Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Interview with Kris Bradley & Excerpt!


Wolf Majick Reviews would like to welcome Kris Bradley author or Mrs B's Guide to Household Witchery

Delia: How long have you been writing?
Kris: I’ve loved to write from the time I was quite small.  I started blogging around 2008 and wrote a few articles for Pagan e-zines here and there over the years.

Delia:How many books have you published?
Kris:This is my very first one!

Delia:Did you have anything special in mind when you started writing Mrs B's Guide to household witchery?
Kris:When I started writing the book, my biggest intent was to share a simple, yet effective form of magic, working with things you can easily obtain around your home or in your local grocery store.

Delia:Do you have a favorite chapter in this book?
Kris:The chapter on herbs and foods is one of my favorites.  It was so much fun to research, and so many people I’ve talked to are happily surprised that they can work right out of their kitchen cabinet.

Delia:What would you like readers to get out of reading your books?
Kris:That magic and spirituality can fit into the modern, busy lifestyle.  You don’t need to wait until you have a free hour to spend, you can often do the same work in a fraction of the time and still be successful.

Delia:Do you have any favorite authors you'd like to share with my readers?
Kris:As far as Pagan authors, two of my favorites are Judika Illes and Dorothy Morrison.  For fiction I really enjoy Laurell K. Hamilton, Stacia Kane and Key Hooper.

Just for fun..

Delia:What is your favorite holiday?
Kris:Samhain

Delia:Vampires or Werewolves?
Kris:Werewolves!

Delia:Favorite movie?
Kris:The Breakfast Club

Delia:Favorite book?
Kris:To Kill a Mockingbird

Delia: Thanks for stopping by!
Kris:Thanks so much for having me!





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Excerpt from
SIMPLE SABBATS FOR THE BUSY WITCH: simple ways to celebrate the passing of the seasons

Samhain—October 31

Though many look to October 31 as Halloween, Pagans from around the world call it Samhain (Sow-en), a time to remember their ancestors and to celebrate the start of a new year. This period is well suited to practicing divination, working on transitions of all sorts, candle magic, protection magic, and working with or contacting those who have passed on.

October is often one of the busiest months of the year in a Pagan household.
The fun of Halloween, creating costumes for the family, school events, and getting the household and property ready for the coming cooler weather keep us hopping. Sometimes there are not enough hours in the day to breathe, much less to plan a way to honor the season. Here are a few simple ways to celebrate.

Ritual: 5 Minutes Alone

This simple Samhain ritual lets you honor those who came before. If you have a few extra moments, add your favorite form of divination and see what the coming year will bring!

Items Needed:

• Your ancestor altar
• Lighter or matches
• A glass of apple cider
• A small snack, such as gingersnaps or a sliced apple

1. Sit before your ancestor altar and take a few deep breaths. Think about those who have passed on—their struggles and how they’ve affected your life. Think about how blessed you were to have them in your life.

2. When you feel centered and ready, light the candle on your altar and say,
I light this candle in honor of Samhain and to recognize the changing season. I
honor the Lord and Lady and my ancestors and give them thanks. On this night,
when their spirits walk among us and magic is in the air, I ask my ancestors for
their blessings and ask them to watch over my family and home. So mote it be.

3. Sit for a moment or two. Drink your cider and eat your snack, being sure to leave some on your offering plate. Let the candle burn for as long as you safely can.

Small Group Ritual

This ritual is just the right length to do with a friend or two, your partner, or the whole family. Just gather round and share the time together.

Items Needed:

• A candle
• A lighter or matches
• Scraps of paper
• A pen or pencil for each participant
• Your cauldron or other heat-safe container
• Cider and cups
• A plate of cookies

1. Gather everyone, and sit down somewhere comfortable with all of your ritual items. Begin with a simple deep breathing exercise to get everyone centered.

2. When everyone’s ready, light the candle and say,

On this fall night of Samhain, we celebrate the turning wheel. As the seasons change, so goes the cycle of death and rebirth. Tonight we mark the death of the old year and the birth of the new. We make these pledges to ourselves and to the Lord and Lady.

3. At this time, each person should write down any resolutions that they’d like to make for the new year or any plans for new beginnings that they’d like to put into motion.

4. Go around the circle, and one at a time each participant can choose whether to share what they’ve written out loud. The paper is then lit on the flame of the candle (younger participants should be assisted by an adult) and placed in the cauldron to burn.

5. When everyone has finished, pass around the cider and cookies and enjoy each other’s company. Everyone should save a sip of the cider and a bit of his or her cookie. When it’s time to finish up, take the cooled ashes outside and bury them in the ground. Leave your food offerings nearby.

For the Kids

There are usually more than enough Halloween activities going on in October for the kids. But how do you get them to understand what Samhain is really about? Create something fun to draw their attention while you count down the days!

Grab some orange construction paper and cut out thirty-one pumpkin shapes; number them 1 to 31 on one side. On the other side, write a short fact about Samhain, or paste on a picture of a loved one who’s passed or share a fun fact about that person. If you like, staple or tape a small treat to each pumpkin, such as a piece of candy, a coin, a small Halloween eraser, or something like that. Starting on October 1, find a place to stash the pumpkin where you know your child will find it. Pack it in their school lunch, stick it in their sock drawer, or prop it up by their toothbrush. On Halloween morning, tape the last paper pumpkin to a real pumpkin and help them carve a face in it so that it can guard your home that night.

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