From the Hollow

Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities—a collection of gothic history, strange traditions, haunted places, forgotten folklore, dark symbolism, and the stories hidden behind art and books.

Here you’ll find ancient festivals, eerie legends, Victorian oddities, supernatural inspiration, book reviews, collector features, and the beautifully strange details that shape my worlds. From haunted Pittsburgh to poisonous gardens, from ravens and roses to old rituals and whispered ghost stories, this is where mystery, history, and art meet.

If you love gothic atmosphere, dark fiction, and the allure of the unusual, you’re in the right place.

The History of Protective Herbs and Magical Gardens

Long before the modern garden became a place of ornamental flowers, raised beds, and carefully chosen landscaping, plants were valued for something far more practical. They could feed a household, flavor food, scent a room, treat an injury, ease an illness, repel unwanted creatures, mark a religious occasion, or, according to the beliefs of the people who cultivated them, protect a home from forces that could not be seen. The history of the magical garden is therefore not rea

Aug 3012 min read

Book Review: Not a Word by Linwood Barclay

After a string of books that simply weren't for me, Not a Word by Linwood Barclay was a refreshing change of pace. The story opens with Reece making a horrifying discovery: his parents are dead in their bedroom, and what initially appears to be a clear-cut murder-suicide quickly raises more questions than answers. As inconsistencies begin to emerge from the crime scene, Reece is forced to reconsider everything he thought he knew about his parents—and whether the secrets they

Aug 292 min read

Book Review: The Night Pool by Lauren Lee Smith

The Night Pool by Lauren Lee Smith had almost everything I would normally look for in a historical thriller: the California Gold Rush, a mysterious creature, gruesome murders, three women from very different backgrounds, and a story built around survival, vengeance, and the violence created by greed. The premise immediately appealed to me, particularly the idea of Clara, Mei, and Haloke becoming unlikely allies in a world that has very little regard for their safety. Unfortun

Aug 253 min read

John William Waterhouse: The Modern Pre-Raphaelite

John William Waterhouse (1849–1917) occupies a distinct position in the history of Victorian British painting. He is frequently described as a Pre-Raphaelite painter, yet the designation is somewhat misleading as it suggests that he was a member of the original Brotherhood. Waterhouse was born in the same year that the Brotherhood was established and came of age artistically after its principal members had already begun to move in different directions. His career instead belo

Aug 249 min read

Book Review: The Minimalist by Kailee Pedersen

The Minimalist by Kailee Pedersen is an ambitious and unsettling novel that immediately caught my attention with its premise. Set within the insular world of classical music, the story follows Mia Voss, the final student of celebrated minimalist composer Ryder Wakefield. After Ryder’s unexpected death, Mia inherits his estate and, more significantly, his unfinished final composition, Death Fugue: Music for Orchestra. As Mia attempts to complete the work, she is forced to conf

Aug 223 min read

Leap Castle: Ireland’s Most Haunted Fortress

Rising from the countryside of County Offaly, Ireland, Leap Castle is the kind of place where history and legend seem almost impossible to separate. Its weathered stone walls, narrow spiral staircases, fortified tower and later additions tell the story of a building that has survived centuries of political upheaval, clan warfare, religious conflict, changing ownership and catastrophic destruction. Yet Leap Castle is perhaps better known for another history: the stories of the

Aug 1911 min read

Book Review: The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty

I have a confession to make: I just couldn't finish this book. And that is particularly depressing because I was really looking forward to The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty. The premise immediately grabbed me. A house that literally feeds on living things, erasing them from everyone's memories except those of the people who own the house? That is exactly the kind of strange, unsettling haunted-house concept that should have been right up my alley. Unfortunately, I coul

Aug 183 min read

Book Review: The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen is an intriguing mystery that moves between different timelines, gradually revealing the secrets surrounding a group of young women who disappeared decades ago. The story alternates between the present and the 1960’s, when four women at a prestigious university become subjects in an experimental parapsychology program led by a scientist convinced he is on the verge of a groundbreaking discovery. Then, the women vanish, and the entire progr

Aug 152 min read

The Dullahan: Ireland's Headless Horseman

Few creatures in Irish folklore are quite as visually unforgettable as the Dullahan. A headless rider dressed in black, galloping through the countryside on a dark horse while carrying his own severed head beneath one arm. The Dullahan sounds almost too perfectly designed for a Gothic horror story. Yet the legend predates modern horror by centuries—or at least, the ideas behind the legend do. Over time, stories of headless riders, death coaches, supernatural horses, and omino

Aug 156 min read

Zeus: Origins, Myths, Symbols & Ancient Greek Art

Few figures in world mythology have shaped literature, philosophy, religion, art, and popular culture as profoundly as Zeus. Instantly recognizable by his thunderbolt and eagle, Zeus stands at the summit of the Greek pantheon as ruler of the heavens, guardian of justice, and sovereign of both gods and mortals. Yet reducing him to the familiar image of a bearded deity hurling lightning obscures the remarkable complexity of his origins and evolution. Zeus is not merely a weathe

Aug 109 min read

Book Review: Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little

Sometimes you need a book that isn’t quite as heavy—a fast-paced thriller with a compelling main character, enough twists to keep things interesting, and the kind of story that makes for perfect summer reading. Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little fits that category. Juno Hardwick is a fighter. At least, that’s who she used to be. Once a rising star in national security policy, her life took a sharp turn after the death of her father. Now she’s living in Los Angeles, spen

Aug 42 min read

Book Review: Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden

Christopher Golden’s Carry Me to My Grave starts with a fantastic horror premise: an old woman with a dark reputation, a family haunted by rumors of witchcraft, and a final journey that awakens things better left buried. Maggie Wise has always been surrounded by whispers. When Malcolm was growing up, local children taunted him and his siblings with the chant that his mother was a witch. They tried to ignore the rumors, but now, as Maggie lies dying, the past begins to resurfa

Aug 22 min read

Aomori Nebuta Festival

Every summer, the streets of Aomori come alive with towering illuminated floats depicting fearless warriors, mythical creatures, gods, and legendary heroes. Drums thunder through the evening air, flutes echo between buildings, and thousands of dancers leap through the crowds, chanting in celebration as glowing works of art make their way through the city. This is the Aomori Nebuta Festival, one of Japan's most spectacular and visually unforgettable celebrations. Held annually

Aug 25 min read

Lughnasadh: History of the Celtic Harvest Festival

As summer begins its slow journey toward autumn, fields of grain sway beneath an increasingly golden sun. The frantic growth of spring has settled into abundance, and communities throughout history have paused to recognize a simple truth: the harvest has begun. Long before pumpkin spice and county fairs became seasonal traditions, the ancient Celts celebrated this turning point with Lughnasadh (pronounced LOO-nah-sah or LOO-nuh-suh), one of the four great Gaelic seasonal fest

Aug 16 min read

The Paris Catacombs: History, Hauntings & Gothic Legends Beneath Paris

Paris is often called the City of Light. Images of elegant cafés, grand boulevards, world-famous museums, and the glittering Eiffel Tower come to mind. Yet beneath those bustling streets lies another Paris—one of silence, darkness, and millions of forgotten souls. Hidden beneath the city's beauty is a labyrinth of tunnels known as the Paris Catacombs, one of the world's most fascinating—and unsettling—historical sites. Whether viewed as a masterpiece of engineering, a cemeter

Jul 276 min read

Kronia: Ancient Greece's Festival of Equality, Harvest, and the Golden Age

In the heat of the Athenian summer, as the grain harvest drew to a close and the hard work of the fields gave way to celebration, the people of ancient Greece observed one of their most remarkable festivals: Kronia. Held in honor of the Titan Cronus (Kronos), the festival was more than a thanksgiving for a successful harvest. It was a brief glimpse into an idealized past—a time the Greeks believed humanity lived in peace, prosperity, and equality. Unlike many religious festiv

Jul 274 min read

Mirrors as Portals: Folklore, Horror, and the Symbolism of Reflections

Few objects have earned as much suspicion throughout history as the ordinary mirror. Every home has one. We use them without thinking, trusting that the reflection staring back belongs to us. Yet for thousands of years, cultures around the world have treated mirrors with caution. They have been covered after deaths, avoided during certain rituals, blamed for trapping spirits, and imagined as doorways between worlds. Perhaps that is because mirrors challenge something fundamen

Jul 246 min read

Neptunalia: Ancient Rome's Festival of Water, Shade, and Summer Survival

As the heat of midsummer settled over ancient Rome, the Roman calendar turned to a festival unlike any other. On July 23, Romans celebrated Neptunalia, a day dedicated to Neptune, the god of fresh water and the sea. While Neptune is often remembered today as the Roman counterpart to the Greek god Poseidon, the festival that honored him was not simply about the ocean. Instead, Neptunalia reflected a society deeply aware of the life-giving importance of water during the hottest

Jul 234 min read

Jorōgumo: Japan's Beautiful Spider Demon

Beauty has always had a way of lowering our guard. Some of the world's oldest stories remind us that danger rarely announces itself with claws and fangs. Instead, it smiles. It charms. It invites us a little closer before revealing its true nature. Few legends embody that idea more perfectly than the Jorōgumo. Part beautiful woman, part monstrous spider, the Jorōgumo has woven her way through Japanese folklore for centuries. She is seductive without being romantic, terrifying

Jul 224 min read

Witch Bottles: The Strange History of Protective Magic & Hidden Charms

Long before security cameras, alarm systems, and motion sensors, people protected their homes with something far stranger. They buried bottles filled with nails, pins, hair, urine, herbs, and other mysterious ingredients beneath fireplaces, thresholds, and walls, believing these hidden charms could trap evil before it entered the home. These curious objects, known today as witch bottles, have puzzled archaeologists for decades and continue to fascinate historians, occult enth

Jul 205 min read