Just because Halloween is over for another year, doesn’t mean we have to lock away our inner witch. Let her run free and experience the magic. Creating witch-themed prompts can be a spellbinding way to ignite creativity and immerse yourself in a world of magic and mystery. Whether you’re writing for a story, game, or just for fun, here are my top seven tips to help you conjure up the perfect witchy prompts. 1. Embrace the Atmosphere Witch-themed prompts thrive on atmosphere. Think about the setting: a dark, misty forest, an ancient, crumbling castle, or a cozy, herb-filled cottage. Use descriptive …
Our Samhain Traditions
My husband and I are Pagan. I’ve been in the Craft since 1980, and we celebrate the 8 Sabbats (pagan holidays) that are traditional among many “denominations” of paganism. My first 8 published books were magickal nonfiction. One of them, long out of print, was called Dancing With the Sun, which discussed those eight holidays, plus a few others. So, Halloween traditions are based on Samhain, the Festival of the Dead, which takes place from sundown on October 31st through November 1st. Samhain (pronounced sow-een or sow-ehn), is the festival when we celebrate the dark of the year, the ancestors …
Fangs For The Memories: Part 6 (The Ooo-Spooky Witchy Chicks Round Robin Story)
“I just need to ask you…” Mal petered off, looking away from me as though even he couldn’t bear to say the words. Considering he was a vampire who witch-napped me right off the street while I was minding my own business, I thought it was a little rich. I wasn’t a particularly patient person to begin with, and unluckily for Mal, I was officially done playing his games. “Ask me what?” I snapped, my temper firing up enough that sparks crackled from my fingertips now that I had my magic back. “You yank me off the street, subject me …
Fangs For The Memories: Part 5 (The Ooo-Spooky Witchy Chicks Round Robin Story)
“This has made me remember—” Mal paused as though a long-lost memory had surfaced. As long as it wasn’t, 101 ways to dispose of a witch, I was happy. “What have you remembered?” I asked. The fresh wave of butterflies wreaking havoc in my belly spurred my interest on. The suspense was killing me. Opps, wrong choice of words. “Earth to Mal, come in Mal.” I waited while his deep violet eyes zeroed in on the card. I sat wriggling uncomfortably on the rug, my but cheeks were fast slipping into full numbness. “Mal,” I repeated, slightly louder this time. …
Fangs for the Memories, Part 4, Ann Gimpel
“Well, there might be a way you could convince me to change my mind. All you have to do is…” I held up a hand not at all sure I was ready for whatever would roll out of his perfectly formed mouth. Damn it, anyway. Why did the undead have to be so drop dead gorgeous? I gave myself a firm mental slap to refocus. “Hold up for a moment, please.” Mal stared at me, and then made come along motions with one long-fingered hand. “Out with it. You interrupted me.” A low snarl rode beneath his words. Oh-oh. I …
Fangs for the Memories: Part 3
By Robyn Peterman The vampire stood across from me, his large, looming figure silhouetted against the flames. “I need you to remove my fangs.” I squinted at him in shock. “I’m sorry. What?” A vampire without his or her fangs was a dead vamp walking. Not to mention, the removal of fangs was a death sentence for the remove-ee. I was pretty happy with living for a few more decades. If the man wanted to die, surely there were other ways to do it. And I wanted no part of it. I was a witch who spread happiness and light, …
Fangs For The Memories: Part 2 (The Ooo-Spooky Witchy Chicks Round Robin Story)
In front of us was a sprawling mansion with dark, towering spires that reached into the night sky and rough-hewn stone walls covered in creeping ivy. If things weren’t creepy enough, the windows glowed faintly, casting eerie shadows on the driveway as we approached the front entrance. I worried about what the vampire in the driver’s seat had in store for me. Was I dinner? Dessert? A plaything? Or something much, much worse. I pressed my hand against the door window. “I’m Lydia,” I told my bloodsucking kidnapper. If he wanted to be “best buds,” I would play along. I’d …
Fangs For The Memories, Part 1 (The Ooo-Spooky Witchy Chicks Round Robin Story)
When I ran the old Witchy Chicks blog, we always did a Halloween round-robin story, as though we were sitting around the campfire, telling a group story. And so, we begin that tradition again! I hope you enjoy the story over the next six days! Fangs For the Memories, Part 1: Yasmine I stared at the calendar. Why the hell had I agreed to go to Tuck’s Halloween party? Granted, he laid out great spreads, with tons of great food, good booze, and more candy than anybody should be eating. But I wasn’t in the mood to dress up and …
My Mortal Gods of Writing
I’m perhaps in the minority of writers who—oddly enough, considering my whole metaphysical outlook on life—don’t really believe that you have to “wait for the Muse to strike” in order to write. In fact, if you’re a working writer, you can’t wait on the Muse. That’s not to say I don’t believe that the Muse can—and does—strike when we least expect it, but working writers can’t afford to wait for her. We can’t rely on her, and we sure as hell can’t bank on her to be here for us during deadline hell. A lot of writing (as a career) …
Embrace your ancestors for a meaningful Halloween
Many of us revel in the fun and fright of the Halloween season,but beyond the costumes and candy Halloween also offers a unique opportunity to honor and connect with our ancestors. Embracing traditions that celebrate our familial past can bring a deeper, more meaningful dimension to the holiday. Here are three traditions to help you honor your ancestors and create a spiritually enriching Halloween. Create an ancestor altar One of the most powerful ways to connect with your ancestors is by setting up an ancestor altar. This special space can be dedicated to your family’s past, where you display photos, …