Harley, författare på Coffinfolk Café

Transi – Art or Nightmare?

Posted on 6 February 20265 February 2026 by Harley

Transi, also known as cadaver tombs or cadaver monuments, were a way of adorning a grave with a sculpture that differed greatly from the types of grave monuments we are accustomed to seeing today in cemeteries or burial vaults.

Instead of depicting the deceased as peacefully resting, the sculpture portrays the person’s decaying corpse or skeleton. It served both as a graphic reminder of life’s fragility and the impermanence of the human body, and as a more frightening reminder of what awaited after death: the torments of Purgatory.

The Black Mourning Band

Posted on 30 January 202629 January 2026 by Harley

Today, we are often expected to function as usual, even when life has just fallen apart.
In the past, it was normal—almost expected—to wear one’s grief on the outside as well.
Perhaps you have seen such a marker at some point: a thin black band on a lapel, or a black armband on an athlete’s arm.
An increasingly rare symbol that shows someone is carrying grief and longing.

Charon, the Ferryman

Posted on 23 January 202622 January 2026 by Harley

Charon is the ferryman of Greek mythology, the one who carried the souls of the dead to the underworld, Hades.
Was he pleasant company on the journey? And what happened if you couldn’t pay for the crossing?

Here you can read a little more about the figure who ferried souls between worlds — and unlike the ferryman’s own transport service, this one is completely free.

Game recommendation: Seasonala Cemetery

Posted on 16 January 202615 January 2026 by Harley

Gabby DaRienzo and her team have done it again! Their previous title, A Mortician’s Tale, focused on the funeral industry in the United States, and now, as a natural next step, players are invited to explore the fictional cemetery of Seasonala Cemetery.

Hartsdale Pet Cemetery – the world’s oldest pet cemetery

Posted on 9 January 20269 January 2026 by Harley

In 1896, Hartsdale Pet Cemetery opened its gates in New York, USA.
Today, it is the final resting place of nearly 100,000 deeply loved and dearly missed animal companions, and the world’s oldest pet cemetery still in operation.

In this post, you’ll read how a single act of kindness grew into a peaceful animal kingdom.

9 Death-Positive Qoutes

Posted on 2 January 20261 January 2026 by Harley

There are so many wise words about death and about how we relate to our own mortality.
Whether you love or hate posts like these, give them a chance. You might find something that helps you set the tone for a new, more death-positive 2026!

Q&A with Harley

Posted on 26 December 202526 December 2025 by Harley

Why start a blog about death, of all topics?
Isn’t it depressing to write about grief and death all the time?
Why is the blog called “Coffinfolk Café”, and where did the characters Quinley and Herrow come from?

In this post, I’ve gathered the most common questions I get about my interest in death, the Coffinfolk blog, and the short stories featuring Quinley and Herrow.

🎄 Merry Christmas! 🎄

Posted on 24 December 202523 December 2025 by Harley

My “book friends” and I would like to wish you a truly cozy Christmas! ❤️

Guidance for Grieving During the Holidays

Posted on 19 December 202519 December 2025 by Harley

For many, Christmas is a time of togetherness, warmth, and joy.
But what happens to the celebration when you are deep in grief?
And how can we, as fellow human beings, support someone who is mourning?
This post offers thoughts and gentle guidance on how to face a holiday touched by loss.

“The Unknown Woman of the Seine", One Of the World’s Most Kissed Faces

Posted on 12 December 202511 December 2025 by Harley

Paris, late 1880s. A young woman is found dead in the river Seine. Not unusual in itself—the river had claimed many lives, through accidents, crime, and suicide. Sadly, it still does today.
What made this anonymous woman so remarkable was her face. So peaceful it almost looked as if she were simply asleep.

In this post, you’ll learn about the Unknown Woman of the Seine, who went from an unidentified drowning victim to an artistic icon and one of the most kissed faces in the world.