Tag: wicca

My Thoughts on Pam Grossman’s “Waking the Witch”

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I recently finished reading Pam Grossman’s Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic and Power, published in June of 2019. Grossman is the host/creator of the podcast The Witch Wave. I came across her book in the library I work in, and I decided to check it out. I could barely put it down.

First, let me say this: if you’re planning to read this book, have pen and paper handy, because you will find yourself taking notes and wanting to look up the material Grossman makes references to. I learned something fascinating about L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, and what inspired him to write the book and create certain characters. Grossman makes references to familiar television shows, films and books. I enjoyed reading Grossman’s personal experiences as well as the facts and data she has compiled. Historical references about witchcraft and wicca are mentioned, but not to the extent that you feel weighed down by the information.

This was a very interesting read, and anyone who is interested in women’s history or witchcraft will most likely enjoy it.

Monday Blog: The Witch of Fulton Lane’s Dark Sequel

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BW Flashlight

 

 

Greetings and salutations, everyone! It’s another fabulous Monday. This week, I’d like to focus on one of the three books I’m currently writing. Aside from the next two books in the Valentine Apart series, I’ve been making notes for the sequel to The Witch of Fulton Lane. The title is The Age of The Daughter.

 

The Age of The Daughter

I did some research on the subject of Dianic Wicca, Paganism, and Neo Paganism. If anyone takes the time to look into my borrowing history from the library, I’m sure they’ll be in for a surprise! Here’s a short list of what I’ve read recently:


The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess by Starhawk

Modern Paganism In World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives by  Michael Strmiska

Re-Riting Woman: Dianic Wicca and the Feminine Divine by Kristy S. Coleman

Italian Witchcraft: The Old Religion of Southern Europe by Raven Grimassi

I’m always saying this: read what you write! If you’re writing a story where one of your characters is a gardener, you may want to pick up a copy of “Better Homes and Gardens”, and do a little research. If you’re working on a sci-fi book, READ some sci-fi books. Fulton Lane deals with witchcraft, so I needed to read about witchcraft.

The title The Age of the Daughter comes from a passage I read in Italian Witchcraft: The Old Religion of Southern Europe by Raven Grimassi. It speaks of a time when women will walk as men do; women will begin to have the power that has been reserved for men until that time. The moment I read that, I knew I needed to use it, and I knew I could build a story around it. In this new story, Dylan Maycriss will find herself being pursued by a coven of witches who practice Dianic Wicca, a neopagan religion of female-centered goddess ritual and tradition. They worship the Goddess Diana, and want to bring Dylan into their fold. Dylan also learns she may have a half-sister through her father, Marcus Maycriss, who is part of this coven.

It’s going to take me a long time to write the first draft of this book, but I’d like to have most of it on paper (or USB, I guess) by October. I have so many details I want to pump into this book, so I’m going to take my time with it.

The Author’s Corner

And, I’d also like to mention, the Author’s Corner has some new members! This is open to all writers, bloggers, artists, etc. I will gladly post your information on my site for free. If you want to share links to your websites, books, Amazon Author Pages, social media pages and the like, please contact me. I can also post images of the covers of books, along with author head shots. I have seven members so far, so keep it coming!

See you again next week.