Thaumaturgy for apostates
Dec 24, 2021 10:51 pm
All I want for Christmas Solstice is to be blessed by a forest goddess.
I saw an interesting video on TikTok where a woman talked about how reading U.K. LeGuin's The Tombs of Atuan helped her deal with trying to understand idealogues. Judging by her non-fiction reading, I think she was raised in a cult or otherwise damaged by religious beliefs. Le Guin's words gave this woman inspiration and hope when non-fiction wasn't quite touching her soul.
I think that's what all novelists hope for, deep down. We all hope that our novels will cause epiphanies, make readers feel kinship, or at the very least, suck you into an exciting adventure. My novels aren't just entertaining stories about faeries and vampires, they're my deepest thoughts with the serial numbers filed off. I want them to hit you like the song you secretly play on repeat with the volume cranked up. (But I'll settle for a positive review.)
And sometimes I explore ideas for my own sake. Dryad's Blade is a quest to save a loved one while resisting the temptation of another, but it's also my quest as an author to explore what it means to be "culturally Christian" but not find that religion to be spiritually resonant. When you don't care for the gods on offer, how do you create your own?
When I was a kid, I adored the Chronicles of Narnia and reread them over and over. These books are very Christian, a fact which eluded my 11-year-old self but seems blatantly obvious as an adult. I love C.S. Lewis' concept of Narnian magic as an aspect of divinity. I did a lot of research into Wicca and other neo-Pagan religions to write these novels, since I wanted a magic system had real-world versimillitude. However, the Paganism in my books is peppered with what I wanted but didn't find in my research. Kit's relationship with Yseulta is my own spin on the Narnian concept of magic fused with spirituality minus some of the objectionable facets of existing religions.
If my books have resonated with you in any way, I would love it if you would share that. Tell your friends and fellow readers, write a review, and please feel free to email me any time with your reactions, good or bad, because your opinion means a lot to me. I do read every email sent to this account. And if you send me a photo of a cat or a crow, I'll happily send you a terrible pun in exchange.
Kit's new boss is eerie and numinous. Displeasing her may be ruinous. Attracting her attention might be even worse. (Wide)
Fall under the spell of these outstanding authors as they spin unforgettable tales of witches, demons, dragons, shifters, and more. Explore enchanting worlds filled with magic, unexpected twists, strong leading ladies, and just the right amount of flirty romance. (99 cent preorder, wide)
In the search for a cure to a viral pandemic, scientist Liz Meyer discovers something far more deadly; vampires exist and they’re immune to the virus. A blood sample could be the solution to a cure. Can Liz get the blood she needs to find a cure? Or will it be her blood that’s taken instead? (Amazon 99 cents)
Mother can’t kill me. Not that she hasn’t tried.
I’m the heir to a modern-day magical dynasty, daughter of the most powerful mage in existence. As my powers grow, I think Mother and I have both come to the same conclusion: I might be the only thing that stands in her way. (Amazon)
December: Free Urban Fantasy Books
Year-End Urban Fantasy Giveaway
Gratuitous Cat Photo
They're a little big to share the same bed, but it's cute when they try.
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