Back in the 90’s, when I was first exploring witchcraft, information seemed sparse. I solely relied on books for information. The only other witches I knew were those also new to the craft. But things have changed so much since then. The internet has brought together a huge amount of information, resources and communities.
The more information we have, the better, even if it’s harder to sort through now. There are so many perspectives and experiences and so many voices out there. It can be a lot, even overwhelming. The loudest voices are on social media, usually with a blog, and a lot of opinions on how-to, and advice. It's not a bad thing, don't get me wrong there. It's just a lot, and sometimes, I feel it's missing something valuable. It's missing the everyday experience.
In my experience, the best voices are the quiet ones, the people you meet in person, and get to have intimate conversation with. It comes from friendship and camaraderie. And honestly, it comes from sharing the small stuff. We all know our life isn't one big giant ritual after ritual. There's a lot of mundane, and boring stuff, the "have to do" to survive the world stuff.
A friend at a retreat said “I want to read people’s stories- not the big things, but all the little, everyday things.” It made me think. We get to read about people’s big things all the time. Intimate 200 page books on their relationships with various Gods and deep insights. But what are their everyday lives like? What do they do in the morning, or before bed? What does the everyday life of a witch look like? What makes us magical, what makes us witches and pagans?
I also started to think about how we, as pagans and witches, we don't see our own everyday through the eyes of others. It’s not a story told in the media, outside of fantasy and fantastical. What makes a witch each and every day? What makes our mundane days magical, and different from others? I wanted to start reading those stories, OUR stories.
This is why I am putting a call out for submissions for an anthology I’ve tentatively called Living in Magick- Stories of Everyday Magick, Paganism and Witchcraft. I intend for it to be a compilation of stories, essays, prayers, and poetry about us- witches, pagans, and practitioners of magick. I am also looking for photography and art that looks well in a black and white format.
I'm looking for stories about:
Magical routines
Magical practices
Experiences in Nature
Parenting
Lovemaking
Music
Kitchen witchery
Plants
Prayers
Practices
Devotion
Death
The seasons
Festivals and Retreats
Coven and solitary practitioner experiences
Anything else relating to life as a witch and pagan
I am so excited to undertake this project! All the information related to this project can be found here. The submission deadline is November 15, 2022- and we hope to be published by late Spring 2023 (actual dates will be announced once we actually know!) All contributors will get a copy of the book, as well as the ability to purchase copies at cost plus shipping. If you have any questions, please reach out at my email liminalraven@gmail.com. I look forward to reading all your stories!