Gail Z. Martin moderated a stellar panel, “Advanced Worldbuilding: Folklore and Folk Magic,” in the Writer’s Track on Saturday at 2:30PM in Hyatt Embassy EF. She asked panelists Cinda Williams Chima, Madaug Hishinuma, Nancy Northcott, Megan O’Russell, and D.L. Wainright the foundational question, “What originally sparked your interest in folklore?” 

Wainwright said that she was raised in folklore and moved to the North Carolina Appalachian region. Chima also had roots in Appalachian Ohio. She found lots of material in folklore to modify and adapt, adding that Granny magic is prevalent in the Appalachians. 

Martin gave credit for her interest to The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang. (She then bought the rest of his series.) 

Northcott credits a combination of Greek mythology and folklore for her interest and sees the tales as helpful for worldbuilding.  

Megan O’Russell grew up in a 200-year-old house in which funerals were held for every dead body in town. That was her normal. She uses Greek and Celtic myths in her work. 

Martin next asked the guests about their favorite traditions of folklore and magic. 

Wainwright said campfire tales and oral history are niches for intimate folklore stories. 

Northcott has used Arthurian legends in her Boar King trilogy and herb and stone magic in her Light Mage series. 

Martin uses both real and imagined places in different writing projects. 

As advice for writers, Chima cautioned to never try to tell all you know to the reader. She suggested Ernest Hemingway’s iceberg anthology, that the reader only needs to know about that bit of the iceberg that is above water.