This shiny new e-book, MODERN FOLKLORE: Stories by writers from the Comma Short Story Course, Manchester, 2025, marks the culmination of the latest in a series of short story courses held by Comma Press – a not-for-profit publisher and development agency that specialises in short fiction.
The online course was taught by renowned English horror author Matt Wesolowski and covered both traditional folk beliefs from across the world and modern folkloric characters, such as Slenderman and Momo. It attracted participants from across the globe – some with previous experience and others who had never written a story before. This eclectic bunch also included me. And I see no problem with blowing my own trumpet!
After a short introduction to the fascinating world of folklore from Matt, the intrigue begins. The thirteen stories in the anthology are centred around the fictional town of Aberstowe, in the North of England. It’s the sort of forgotten place, tucked away in the hills, that you might drive through without noticing. But scratch beneath the surface and you may get more than you bargained for.
Shaping Aberstowe: the creation of a short story collection
Perhaps you’ve heard the whispers about the strange goings-on in Myrwell Woods or at the stone circle? Or the rumours about the unusual creatures – and even odder residents – who inhabit the town? “There’s nowt so queer as folk” after all!
Over the course of six sessions, we learnt how to develop ideas, structure stories, create engaging characters, and build tension as we brought the world of Aberstowe to life. We were provided with writing prompts, such as a tourism leaflet detailing local attractions, which now feature in the book. The interconnected nature of the anthology, and the strange phenomena it describes, means that some characters interact with each other across different stories and even pop up more than once.
Immerse yourself in modern folklore – for only 99p
The Modern Folklore e-book is available to buy for the princely sum of 99p on Amazon.co.uk – a small price to pay to enter the sinister world of Aberstowe, replete with unexplained disappearances and cautionary tales. Once visited, never forgotten!
If you don’t own a Kindle or similar device, you can download an ePub reader free of charge to access the e-book.
If you’re interested in creative writing, it’s worth keeping a look out for future courses held by Comma Press, the Brontë Writing Centre or other organisers. Some courses are held online, others in person. You could also check if your local library or college host creative writing courses, or simply borrow a book about creative writing, visit online forums, and take it from there. Who knows what you might come up with when you put your mind to it!
