Elizabeth Dearnley
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elizadearnley.bsky.social
Elizabeth Dearnley
@elizadearnley.bsky.social
2.5K followers 910 following 230 posts
Folklorist, writer, Lecturer in Creative Writing at Edinburgh Napier University. Editor of DEADLY DOLLS and FEARSOME FAIRIES (British Library). Fairy tales / horror / interactive stories / weird and eerie 🦇 Rep’d https://www.philippasitters.co.uk. She/her
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Reposted by Elizabeth Dearnley
johnnymains.co.uk
Charity shop going HARD on the haunted dolls this Halloween!
October 15, 2025 at 10:29 AM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
Slowly unpacking my study and filling a drawer with pressed seaweed, like a Victorian lady botanist 🌿🪸
A cabinet drawer filled with sheets of pressed seaweed in shades of red, brown and green.
October 5, 2025 at 11:30 AM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
Moving house in two days with all the essentials packed 🍄🌿🫙🪶
A series of packing boxes with increasingly weird labels.
September 16, 2025 at 6:15 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
Huge news! 🌿✨💍✨🌿 I’m overjoyed to be marrying my love Darrick, and also exceptionally excited about this ring, which is basically a forest in ring form 🌳💍💚 It is tourmaline, peridot and diamond!
A very sparkly engagement ring with a tourmaline centre stone, surrounded by peridots and diamonds, pictured against a moss-covered tree in the Hermitage of Braid. Me and my fiancé Darrick in a wood at sunset.
August 31, 2025 at 7:49 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
I popped into @mediamuseum.bsky.social on my way back from the festival yesterday, and was so happy to catch up with my favourite exhibit, the Pepper’s Ghost darkroom!

I found this absolutely magical as a child, and still do now - there are so many throughlines between this and my work today! 🎞️✨🕷️
Pepper’s Ghost illusion at the Bradford Media Museum, showing a bathroom being used as a darkroom under red light. Pepper’s Ghost illusion at the Bradford Media Museum, showing a bathroom being used as a darkroom. The red light is now white. Pepper’s Ghost illusion at the Bradford Media Museum, showing an ordinary bathroom with a comedy spider in the bathtub.
July 7, 2025 at 12:25 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
On my way to @bradfordlitfest.bsky.social to take part in this wonderfully weird event tomorrow! Very excited to talk creepy dolls, toys and all things spooky 🧸🕸️👁️
www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk/event/tales-...
www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk
July 5, 2025 at 3:14 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
GOBLIN HAIR 🌿💚🌿 bringing me ever closer to my final fae form 🧚🏾
A selfie of Elizabeth with gobliny green streaks in her hair.
July 4, 2025 at 6:39 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
A VERY long shot, but I just found a ring in Bute Park, Cardiff, in case anyone has lost one! I left it where it was #butepark #cardiff
My hand holding a silver ring
May 16, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Reposted by Elizabeth Dearnley
rspb.bsky.social
Happy 99th birthday to the man who gave voice to the wild. 🎉

Sir David Attenborough, thank you for a lifetime dedicated to the natural world, and for sharing its story with wisdom, wonder, and grace.

You've inspired generations to fall in love with nature.
This photograph captures Sir David Attenborough seated outdoors on the rugged terrain of Skomer Island. Behind him, the ocean and coastal cliffs form a scenic backdrop under a clear sky. Sir David, dressed in a khaki jacket and light trousers, looks towards the camera with a gentle expression, exuding a sense of warmth, calm, and wisdom. Around him, puffins can be seen flying and perched on the rocky ground, illuminated in rays of golden sunlight as the sun sets behind the cliffs.
May 8, 2025 at 7:09 AM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
First experiment with yarn dyeing: avocado skins and stones (which should create a dusty pink dye) 🥑🧶🌸
A steel pan full of wool soaking in an alum mordant A steel pan of wool steeping in a pinky-orange dye bath A bowl of avocado skins and stones
May 7, 2025 at 8:02 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
Just going through my saved clothes/costume/sewing inspo Instagram folder, and I CLEARLY have a colour palette 🍂🌸🍃🍑💛 …pastel autumn?
A screenshot of an instagram folder filled with images of clothes, all of which are russet, green, mustard, pink and peach. A screenshot of an instagram folder filled with images of clothes, all of which are russet, green, mustard, pink, purple and peach. A screenshot of an instagram folder filled with images of clothes, all of which are russet, green, mustard, pink, purple and peach. A screenshot of an instagram folder filled with images of clothes, all of which are russet, green, mustard, pink, purple and peach.
April 28, 2025 at 5:19 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
WILD GARLIC PESTO 💚🌱🌿🍋 Made with the frankly indecent amount growing in the woods by my parents’ house
A bowlful of wild garlic leaves next to other ingredients for pesto: lemon, olive oil and parmesan Wild garlic pesto spooned into ice cube trays A ridiculous amount of wild garlic growing in a wood A close-up of some wild garlic leaves
April 5, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Reposted by Elizabeth Dearnley
helleborezine.bsky.social
Happy #InternationalWomensDay! We’re lucky to work with so many knowledgeable and inspiring contributors, many of which are here on Bluesky:

@verityholloway.bsky.social
@elizadearnley.bsky.social
@kjsoar.bsky.social
@ladyliminal.bsky.social
@amalexathorn.bsky.social
@melissae.bsky.social …
Covers of Hellebore magazine, Occult Britain, and The magical card Battle of Britain
March 8, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Reposted by Elizabeth Dearnley
patricksamphire.bsky.social
It's enormously hard to get people to sign petitions supporting trans people, let alone trans children, so if you're in the UK, please do sign this. Right now, trans people need all the help you can give.
sophiemolly.co.uk Sophie Molly @sophiemolly.co.uk · Feb 5
This is huge. My petition got approved. It challenges the UK government to the lift the Puberty Blocker ban on the grounds that it contradicts article 8 of The United Nations Convention On The Rights Of The Child.

Please sign and Repost ✊️🏳️‍⚧️

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...
Petition: Lift restrictions on prescribing puberty blockers to trans children.
We want the Government to reverse the restrictions it has introduced relating to the prescription of puberty blockers to children. The Government introduced legislation banning them from being prescri...
petition.parliament.uk
February 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Elizabeth Dearnley
cwmaddix.bsky.social
Edinburgh is running out of time to meet its climate and transport goals.

Running a tram-train on the Edinburgh South Suburban line would cut traffic, emissions and congestion and improve access to the city for locals.

🚋🚋🚋

Sign the petition here: www.change.org/p/reopen-edi...
Sign the Petition
Reopen Edinburgh's South Sub using Tram-Trains
www.change.org
January 29, 2025 at 2:53 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
This looks soooooo good 🌲🍂🦌
tenebrouspress.bsky.social Tenebrous Press @tenebrouspress.bsky.social · Feb 4
Weird only works when you wander from the path.

Preorders for the next volume of SPLIT SCREAM are open now!
Featuring New Weird Horror novellas from @ideofmarch.bsky.social & the team of @johnkpeck.bsky.social & L. Mahler.

Prepare to get lost OFF THE MAP.

store.tenebrouspress.com
Cover art of SPLIT SCREAM: OFF THE MAP by Evangeline Gallagher. Featuring two New Weird Horror novellas from Íde Hennessy and John K. Peck & L. Mahler. Two spot illustrations: a disembodied hand twined in twigs, and a stag's head rising from the waters, draped in moss and water plants. Text: WEIRD ONLY WORKS WHEN YOU WANDER FROM THE PATH. Volume Seven of the acclaimed series takes readers on a pair of nightmare excusrions to lonely locales. We're Sorry. And You're Welcome.
February 5, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Reposted by Elizabeth Dearnley
meanlouise.bsky.social
As a lifelong movie fan & an elder who’s been reading, writing, teaching, & talking about politics & horror for decades, I carved out some time today to compile a list of apolitical & socio-culturally neutral horror films for your viewing enjoyment.
A blank sheet of lined loose leaf paper.
February 3, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Reposted by Elizabeth Dearnley
aoc.bsky.social
I honestly believe our most powerful position in a toxic time that feeds on cynicism, apathy,& despair is to genuinely care and act for a better world.

Cynicism is our enemy. We should check it, incl. on the left. It’s not intellectually superior. It’s the virus they’re trying to infect us with. NO
January 31, 2025 at 7:04 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
Elizabeth-coded characters
Anne of Green Gables Sarah from Labyrinth Peggy from Mad Men Giselle from Enchanted
January 31, 2025 at 8:14 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
What?! The Prince Charles is an institution - please consider signing!
chrisco96.bsky.social Chris Connor @chrisco96.bsky.social · Jan 28
@princecharlescinema.com is one of the most important cultural spaces in London with incredibly unique programming so we need to ensure it stays going. Please sign this petition to keep it going.

princecharlescinema.com/savethepcc/
#SaveThePCC
princecharlescinema.com
January 28, 2025 at 10:01 AM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
New online course on Friday 25 April at @freudmuseumlondon.bsky.social! 🕷️🕸️🧶🪡

Come join me and Katharine Fry for a day exploring the magical and macabre fairy tale worlds of Louise Bourgeois and Paula Rego, held to accompany the museum’s Women & Freud exhibition 🕷️ www.freud.org.uk/event/the-fa...
The fairy tale worlds of Louise Bourgeois and Paula Rego - Freud Museum London
All registrants will receive their link to join via ZOOM. Attendees will also receive access to the recording on the Monday after the event, available to
www.freud.org.uk
January 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
Hive mind, can you recommend any good recent short stories in the genres of romance or historical fiction?

Looking to expand my student reading list and sure there are some good ones I’ve missed!
January 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
Best headline of 2025 so far
January 6, 2025 at 2:25 PM
elizadearnley.bsky.social
Very much looking forward to a dive into the haunted toybox of creepy dolls on Saturday 18 January - join me there! 🧸🕸️🦇
laurenwrites.bsky.social Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · Jan 3
We're blessed to have such talented folks joining us for Writing the Occult: The Uncanny - people like @elizadearnley.bsky.social, who's latest Tales of the Weird collection for the @britishlibrary.bsky.social is all about uncanny playthings. Tix now on sale. Details at writingtheoccult.carrd.co
A text-heavy graphic on a white background reads: Writing the Occult: The Uncanny. Our speakers do great things! Get in the mood for some uncanny goodness by reading Elizabeth Dearnley's collection of tales of the weird for the British Library. Deadly Dolls brings a selection of tales from across the years, all focused on 'uncanny playthings'. Writing the Occult: The Uncanny is a virtual event for writers & readers. It happens 18 January 2025. Details at writingtheoccult.carrd.co. The images show the cover of Deadly Dolls - a black-and-purple drawing of an old-fashioned doll - as well as Elizabeth herself and a drawing of an old-style talking doll. Elizabeth is a white woman with dark hair. She is wearing a red beret and red and black vintage-style clothes, and is looking up to the right corner of the photo.
January 6, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Reposted by Elizabeth Dearnley
afrayn.bsky.social
I'm hosting an event for SGSAH Literature+ Catalyst on Memory, commemoration and curation (Fri 24 Jan 2025, 1-5pm). Contribs: me, @elizadearnley.bsky.social, @amfoster.bsky.social, Ann-Marie Einhaus, Arunima Bhattacharya. For research students at Scot Univs.
Register: www.sgsah.ac.uk/e_t/dp/liter...
Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities - Events and Training - Discipline+ Catalysts - Literature
www.sgsah.ac.uk
December 20, 2024 at 11:28 AM