Samhain Lore

Halloween is the only time of year witches are in vogue.  Suddenly everyone is interested in black magic, spell craft, hexing their neighbor, and a host of other things that bear little resemblance to actual Paganism. Despite the annual autumnal uptick in interest in all things occult, Halloween isn’t a Pagan holiday. That doesn’t mean we Pagans won’t dress up in costumes and join our Christian brethren in unholy revelry, general debauchery, and handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, but we do have our own holiday to celebrate, Samhain.

Samhain translates as sam, “summer,” and fuin “end.”  With fluttering leaves in shades of copper, amber, and crimson, there can be no doubt that summer is truly at an end.  Continue reading


Tips for Successful Book Signings

Reality Check: Unless you are on the New York Times Best Seller list, book signings won’t bring in a ton of money. So, if not for the money, why should the average Joe participate in a book signing? Exposure.

Books don’t sell themselves. If you are self-published, that also means self-promoted. Small-time and self-published authors will likely sell less than 10 books at a book signing. Many of the people who attend the event won’t even buy a book–they’re curiosity-seekers, tire-kickers, and sometimes, just looking for a bathroom. However, all the marketing and promotion that occurs prior to the event will help you reach new readers who might buy the book, even if they don’t come to the signing.

After hosting several book signings, I’ve created a list of tips and tricks for eager authors to help make their next book signing a success. Continue reading