Greetings from Ravenstone on another humid Saturday. Last weekend I attended the Robin Hood Festival in Sherwood Forest. Candidly, it’s more of a cosplay event than a celebration of the merry men. I went as a wizard, who most assumed was Gandalf, although that was never my intention. I try to stay away from Tolkien’s grave as much as possible. My companion was my daughter, who made a convincing forest-elf for a nine-year-old. The whole thing gave me cause to recall some research I did many moons ago into the Robin Hood legend and a story outline that emerged, unfinished, and blinking in the sunlight. This week I worked on that, became immersed in it and produced The Tayle of Robyn Hode. Sorry Nottingham, it’s in Yorkshire.

James Blatch is in New Zealand at the moment, and he wrote about sinister goings-on at a Romance writers’ event. We really do need to push back against this garbage.

I noticed another victim of Hollywood in the fantasy genre this week, and it seems to have become a tradition that when the film guys get their hands on your story and rights, they can do whatever the hell they like. The Author is nice to have, but not essential. George Martin has had his public bust-ups with show-runners, and now Temi Adeyemi has abandoned and publicly decried her own project, Children of Blood and Bone, leaving it in the hands of Paramount. I do wonder how things will turn out for Brando Sando. At least he is writing screenplays, I suppose.

Thanks for reading and, until next week, Stay Dark.

JBE

No Sherwood. No tights. No merry men. Just a man and a disputed debt.

The Tayle of Robyn Hode

In 1225, a man named Robert Hod appeared in the Yorkshire pipe rolls as a fugitive. Scholars and historians have argued that this is where the Robin Hood legend began. My story asks what might have happened if the historical connection were real. A minor landholder with a legitimate grievance against the Crown, pushed into outlawry and then into legend. You may recognise some of the names. You will likely not recognise what I have done with them.

A new story publishes every week at edvanestories.com where you can access and read, or listen to, the entire archive.

Another story finds a home.

Enoch Venus and the Nightjar accepted by Crypsis Press Crypsis Press have accepted my story Enoch Venus and the Nightjar for their Unseen Anthology. The story concerns a taxidermist in Victorian London and a strange specimen delivered anonymously. He is not the same chap from Our Mutual Friend by Dickens, but I suppose he could be related. A cousin perhaps. More details soon.

Most fantasy monsters exist to be fought. Mine do not.

Writing Monsters in Dark Fantasy

Four Marchlands creatures, and why none of them is the villain. The Krivvian cling. The ogre wanders. The demon mirrors. The ghosts accumulate. I wrote this post to suggest to writers what monsters can do in dark fantasy, or any other sub-genre for that matter, when you stop treating them as obstacles.

VSS365 is a daily micro-fiction challenge on X. One prompt word, one complete story, 280 characters. Each week I will share my favourite of the seven. My favourite prompt this week was #garden.

The witch grew every herb in her garden for a purpose. Feverfew for sickness. Comfrey for wounds. Valerian for sleep. Mothers walked miles for her remedies. Only the herbs growing beneath the black cloth puzzled me. "What does that cure?" She looked towards my husband. "Marriage."

Discover my VSS365 flash fiction posts on X and Bluesky.

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Thank you for your support and remember, Stay Dark.