J.A. Hernandez
Bio
J.A. Hernandez enjoys horror, playing with cats, and hiding indoors away from the sun. Also, books. So many books—you wouldn't believe.
He runs a weekly newsletter called Into Horror History and writes fiction.
https://www.jahernandez.com
Stories (110/0)
Owlman of Mawnan, Cornwall
Many legends of cryptids don't have a clear origin, a story that can easily be traced back to the first sighting. For these creatures, the line between cryptid (an as-of-yet undocumented natural animal) and supernatural is sometimes blurry, as is true with cases such as The Qalupalik of Inuit Folklore or El Peuchen of Mapuche Mythology. In some ways, the controversy surrounding sightings of strange things can make them even more intriguing to explore because there is little in the way of proof for or against their existence. At the core of these legends or folklore is a story, often a tangled combination of truth and fiction, genuine experience and exaggeration.
By J.A. Hernandezabout a year ago in Horror
Ghosts of Ogrodzieniec Castle in Poland
What is it about old castle ruins that attract ghosts? Other than the obvious, of course—that castle ruins are just awesome. There's usually some story of an apparition, a strange beast, local legends of orbs or lights, or odd encounters with people who seem to be from another time period. Let's take a trip to Poland, to a small town called Ogrodzieniec, where a ghostly black dog (and maybe a few other spirits) haunts the ruins of a 14th-century castle.
By J.A. Hernandezabout a year ago in Horror
Hodag of American Folklore
American folklore is full of strange creatures, myths, and ghosts. Like other parts of the world, many local legends from towns in America go mostly unheard of unless you're looking for them. A small city called Rhinelander, in upper Wisconsin, is one of those places. It's home to a creature known as the "hodag."
By J.A. Hernandezabout a year ago in Horror
Godzilla (1954)
I'm sure you've heard of it. I'd be shocked if anyone with regular access to technology hasn't. Given that—what crossed your mind when you read the word "Godzilla"? Most people alive today might imagine something like a dinosaur crawling out of Tokyo Bay and senselessly ravaging the city. Now that's a pretty straightforward plot. Let's take a look at the 1954 Japanese film "Godzilla" (Japanese: ゴジラ) to see how the idea of the plot lines up with the actual plot of the movie—because it really is intriguing and might be a bit surprising.
By J.A. Hernandezabout a year ago in Horror
The Isdal Woman of Norway
An unidentified body can be pretty challenging for police and other officials to track down who the person is and precisely what happened to them. Many people today carry some form of identification or even a mobile phone that can be used to figure out who they are, but this wasn't always the case, and even today, bodies are found that remain a mystery. The further back in time you go, the harder it was, not only because of the lack of simple physical evidence but also because forensic scientists didn't start using DNA fingerprinting until the 1980s.
By J.A. Hernandezabout a year ago in Criminal
Dayan of Indian Folklore
The witches! I love witches! All the witches! Let's dive right into the world of witches in India, to a specific kind of witch called a "dayan"—whose lore primarily comes from Jharkhand and Bihar in India. We're talking pure, unadulterated, uncensored, no-holds-barred, stick-with-you-forever kind of evil here. Lock your doors and pull your curtains because you're about to learn of the truly horrific. If you are easily disturbed, you may want to stop now. This article contains descriptions of real-world violence against women and children.
By J.A. Hernandezabout a year ago in FYI
Jenglot of Indonesian Folklore
If you follow me on Instagram, you might already know I have a haunted doll collection. I'm a big fan of creepy little dolls who tend to move on their own, wake you up in the middle of the night with an echoing giggle, or borrow a butcher knife from the kitchen. There are many different takes on haunted dolls, particularly depending upon the culture they're from. Most of mine are antique porcelain dolls with movable limbs and dead eyes; some even have music boxes and will play a song and dance.
By J.A. Hernandezabout a year ago in Horror
Santa Compaña of the Iberian Peninsula
It's interesting to search across the Internet using various languages because, much like legends and folklore, information may only spread as far as the language goes. For example, around 2.4 million people speak Galician - a tiny fraction of the estimated 8 billion people living today. As of 2022, about 600 million people speak Spanish, and around 1.4 billion speak English.
By J.A. Hernandezabout a year ago in Horror
Morgus the Magnificent
I didn't grow up in the 50s or 60s, but I've always been fascinated with eras before my time. I've already written about a concept called anemoia when I created a retro creature feature novella set in the 1950s and sent surprise old-time radios to some of my friends. The radios had not only the audiobook version of my novella but also hours upon hours of old music and radio commercials.
By J.A. Hernandezabout a year ago in Horror
Mirrors: Superstition, Mythology, Psychology, & Sanity
Mirrors are one of a few everyday objects responsible for fear, anxiety, and mental disorders. The small but terrifying list you may find around your home includes your own bed because it creates an "under" the bed; refrigerators at night, as that's where evil originates; dolls, particularly old ones; and, of course, mirrors. I suppose if we're talking about things around the house, we could also add the basement and attic, but those are more of locations instead of objects. Mirrors, though, carry a special kind of folklore and superstition that things like refrigerators don't. After all, no one ever said that if you break a fridge, you get seven years of bad luck.
By J.A. Hernandezabout a year ago in Horror
Brown Lady of Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England
Have you ever seen a photo of a ghost? The history of ghost photography is fascinating and incredibly controversial. With modern technology, taking a picture and adding a ghost to it is a matter of a few taps on your mobile; there are even apps for that. But what about when cameras weren't in everyone's hands? And apps or computers didn't even exist? It wasn't all that long ago compared to how long humans have been around. Today, most people would assume a photo of a ghost was just Photoshopped, but what if not all those spirit photos out there were edited? How would anyone ever know the difference?
By J.A. Hernandezabout a year ago in FYI