At long, long last, my fourth book, “Pagan Curiouser – A Joyful Path of Nature, Magic & Spirituality” has arrived! And whew, this one was a difficult birth.
I got the contract for the book in August 2023, and piddled around with it a bit but didn’t plan to dig in and start writing until September. And just as I started writing the Introduction, the bottom fell out of my world. My beloved heart horse, Pendragon – “Penn,” had one catastrophic injury and untreatable condition after another in rapid succession, and had to be euthanized in early October. If that wasn’t crushing enough, my little magical familiar, Minnie, a sweet, shy little black cat that sat with me every day at the computer when I wrote, also took a turn for the worse following a long illness, and had to be euthanized the day after Penn.
These two animal angels were a huge part of my world and suddenly — ripped away. I tumbled into the void they left, and any and all ability or desire to write tumbled in too. I was unable to write at all. For months. And just as I was maybe, possibly coming out of it, we had a family blowup, then I got a wicked case of RSV that laid me flat for weeks. My writing mojo disappeared. For months. And yet, there was a submission deadline to be met. And meet it I did.
I didn’t hear from my editor for a while, and then after a few weeks got a terse email: “Let’s talk.”
Uh oh.
And talk we did. I wasn’t all that surprised, however. I have been a professional writer for over 30 years, and I know a hot mess when I see one, and so did my editor. And what a hot mess that first manuscript was. My editor made a long list of changes, and I made them over the next few months. And yet — it still wasn’t right. It was all jumbled. Inside out and upside down. A complete restructuring of the book was in order.
First, you cry a little. And then, you dig in and get it done.
I tore the manuscript down to the bare frame and started anew. The beginning had to become the ending, and vice versa, and in between all that, everything had to be combed over so it would make sense. You can’t refer to something from a prior chapter when now, that is a chapter yet to be read. All in all, this book kicked my ass. I’m still recovering. However, seeing it finally appear in the real world, finished, is definitely a psychological boost. Who knows… I may write again! But for now, I’m just going to enjoy this book, in this moment, rather than scampering off to the next sparkly thing — my usual M.O.
So, here it is. “Pagan Curiouser” — a followup to my second book, “Pagan Curious — A Beginner’s Guide to Nature, Magic & Spirituality.” Both are angled for the curious but inexperienced. Those who are curious about Pagan perspectives and practices, magical living, and earth-centric spirituality, but don’t know where to start. No problem — take my hand and I’ll show you around. In “Pagan Curious,” you’ll learn what everything is, from magical traditions, energy, and tools to all the different Pagan spiritual paths. In “Pagan Curiouser,” you’ll learn how to put all these things into motion in your own life, your own way.
My perspective is that of a “solitary practitioner” — someone who creates a magical, spiritual path of their own, shaping it as you go along, progressing at your own speed. You embrace the concepts and techniques that appeal to you, and take a pass on the rest. Both books are created with this in mind: You don’t have to do anything to be Pagan, or a witch. If you say you are Pagan, or a witch, then you are. You don’t need a membership card or degree or approval from anyone else as a “solitary.” You are the sovereign of your own life. You make the rules. You make the decisions and choices. I’ll just be giving you some prompts, ideas, and suggestions for taking these ideas and applying them to your own life.
Your magical Pagan life should feel as organic and natural as walking out into the forest or along the beach. As easy as breathing, or gazing at the stars. In that spirit, your practices can be as simple or elaborate as you wish. I’m not showing you how to be anything other than yourself — only more magical.
What’s the difference between a magical and non-magical life? It’s the difference between watching TV in black and white or in full color. Same story… only so much richer and fuller.
So, if you’re curious about living magically, and discovering Pagan beliefs and practices, and exploring magic and witchcraft, welcome to my books! It’s a warm, gentle welcome, and you are free to gather up the perspectives and practices that work best for you. Because that’s the heart of a Pagan perspective — getting to know who you really are, and creating a life that reflects that.
Purchase both books at Llewellyn.com, Amazon, or a metaphysical shop near you!