Copper Moon E-zine

Interview with Gede Parma author of Spirited: Taking Paganism Beyond the Circle

Interviewed by Gwinevere Rain

Can you explain the central concept behind your book Spirited? Why did you decide to address the social aspects of the path rather than tackle a basic 101 format? 
 
In the foreword of my book I explain briefly how I came to be inspired to write Spirited in the first place. I was frustrated and disappointed at the lack of valuable intermediate and 'beyond' Pagan reading material and so I decided to write the book I craved. Quite a few authors find this type of situation to be stimulating to the literary genius! In a nutshell there are a vast quantity of great 101 books out there - I didn't need to write another. Thus 'Spirited: Taking Paganism Beyond the Circle' was birthed.

In Chapter 3: Schooling Pagans, you discussed young pagans at school. You even mentioned Christian students became aware of your path. What advice do you have for a teen weighing the option of "coming out" at school?

Coming out as Pagan, whatever your path/tradition, at school is always a tough choice to make - especially when you may end up sacrificing friendships in the long-run. If anyone at all is considering the options in regards to this issue one really needs to be level-headed, grounded and open to the wisdom of the Gods at all times.

I explain in the Schooling Pagans chapter how I never intended to 'come out' when I did; it was discovered that I was Pagan when a Christian student noticed my pentagram and asked about its significance. I explained to her the symbolism of the pentagram as any Pagan worth their maypole would, and yet the information just seemed to go in one ear and out the other. Immediately the satanic remarks and stereotypes surfaced. The whole encounter actually caused quite a bit of emotional unrest in my life. The moral of this story I believe is that one needs to be absolutely 100 percent certain of who, when, why and how they will 'come out'.

Coming out is such a big issue for so many minority groups in this world. It's a strange and often unwelcome fact that people find they have to come out as anything in the 21st century. Everything is questioned - sexuality, religion, ethnicity, creed, political preference. Questioning is great! However when the motive is to draw lines and imprison people via labels questioning becomes a relic of the various Inquisitions that plagued Europe back in the day. We should all be proud heretics (those who choose)! I think ultimately the (Neo)Pagan community can gain a lot from observing and interfacing with the GBLTIQ (Gay, Bisexual, Lesbian, Transgender, Intersex, Queer) community in that the Queer community embraces 'Pride' as our avenue towards greater freedom of expression - freedom of being! I am Pagan and I am proud - once you reach that point, coming out becomes more of a right rather than a privelege.

You seem to have a very close group of pagan friends and community. Some even wrote passages enclosed in spirited. Have you ever had infighting? How do you address squabbles between individuals?

Interview with Author Dianne Sylvan

Dianne Sylvan is the author of The Circle Within and The Body Sacred. She graciously agreed to participate in an interview with Copper Moon E-zine. We discussed concepts featured in both books, her blog and grabbed some great advice in the process!

1. What motivated you to start writing about your religious path?

Well, I’m a writer, and I’m religious.  It seemed like a natural segue.  Really, though, back when I first got the itch to write The Circle Within, there was a glut of Wicca 101 material on the market and very little of it dealt directly the spiritual aspects of Wicca.  It was mostly “you need x and y tools, stand here, wave your arms like this, memorize these words, here are your correspondence tables.”  By that time I’d already been practicing for years and I was looking for more.  I decided that instead of complaining about the lack of more spiritually in-depth material I would contribute some of my own.  You know what they say:  if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.  

2. In your book The Circle Within, you write about what you call "Wiccan Graces." Can you describe the meaning behind this term and provide an example?

Wiccan Graces is a pretty term to describe a fairly mundane concept:  virtues.  You can take several virtues from the “Charge of the Goddess,” for example:  mirth and reverence, et cetera, and use them as guideposts for self-improvement.  That’s a much healthier way to grow, in my opinion, than a punishment/reward model as many other religions have.  Virtue-based ethics allows for more freedom of choice, and it puts the responsibility on the individual.  The list of Graces I detail in The Circle Within includes virtues like love, integrity, and gratitude, but I also say that each person has to come up with her own set to go by.  Even in the years since I wrote the book my own personal Graces have evolved a little, but that’s the beauty of Wicca:  it’s an organic religion that has plenty of room to grow, if we’ll let it.

3. Often advice for new Wiccans is read, read, read. What do you suggest intermediate Wiccans do to revive a stale practice?

Go outside.  Don’t just meditate on the Elements, go out and feel them squish between your toes.  Meet the Goddess where She lives, in nature, and while you’re at it revive your own self-care practices; eat better, exercise, get enough rest and enough play.  Live fully in your body and in the world.  And above all, keep showing up. 

Interview with Sandra Kynes author of Your Altar

For this week's feature we have a fantastic interview with Sandra Kynes author of Your Altar. Please enjoy and feel free to leave comments below!

Is Your Altar specifically for Wiccan/Pagan people? Or can anyone read the book?

This book is for anyone interested in altars and spirituality – it’s an interfaith exploration about the use of the altar as a tool for meditation. It draws from Christian, Pagan, Buddhist and other traditions, as well as non-religious concepts such as the principles of Reiki and even our five senses.

What inspired you to write Your Altar? How long was the writing process?

It took me about two years to put it together. I was inspired by the power that an altar holds. It occurred to me that an altar is more than a place to put a candle or other objects for meditation or worship. Over time we build up a lot of energy with our altars and they become places that are separate from and yet important to our everyday lives.

Author Arin Murphy-Hiscock

For this edition of Copper Moon E-zine, we interviewed Arin Murphy-Hiscock, author of SOLITARY WICCA FOR LIFE and POWER SPELLCRAFT FOR LIFE. She discusses her initial exposure to Wicca, her fantastic books, offers advice for teens and much more!

Can you tell us about your journey into Wicca?  How did it alter your original perceptions of religion?
I found out about Wicca while doing research for a character over ten years ago, and while reading about it I realized that I identified with a lot of the precepts and beliefs. . . .

Interview with Laurie Faria Stolarz YA Fiction author

Archive: December 2006

Laurie Faria Stolarz agreed to answer questions about her books, her writing and offers advice for aspiring novelists. She is the author of Blue is for Nightmares, White is for Magic, Silver is for Secrets, Red is for Rememberance and an upcoming YA novel called Bleed. Here is the interview . . .

What inspired you to write this series?

I first started Blue is for Nightmares in an adolescent fiction writing workshop at Emerson College. I knew I wanted to write a mystery/thriller. I loved suspense novels as a young adult and I really wanted to write something that would have appealed to me at that age, adding in elements of humor, romance, and drama. I wanted my main character to be relatable for teens; I wanted her to be flawed, to have secrets, and to have lots of opportunity for growth.

When I started the novel, I had no idea I would delve into the world of magic and witchcraft. That is until I did a free-writing exercise in my workshop class. I had no idea what I wanted Stacey, my main character to do, so I had her meditating in front of a blue candle, looking for answers. Because I had made Stacey originally from Salem, MA, like me, people in my writers group made the witchcraft connection with the candle. They encouraged me to go in that direction. That one scene ended up being the inspiration for the novel and now the series.

Even though I grew up in Salem, I didn’t know too much about the formal practice of the Craft, though I had heard growing up that my grandmother had experience with the sixth sense. I started doing research and asking lots of questions. I learned a lot this way. I learned of passed down home remedies, interesting family superstitions, tea readings, card readings, and specific experiences with the sixth sense, some of which find themselves in the novel.

I also researched the more formal practices of Witchcraft and Wicca, as well as other folk magical practice/home remedies that pass down within families. Having done this research and seeing the way that Witchcraft is so often negatively portrayed in the media, I wanted to show the true peaceful nature of this earth-based religion, without the hocus-pocus. I wanted to weave an education into the story, using Stacey Brown as a reflective, self-empowering young woman.

After writing Blue is for Nightmares, I knew I wanted to create a trilogy, which I did, however, I also knew that the ending of Silver is for Secrets begged for a sequel. That is how Red is for Remembrance came to be.

Interview with Jason Miller author of Protection & Reversal Magick

Archive: July 2006

Jason Miller, author of Protection & Reversal Magick: A Witch's Defense Manual, New Page Books. For those people who haven’t read the book yet, Mr. Miller goes in depth about different kinds of magical attack from people and spirits and how to defend yourself against these attacks.

What inspired you to write a book about Protection & Reversal Magick?

It’s just not something that has been covered very well yet in my opinion. Even books that do cover protection
Magick tend to shy away from Reversals or Counter-Magick because these types of spells can potentially cause harm to another person, which is something that most publishers in the Pagan and Magickal press are not willing to print. Magick of this type however has been an integral part of witchcraft historically and should not be overlooked simply to appeal to people that would prefer to view the craft as all sweetness and light.

For some reason this type of work seems to be a strong part of my karma. Even before offering my services to the public I found myself called upon to defend myself and others. I have also launched a curse or two in my time, so I know the role of attacker as well. I saw that there was a need for a book like this and I wanted to write one that told the truth of how it is and not hold anything back.

Interview with Kristin Madden author of Magickal Crafts

Archive May 2006

Author Kristin Madden joins us to discuss her latest book, Magickal Crafts which she co-author with Liz Roberts. Kristin discusses her favorite crafts, writing and how she feels being called the "Pagan Martha Stewart." Here is our interview . . .

What inspired you to develop the concept of Magickal Crafts?
Liz and my son really inspired the creation of this book. Liz and I develop a great many art projects for the kids to complement homeschooling and what they learn about our spiritual paths plus we love to craft our own sacred objects. She kept telling me that we needed to put it all into a book. In addition, my son started his own business a few years ago and named it Magical Crafts. He has also been telling me to write a crafts book and he kindly allowed us to use the name from his business.

Dotti Enderle author of The Fortune Tellers Club series!

Archive: Winter 2005

About the FTC from the inside back cover: "Follow Juniper, Anne and Gena - the founding members of the Fortune Tellers Club as they use Tarot cards, crystal balls and other cool fortune telling tools to solve mysteries and save lives."

Books from the Fortune Tellers Club Series: The Lost Girl, Playing with Fire, The Magic Shades, Secrets of the Lost Arrow, Hand of Fate, Mirror, Mirror, The Burning Pendulum.

How did you initially come up with the idea of the Fortune Tellers Club series?
The series is based on my own childhood, and my two best friends, Pamela and Debbie. We spent hours and hours playing with the Ouija board and any other forms of divination we could comprehend. Our goal was to divine the future of course, wanting to know which movie star we’d marry or which romantic foreign country we’d travel to first. We didn’t solve any mysteries, but we probably would have had it occurred to us to try.

Interview with Christopher Penczak author of Sons of The Goddess

Archive: May 2005

Why did you decide to write your latest book Sons of the Goddess and gear it specifically towards male practitioners?

I like to keep in touch with people who read my books and take an interest in my work, and I found myself chatting with a lot of other practitioners, usually online. I found that quite a few of them were young guys, ranging from thirteen or so, to late twenties. The more I talked to them, the more I realized that there wasn't a lot written to that audience, and that in many ways, I'm a part of that audience and would have liked to have had something similar when I was starting in the Craft. I know a lot of guys don't get involved in the Craft, but look to Hermetic Magick or Native American Shamanism, because they fell unwelcome in witchcraft, and erroneously believe its just for women, since many books, particularly teen books, are pitched that way. So I wanted to address the situation. My online and in person conversations gave me a lot of ideas of what people wanted to see, and I wanted to do something different from the typical 101 book. Though there is 101 information for the beginner, I think a lot of the mythology hits upon issues, particularly family issues, that aren't usually addressed in most Wicca books.

Interview with M. Macha NightMare author of Witchcraft and the Web

Archive: May 2004

What initially inspired you to write Witchcraft and the Web? Why did you choose to bring many outside voices and contributors in on this project?

Actually, I was contacted by the publisher with the idea. This publisher, ECW Press in Canada, was interested in beginning a line of Pagan titles. The acquisitions editor had found me online, and based on my Web presence and my background and experience that she had read about there, she thought I was someone who'd have a good perspective on the phenomena of how Witchcraft has been affected by the Web. I was still relatively new to the Web myself.

For my part, I thought that if this publisher was going to be doing a line of Pagan titles, writing for them might give me a good opportunity to influence that line. I thought that I might guide them away from the usual fluff that floods the market and persuade them that there is a market for more advanced Pagan titles. I believe the Pagan movement — for movement it is — has matured and is hungry for more advanced material.

Evidently, they agreed, because soon they contracted for books with three of my friends/sister authors, all elders in their various traditions of the Craft. These were Judy Harrow in New York, for Spiritual Mentoring; Grey Cat in Tennessee for Deepening Witchcraft; and Tamarin Laurel in Massachusetts for Initiation at Beltane (fiction). ECW has published other good Pagan titles since then as well.

But it wasn't all just because the publisher asked and I liked the publisher. I really did feel that the spread of cyberculture had a significant effect on Paganism. The Web not only fostered Paganism's growth, but also helped us build community. It offered us new ways of connecting with our coreligionists. Because of the relative safety of cyberconnections, the Web allowed many Witches to come out of the proverbial broom closet. It reassured them that there were others who felt and believed as they do. In addition, Web communication enabled us to learn more of our history, and to share lore and ways of doing magic and ritual. It was fun to sit down and really think about the ways the Web and Craft have grown together, and then to try to share that with readers.