Interview w/ Craig Hallam

From Doncaster folklore to the connotations of ‘believing’, Northern Folklore Archive had a chat with Yorkshire-born author and lover of mysterious stories Craig Hallam.

Debuting his writing career in the British Fantasy Society journal, Craig has featured his work in many a magazine and anthology as well as his illustrious collection of published books. Dabbling in Fantasy, Sci-fi, Horror and mental health related non-fiction, when Craig isn’t weaving magic in his writing, he is also chatting as the co-host of the Writers Off Topic podcast. You can browse Craig’s collection of published works over on his website.

Shuck, released in October 2025, is Craig’s venture into writing about a particularly infamous folklore symbol, which takes many names throughout the North of the U.K, the ghostly black demonic dog The Barghest or Black Shuck. The story follows a grieving family in 1990s Yorkshire , ‘haunted by their fractured past, and hunted in their hollow present’.

Northern Folklore Archive: You have quite the catalogue of written work behind you already, has folklore played a role in your writing? Has it been particularly influential when creating new worlds?

Craig: Oh absolutely. There's just something about folklore, the nature of it, how it can shift and adapt and merge together cultures over time. I've always been obsessed with that idea because so much of it is oral history. What stories did we use to tell when we were huddled in huts through long winters? How similar were they to what we tell now?

I've always loved the Gothic and folklore in equal measure. Now you've got me thinking, I can see those influences in every book I've done. But recently with Emi, Shuck, and the cosier Hexford Witches series, I feel like I'm really letting my love of folklore shine through.

Being from Yorkshire myself, I am thrilled to see your latest book is set here! What is it about Yorkshire that inspired you to set 'Shuck' there?

Well I'm from Doncaster and what really compelled me with this one was that Doncaster is almost never spoken of in literature. Also, because it's based in the late 90s when I was Cassie's age, I get to tell a story about how people really were then. A lot of what happens in Shuck really did happen to either me or close friends.

Other than that, I think Yorkshire has such an incredibly Gothic vibe. We've been at the centre of Gothic literature for a long time but it's always the moors, or Whitby or York. I wanted to show that our smaller towns are just as worthy of a cool story. And unfortunately Doncaster doesn't really celebrate its folklore, ghosts, and ghouls as much as other places. I'd like to rectify that.

Shuck centres on a Barghest wreaking havoc on a family, are there any cryptids or supernatural creatures that would succeed in luring you into their trap? I know for a fact I would follow any demonic dog (Black Shuck, Gabble Ratchet, Barghest, any of them!); I'd be convinced I could befriend it!

I'd be an absolute sucker for a goblin or boggart. Mostly because I think we share a feral introvert vibe and we'd just get on well. Also, who doesn't want to escape to a hole once in a while?

Alongside 'Shuck', you also have a book series centred on witchcraft... have any of your stories been influenced or inspired by true events in your life?

Shuck is very much based on true events and I've wrapped a ghost story around them. I know a lot of witches, druids, and other Esoterics, and they're just good, normal people. With Hexford Witches in particular, I wanted to show that there are normal people doing normal magic every day out there.

I wanted to avoid the Harry Potter style magic with explosions and battles, and show people using their specialist knowledge to outsmart their foes. I really wanted Hexford to be a low-combat setting. When everything in the world is guns and explosions and CGI special effects, I really wanted to show what some love and baking can do to protect those you love.

Are you a believer or a sceptic when it comes to folklore? Do you believe in ghosts, fairies, giants... large black demon hounds?

I have an issue with the word "believe". I think once you believe in something ardently, it closes off a little part of your mind. That's how we end up with religion being used to justify atrocities. I love the mystery, the possibility, the story. I love that there are hundreds of descriptions and explanations of what folklore creatures really are, what they really mean, where they first come from. And I've seen enough strange things in my previous careers as a nurse and an undertaker to know that not everything can be explained.

Are there any supernatural tales or superstitions from the Doncaster area that you'd like to write about next?

We had some interesting witch trials back in the 1600s that would make a good story. And there are plenty of hauntings and suchlike. But as I mentioned earlier, there is very little solid information as much of it has been lost. Still, with a little digging in our local archives, it's amazing what pops up. It's something I'd love to devote more research time to.

The next Gothic Yorkshire (tentative series title) book in the works is called Folly, and is about a woman being forced to relive the experiences of a young shepherdess accused of being a witch in the 1700s.

One of the duo at Northern Folklore Archive is a huge film fanatic, so this last one is purely for his sake... what's your all-time favourite film?

You can't do that to me! Can I cop out and say it's a tie between Evil Dead 2, The Crow (1994), and Hellraiser (1987). I love Horror in particular but anything that's a bit darker really catches my attention.

The film fanatic from Northern Folklore Archive officially approves of these choices, you’re safe!

It was such a joy to chat to Craig about all things folklore, he has fantastic insight into really fabulous folklore tales, and these have been a great influence on his work. Craig was kind enough to send us a copy of Shuck, we’re super excited to get stuck in and read more about the ghostly happenings of 1990s Doncaster.

If you’d like to read any of Craig’s books, you can check out his website here. He also has an Instagram page, if you’d like to follow what he gets up to or just have a chat with him.