Witches Almanac #38 - New Articles

I've had a sneak peek at the proof copy of the upcoming issue of The Witches' Almanac, whose theme is Animals: Friends and Familiars.

Three articles of mine appear in Issue #38, Spring 2019-2020:

"Horseshoes"  — The folklore and future of horseshoes.

"The Black Dog"  — Phantom black dogs and what might happen if you encounter one.

"Horse Creatures"  — Planning a trip to Great Britain or Scandinavia? Familiarize yourself with the local water horses.

The Almanac also includes its usual features — Moon Gardening, the Moon Calendar, Moon Cycles, and Presage (where Tom Lang gives us the climate outlook and astrologer Dikki-Jo Mullen gives us the astrological outlook for the upcoming year).

Other articles in this issue: "The Deities of Animals", "Purple and Pleasure: The Folklore and Magic of Amethyst", "William Gray meets his Inner Light", "Understanding Familiar Spirits For What They Aren’t", “Beer and Witches”, “Gargoyles”, “Transgender in the Craft”, and “Coefficient of Weirdness, Part 3”, and an in-depth interview with Dolores-Ashcroft-Nowicki.

You can purchase The Witches Almanac at your local bookstore, Amazon, and, of course, the Witches Almanac site. This issue is expected to hit the shelves in September 2018.

The Kindle version is available from www.amazon.com. For back issues, visit either site.

Darksome Thirst Mentioned in Interview

In The Real Witches of New England, author Ellen Evert Hopman not only sheds light on the Salem Witch Hysteria of 1692-1693, but also "includes in-depth interviews with 25 modern-day practitioners from a variety of pagan faiths, including druids, wiccans, Celtic reconstructionists, and practitioners of the fairy faith."

One of the interviewees, Gaultheria, cites a scene in my novel Darksome Thirst as being a "very good example of a spell to prevent someone from harming another."

The Real Witches of New England goes on sale September 18, 2018. You can pre-order a copy from Inner Traditions Books.

Ellen will be a presenter at Celebrate Samhain in Nashua, New Hampshire this year.

Witches Almanac #38 - New Articles Coming

The cover for Issue 38 of The Witches' Almanac sports a gorgeous black cat, appropriate for a theme of Animals: Friends and Familiars.

I will have at least one article, "Horseshoes" in this issue. Stay tuned for more information.

TRANSCENDENT Cover Reveal

Transmundane Press has just revealed the cover for Transcendent, due out later this year, and what a cover it is. UK artist Dean Samed has successfully captured the "realm beyond reality" of the anthology.

I'm especially excited by this anthology because one of my short stories—name to be revealed later—is in it. Stay tuned for more information.

"There exists a realm beyond reality. A place where nothing is what it seems and anything is possible.

Each soul who travels to this mysterious world finds something different.

Some voyagers get lost in this land of DREAMS, forgetting their way back to the path, to home. Others experience intense VISIONS, glimmers of the past, present, and future, discovering sacred knowledge and infinite wisdom. NIGHTMARES also lurk in this land, twisted and horrible creatures wait in the darkest corners while HALLUCINATIONS reveal the unspoken truths of our hearts and souls.

Are you ready?

Step through the gate and leave everything you knew behind.

Step through the gate and become TRANSCENDENT."

Garage-cleaning Sale

I'm clearing out my book inventory for books that I sell at conventions and so on.  Over the years I've added more books (mostly anthologies and non-fiction) to the collection of books I sell at events and it's becoming a little unmangeable, so I'm having a virtual garage sale.

The following books are available for only 99 cents plus media mail shipping on eBay.

Alicia Anderson must resolve the difference between what her logical mind tells her and what she is actually experiencing when a very pale stranger enters the locked computer room.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, fledgling witch Matricaria has begun to receive psychic messages – vivid dreams and tarot card readings – that point to a terrible fate for someone near her. She and her coven attempt to decipher the symbols, hoping to prevent a tragedy.

Matricaria is studying to be a witch. Alicia is studying to be a computer programmer. Yet together they must learn to battle a common danger.

Can Matricaria, a mere trainee, decode the nightmares in time to save Alicia? Is Matricaria or her coven any match for a vampire who has lived for nearly a century?

Click here to order Darksome Thirst from eBay.


Things are not well in the fictional town of Danforth, a mere 25 miles west of the largest city in New England. No doubt the easy access to a large population of prey is an attractive feature for vampires.


Can Alicia, logic-worshipping proto-geek, stave off the vampire? Will Evan’s congee burn in the pan? And what of the “Wizard of Westville”?

The Old Power Returns is the sequel to Darksome Thirst, but I wrote it with enough background so that new readers can jump right in. This one’s a little more fun than the first one, but doesn’t skimp on atmosphere or chills.

Click here to order The Old Power Returns from eBay.

Summer Schedule 2018

Usually I have 2-3 conventions on my schedule for the summer months, but this year I'm attending only one, Necon. I have a lot of projects I need to focus on, and need to limit traveling.

One project is decluttering in preparation for a move. Yes, it's been ongoing for a few years, but now I need to ramp it up and get it over with. You can follow my adventures and share your own tips at Decluttering for Writers and Other Packrats.

I'll be back in a few months, with exciting news of those projects I've been working on.

Three-Minute Fiction Slam -- New Date

The finals for the New Hampshire Writers' Project Three-Minute Slam will be held on Thursday, March 22 at 7:00 pm at the New Hampshire Institute of Art Campus, French Building, at 148 Concord St, Manchester, NH 03104.[Directions]

The finals were originally scheduled for March 8, but the venue for the contest, the New Hampshire Institute of Art, was closed for two days due to the storm.

If the weather forecast calls for snow, consult the NHIA their Facebook page for updates. I'll also report any news here, too.

Photo from NHIA Facebook page March 6, 2018

Fiction Slam Finals Postponed

THE FINALS FOR THE FICTION SLAM HAVE BEEN POSTPONED. NO NEW DATE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED YET.

The finals for the New Hampshire Writers' Project Three-Minute Slam has been postponed due to snow. No new date has been announced at this time.

Second Place in Boskone Fiction Slam

I won second place at the Flash Fiction Slam Sunday morning at Boskone reading my flash fiction story "Metaphorically Speaking." Winners of the competition get to participate in the finals, but since the winner isn't able to attend, the runner-up (me) will attend in her place.

The three-Minute Fiction Slam, a project of the New Hampshire Writers' Project, is a fast paced literary competition that challenges writers to perform original pieces of fiction in three minutes or less in front of a panel of judges. The regional events were held in 2018 beginning in February.

The Finals will be held on  March on Thursday, March 8 at 7:00 pm at the New Hampshire Institute of Art Campus, French Building, at 148 Concord St, Manchester, NH 03104. [Directions]

Guest Blog Post on No Wasted Ink

I'm happy to have a guest post on No Wasted Ink, a blog featuring author interviews, book reviews of classic literature and famous science fiction or fantasy novels, and articles about the craft of writing and how to market yourself as an author.

My guest post is about DIY writing retreats. If stealing an hour a day is too segmented for you to write with any sense of flow or rhythm and sealing a few minutes to write while you watch your child's soccer game isn't productive, maybe you and a few writer friends can organize a low-cost getaway where you can get some words in.








Wendy Van Camp is the writer behind No Wasted Ink. Her writing credits include short stories, poetry, and non-fiction articles. Wendy is active in several writing guilds: The Southern California Writers Association (SCWA), Coffeehouse Writers Group, OC Writers, and the Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association (SFPA).

Boskone Fiction Reading

Come cheer me on as I participate in a Flash Fiction Slam on Sunday morning at Boskone. Here’s the description from the Boskone web site.


9:30 AM Flash Fiction Slam
Rob Greene (M), James Patrick Kelly, Shahid Mahmud, Vikki Ciaffone, Jen Gunnels
Marina 4 · 90 min · Reading

Boskone’s Flash Fiction Slam returns! Be one of eleven (11) writers to compete for the title of The Flash, reading your own original fiction — which must tell a complete tale within a 3-minute period. Our expert panel of judges will score your work, and you automatically lose 10 percent for going over your 3-minute time. You may only read your own work. The reader with the top score wins!

Sign up before the con by sending an email to program@boskone.org for one of eight (8) reading slots on a first-come, first-served basis. Or sign up onsite at Program Ops in the Harbor Foyer for one of three (3) at-con openings. A waiting list will also be available.

Arisia 2018 Schedule

Here's my final schedule for Arisia. Hope to see you there.

Writing Deities, Magic and the Occult
Fri 7:00 PM Alcott

Magic is a large part of what makes the fantasy genre distinctive. But how do you write, and  describe, the ‘unseen?’ Our panel of occultists will explain how to draw upon mythology and religion to build a  realistic magical system, the rules of magic, and ways a good magic system can enhance the mood of your  story, facilitate the narrative, and provide a source of conflict.  Cecilia Tan (moderator), Lisa Batya Feld, Keith Yatsuhashi, Alex Shvartsman, Morven Westfield.

It Came From the Past…
Sat 8:30 AM Douglas

Ghosts often appear in stories as signifiers of old crimes, guilt, and injustice that needs to be corrected. In this panel, we’ll face the accusing ghosts, the avenging ghosts, and the ghosts who remind us of things done wrong. Why does the ghost work so well as a visitor from the past? How can ghosts lead readers to a better understanding of injustice and history? What ghosts need to be summoned to remind readers of what has gone on before?  Morven Westfield (moderator), Darcie Little Badger, Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, Gordon Linzner, Morgan Crooks.

Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading
Sat 10:00 AM Adams

If you’ve never been to a Broad Universe RFR (Rapid-Fire Reading), give it a try. They’re a lot of fun, yet sometimes very sobering and thought-provoking as well. You might hear stories of horror, fantasy, or science fiction — or a delightful combination of all of the above.

The final list of readers includes Anna Erishkigal, Dianna Sanchez, Heather Albano, Julie C. Day, LJ Cohen, Randee Dawn, Roxanne Bland, Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert, Morven Westfield (me), Trisha Wooldridge, and Victoria Sandbrook. (Not all authors may be in attendance for the entire time slot.  Other members of Broad Universe not listed may be reading.)