BREEDING GROUND: This Loathsome Legacy

This month I’m sharing details about my story “This Loathsome Legacy”, published in Issue 5 of Frightmarish Zine.

ABOUT THE TALE

When the legacy of a group of women is threatened, they unite in a desperate stand, vowing to protect their bloodline no matter the sacrifice

Wondering how This Loathsome Legacy came to be? Two seeds – a superstition/folk tale about hair and an oracle card!

I’m not even sure how I connected these two seeds, but it started with drawing the spinning wheel card from the Memento Mori oracle by Black & The Moon (yes…you all know how obsessed I am with Claire’s decks!).

THE METHOD TO MY MADNESS

I intentionally drew this card – picking out the ones that jumped out at me as I flipped through the deck. When I consulted the mini guide that came with the cards, this is what the Spinning Wheel card represented:

the universe. creation. spin a tale. control your destiny. working with your hands. a set of skills. women’s stories. feminism. matriarchal line

And since you all know how I love witchy tales, ideas about how to bring that vibe to this story started flowing.

“Spin” a tale really caught my attention, as did women’s stories & the matriarchal line.

Next, I went through my long list of story seeds to see if anything fit the theme, and I found a few. I also went to my trusty books on superstition & old wive’s tales and even though the hair entry didn’t directly relate to my story, another tiny seed in there really called to me about how one should cut their hair at either the waxing or waning moon depending on whether they want it to grow again or stay short. I also loved the idea of how throwing strands of one’s hair into the fire can be an omen, whether good or bad.

All these little seeds intermingled in my brain, conjuring a tale of legacy – protecting it and the threat of losing it to those who want that power for themselves. If you read it in Issue 5, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

READ THIS LOATHSOME LEGACY

This Loathsome Legacy is featured in Issue 5 of Frightmarish Zine. All patrons can download a digital copy HERE.