green Man beside it.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jul 8

Thanks, Mary. Good questions but I'm rubbish on the gaming front. Considering that, I'll avoid sharing my own and instead I'd like to share a reminder that the order links for the brilliant @hookland.bsky.social are up tomorrow at 4pm. 😊 #HorrorWritersChat

Cover for book Hookland Fragments, Volume One by David Southwell
Picture shows a white-etched bear on its hind legs tossing bones beneath a starry sky.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jul 8

Not going to.😆 We are here to present the 'other' side. Could go old school and create a board game. I would create a folk horror version of this game I had as a kid. Ooh, or a folk horror version of Mousetrap!

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jun 24

As The Wheel Turns - More Tales from the Weald has been reissued, with new stories & cover & a very pretty hardback version. It's also in KU for a while. Standalone stories of folk horror blended with dark fantasy set in the Five Turns universe. www.amazon.co.uk/As-Wheel-Tur... #HorrorWritersChat

Cover of As the Wheel Turns showing a feather-hatted figure gazing across an idyllic rural landscape at sunset. An antlered skull appears faintly in the glow of the sun.
blurb:
The Weald is full of strange folk. A rural idyll on the surface, it is home to many a bloody tradition. The novel, The Five Turns of the Wheel, outlined the most horrific of these - or did it?

In these short stories set in that universe, you will find different versions of the Haxey Hood, Plough Monday, the Hobby, and many folk traditions - the thatcher, the blacksmith, the hedgelayer - uniquely their own.

The Wheel never stopped turning.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jun 24

Yes, I am stupidly proud of this book. Thought I'd wave it around a bit, partly to back up @katsilvaauthor.bsky.social's reminder that self-pub quality can be good. I took a huge amount of care in the production of this book, as with anything I'm involved in. PS: my cover, no AI anywhere

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jun 24

Hi Alasdair, I have a reissue of As the Wheel Turns - More Tales from the Weald complete with some new stories and a pretty hardback. A collection of folk horror melded with dark fantasy in a very pretty - and bloody - rural corner of England. www.amazon.co.uk/As-Wheel-Tur...

Full print wrap of paperback and hardback cover showing a shadowy figure clad in colourful rags and feathered hat gazing across wheat fields at sunset. A horned skull sits in the sky. (Cover is author creation, no AI)

From the back:

The Weald is full of strange folk. A rural idyll on the surface, it is home to many a bloody tradition. The novel, The Five Turns of the Wheel, outlined the most horrific of these - or did it?

In these short stories set in that universe, you will find different versions of the Haxey Hood, Plough Monday, the Hobby, and many folk traditions - the thatcher, the blacksmith, the hedgelayer - uniquely their own.

The Wheel never stopped turning.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jun 23

A year of folk traditions, the Five Turns way: thatcher and blacksmith, hobby and mummer. This is Mother Nature's world where folk horror blends with dark fantasy in a rural idyll. Available in print and ebook. And free to read on KU for the moment! www.amazon.co.uk/As-Wheel-Tur...

Cover of As the Wheel Turns.

A shadowy figure clad in ragged jacket and with a top hat looks out over wheat fields glowing beneath a sunset. A faint horned skill is visible on the sky.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jun 21

Managed to get past 4 miles for evening hike to Moelydd. Legs tired but it was lovely up there. Proper Sunday evening peacefulness.

Landscape of hills and fields from Moelydd.

Landscape of view other way. Hills, fields and a lot of sky.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jun 12

Finally taking the step to create my own imprint for my work. Wheelborn. 😊 open.substack.com/pub/stephani...

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jun 10

Thanks for the questions, Rami! Genesis Caul, mentioned earlier, plays a part in my 19th C gothic horror, A Fragile Thing. Isaac Bercow is possessed by demons, but are they of his own making or have they been gifted by Genesis? Read a sample here stephanieellis.org/gothic/ #booksky #gothic #horror

Print cover of A Fragile Thing by Stephanie Ellis. Title and name in white font on black background in lower half of front cover. Above, a blurred figure walks away from the viewer towards gothic buildings lit up beneath a night sky.
Blurb on back:

Victorian London.

Isaac Bercow is a man with great aspirations, nothing to lose, and an offer he can't refuse.

Determined to make society notice - and believe in - his powers of mesmerism, Isaac finds himself caught in a trap of deceit, danger, and diabolical dealings.

The mind is a fragile thing, and fragile things are easily broken.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jun 9

Updates to my site include the ability to read samples of my books. These link to amazon but I have also included links to publishers or my own shop where alternative purchases can be made in some instances. If you scroll down the page you will also see reviews. All done to help! stephanieellis.org

Shows screenshot of Stephanie Ellis's website with A Fragile Thing cover on left and Harrowfield cover on right showing how sample can be read.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· Jun 3

Thank you, Gree! Loving the Wednesday tradition of #HorrorWritersChat For more ritual and subverted traditions, look no further than The Five Turns of the Wheel. Idyllic. Traditional. Deadly. Come join the Dance. brigidsgatepress.com/product/the-... #booksky #folkhorror

Cover of The Five Turns of the Wheel by Stephanie Ellis. A skull lies on a bed of leaves, surrounded by a wheel frame.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· May 29

Just one of the folk horror novels in my back catalogue. Harrowfield ✔️Older female MC ✔️Pagan tradition ✔️Occult practitioners ✔️Ancient deity ✔️Ritual & morris dancers 😁 Link to reading sample here (& also free on KU!) stephanieellis.org/folk-horror/ #booksky #folkhorror #FridayReads

Cover of Harrow field by Stephanie Ellis. Tree sheltering 2 standing stones.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· May 25

Just finished this most excellent book. Hugely entertaining whilst being extremely moving and informative. And a very important read for all women, it has relevance even today.I It has also got me thinking about a new project (as if I needed another 😅)

Cover of How to Kill a Witch, A Guide for the Patriarchy by Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· May 24

The sun is shining on the path of green and gold. Time to visit Harrowfield! mybook.to/Harrowfield #folkhorror #booksky #folklore #horror

Picture of Harrowfield book with blurbs next to it.
Purchase link as in post.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· May 22

Thanks, Gabino! Postapocalyptic Rat-She is currently 0.99c/0.99p but offer ends today! mybook.to/Rat-She #FridayReads #booksky #postapocalyptic #bodyhorror

Rat-She book cover against background of rats and cockroaches

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· May 18

From this evening's walk. A moment when all is right with the world.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· May 15

Rat-She, ebook currently on offer 0.99c (US/UK only). Postapocalyptic body horror. mybook.to/Rat-She #booksky #postapocalyptic #horrorwriting #horror #bodyhorror #FridayReads

Cover of Rat-She with blurbs from Happy Goat Horror, Rich Duncan Jr and Shane Douglas Keene.

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· May 13

Thanks, Mary! To celebrate my birthday on Friday, Rat-She is on offer at 0.99c from 15th May (UK/US only). Humanity is mutating. Rumours abound of the Surgeon, the one who can fix them. But when Orla and her brother, Silas, track him down, he is not what they expected. #HorrorWritersChat #booksky

Graphic showing Rat-She book and blurbs beside it:
'a fantastically written novella with a compelling story and characters that it’s unbelievably easy to sympathise with and want the best for. The layers of horror run deep!'
- Kayleigh Dobbs, Happy Goat Horror
'Rat-She is a wildly original take on the post-apocalyptic genre that's not to be missed!'
- Rich Duncan Jr, co-founder of Genre Buzzword and co-host of the Ink Heist Podcast
'Stephanie Ellis has a knack for making the most ruthless of scenarios read like unfolding folklore, and Rat-She is a fine demonstration of that. This tale mesmerized me and creeped me the hell out in equal measure.'
- Shane D. Keene, Elgin and Dwarf Stars nominated poet

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· May 13

Scarfolk is a wonderful concept, really fits my 70s childhood. The old nuclear war threats, disease posters, public service information films, it's all grist for Scarfolk's dark satire. You can get the Scarfolk Annual & Discovering Scarfolk book - I have both. Highly recommend #HorrorWritersChat

Images of Discovering Scarfolk and Scarfolk Annual

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· May 11

70 copies sold to-date for Harrowfield. For a self-pub for me, that is massive, especially as my folk horror does not feature on shared lists or recs (or as rarely as an eclipse 😅). Thank you to everyone who's given it a chance. ❤️ mybook.to/Harrowfield #booksky #folkhorror

Cover of Harrowfield. Tree sheltering two standing stones on front. Back features 2 ravens flying over a larger standing stone.
Blurb:
Harrowfield is a tiny village in the Marches, that wild strip of borderland between England and Wales. On the edge of this village lies another field, the Harrow Field, the one from which the settlement takes its name. At its entrance stands the Mother Stone, guarding her Children, the two smaller monoliths at the top of the field. This is the ancient site of the Harrowing.

When Derwenna Parry’s brother goes missing whilst surveying farmland, she and his daughters head to the village to track him down. Midsummer approaches and, even though they find him unharmed, they become caught up in strange events which lead them to the Harrowing. An ancient act of penance … or sacrificial revenge?

Stephanie Ellis@stephellis· May 8

Thanks, Gabino! I'd like to turn back time with The Five Turns of the Wheel. This folk horror universe expands in the autumn. In the meantime, here's the beginning of ritual & the Weald, and of the three who lead the Dance. brigidsgatepress.com/product/the-... #booksky #folkhorror #FridayReads