the power of magic to create positive change.

featuring deborah blake. <3

hello magical person,

it’s been a while since we talked—partly because of overwhelm (can confirm that trying—& failing—to keep up with every social media platform as well as a newsletter is not for the weak), partly because . . . well, more overwhelm, but for different reasons!

about two weeks ago, my wife & i sold our home of 6-ish years & bought a cute 2-bedroom condo!! (happy to report that it’s in a much more, uh, blue town.) though this journey hasn’t been without some stressful moments, i couldn’t be happier about this fresh chapter in our lives.

i’ve been spending most of my time out on our new balcony, pondering the trees, the moon, this bittersweet existence, & this little newsletter of mine.

before the move, i was thinking a lot about it, too—about how i want to do so much more with it. in the beginning, it was a little more personal & creative, then it became 99% about my own book/deck/event promotion. (in my defense, five publications in a calendar year will do that to a girl!) which is fine & all, but that’s what you can already get from me on social media.

it’s time to switch things up!

recently i was in contact with deborah blake, a witch & author i’ve admired for many years. though my mom gifted me a few tarot/oracle decks in my teens, deborah’s everyday witch tarot was the first deck i recall ever buying for myself, so it holds a very special place in my heart. i adore its warm & whimsical energy & still use it regularly, along with its equally gorgeous companion oracle decks, everyday witch oracle & everyday witch’s familiars oracle (note: all three decks were illustrated by the extremely talented elisabeth alba). she’s also written quite a few books i adore, such as the eclectic witch's book of shadows, which i recommend to magical practitioners at every level, whether you’re looking to nail down the basics, desire a refresher, or just want a super gorgeous book on your shelf.

you can imagine how thrilled i was when deborah agreed to take part in the stardust notes revamp! below you’ll find a short & sweet q&a we did over email, talking all things witchy & writing. i hope you’ll find it as magical & insightful as i did. <3

Deborah Blake is the author of seventeen books on modern Witchcraft, including The Eclectic Witch’s Book of Shadows, The Little Book of Cat Magic and Llewellyn’s Little Book of Spellcraft, as well as the acclaimed Everyday Witch Tarot and Oracle and Everyday Witch’s Familiars Oracle decks. She has also written three paranormal romance and urban fantasy series for Berkley, and as well as a cozy mystery series about a run-down pet rescue. Deborah lives in a 140 year old farmhouse in upstate New York with numerous cats who supervise all her activities, both magical and mundane. She can be found at http://deborahblakeauthor.com.

what does the word witch mean to you?

I realize that it means many things to many people, but to me, a witch is someone who follows a nature-based spiritual path, worships both goddess and god (or some variation on that), and believes in the power of magic to create positive change.

share with us one simple magical thing you do daily/regularly.

I greet the gods first thing in the morning and ask for their help and protection during my day, then thank them last thing at night.

instead of telling us what’s in your bag (an internet trend i loved), tell us what’s on your altar or in your garden!

My garden is huge! It has many organic veggies and fruits, including tomatoes, strawberries, asparagus, soy beans, and lots of herbs like basil, parsley, dill, and sage, which I use both in the kitchen and in my magical work.

when i was a teen, wicca was all the rage. while i don’t officially identify as wiccan, i would say my practice is very wicca-inspired. i’ve noticed that there’s been a bit of pushback against wicca in recent years—criticism including too many “rules” like the threefold law (which, as you probably know, not all wiccans adhere to). do you have any perspective to share on this?

My first high priestess, who I learned so much from, came from a Wiccan background, although we didn’t have a strictly Wiccan group. So much of my approach to Witchcraft is somewhat Wiccan in flavor, even though these days I consider myself to be an Eclectic witch. I believe there is room for all approaches to magic and Witchcraft.

you’ve authored witchcraft books, tarot & oracle decks, urban fantasy and paranormal romance books, & even some cozy mysteries! do you find your writing to be inspired by your practice even when you’re not writing on the topic of witchcraft?

My practice and my beliefs inspire everything in my life, from writing, to gardening, to cat herding. (Especially that last one.)

an unpopular witchy opinion, whether it’s hugely controversial or seemingly inconsequential.

I think the basic rule of “Harm none” is still worth following, although I know not all witches agree. I do my best to follow it, anyway.

one piece of writing advice that has always stuck with you, as well as one meaningful witchy tip.

Writing advice is a tough one, since nothing works for everyone. But I believe the advice I got many years ago: BICHOK. Butt in chair, hands on keyboard. You don’t have to write a thousand words a day, but you have to keep writing. You can’t fix the words that aren’t on the page. As for a witchy tip, I always tell people that the only things they need to practice the Craft is their heart, their mind, and their spirit. Although a few crystals never hurt.

who would write a book about WITCHCRAFT for KIDS to read?!

me.

i would.

& it’s out september 24th—preorder your copy now! (can’t believe we’re less than a month away!!!)

laced with love,
amanda