Elizabeth Hopkinson's Hidden Grove

          The Arabian Nights panel.   Abdul-Rehman Malik,  Robert Irwin and SF Said. It's the first full day of the festival and I can't wait to get going.  I even do my nails! My first event of the day is Book Bidding Wars , which takes place in City Hall.  One of the panellists is Kate Nash, with whom I have a 1-1 tomorrow, so I am listening carefully.  The panel take us on a fascinating tour of the inner workings of publishing, such as:  What makes a bestseller?  What makes for a distinctive authorial voice?  What happens in acquisition meetings?  The impact of cultural trends (both platforms like Netflix and YouTube, and values like kindness and self-care). And the struggle to achieve diversity in publishing.  A lively Q & A time follows, and the festival volunteers have to evict us from the room to set up the next talk. I then miss my next event on  The Arthurian Legend because I am asking panellist...

400 Writers. 300 Events. 10 Days. One City. Bradford Lit Fest is here again! It's truly incredible how this world-class festival has been built up in only three years by Syima Aslam and Irna Qureshi. In true Bradford style, it's a cutting-edge festival that reflects our city's diversity and desire to discuss religion and politics openly. It's also an intelligent festival.  There are serious academic discussions with serious academics, alongside fun, family events. And on the menu for 2017, a whole stream on Fairy Tales, Myth and Legend! This year, I have been offered a feedback pass by the festival organisers, which means I will be going to LOADS of events!  And I'm going to attempt to blog about every single one of them. My first event is Mastering Eloquence with linguist David Crystal.  I've heard David - and his actor son Ben Crystal - speak more than once at Swanwick Writers' Summer School, so I know to expect something good. David doesn't disappoint...

Earlier this week, I had a short break in York.  And I did something I've been meaning to do for years - go around the Minster in an attempt to identify the statues Susanna Clarke brings to life in her novel of quarrelling Regency magicians, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. I'm probably not the first fan of the book to do this, and I'm sure I won't be the last.  But I'd like to share with you my candidates for the identities of those marvellous statues.  You may disagree.  After all, nothing comes more naturally to magicians! The Cathedral of York, from a window in High Petergate, home of Mr Honeyfoot. Peering up into the gloom of the chancel, where little stone figures jut out.  One begins to speak... "...this was the man who had murdered the girl...We know where he is buried.  In the corner of the south transept!" One of the fifteen stone kings.  (With other, smaller statues above). "...a little group of queer figures with linked arms...atop an an...

Coming soon to an eBook store near you... Tales from the Hidden Grove Elizabeth Hopkinson has had over 60 short fantasy stories published. Now for the first time, 12 of them have been collected in this charming slim volume. Booksellers and emperors learn to fly, fairies deliver the milk, and horses, knitting needles and the Houses of Parliament are not what they seem. Sometimes funny, sometimes moving, always imaginative, this book will take you into the magical world of an author Black Pear Press called: "Amongst the finest short story writers in the UK right now. " This book also contains the previously unpublished "Paper Prince", and a brief "About the Stories" describing the inspiration behind each of them. It will soon become available on iBooks, Kobo, Amazon etc.  But if you can't wait for that, you can buy it direct at:  Here I really hope you like it.  There are stories that have previously appeared in the likes of Byzarium, Vitali...

Just to let you know, I now have a subscriber-only newsletter, Whispers from the Hidden Grove . Subscribers receive updates about my books, stories and author events straight into their email inbox. If you would like to subscribe, just click on this link.  There are exciting things afoot, including a new short story collection... Listen out for those whispers!

It's Easter, the happiest time of the church year.  And I've discovered a lovely correlation between the traditional Three Magi of Christmas and the traditional Three Marys of Easter.  It makes for a beautiful balance, particularly in Matthew's Gospel, where the story of the Magi is recorded. The Three Magi... Came from the east Brought incense and myrrh "Where is the boy born King of the Jews?"  Went to the wrong place first (Jerusalem) Real answer was in Bethlehem, "for this is what the prophet has written" "When they saw the star, they were overjoyed" Bowed down and worshipped him Sent back to their country by another route The Three Marys... Came at sunrise (east) Brought myrrh and spices "Tell me where you have put him" "Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here" Real answer had been foretold by Jesus. "Remember how he told you..." They were "afraid yet fil...

She asked for a rose.  Her father reaches out to pluck one.  Suddenly, a Beast appears, furious, accusing him of theft.  The penalty is death.  Or the surrender of his daughter. But why such a harsh penalty for plucking a rose?  Much has been said - or invented - on the possible meaning of the rose.  When the last petal falls, the Beast's fate is sealed eternally.  It is the first thing he has learned to love.  It symbolises virginity; the plucking of the rose mirrors the deflowering of the daughter; the aristocratic Beast is excercising his  droit du seigneur  over Beauty, the merchant's child. But why should the plucking of a flower carry such a heavy penalty?  And why does the same motif occur in other fairy tales?  For example, Rapunzel , in which the father must sacrifice his child as payment for picking herbs from the Witch's garden. One answer may lie in ancient mythology.  Most ancient polytheistic religions have s...