I remember the first time I heard a particular ballad and I thought “Why is someone singing my Bubbe’s song?!” Then I realised not everything belongs to my Bubbe. It was an old English song that Bubbe had ‘klezmerised’ and used to sing it around the house! "A Tale in the Tune" - 8th October

What came first, the song or the story? People are always looking for new stories and new ideas for stories. But we are often drawn back to the same few sources, and it can be hard to find something fresh, unique and personal to you. My Tale in the Tune course is Wednesday evenings from 8th Oct.

COURAGE QUEST was born from the House of the West Wind's "Wildwoods MA" course, blending the Drash with coaching and Narrative Therapy. It invites you into an immersive storytelling adventure, exploring timeless teachings to inspire personal growth and self-discovery. It starts 18th September...

Courses starting soon - 🌟 COURAGE QUEST with Raven 18th September – 9th October Work with storytelling tools to rewrite your personal narrative 🎵 THE TALE IN THE TUNE with Shonaleigh 8th October – 29th October Create new stories from old ballads, applying tools of the Drut’syla Midrash

Simon and I are telling TOOTH & CLAW at Matlock Storytelling Cafe and online 5th Sept. Where would the heroes and heroines of old be without their animal helpers? We will share stories of mythical beasts, wondr'ous steeds and furry best friends: wild, weird and wonderful tales of our non-human kin.

For those of you that speak Dutch - here's an interview I did recently in Amsterdam babelmagazine.nl/2025/06/24...

"It has been a lifelong crusade to preserve and pass on these wonderful narratives so many of us grew up with, enrich them with stories from our diverse worlds, and continue to brew the alchemical cauldron of storytelling." The HOWW Summer Lecture is this Monday at 8pm with Shah Husain <3

The House of the West Wind: College of Storytelling is delighted to present our Summer 2025 lecture next Monday. Shahrukh Husain is the author of many books including 'The Virago Book of Erotic Myths and Legends', 'Temptresses: the Virago Book of Evil Women', and 'The Wisdom of Mulla Nasruddin'.

The House of the West Wind: College of Storytelling is delighted to present our Summer 2025 lecture with Shahrukh Husain. "None of the women in my family were docile. They were very feisty and they had very feisty stories, complete with riddles and challenges." Join us online Monday 30th at 8pm BST.

At a time when many storytellers are fishing in the same pool for their material, I thought it would be interesting look at ballads as inspiration for creating your own stories. My Tale in the Tune course starts Thursday 5th June.

Ballads are wonderful things. These songs hold stories, folded up and compressed by rhythm, tune and refrain. My Tale in the Tune course will teach you how to work with ballads to uncover a rich vein of narrative concealed beneath the song. It starts 5th June.

I am delighted to be supporting the launch of The Tenth Magpie, a Derby-based independent publisher with a mission to find and nurture the best up-and-coming authors: "W𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑖𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑢𝑝, 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑." 📚📚📚

This year I'm adding a monthly post to a secret feed on the Ko-fi... this one is about why daffodils make me think of my mother and my Bubbe. I'm so grateful to all my supporters on Ko-fi who help me to keep my tradition going. Find my Ko-fi here: ko-fi.com/shonaleigh

Word Dancing is coming up... this five-day course will also introduce you to the unique and precious Drut’syla midrash – the hereditary training of traditional Jewish women storytellers. 🗓️ Sunday 11th - Friday 16th May 🏡 Ballyeamon Barn, Cushendall, Northern Ireland

Word Dancing really makes you look at the difference between plot and story. This course is not just for storytellers. It is really valuable for writers, narrative artists, poets, and people who use narrative at the core of their work. 🗓️ Sun 11th-Fri 16th May 🏡 Ballyeamon Barn, N. Ireland

Words are a creative force. When you tell a story, in person or on the page, it is an act of creation. You are literally spelling something into being and creating something that didn’t exist before. 🌟 Word Dancing 🗓️ Sunday 11th - Friday 16th May 🏡 Ballyeamon Barn, Cushendall, Northern Ireland

Having the best time teaching "Sky Full of Story" in the desert

So thrilled to be working with Katherine on this book xx

Wat een mooie en ontroerende ochtend! Tobias de Ronde en Brendan Lodder voerden een aangepaste versie uit - in gebarentaal - van mijn workshops Verhalen van Vrijheid. Want zoals men op de Guyotschool zei: "Vrijheid is onze eigen taal gebruiken." #storytelling #vrijheid #onderwijs #gebarentaal

Eye assessment today before surgery next month! Good news I have eyes, they are in the right place and no detached retinas. Oh and the sun is out. The day keeps on giving x

So this feels slightly momentous. My first post on this platform. My Corn arrived, I cleaning products arrived I am on a mission to finish the main bedroom and I have not slipped over yet! So far 2025 is looking good but I'm keeping my expectations low !