Category Archives: Paranormal and Witchy Fiction

July 29, 2026 · 2:31 pm

Sympathetic Monsters

Greeting Darklings:

Horror has many well-known monsters that range from serial killers to brain eating zombies to Godzilla. Today’s post is about an overlooked type of monster: the sympathetic one. It’s my opinion that there ought to be more sympathetic monsters. I will tell you why I feel that way. 

Most monsters in horror novels and movies fascinate us. I believe that the best monsters are sympathetic. Take the most famous one of all, Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein. The mad scientist’s creature breaks our hearts and fills us with dread at the same time. 

The monsters in my novella The Cult of the Spider People are NOT sympathetic but Piper is. She begins as a human being in the novella and by the end, she transforms with agonizing pain into an Arachnas. Piper yearns to be human, but she will never be human again. She does not wish to feed on blood to sustain her existence. She does not want to harm anyone, but she has no choice. The Arachnas were never in human form. They are eerie, blood drinking spider people. 

The ghost in my novel The Mourning Tide bears a curse. He is forced to carry the seaweed that choked and was on his body when he was murdered, and he carries sadness everywhere with him. Jonathan, the ghost, accepts the painful fact that he may never be saved from his unbearable lonely existence and that his murderer who is alive and well may never be brought to justice. All that changes when Rosemary arrives and moves into his home. Jonathan was a mortal. He had a family that he loved. That was all taken from him. 

Sympathetic monsters add a human element to their existence and form. A tragedy may have made a monster into what he or she or it is. It takes us by surprise when we least expect it. I remember when I lived in this one house with my family. We had a rodent problem, but one of those rats stands out in my mind. The rat did not bite or run or burrow. It just sat there with sadness, old and feeble. It wanted to die, to be released from a painful existence. So my older brother and my mother put the rat into a pot. They drove far away from our home, and released the rat. I think it died alone, but maybe with more dignity. Ending suffering is a humane thing to do. A rat is not a monster, but it does prove that we should not always be so eager to judge. 

That breaks my heart. Most people fear rats. Rats are furtive and hide and their appearance give people the willies. But rats are misunderstood. They are extremely intelligent. Spiders are misunderstood yet they move into our homes to control the insect population. But people overlook the efforts of their web weaving allies and try to kill spiders with chemicals, for example. I never harm spiders. I know they are my allies and are allowed to weave their magnificent webs. Their appearance does make people uncomfortable. But they are an apex predator. They kill off many pest insects and we should be thanking them. We would all have a much bigger problem if it were not for the amazing efforts of spiders. 

What may be a sympathetic monster to one person may not be seen in the same way by another person. A spider is not a monster, yet people fear them and will do anything to be rid of them. A rat is not a monster, yet people fear them. Bats make people uncomfortable, but they eat tons of mosquitoes. I have a great deal for spiders, rats and bats. They are treated like vermin, but they have done nothing wrong. Spiders. rats, bats and even seagulls, bluejays and crows are just being what they are. That is to me, the best type of monster. It is just being what it is. 

A creature that can’t help what it is, that people find themselves relating to in one degree or another is better than something contrived. People like to live in their homes and live their day to day life without problems. They don’t want to see the dark side of nature- me included. I did not watch the movie about an android doll Megan or Annabelle or Chuckie. I can’t relate to those dolls. They seem to just be in a horror movie for the sake of the movie. But when I watched Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein that Robert DeNiro starred in as the creature, I bawled my heart out and I was terrifed at the same time. That stayed with me. I will never forget how the creature won my heart and broke it. 

I am a Witch. I suppose in one sense I could be seen as Other, a rebel, a free spirit, a cauldron burning, moon worshipping Witch who dares to stand out from the norm. Does that mean I am a monster? I am seen as different. Well no I am technically not a monster, but I have seen parents cover their children’s eyes or cut ties with me permanently. I am viewed as Other, of not belonging to the normal – whatever normal really is – of society. I would not change what I am though for anyone. A crocodile is just a crocodile, but they hunt and they have to feed and mate. Tarantulas, spiders, monkeys, scorpions, vultures and black widow spiders make people uncomfortable. They are not monsters in the technical sense, but people are wary of them. They just are what they are.

The most dangerous and most inhumane monster on earth is Man. By that I mean, that it is man’s damage to the environment, to the entire earth that has caused many animal speicies to go extinct. Man has caused 60% of the animal life on earth to go extinct since 1970. That is a huge number. So who is the monster here really? A creature with scales, webbed feet or fangs? Or a creature that lives in a high rise with a car emitting dangerous toxins in the air or a man working for a company that is destroying the Amazon rainforest with no thought to the consequences of their actions? I ask you to reflect on this and ask yourselves… are we the monster? Owls live in trees that get chopped down to make way for a highway, trees that provide us with oxygen, bear fruit or house a family of squirrels. The oceans are polluted and there is no thought for the squids, fish, whales, dolphins or algae or sharks that live in them and have their own families. 

The destruction of the earth is by no means sympathetic. It reflects greed, corruption, complete and utter destruction with no regard for the life that lived there. That is so unforgivable. When a being, human or not, is aware of its actions and has no empathy, that is dangerous. That is a monster. Mankind has caused corruption, climate change, greed, apathy, poverty, destruction of the earth, wars, famine, disasters. Not the seagulls, bats, rats, vultures, gargoyles or spiders. Nope. Because they wouldn’t. I hope we realize soon that we can’t take money to the grave. It means nothing when we are rotting in coffins. Money will mean nothing then. Those tall skyscrapers, fancy cars or massive yachts are just material possessions and objects. They are not reflective of the bigger picture in life. 

Like I say, the best monsters are the sympathetic ones. The ones who terrify us or reflect our own fears back to us and yet win our hearts at the same time. I want to read a novel or watch a movie about that. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

 

 

 

 

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July 24, 2026 · 1:04 pm

Conjuring Gothic Horrors

Why I Conjure Gothic Horrors

Greetings, Darklings:

Today’s post will focus on why I write, or conjure, gothic horrors. I have always loved the shadows, the dark places that maybe others want to overlook or pretend aren’t there. I call those shadows home.

I have always felt like I never fit in. I have always been treated like an outsider. It used to bug me, but I guess I was never meant to fit in. Now I embrace my weirdness. I am glad I didn’t fit in. What does that mean, anyway? In today’s chaotic world, we need more nonconformity than ever. I love horror and the macabre, the dark, shadowy places few would dare to tread.

Being a Witch was a big part of me embracing my weirdness. That may not work for other Witches, but it does for me. It is personal to me. I’ve taken that outsider feeling and created characters in my stories that are outsiders, too, in their own way. Normal is relative, anyway. It is also boring.

Monsters can be, well, monstrous. I created vicious and deadly spider people in my published novella, The Cult of the Spider People. They are terrifying because they act like spiders even though they appear part human. They never think like humans. They crave blood, they are a monstrous size, far more powerful, and it is impossible to reason with them. They exist in darkness, hunt in darkness, and rip you from the light into their darkness, into smelly, moldy cocoons.

Their cave has a massive web where people are trapped in cocoons, praying to be saved, trapped in a world that does not care. That is so Lovecraftian. They speak a different language, they never consider the consequences of their ungodly actions, and they follow the Spider King. They live for the blood. Bones and skulls litter the ground. Sticky spiderwebs snare an unwary human. There is no hope of escape.

Monsters can embody our darkest fears. They can reflect fears back to a person. A monster can be anything, from the tiniest, most harmless spider to a giant squid crushing a submarine in the deep, dark ocean depths. Okay, for me, being trapped in a submarine at the mercy of a giant squid would give me nightmares. How the hell do you escape? How do you escape Arachnall?

By contrast, I wrote a novel that has a monster with a very different story, The Mourning Tide. The novel features a monstrous ghost. The townspeople shun him and act like he doesn’t exist. He is forced to exist with an unbearable loneliness until Rosemary arrives in the town.

She moves into his house. She is grieving the loss of her husband, Henry. She is heartbroken and yearns to be alone to dwell in her own grief. The neighbors are not helpful at all when she asks questions about the ghost Jonathan. Jonathan knows the truth: he was murdered. Rosemary is put to the task of finding the murderer, bringing him to justice, and setting Jonathan free into the light.

He is very human under all that seaweed he bears. He is cursed to carry his grief with him.

So what truly makes a monster? It could depend on what you perceive a monster to be. That can be a strange alien with tentacles or King Kong. If you had never seen a whale before, would you consider it to be a monster? Is an alien like the Greys a monster? Is a monster an embodiment of your fears, like in The Babadook? The Thing? A rattlesnake?

It could be anything that is alien or unfamiliar to you, something so odd and strange you do not know what to think of it. But is there sometimes something more to them, something tragic and human under all those scales or tentacles? Maybe the best monsters are the most sympathetic, such as Frankenstein’s creature. I like to think so.

A monster in your stories should not be just a monster. It can represent something, be symbolic. Show us our deepest, darkest fears when we most want to look away. Some monsters embody a sinister darkness, terrifying and omnipotent, and some are monstrous and yet there is something intrinsically human about them.

Piper is human in the novella The Cult of the Spider People, but at the end of the book, she is a monster—and yet a sympathetic monster.

A thread of hope runs throughout the whole novella, even when Piper is transformed. She is a sympathetic monster because she yearns to be human again, but that is now impossible. She made a huge sacrifice.

To find out more, you can buy the book on Amazon when it is released again in October, at the beginning of the month. I also have signed copies available. I can help pay for shipping if anyone wants a signed copy! The new edition will be released in October. That’s only a few months away!

A thread of hope runs through The Mourning Tide, my other horror story that will be released on October 5, 2026. Yes, I have the wonderful fortune of having two of my horror novels released in October. One more reason to love Samhain!

The publisher is home from the hospital, but she has to rest. The publishing schedules were shifted. Nothing could happen until the publisher was home from the hospital. She has to rest. I wish her the best, and I hope you can all wish her the very best, too!

The thread of hope in The Mourning Tide is that we root for Rosemary and hope she succeeds in her quest to help Jonathan cross over into the light, finally finding peace.

Here we have two stories, with hope and monsters and heart.

I am now working on a new horror novel. I will enjoy discovering the voices of the characters, the theme, the plot, the setting, and, of course, the monsters, be they human or horned!

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch

#monsters #humanity #ghosts #gothic #horror #hope #shadows #fear #light #darkness

 

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July 17, 2026 · 4:31 pm

Tools for the Writer’s Journey

 

Greetings Darklings:

Today’s post is about the tools we use to write. Do you take your keyboard or phone for granted? Do you, if you are like me, scribble with abandon in a black blank journal? ? I like to do both. I scribble and I type at a keyboard. I now have a new keyboard. My previous one worked, BUT the letters on the keyboard buttons were so old I bought stickers so I would know where the letters were and which was which. Over time, those faded too, so I got new stickers to replace the old stickers. But I had to put the stickers (I made myself) onto the old stickers. They faded fast. 

We may never consider the tools we use to write or create. I have taken my keyboard, phone and yes, even a coffeemaker for granted. I love my new keyboard. The new one is much larger and new and clean. I love it. I possess a LOT of pens, pencils and many markers. I own many blank journals that I have to fill up with my latest imaginings, musings or inspirations. My desktop monitor stand is full of junk I have collected over time. I have two cups brimming with pens, markers and highlighters that rest on either side of the desktop stand. I love my knick knacks, goddess statues, and I even made myself a cute halloween themed mug coaster! 

It is so nice to finally have a new, bigger keyboard. I plan to take good care of it. I now have no excuse not to write. I also bought a new hardcover book titled The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall. It is about a 16-step program to take an aspiring writer from idea to completed manuscript. I owned this book before. I must have donated it. I regret doing that, but I have a new copy now. I am going to do my best to create an outline using the advice and the system detailed in the book The Marshall Plan. I was freewriting the new novel idea I had, but then I hit a wall, something that happens to a lot of authors. The book helps authors knock down that wall, enabling them to keep writing and creating. I plot or build the outline for my novel on what Evan Marshall calls, section sheets. I can’t wait to get started. Once you have an outline, then you know how to move forward. This will be so much fun and may involve some frustration. The good thing is, if you don’t like the way it goes, you can always change your outline. It is not carved in stone. I think Evan Marshall is brilliant. 

All writers and creators need tools. I use a sewing machine and a seam ripper, scissors, thread, a presser foot to sew. I use pens, journals, highlighters, a keyboard and coffee to write. Sometimes, I have a glass of wine. We all need our tools. We trust them, we use them over and over, and usually they serve us faithfully. And it is also important to remember to be environmentally friendly with our tools too. I might donate old pens and pencils to a women’s shelter, or to an animal shelter. I take old printer toner cartridges to Staples to be recycled. We don’t need to contribute to the terrible problem of landfill. I much prefer to donate to a good cause. 

I’m writing this blog post with my new keyboard. Instead of throwing the old keyboard away, it was put in storage for a rainy day. Much better than throwing it right away into landfill. It still works, it was just very faded. I do need a new mousepad. The one I have now is dingy and stained, signs it was very much used. Since my boyfriend bought me the keyboard, I am quite inclined to get my own mousepad. I might put the mousepad I am using now into storage too. I will do anything to help the environment. 

Writers commonly use a blank journal, computer, keyboard, pens, pencils, highlighters, and paper to write. These are great tangible tools. We have other tools at our disposal that are not tangible. If we did not have them, we would not get much writing done. Perseverance, patience, imagination and yes, even stubborness. A writer uses their imagination to come up with a great idea for a novel, or a screenplay. We need the patience and the perseverance to get through writing the entire thing even when we grit our teeth and think we will never get through it. Then we need even more of that to endure editing it to within an inch of the stories’s life, and then we need that again to get through trying to get it published. I have waited years – and I mean, years to get my spooky novel The Mourning Tide published. Now it will finally happen. During all that time, I kept editing it and kept resubmitting it. I came close to publishing contracts, even got nice rejection letters, and it finally happened. I highly recommend being grateful and patient when you land a contract. If you are easy to work with, they may sign you again for a second book. But that is a big, hard odd. It does not happen without effort. The writer makes the effort. 

Imagination, perseverance and patience are a writer’s greatest tools. I use those tools all the time. I would say that patience is the most important tool. Things can happen slowly even when a book is under contract, especially then. I signed a contract with Dreamweaver Press a year ago for my novel The Mourning Tide. It will be published this October. I just wish my grandparents were still alive to see my book in print. Maybe they are watching over me. I hope so. 

A few more tips: 

Save your receipts when you pay for pens or a new keyboard or a snazzy mousepad. You might need them when doing your taxes. 

Be earth friendly! 

Donate your writing tools to a good cause when you are done with them.

Trust in your imagination!

Believe in yourself! If you don’t, who will!

I like to go on long nature walks. We have to take breaks from writing or we will be burned out. Live. You have to live to write. Don’t force yourself into a box. 

Help your fellow writers. They will help you. It’s an equal exchange of energy. 

Never give up. The Universe always falls in love with a stubbon heart. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

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July 10, 2026 · 2:23 pm

Horror fiction from the Cosmos

Tales from the Hearth Anthology

Greetings darklings:

I gathered flowers and herbs this morning. I want to press them and then mount the plant specimens in a three-ring binder. I will make good use of the new binder, the white sustainable printer paper, glue sticks. Actually, I have to stock up on glue sticks. I press the flower(s) first, wait for them to be pressed, and then I arrange them on the page to find a design that I am happy with. Then I glue them onto the page and include a label . The label includes information about the plants such as the day I foraged them, the weather conditions, the flower I chose, the binomial name of the herb or flower, the origin, color and what exactly I foraged- bark, seed, fruit, etc. That all tells me where I found the plant, what I foraged, and the date I found it, etc. I plan to make my herbarium into a collection of plants that are all grown locally. I am quite happy with the progress so far. I store the piece of paper with the dried, preserved flower and the label in a clear page protector and put it into the binder. 

I even made my own herbarium labels. It is nice to know I am continuing a longstanding tradition of the preservation of beautiful plants. All the plants will be arranged in alphabetical order. I could organize them according to the plant family if I wanted. I think just going with an alphabetical order will suffice, for now. 

I also plan to include a monograph of each collected plant specimen and a witchy monograph. I will store all that in the binder. I hope I am able to collect lots of plants. A monograph offers even more identifying information about a plant, including its medicinal properties. I hope to gather an impressive collection of plant specimens with medicinal properties to guide me on my plant journey over time. 

I want to focus on cosmic indifference as a theme in horror fiction. Cosmic indifference may have its deep roots in Lovecraftian fiction. It has been a popular theme or trope in horror fiction ever since Lovecraft’s stories were published- and celebrated. 

Cosmic indifference means that there may be a point where people realize that humans are totally insignificant to ancient forces. We all know we are really tiny in the vast, vast universe. But being insignificant to an ancient cosmic force is different. They are not the same thing. I am no expect on cosmic indifference. I have a hard time reading Lovecraftian fiction and I bought a beautiful tome of Lovecraft’s writing. I had to close the book. I am ready to give up on understanding Lovecraft. I will try one more time and ask for more help. I really want to ‘crack the code’, so to speak. 

I write about the trope/ theme of cosmic indifference in my novella The Cult of the Spider People. Dreamweaver Press is republishing it in August! I am so excited. 

My characters Piper and Cory unwittingly push back the veil to the dangerous realm of Arachnall and step through the portal. When they find themselves trapped, they are met with savage beings that crave their blood and are absolutely indifferent to their suffering. The Arachnas possess the same cosmic indifference, they do not care about their fate. Their indifference is so extreme that it’s terrifying. That terror carries through the entire novella. The stakes are high and danger is everywhere. Humans are nothing but a blood feast to the Arachnas. 

They trap their human victims in cocoons. The cocoons are large enough to fit an adult human, whether male or female. They do not care about your gender if they want to kill you. They have no mercy, no warmth. Their world is dark, dangerous. Sinister. Surreal. The Arachnas do not free their prey, they wait until they want to feast on blood. There is no escape, no hope, nothing. 

The indifference of the Arachnas to their human prey is terrifying. Readers can see Piper and Cory’s efforts to survive the savage and dangerous world of Arachnall in the pages of my soon to be republished novella out in August. 

Twisted Dreams Press is publishing an anthology of horror fiction. My story, I am proud to say, is included! I can’t wait to read the anthology, titled Tales from the Hearth! 

“Dreamweaver Press is thrilled to reveal the cover for our very first original anthology!

Tales from the Hearth is a collection of stories both shocking and horrific! From spinetingling tales of woodland horror to monsters preying on young victims, these stories will chill and delight fans of horror stories that make their skin crawl!

This anthology includes work from the following authors:

Bryan W. Alaspa
Nemo Arator
Shannon Bradner
Dawn Colclasure
Zach Ellenberger
Matthew J. Gleason
Boe Healy with Chisto Healy
Emmanuel Herrera
Whitney R Holp
Heddy Johannesen
C Lenz
EM Otero
Destiny Eve Pifer
Christine N Rifkin
Isabelle Robinson

Dare to read these chilling stories of horror that can only come from storytellers gathered at the fire, eager to share their tales of terror!

Cover design by Crystal Baynam.

COMING SOON!”

I’m excited about my book being published – again! and the anthology! I can’t wait to read the stories written by the other talented authors in the book! I hope it’s released soon. 

I shall keep you posted!

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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June 26, 2026 · 12:27 pm

Why Spider Horror Thrills Readers

Book Cover of Cult of the Spider People featuring the Arachnas spiders.

Cover art for Cult of the Spider People.

 

Greetings Darklings:

I am quite happy today. Though it was more expensive than I would’ve liked, I purchased the domain for this blog site. Now it truly is mine! The website address is now: theparanormalquill.blog. 

Today’s post will focus on our famous eight-legged friends, spiders. Spider horror thrills readers. Spiders have always scared people and shall continue to. Spiders are uncanny and cause a knee jerk reaction. They have too many legs and eyes. They are quiet and cunning. People are scared of being bitten by them. Horror movies are made about spiders that cause nightmares long after the movies are over. They build webs and are a lethal predator and yet they never make a sound. It’s no wonder they make people nervous. 

Spiders represent the dark side, like bats, snakes, gargoyles, witches, demons, sharks, wolves. The side that most people do not like to think about. Spiders are deadly predators and kill many other insects. We owe a lot to spiders yet people drown them in chemicals like Raid or scream and freak out if a person thinks they walked unwillingly into a web. Yes, spiders make people uncomfortable. 

The webweaving arachnids are misunderstood. They are not portrayed accurately in Hollywood movies. In reality, spiders are generally harmless, they are solitary and just want a quiet space to build their webs and hunt their prey. People are just as frightening to them. Spiders are not interested in humans as prey. Spiders want to hide from humans. If you see a spider in your home, thank it. That means that the eight-legged, web weaving arachnid is hunting insect prey. You may then have fewer pests in your home. The misinformation presented in the media has portrayed spiders as very unfavorable, no thanks to Hollywood. 

I rarely ever harm a spider. They consume a lot of insects. Hopefully, the collective impression of spiders will change for the better. They want to have nothing to do with people. Only a few spiders are actually poisonous such as brown recluse spiders and black widows. The venom of a black widow spider is fifteen times more poisonous than that of a rattlesnake. The venom is a group of potent neurotoxins known as latrotoxins which attacks the nervous system. 

In my horror novella, the Spider Queen possesses the most deadly venom of all the Arachnas. The females are more deadly than the males. Aranya, the Spider Queen, is chained up because the Spider King desires her purer blood/ venom. He only seeks to corrupt it. When she refuses him her venom, he chains her, until she gives in but that never happens. But Aranya resigns to be chained as opposed to what would happen once the venom was corrupted. She reclaims her throne when Piper frees her. 

In general, most spiders are harmless and prefer to hunt other insects. They are quiet and reclusive. They build magnificent webs. Spiders are quiet and cunning. I hope people begin to view these quiet tiny hunters as allies, not enemies. 

I used these same exact psychological triggers to design the shifting, nightmare realm of Arachnall in my book The Cult of the Spider People. 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch

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June 25, 2026 · 10:43 am

Origins of The Cult of the Spider People )O(

 

Greetings Darklings:
Today I want to blog about the upcoming publication of my spider-infested novella, The Cult of the Spider People. Dreamweaver Press is republishing it this August. That is not far away! I am so happy. The cover is shown in the large photo above. 
Today’s post will be about the inspiration behind the creepy story, why I wrote it. That’s an interesting story in itself.
It is hard to believe it has been about three years since the book was published. How time has flown. At that time, I was distraught. My boyfriend and I broke up, and the coven turned on me. Ouch. They sided with him. Double Ouch. I was miserable, and I missed the company of my coven.
Before we broke up, I had a portentous dream that he would leave me. In the dream, I saw him literally leave me at a bus terminal. I was so upset that morning, and when I walked into the kitchen and saw a broken glass sitting in the sink full of other unwashed dishes, I was like, what’s going on here? The broken glass he bought me was significant because it was the second sign from my spirit guides. The dream was a warning of a future event. Sure enough, he did. I was devastated. Breakups are bad enough without such portentous dreams thrown into the brew. When he did leave me, it happened at the bus terminal I saw in my portentous dream. Wow. My spirit guides warned me and wanted to protect me. I didn’t want to admit it. They may have thought they were helping me by warning me, but it only made me feel worse. I can’t blame them, though.
One night at home, not long after that experience, I received a flash of inspiration about a pagan cult of spider people. I found a blank journal and fiercely began writing. I didn’t know what I would write, I just went with it. I guess that if I had not met him and the coven, and endured that terrible heartbreak and found a way through it, I would not have written the story. I wrote the entire draft by hand. I left it alone, and then I returned to it. The first draft was a mess. I thought it would be impossible to edit it, but mercifully, I found a good friend, Stephanie Ellis. She helped me whip it into shape. 
I also healed my heart. I may have healed my heart by writing the book. Now we are talking real heartbreak here, not just something that went away in a day or two, like a short-term flu. No, I was writing the story by hand in a blank journal that would soon be full of all my musings, with tears in my eyes. Writing can be cathartic. I purged my suffering heart of all that pain. I am not encouraging my dear readers to get their hearts broken in order to write a novel, but the heart is powerful, and that is a lot of passion to pour into a story. That is what you want to aim for, the passion, the why behind the what, that is what you do. Hold onto the passion and your enthusiasm for a story!
You need to be prepared when such inspiration strikes! Obey that fierce instinct. Give in to it. See where your pen takes you. You must be as original as possible in today’s publishing market. The blank journal that I wrote the original draft in contains drawings, research on spiders, the story, definitions of the parts of a spider’s body, pictures I found of spider people that resembled the spider people in my story and character sketches. I will save it forever.
I suppose that by creating the vicious, bloodthirsty spider people, I demonized the witch coven that betrayed me at the time. Well…. I don’t feel too bad about that. I do hang out with the nicer coven members now. I don’t care for my ex. But he was a huge part of the inspiration for my novella. I hate him, but I don’t regret writing the novella. I see him around at the coven gatherings, but I don’t talk to him.
That must be why I have such a hard time writing the sequel. I did not remain in that dark emotional/ mental space. I healed. It feels different now every time I sit down to work on the sequel. It doesn’t feel the same. I ask myself how I created such scary characters and Piper, the heroine of the book, but when I reflect on my past experience, I think I know. Inspiration comes from strange places. 
My advice is to keep writing. When it feels good, when it hurts, and when you are so angry or in a bad space. You never have to show anyone. You don’t have to edit it to death – unless you want to. Use your emotions, your bloody, beating heart’s rants, and pour it onto the page. Throw salt over your shoulder, plant lavender by your front gate, and fall in love whenever you can! See where your passion takes you! 
I am happy that Twisted Dreams Press will republish my novella in August. That is so close! I shall post more here about The Cult of the Spider People in future posts. Dare to return to spidery shivers and web-crawling terror! I love the world I created, the characters that live in that world and the whole story! I just can’t wait till August 3rd! I know that there are few publishing companies that are willing to republish a book, and that is another reason to be excited! 
I am counting down the days until the release date. I am so excited. My other novel, The Mourning Tide, is slated to be released in October. One more amazing reason to celebrate Samhain! 
Signed copies are available upon request. The copies are print copies, not ebooks. I can mail a copy to you, if you wish. 
Blessings, Spiderwitch

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June 25, 2026 · 9:11 am

Practical Magic Black Soap )O(

My Magical Soap bars!

Merry meet all,

I created or should I say, conjured? the Practical Magic black soap! Today’s post will be about how it was done! Light some beeswax candles and settle in with a cup of nice herbal tea and read on!

I bought the provisions I needed to make the soap. I bought 5 pounds of goat’s milk soap, a soap mold and a soap cutter. I also bought rose petals at Organic Earth and sweet orange essential oil AND of course, the most famous ingredient that makes the soap blacker than raven wings, powdered charcoal. I gathered a kitchen scale, a wooden spoon, the supplies such as a measuring cup, teaspoons, a double boiler. Once I had everything I needed, I got to work. I also obtained calendula oil (my own homemade oil), rosemary essential oil, clary sage essential oil and lavender essential oil. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I owned a bar of black charcoal soap but I had a hard time melting down the bar of soap. It never did soften the way I wanted it to. I could not get the black soap to melt down like I wanted it to- this was before I had the charcoal powder, so I let the soap sit all night. Once I did have the charcoal powder, everything was much easier. 

I melted the soap down again. I stirred in the coal black charcoal powder and wow the soap turned black! It was grey before, but now it was pitch black. I bought rowan berries from Etsy. I ground the berries to a powder using my herb cutter. I ground the rose hip berries using the herb cutter too. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I poured half of the total soap to the soap mold. I waited several minutes to let the soap harden slightly and form a skim on the surface of the soap then I sprinkled the coffee on that and some of the ground rowan berries and rose hips. I added the calendula oil and the essential oils to the soap before pouring into the mold. I poured the rest of the soap into the mold. I waited again for the soap to harden and sprinkled the remaining herbs onto the surface of the soap. I love  how the ground berries and rose hip and calendula petals look on the soap. I was pleased with how it turned out and the soap mold felt so satisfyingly heavy. 

I left the soap to cure in the soap mold for 48 hours. A bit of the oil rubbed onto my fingers from the soap. After that time passed, I popped the soap out of the mold. I placed the soap onto a sheet of parchment paper and let it cure again overnight. I may leave the soap to harden some more for a few days, just to be sure. Then I will use the soap cutter or I could do that tonight. 

The Practical Magic black soap was not difficult to create, but very time consuming. It was important to pay attention to detail. I followed the instructions very carefully. The black soap contains no artificial ingredients, no food coloring or artificial dyes. The ingredients are all nurturing for your skin and natural. That is the way I wanted it to be. I will use the Practical Magic black soap for a face wash and since I have so much of it, may give some of it as gifts. I am very happy about the soap and I think it’s beautiful and smells divine!

I watched the movie Practical Magic last night. I just love that movie. Now I can share in a tradition with my homemade bewitching Practical Magic black soap. I will post the link where I found the recipe below!

https://underatinroof.com/blog/2017/10/24/herbal-interests-practical-magic-black-soap

Now you can try the recipe if you choose to do so! 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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June 16, 2026 · 10:50 am

Garden of Dreams )O(

Merry meet all,

I’m excited to be out in the garden! My beans have sprouted and starting to show their leaves. I plan to grow a lot of beans and dry them, then save them to use to make a rattle. My peas are growing well. I set up a trellis in the pot with the peas. The Fundy Amethyst beans are bush beans and won’t need a trellis. I planted radish seeds today. Morning glory seeds are soaking in a small bowl of water.

My motherwort seedling that I began from seed is growing well. I want to let it grow more leaves before I put it in the garden. I planted radishes too and I may plant radishes every few weeks all summer. I love radishes and red onions. That with my parsley, chives and purple basil tells me I am in for tasty treats. My red onions love the soil in the garden box and are growing so well. Everything is growing beautifully and is so lush and green. I just love being in the garden. I bought potato starts today and I am excited to get that started.

Today it’s rainy and cold, typical Maritimes. The sun hides behind a mantle of grey clouds. The fog veils buildings. I like fog, and I am sure I am an old soul, because I like the way that fog looks and how it creates mystery. I’m reading a fascinating novel titled Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry. I’m really enjoying it so far. I am almost finished reading it. Great book. I want the good guys to win!

The skies are heavy and the streets are soaked from rain, yet the Summer Solstice is almost here. I cam just hope. I want to go to the nature trail to dig up St. John’s Wort for my Mom. I may see if it is ready for that this week if the sun ever shines again. ESSNS is holding a summer Rit, we might have a yard sale if the weather cooperates and I want to head up to Into the Mystic at the end of the month. 

Wow! I have just signed a contract with Dreamweaver Press! They will republish my book, The Cult of the Spider People. I am elated! The Cult of the Spider People will be published in August 2026, two months away! It’s a huge relief to know that my book will be sending shivers down readers’s spines on Amazon again! 

Till next time

Blessings Spiderwitch

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June 9, 2026 · 5:18 pm

Herbal Actions, Energetics and Chemicals 101 )O(

My Mom’s pot of nasturtiums!

Merry meet all,

Herbal actions, energetics and phytochemistry – say what? If you have ever gazed at a patch of stinging nettle or sniffed a peppermint leaf or added pungent basil to your salad, you would never have guessed there would be way more to herbs than met the eager eye. People have been using herbs for medicinal purposes, cooking or for spiritual purposes for about 60,000 years. In this post, I will share a few different ways for you to become more familiar with herbs. 

Organoleptics

There are many ways to get to know herbs. Let’s take a look at the most basic way- other than growing them or enjoying them in tea. It’s called organoleptics and we have been doing that all this time. Organoleptics refers to the sensory properties of a substance that can be perceived by the senses, particularly taste, smell, and touch. Peppermint has potent volatile oils. If I brush by peppermint in the garden, a  refreshing scent is released. yum!  I see chamomile blossoms soak up the sun in the garden. I have been stung by stinging nettle. I feel the prickly needles from a pine or spruce tree in the winter. Those are all examples of organoleptics. 

There is more to herbs than their beautiful aromas and flavor. We will explore herbal actions, energetics and phytochemistry now.  If you have ever heard the terms anti-inflammatory, antiviral or antimicrobial before, then you are a bit familar with herbal actions. 

Herbal Actions

Herbal actions are specific, physiological or therapeutic effects that an herb or a plant has on the human body, such as soothing or strengthening tissues or systems. These actions range from sedatives for calming a frazzled mind or adaptogens for stress and classify how herbs work.

A few examples of herbal actions and usage:

  • Adaptogen: Helps the body adapt to stress and boost the immune system (e.g., ashwagandha)
  • Alterative: Supports the metabolic processes and cleanses the blood (dandelion, nettle, burdock root)
  • Antimicrobial: Protects against infection (e.g., Echinacea, goldenseal)
  • Carminative: These herbs aid in digestive issues (e.g., ginger, fennel and chamomile)
  • Demulcent (Soothes and protects irritated tissues (valerian, marshmallow)
  • Nervines (Calms and supports the nervous system (passionflower, lavender, chamomile and lemon balm)
  • Vulnerary (Heals and promotes wound healing (e.g., calendula, comfrey)

Herbal Energetics

Energetics refer to a system of traditional medicine that classifies herbs based on their temperature (hot/cold), moisture (moist/dry), and tone (tension/relaxation). It matches these qualities to an individual’s constitution, or the tissue state of a disease, to restore balance, such as using cooling herbs for inflammation.

Key Concepts of Herbal Energetics
  • Temperature (Hot/Cold): Determines if an herb increases circulation and heat (e.g., ginger) or reduces heat and inflammation (e.g., peppermint).
  • Moisture (Moist/Dry): Indicates if an herb adds moisture to dry tissues (e.g., marshmallow root) or dries damp/swollen tissues (e.g., goldenrod).
  • Tone/Structure (Tension/Relaxation): Relates to tightening loose tissues (astringent) or relaxing tense muscles/nerves (antispasmodic)
Usage Examples
  • Hot & Dry: Used for individuals who are cold and damp, often using stimulant or warming, drying herbs.
  • Cool & Moist: Used to soothe hot and dry conditions, such as using demulcent herbs (slippery elm, licorice) to treat inflamed, dry, and irritated mucous membranes.
  • Relaxing & Warming: Used to treat tense, cold individuals, utilizing aromatic, warming herbs like cinnamon or ginger to increase circulation

Synonyms and Related Terms

  • Constitutional Medicine: Tailoring herbs to a person’s unique, long-term body state.
  • Humoral Medicine: An ancient system classifying people by humors (sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, melancholic) which connect directly to hot/cold/wet/dry qualities.
  • Vitalist Medicine: An approach that works with the body’s innate healing force rather than just fighting symptoms.
  • Tissue States: A model often used in Western herbal medicine to identify physical states like depression, stagnation, or inflammation. 

These principles allow for a “person-centered” approach rather than merely matching a single herb to a single symptom. The energetic qualities of an herb refer to the subtle ways that plants impact the human body, mind and/or the spirit. For example, ginger (Zingiber officinale) is energetically warming because it stimulates blood flow in the body. Marshmallow root (Althea officinalis) has a moistening energetic due to its demulcent properties. Echinacea ( Echinacea purpurea) tincture boosts the immune system and can make a person’s tongue tingle. Some energetics are strongly felt by the body while others are more subtle. Herbs like peppermint and spearmint are cooling and refreshing and herbs such as ginger and cayenne are warming.

Conditions

Conditions are considered as qualities or properties and can be referred to in terms of temperature, moisture and tension; energetic descriptors include warm, dry, cool, moist, tense, and relaxed.

Conditions are referred to in Western herbalism as tissue states. A fever is warm, a cough can be dry or moist, and swelling can be damp. Choosing herbs to heal that have the opposite quality to help counteract these energetics in order to return the body to balance. For example, if a person has heatstroke, you would choose cooling herbs. To help heal a sunburn or a burn from hot steam, a person could choose the soothing energetic properties of aloe vera.

The energetics of an individual are evident in their constitution. In Ayurveda, it is believed that everyone has a prakruti,which means their natural, unchanging constitution. An individual’s constitution can change throughout their lifetime. A person can have a dry constitution such as dry skin, dry nails which is made worse during certain seasons of the year, such as fall to winter.

Herbal actions and energetics can help us understand a person’s health condition and temperance. The task of understanding which herbs would be best suited to treat the person’s condition is much easier if we understand a person’s state of overall wellbeing and health conditions. Someone who routinely experiences excessive stress would benefit from ashwagandha, echinacea, or eleuthero root. Someone who suffers from sinus infections and moist coughs with excess mucus would benefit from the dry properties of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) while a dry cough with very little mucus could benefit from the moistening properties of licorice root (Glycorriza glabra or marshmallow  root). Licorice root has a moistening effect on dry tissues.

Let’s look at a few more terms about herbal energetics: cooling, warming, relaxing and stimulating. They sound like herbal actions, but are regarded more as properties. For example, the term “cooling” can be confusing and mean more than one thing. Let’s go back to our example of peppermint. If the herb has a cooling action, then the herbal property would be thought of as lowering the body temperature. But if the herb was considered a diaphoretic, that would suggest the action of encouraging perspiration to bring down a fever. That makes the term “cooling” a property. Cayenne and ginger are warming and stimulating. Ginger root relieves nausea, it has an antiemetic action and property. It contains potent antispasmodic volatile oils that soothe spasms in the digestive tract. However, ginger root is quite potent and pungent and I recommend ingesting ginger root when nausea has passed. 

Herbal actions explain what an herb does to the body, and properties refer to descriptors of the action. Peppermint aids the digestive system (carminative) and energizes the human body (stimulating).

Phytochemistry

Phytochemistry is the study of phytochemicals- chemical compounds that are derived from plants. Phytochemistry combines botany with plant chemistry. It studies the structure, biosynthesis, metabolism and certain functions. There are many chemical compounds within herbs. They range from menthol derived  from peppermint, gingerol derived from ginger root, tannins derived from acorns and saponins derived from soapwort. These are a few examples, as there are lots of chemical compounds in herbs and definitely more than one chemical compound in herbs at the same time. There are too many to mentiom here. 

Scientists who regularly study the chemical compounds within herbs often prefer to isolate a sole chemical compound. That means that they do not study all the chemical compounds in the herb/s and then they don’t value all the chemical compounds as a whole. Nature, as we all know, is far more complex than that. It refuses to be boxed or contained.

I find phytochemistry fascinating! I love studying all about the many chemical compounds in herbs and how they benefit the human body. Willow bark contains salicin, the active compound. That is where aspirin was originally derived from! I will share an example of willow bark with you, salicin, the chemical compound found in willow bark. 

Key Aspects of Willow Bark
  • Active Compound: Contains salicin, which the body converts into salicylic acid, providing analgesic (pain-relieving) and anti-inflammatory effects similar to aspirin.
  • Common Uses: Effective for treating low back pain, arthritis (especially osteoarthritis), muscle pain, and fevers.
  • Benefits: It acts as a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, often used in tinctures, capsules, or tea.
  • Safety & Side Effects: While generally safer than aspirin, it can still cause side effects like diarrhea, nausea, itching, and rash. It should be avoided by those with aspirin allergies, bleeding disorders, or kidney issues.
  • Dosage: Studies often cite 120–240 mg of salicin daily as effective for pain relief.

It is advisable to use these herbs in moderation or low doses. You never know how your body can react to it, especially if a person is taking a prescription. Using a small dose is best. It is also advised to talk to your family doctor if you are on medication while taking herbs for medicinal purposes. Some herbs such as St. John’s wort react very badly to the Wayfarin prescription. So go slow! 

I created my own willow bark tincture. I have made several tinctures and again, I would encourage using a low dose if you are not familiar with its effects. Making your own tinctures actually helps you save money in the long run. Do speak with your family doctor if you are on medication. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Maybe this will encourage you to learn more about our herbal allies. 

Till next time

Blessed be, Spiderwitch

 

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May 26, 2026 · 1:29 pm

Dos and Don’ts of Getting Published Part Two )O(

My Mom’s pot of nasturtiums!

Merry meet all,

Today’s post is about more advice on getting your writing onto bookshelves in major retail stores across the country. Don’t we all wish it was so easy? I do. 

The road to success in publication is hard. It was never intended to be easy. There is no such thing as overnight success. If this is the path that you -and me, want, then plan to be working very hard at it. Very hard. Grab a coffee and settle in. It is daunting and may seem impossible, but millions of other more established writers had to start somewhere, right? Right. 

 

I just signed up for the Autocrit Novel90 Writing Challenge! A new horror novel idea is swimming like a (imagine scary fish) in your head. It won’t leave me alone. That is how I know that is what I should write. I have to write a novel in 90 days. I am up for thchallenge! This is one great way to get that novel written, by signing up for these challenges. The challenge forces you to write. I really want to write my new novel so this ensures it will be done! 

  • Do not use AI to help you write your novel or screenplay. Ever. Nope. Nil. Don’t do it. AI is a flashy siren song, sure, but these days, publishers, editors and literay agents can test your writing upon submission and automatically reject your submission/s. It won’t even get a chance, not even a tiny chance. If you want, you can even test your own writing for AI detection prior to submission. So you do still have to write it and edit it YOURSELF. 
  • Instead, do this. Once you have written your draft and taken some time from it, then looked at it with fresh eyes ( and that is all highly recommended, btw), enlist a trusted team of beta readers to help you where you may have overlooked theme, dialogue, plot or setting issues that need revision. I would never send out my writing without asking for a second or even third set of eyes on it. Beta read for them too. This is what I mean by building a support network of fellow writers. You can rally for each other when the going gets hard. And it will. But don’t give up!
  • Branding. Build a brand for yourself. First, decide which genre you love to write in. Look at which authors you love to read, which movies you most love to watch or your favorite podcasts. Do they all have something in common? Do you like westerns with a smidge of sci-fi? Do you prefer gritty grim dark? Or do police procedurals, mysteries or thrillers catch your eye? My brand is Conjuror of Gothic Horror. Publishers, editors and readers all know what to expect from me. I love gothic stories and I love to read them. I love the movies The Woman in Black, The Conjuring, Alien, the Grimm series, the Stranger Things series, Practical Magic and my favourite all time podcast is Lights Out Podcast. Now you get an idea of the genre I write in and enjoy. That’s an example of branding. 
  • Read what other authors have written. I have an unquenchable thirst for the written word. I devoured Necrotek by Jonathan Maberry, The Relic by Tim Lebbon, My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones, and countless other books. If you want to be a writer, read. Read in your chosen genre so you can see how other authors have done it, and read everything you can. Read anything you can get your mitts on. 
  • Find and read or subscribe to magazines for writers such as Writers Digest. Take the courses they offer. I’ve been reading Writers Digest magazine since I could stand. I love their magazines. I get a new issue every time it comes out. I also read Rue Morgue, magazines about the paranormal. I have about fifty magazines on the paranormal. I read, read, read. It has helped improve my writing a thousand times over. 
  • Take writing courses or join a mentorship. Participate in writing conferences or conventions. Just don’t expect to automatically score a lit agent on a novel at the convention asap. But those writing programs and conventions are a great way to meet people, meet professionals in the industry and learn so much more. Keep an open mind, leave your writing – and ego – at home and enjoy the experience. Do bring a blank journal if you wish and scribble in notes, names or maybe any inspirations you dream up. Some courses offer monthly payment options if money is tight. You can learn a lot from those opportunities. 
  • Be patient. Develop a thick skin for rejection letters and have patience. Nothing in publishing is instant. It takes time to be able to be good enough to have your writing published and it takes even longer from book contract to actual publication. Be grateful for what you do get and be nice to fellow authors and editors. Learn from the professionals. Rejections are inevitable. It just means that your writing was not right for that market. I get them too. I keep sending out my writing. Eventually with effort and luck, you can find the right markets for your stories too. 
  • This next tip ties in with what I was saying above. If you choose the paranormal- this is just an example, learn everything you can about it. I have learned all about the different famous hauntings in the world, read lots of magazines, and listened to a ton of podcasts on that subject. It is as deep as it is wide. 
  • The best tip I can give you is: Don’t Quit. You are not doing yourself a favor. If you quit, you will never know if you could have been your best self. You will be replaced by thousands of other writers who will be more than happy to take your place. This field suffers no fools. If you quit, you will never get that contract. So sit your butt in the chair and type. No one sees you writing, no one sees you editing except for Fido your cat, no one sees you rip that rejection letter to shreds. I know. It is hard work and there will be days when you will want to quit, but DON’T! The way ahead is hard and paved with very litte reward, especially at first when you get started. You need to be deeply dedicated to your craft. Like I said earlier, agents and publishers get tons of submissions all the time. Very few succeed in the ways we all dream about. But I can tell you if you quit, you will never know what you are capable of achieving. Look at me, a teacher once told my mother I would never be able to read. Flash forward to the future. Here I am, with a publishing contract, about to have my novella republished, written a thousand + blog posts, and had lots of short stories, poems and nonfiction published. It can be done! 
    • YOu just have to put in the effort. Believe in yourself! Perseverance is more important than talent! 

 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch )O(

 

 

 

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