Aloi Peg - Llewellyns 2016 magical almanac: practical magic for everyday living

About the Authors

Peg Aloi is a freelance writer and media studies scholar. She has written on diverse subjects ranging from color symbolism in film to aromatherapy to womens sexual health. Her blog The Witching Hour (at Patheos) explores popular media related to witchcraft, paganism, and the occult.

Stephanie Rose Bird is an Eclectic Pagan practicing hoodoo, green witchcraft, and shamanism. Deeply into meditation and yoga, she is a creative visionary. Shes had five books published: Big Book of Soul: The Ultimate Guide to the African American Spirit ; A Healing Grove: African Tree Remedies and Rituals for the Body and Spirit ; Light, Bright, Damn Near White: Biracial and Triracial Culture in America ; and Sticks, Stones, Roots and Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo & Conjuring with Herbs ; and Four Seasons of Mojo: An Herbal Guide to Natural Living . Her debut novel, No Barren Life , a work of literary fantasy, will be published in 2015.

Blake Octavian Blair is an Eclectic Pagan, ordained minister, shamanic practitioner, writer, Usui Reiki Master-Teacher, tarot reader, and musical artist. Blake blends various mystical traditions from the East and West along with a reverence for the natural world into his own brand of modern Neopaganism and magick. Blake holds a degree in English and Religion from the University of Florida. An avid reader, crafter, and practicing vegetarian, Blake lives with his beloved husband, an aquarium full of fish, and an indoor jungle of houseplants. www.blakeoctavianblair.com

Boudica is best known for her professional reviews of books on paganism. She and her husband ran the Wiccan/Pagan Times website until retiring it to pursue other ventures. She also ran Zodiac Bistro, a repository of articles, commentaries, and reviews. A supporter of building Pagan community, she has worked in covens and also has a solitary practice. She also presents at events and holds public workshops in the Northeast, and now runs an online bookstore and reads tarot cards for clients. Boudica lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with her husband of many years and her cats.

Calantirniel has been published in nearly two dozen Llewellyn annuals since 2007, and has practiced many forms of natural spirituality for two decades. She is a professional astrologer, herbalist, tarot card reader, dowser, energy healer, ULC reverend, and flower essence creator/practitioner. Her flagship skill is an uncanny sense for precise event-timing. After a decade in western Montana, she is now back in San Diego, California, working toward dual USA/Irish citizenship to more fully connect with her ancestors. She is also a co-founder of Ti Eldaliva , meaning the Elven Path, a spiritual practice based on the Elves viewpoint in JRR Tolkiens Middle-Earth stories. Visit www.astroherbalist.com or www.elvenspirituality.com.

Dallas Jennifer Cobb practices gratitude magic, giving thanks for her magical life, happy and healthy family, meaningful and flexible work, and deliciously joyous life. She is accomplishing her deepest desires. She lives with her daughter, in paradisea waterfront village in rural Ontario, where she swims and runs, chanting: Thank you . Contact her at jennifer.cobb@live.com.

Monica Crosson is a Master Gardener who lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest happily digging in the dirt and tending her raspberries with her husband, three kids, four goats, two dogs, three cats, a dozen chickens, and Rosetta the donkey. She has been a practicing witch for twenty years and is a member of Blue Moon Coven. Monica writes fiction for young adults and is the author of Summer Sage . Visit her website at www.monicacrosson.com.

Autumn Damiana is a writer, artist, crafter, and amateur photographer, and has been a mostly solitary eclectic Witch for fourteen years. She is passionate about eco-friendly living and writes about this and her day-to-day walk on the Pagan path in her blog Sacred Survival in a Mundane World at http://autumndamiana.blogspot
.com/. When not writing or making art, you can find her outside enjoying nature or investigating local history in her hometown of San Jose, California. Contact her at autumndamiana@gmail.com.

Raven Digitalis is the author of Shadow Magick Compendium, Planetary Spells & Rituals , and Goth Craft , all from Llewellyn. He is a Neopagan Priest, cofounder of an Eastern Hellenistic nonprofit community temple called Opus Aima Obscur (OAO) . Also trained in Georgian Witchcraft and Buddhist philosophy, Raven has been an earth-based practitioner since 1999, a Priest since 2003, a Freemason since 2012, and an empath all of his life. He holds a degree in anthropology and is also a professional tarot reader, DJ, small-scale farmer, and animal rights advocate. For more, visit www.ravendigitalis.com, www.myspace.com/oakraven, www.facebook.com/ravendigitalisauthor .

Emyme is a solitary practitioner who resides in a multigenera tional, multicat household in southern New Jersey. Hobbies that renew her are gardening, sewing and crafts, and home care and repair. Emyme has self-published a childrens book about mending families after divorce and remarriage. She is an avid diarist; dabbles in poetry; creates her own blessings, incantations, and spells; and is writing a series of fantasy fiction stories. Her personal mantra is: Curiosity, Objectivity, Quality, Integrity. catsmeow24@verizon.net.

Michael Furie (Northern California) is the author of Spellcasting for Beginners and Supermarket Magic, both published by Llewellyn Worldwide, and has been a practicing Witch for over twenty years. An American Witch, he practices in the Irish tradition and is a priest of the Cailleach. Visit him online at www.michaelfurie.com.

Shawna Galvin is an alumnus of the University of Southern Maines Stonecoast inaugural class of 2004. Her novel, The Ghost In You , and a collection of poetry and essays, Mimis Alchemy: A Grandmothers Magic , were released in 2014. Her short stories, articles, flash fiction, and poetry have appeared in Words & Images ; USMs Free Press ; Virtual Writer ; Postcard Shorts ; poems in Voice of the Bards and Retail Woes through Local Gems Press; and several flash fiction and short fiction stories with Pill Hill Press. Her work is also due to appear in upcoming Llewellyn almanacs, Horrified Press, and Static Movement publications. A freelance editor who has edited short stories for Brutal as Hell, she is embarking on a spooky publishing journey at Macabre Maine.

Ember Grant is the author of two books, Magical Candle Crafting and The Book of Crystal Spells , and she has been writing for the Llewellyn annuals since 2003. She enjoys nature photography, gardening, and making candles, soap, cards, and jewelry. Visit her at embergrant.com.

Hannah E. Johnston is a witch, mother, and musician. She has researched and written about young people and Pagan witchcraft for over a decade and is the author of Children of the Green: Raising our Kids in Pagan Traditions . For more information, visit her website at www.hejohnston.com.

James Kambos is a writer and artist. He enjoys researching and writing about folk magic traditions of Appalachia. He holds a degree in history from Ohio University. Southern Ohio is where he calls home.

Najah Lightfoot is a Priestess of the Goddess. She is a Witchvox Sponsor, a Lucky Mojo Certified Practitioner, and an active member of the Denver Pagan community. Najah is dedicated to keeping the Old Ways while living in these modern times. She enjoys movies, good food, and practicing the art of Shao-lin Kung Fu. She can be found online at www.craftandconjure.com, www.facebook.com/priestessnajah, and www.twitter.com/priestess_najah.

Lupa is a Pagan author, artist, and amateur naturalist living in Portland, Oregon. She has written several books on nature spirituality, including Plant and Fungus Totems: Connect with Spirits of Field, Forest, and Garden (Llewellyn, 2014), and is a prolific artist working with hides, bones, and other organic and recycled materials. When shes not creating awesome things in her home, Lupa may be found exploring the Oregon wilderness. She may be found online at http://www.thegreenwolf.com.