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 (113/0)
Origin of Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal
In Nepal, there's a place called Boudhanath Stupa in a city known for its many temples, rich religious and architectural history, and deep-rooted culture. Boudhanath Stupa is thought to have been built around the 5th or 6th century AD and has several significant renovations and reconstructions. A place that old (1,500 years) leaves a long trail throughout history. With Boudhanath Stupa, there's a pretty dark story about how it came to be. We'll start with what exactly it is now, where it's at, and then dive straight into the darkness.
By J.A. Hernandez2 months ago in History
Hungry Ghost Festival
Have you ever heard of the Hungry Ghost Festival? The seventh month of the lunar calendar, referred to as "Ghost Month," typically falls around August or September in the Gregorian calendar. It's a time when the gates of the underworld open, and all the ghosts return to Earth. During this time, the spirits of the deceased are closest to the living, and the living perform rituals to honor the dead. These practices are deeply embedded in Buddhist and Taoist traditions, and the rites provide solace to Hungry Ghosts.
By J.A. Hernandez3 months ago in Horror
Leyak of Balinese Folklore
There's an intriguing and unsettling monster from Balinese folklore called a Leyak. Leyak aren't the typical type of creatures that inspire fascination; instead, they're more likely to cause nightmares just from learning about them. Even a simple physical description is enough to make many people's stomachs flip. A Leyak might be living right next door to you, and you would have no idea. This means that learning some of the chilling lore around the Leyak could just save your life one day or, at the very least, make you glance over your shoulder a little more often.
By J.A. Hernandez3 months ago in Horror
Zmeu of Romanian Folklore
A strange being in Romanian and Slavic folklore defies typical categorization and description: the Zmeu. It comes from Romanian and Slavic folklore, cultures rich in tales of magic and the supernatural, with creatures often deadly to humans.
By J.A. Hernandez3 months ago in Horror
Cheeroonear of Aboriginal Australian Folklore
Have you ever heard about the Cheeroonear? The name may sound, well, cheery, like something fun to stumble across while out on a morning stroll. It's a furry creature from Aboriginal Australian folklore, a mix between a human and a dog.
By J.A. Hernandez3 months ago in Horror
The Monk: A Romance by Matthew Gregory Lewis
Imagine writing a novel so controversial that people still talk about it over two hundred years later. Well, have I got a story for you. We're heading back to the late 18th century when a teenager named Matthew Gregory Lewis wrote a Gothic novel that made him a best-selling blasphemer.
By J.A. Hernandez4 months ago in BookClub
Lemures of Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome is known for a lot of things: colossal achievements in architecture, governance, philosophy, literature, and the pantheon equivalent of Jerry Springer. With such a rich history in Ancient Rome, it's easy to overlook elements from their culture, like folklore. But, as with most cultures, folklore played a huge role in the daily lives of the Ancient Romans. Among the fascinating beings from Ancient Roman folklore were the Lemures. In 753 BC, nearly 2,800 years ago, the legendary King Romulus founded the Roman Kingdom and the city of Rome. Today, the word Lemures isn't well known, but the idea of it is still very much alive.
By J.A. Hernandez4 months ago in History
Little Ghost Laban. Top Story - February 2024.
I like to dig into other cultures and languages, particularly when it comes to horror, folklore, and storytelling. There's so much out there that isn't readily available in English. It's the same with your native language, whatever that might be. The world is connected now in a way it never has been, and newer technology allows me to explore it using translation tools. We take these tools for granted today, but they are recent inventions.
By J.A. Hernandez4 months ago in BookClub
Curse of Amir Timur
Old tomb opened, curse unleased. It's a tale as old as time. I'm sure you've seen it in at least one movie. (I'm looking at you, Brendan Fraser, in the classic 1999 film The Mummy.) While the notion of a curse let loose from a desiccated corpse sounds like it might be exclusive to fiction, let me assure you—it's not. There have been a few documented cases of pretty strange events that line up with curses on tombs. Let's look at one such curse with origins in the Eurasian Steppe that some say affected the outcome of World War II.
By J.A. Hernandez5 months ago in History
Matriphagy by Tallah
Horror fiction has had a profound influence on art over the years. Typically, when horror is mentioned, people think of movies. Some might even think of books, graphic novels, movies, TV, video games, and maybe even shorts/reels, creepypastas, and campfire tales. What they might not think of, though, is music.
By J.A. Hernandez5 months ago in Beat
