WitchLit Podcast

A huge thank you to Tamsin Davis-Langley for jumping in to save me from a last minute scheduling disaster (of my own doing). It was an enormous pleasure to talk with her about Jake Stratton-Kent's  Geosophia.  The two-volume work spans a breadth of thought and practice and Tamsin and I still ranged all over the place, including a brief discussion on Stratton-Kent's approachable and warm wr...

Previous guest, Lisa McSherry, joined me to talk about the pagan classic, Ted Andrew's  Animal Speak . Despite a million copies being sold and Ted Andrews being on the wall of fame at Llewellyn, I had never read it. We talked about Andrews's book in context of writing, how things have changed in the occult publishing world since the not great original cover of  Animal Speak,  and Andrews&#...

HiC Luttmers joined me this month to talk about  Eternal Egypt  by Richard J. Reidy, a Bay Area local and founder of the Temple of Ra in San Francisco. We don't get around to talking about writing but we do cover quite about Reidy, Kemetic practice and its adoption to the modern world, and Egyptian death rites. Eternal Egypt  was self published but is widely available in print and ebook format...

Steampunk romance author (and writing friend) Anne Renwick joined me to talk about Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 Sherlock Holmes novel,  The Hound of the Baskervilles , how it relates to her work in progress, and what we did and didn't remember about this book. We also touch on Holmes as a character, the occult and folklore elements of the book, and a tangent on indie book marketing in 2026. A...

Life has intervened, there will not be an episode of WitchLit Podcast this month. Join us next month as we read Hound of the Baskervilles with Anne Renwick

Thumper Forge, author of the newly released  The Chaos Apple , joined me to talk about this romp of a novel by Raymond Buckland, better known for his books on witchcraft and Wicca. We cover a lot of ground including representation of witchcraft, new-paganism, and other esoteric traditions in 1990s fiction; how hard one can suspend one's disbelief; and how Discordianism and Chaos magic appear i...

A note that the audio for this episode isn't the best it could be. We had a few internet connectivity issues and Julian, our editor, did his best with what I gave him. Folkrist and author Mark Norman of The Folklore Podcast joined me this month to talk about reading and collecting folklore, publishing on niche topics (including pop-culture folklore), and what draws us to the darker stories of...

Judika Illes joined me this week to discuss the classic Russian novel  The Master and Margarita  in all its weird and wonderful glory. We also covered growing up in a house of books that were never off limits, publishing, divination, what she's up to these days and what's on the horizon. You can find all of her books, decks, and other writing on her  website . WitchLit listeners receive 15...

This month author and professional tarot reader Cassandra Snow joins me to discuss Rachel Pollack's classic  Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom . While it's been called the tarot bible, it does have some detractors. Cassandra and I discuss the impact the book and Pollack has had on tarot reading and practice—both for Cassandra and in general, the breadth of knowledge Pollack brings to the text, and h...

This month romance author Katta Kis joined me to chat about the controversial classic, The Satanic Witch, originally published as The Compleat Witch or What to do When Virtue Fails. I'm not sure what either of us really expected but I think we both left feeling like we'd learned more about Anton LaVey's personal peccadilloes that we did about Satanism. Katta and I discuss the sexism, context, and...

This month, author and tarot deck creator  Charles Harrington  joined me to discuss  The Oracle Glass  by Judith Merkle Riley. There's a lot of ground to cover with a book this expansive, but we hit on what fiction gets right and wrong about reading the future, thoughts on identity and persona, and lots and lots of asides on tarot and the history of the occult. Charles's latest book is  Ta...

This month Aidan Wachter joins me to talk about Charles Godfrey Leland’s 1899 book  Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches . We talk about how the book has influenced modern witchcraft, our own practices, and what we can take away from  Aradia  and what’s best left in the past. You can find Aidan’s books most places that you purchase books and you can find out more about his work on his  website . Y...

Author and sculptor Via Hedera joined my to discuss  Touch Blue  by Lillian Morrison. Morrison compiled nursery rhymes, chants and charms, and more than a few spells in this book for children. Via and I discuss how this book came into her life, the impact it's had on her work and practice, and what we learned from the book and about Lillian Morrison along the way. You can read Via's excell...

This month the Reverend Ron Padrón joins me to discuss Light in the Dark/Luz en lo Oscuro by Gloria E. Anzaldúa, author and Chicana and feminist activist. Ron and I discuss how this book has influenced his own work as a writer, editor and practitioner and what this read through brought up. We also talk about Anzaldúa's life and legacy and how her work and this book in particular can help offer...

Melissa Madara joined me for the finale of Season 8. We talked about their latest book  The Witch's Workshop , what life is like after closing up their brick and mortar store, and how their focus and interests have changed. We'll be back in April with a new monthly schedule and more great authors and occultists talking about witch lit. You can purchase Melissa's book wherever books are...

Artist, tarot deck creator, and author, Davezilla, joined me to discuss putting together a tarot deck of all things supernatural, cryptozoological, mythical, and Fortean. We also talk about how his work connects with his practice and his opinion on AI and what it means for artists. Our discussion happened before the recent AI news about the DeepSeek model and ensuing scramble in the tech world. I...

Salem descendent Alice Markham-Cantor joined me to talk about her new book, working to get it bookended by two standout pieces of writing, and the "witches" who are still being hunted. The Once & Future Witch Hunt  is available wherever you buy books or directly from  Llewellyn . You can find out more about Alice's work at her  website . Transcripts of all episodes are available...

Awyn Dawn returns to talk about her new book 111 Magic. We discuss her writing process, the importance of practical exercises in making magic, and how her experiences shape her work. We may also have gotten word nerdy. 111 Magic is available wherever you buy books or direct from  Llewellyn . For social media links and more on Awyn's work, check out her  website . Transcripts of all episodes are av...

Dave Gaddy joined me to discuss his book  The Simple Magic of Wild Things . He shares his journey from Southern Christian minister to practitioner of the craft and the importance of storytelling, ancestral connections, and the resilience of Appalachian culture in his work. You can get Dave's book wherever you buy books or direct from  Rebel Satori  press. You can also follow him on  BlueSky . Tran...

Kamden Cornell joined me to talk about their new book and  share their journey into the world of invasive plants and how these misunderstood species play a crucial role in our ecosystems. We also talk about the magic of books and the power of reading to slow us down in soundbite world. The Tameless   Path  is available wherever you buy books or direct from  Crossed Crow . You can find out more bou...

This week, Casey Zabala,  artist, tarot reader, and author joined me to discuss the interplay between writing and art, the magic of tarot, and the importance of embracing creativity without boundaries. You can find out more about Casey's work at her  website , which includes links to her new anthology  A Confluence of Witches .  You can also follow her on  Instagram . Please support Black, Indigen...

Spirit worker and author Althaea Sebastiani joined me to talk about animistic witchcraft, the unique challenges and joys of being a hybrid author, and so much more.  Alive with   Spirits  is available wherever books are sold. Althaea's other work is available through their  website , which includes links to their courses and social media. Please support Black, Indigenous, queer, trans, and women-o...

Amanda Hughes is a storyteller, and that story may me told as a novel, a poem, a guide, or the journey through the tarot Major Arcana. We talk about her work, her upcoming Mystic Storyteller tarot deck and guide to using the tarot in your writing, and all the joys and challenges of self-publishing. You can find Amanda's novels, published as  A. Lee Hughes  on Amazon and the Mystic Storyteller book...

Dawn Aurora Hunt joined me to talk about her new Culinary Oracle Deck as well as writing books for kitchen witches and running her Aurora Cucina food business which offers everything from infused olive oils to gluten free mixes. Unsurprisingly, we talk about food a lot, because that's what happens when you put microphones in front of two kitchen witches. You can find all of Dawn's books wherever y...

TJ Green joined me to talk about the journey of self-publishing, weaving folklore into fiction, and all the challenges that come with magical world building over a long series. TJ's books and audio books are available in all the usual spots and you can find out about new releases and events on her  website . You can also follow TJ on  Instagram . Please support Black, indigenous, queer, trans, and...