Spirits: Mythology, Legends, & Folklore

We’re joined this week to talk with author Bethany C. Morrow about her novels, using “speculative” fiction to tell the truth, how Black sisterhood is lifesaving, and decentralizing fantasy and mythology.  A Song Below Water spoilers from 54:33 to 57:02.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of racism, violence against women, doxing, inciting violence, wh...

An episode with a framing device, within a framing device. We’re getting meta here with the One Thousand and One Nights story, Sinbad the Sailor. We discuss whether or not Sinbad is the luckiest or unluckiest guy in the world, his buckwild plans, and befriending eccentric rich guys.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of xenophobia, death, drowning, infidel...

Haunted woods, haunted schools, and creepy kids. We’re hitting all of the classics in this Urban Legends episode, including the return of a familiar figure... Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of child death, murder, childbirth, death, Covid-19, and insomnia.  Housekeeping - Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicol...

Dr. Moiya is back to help Julia channel the gods and give advice to our Conspiriters about science, relationships, and what wild animals to feed. Also, if a crow started talking to you, would you listen? Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of anxiety, toxic relationships, strained parental relationships, divorce, transphobia, birth and pregnancy, ableism, death,...

One trip and one story can change your life, as author Ciannon Smart showed us in this episode. Listen to how her trip to Rose Hall in Jamaica stuck with her for a decade, how she embraced her weird kid energy to learn about vampires and witches, and how it evolved into her debut novel!  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of slavery, murder, religious perse...

They’re mysterious, they’re everywhere, and they’re not quite tall enough to stand up in. This week we explore erdstalls, the completely mystifying thousand-year-old tunnels scattered through Europe. We ask important questions like who made them, what were they used for, and most importantly—would we go into one?! Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of claustroph...

We chat with author Rena Rossner about her new book, inserting ourselves into historical fiction, the fairy tales of her youth, and looking beyond the golem in Jewish folktales.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of antisemitism, leprosy/illness, pandemic, conflict/war, bigotry, cultural erasure, and misogyny.  Guest Rena Rossner hails from Miami Beac...

What kind of video games do ghost gamers prefer? What does the hierarchy of sleep paralysis demons look like? Is a ghost with snow pants really THAT scary? Sometimes we’re left with more questions than answers after an urban legends episode!  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of death, descriptions of violence, murder, police violence, blood, death by expo...

We talk a lot about the ghost type of spirits on the show, but what about the liquor kind of spirits? We’re joined by Dr. Hyunhee Park to talk about the global history of the distinctive Korean drink: Soju. Hint: It all comes back to the Mongols.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of colonialism, conquest and war, disease/illness, and wealth disparity.&nbs...

Obviously looks aren’t everything, and with Tatterhood that is absolutely true. This fairy tale is full of twists, turns, and incredible aesthetics. Julia plays folklore sommelier and we ask about The Goat Situation.   Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of child abuse, infertility, pregnancy, childbirth, genitals, violence, body horror, decapitation, a...

We’re mixing up statistics and graphs with our creepy children. Typical episode of the show. Also featuring how funeral homes shouldn’t be real homes, our hometown’s Guiness World Record, and the return of the man in the trenchcoat.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of pets running away, existential crises, trances, destruction of historic sites, death, m...

When you put on a Studio Ghibli film, you don’t expect to be talking about aliens and proto-science fiction in 9th century Japan. But that didn’t stop us! We gush over this retelling of a classic Japanese folktale, and lay out the details of a buck wild Third Act twist.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of death, infertility, suicide, natural disasters, i...

We’re joined by author Jess Zimmerman, making her Spirits return, to talk about women and monsters from Greek mythology. We chat Aerosmith music videos, mansplaining, and rant about the lack of allyship from Athena.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of misgendering, transphobia, sexualization, misogyny, body horror, death, drowning, violence against women...

Look up at the night time sky. See the moon? Human beings have been doing the exact same thing for centuries, and there’s plenty of moon deities to show for it. So we’re rounding up some of our faves for a truly celestial episode.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of animal death, pregnancy and birth, virginity, societal misogyny, sex, heteronormativity,...

The lore of Spirits is expanding with more stories about the man with the trenchcoat and the dog, the origins of the Silent Hill movies, and more terrible choices by college students. Also featuring our love for real life Scooby Doo, the Hot Tall Lady from Resident Evil, and more!  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of Covid-19, bodily functions, nightmares...

Julia and Moiya are back channeling the gods to give you advice on burning questions! Amanda teams up with a fortune god to give financial advice, we help determine what paths are the best paths, and we learn to love ourselves.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of sex, relationships, anxiety, war, fire, Covid-19, money/finances, banking and financial inst...

We’re joined by horror and video game connoisseur, Jenna Stoeber, to discuss the Internet’s own version of folklore - Creepypastas. From Candle Cove and Ted the Caver, all the way to the modern day, we chat about the specific ecosystem that allowed them to thrive.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of suicide, eugenics, cults, racism, abduction, sex traffi...

We have talked about theatre a LOT over the past five years, so now seems like the perfect time to talk about theatre superstitions! From old classics like the Scottish Play, to some that are totally new to us, we’re talking all things that go bump in the wings.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of bodily harm/broken limbs, suicide, civil unrest, riots, p...

Sometimes a story just sticks with you. And in this last installment of Oops! All Urban Legends month, our favorite hometown tales are back and better than ever. Hear the real story behind the Toyota Plant, the return of the Crawdad King, and our favorite named ghost.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of murder, child endangerment, body horror, animal dea...

A creepy store, ghost hunting parents, and a small town monster family! These extra long stories deserved their own episodes because they are so JAM PACKED with details to scare and delight.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of death, bodily remains, xenophobia, demons/The Devil, graves, murder, body horror, organized crime, cultural appropriation, self-h...

Humans aren’t the only supernatural beings and spirits out there - it’s time to feature the pets and animals in our creepy lives! Featuring a cat’s unfinished business, how to create a plant ghost, a horse antichrist, and a ghostly game of fetch. Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of animal death, mental health issues, anxiety, cultural appropriation, sexual inn...

A whole month of urban legends. You read that right. And we’re kicking it off with Second Chances - a series of updates from stories we love, and new tales revisited! We discuss haunted restaurants, hiking mistakes, and guessing the names of ghosts.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of animal death, pet abandonment, death, fire, bodily functions, threat o...

We’re closing out this year with the tale of Chang’e - or rather, the many tales of the Chinese moon goddess. We cry through a musical, blend tales of betrayal and love, and discuss the honesty of grief and moving on, drinks in hand.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of death, terminal illness, Covid-19, misogyny, murder, abusive relationships, emotional...

A year ago, we said we’d have Emily VanDerWerff on to talk about A Christmas Carol , and damn it, we delivered! We talk cozy ghost stories, bringing back the tradition of wrecking the homes of the rich, and how trickle down economics ruined A Christmas Carol .  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of death, social inequality, trauma, Covid-19, capitalism, pol...

Sometimes we ask a question on this show that simply does not have an answer. And that’s probably for the best. We talk hair-styling witches, flipping haunted homes, and… well you’ll just have to wait to find out.  Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of sex, Covid-19, curses, war/violence/conquering, genitals, masturbation, ageism, religious persecution, abl...