Once upon a time, in a quiet village nestled at the edge of a dark forest, there was a legend that sent chills down the spines of the residents. The legend spoke of a frightening peeping witch who haunted the woods. It was said that she had the ability to change her appearance and would spy on unsuspecting victims as they went about their daily lives. The villagers lived in a perpetual state of fear, for they never knew when the peeping witch would strike. Children were warned not to venture too deep into the woods, and adults were cautious of their every move. But even with all their efforts to avoid her, it seemed that no one could escape her watchful gaze.
We look to other traditions, older than modern Paganism and modern Witchcraft. For all our leaning towards our ancient roots, we have been disconnected from them, so we need to see how other esoteric traditions have grown. We like to look to indigenous people and tribal traditions, and are sometimes accused of appropriating such practices, often rightly so. We speak of decolonization of land, culture, and spirit, and consider ways to incorporate the essence without disrespecting the culture. In many indigenous cultures, we see a similar ethos, even if we fail in the practice of it, towards the land and the spirit world, with a framework today that has become loosely called “shamanic.” Yet we most likely won’t be returning to or recreating an indigenous framework of our Pagan practices because we live in a secular world and don’t share a common agreement of culture and identity. Those fundamental disagreements are at the heart of our modern society, and the disagreements in Pagan culture are simply pale reflections of those conflicts. Yet Witches can thrive even in conflicted and chaotic times, using the experience to further our own understanding of consciousness and Craft.
These are also not secular societies, so it s hard to have the institutional support for such endeavors without those shared cultural values placing importance as necessary. Keeping to her a witch is a witch is a witch ethos after her departure from Gardner over his revelation of the Witch laws known as the Ardanes in response to her proposal of some fairly down-to-earth rules for the coven , she later studied with the Coven of Atho of Raymond Howard, with Charles and Mary Cardell, and with the Clan of Tubal Cain with Robert Cochrane.
But even with all their efforts to avoid her, it seemed that no one could escape her watchful gaze. The witch was known to peer through windows and spy on people in their homes. She would cackle with delight as she witnessed their fear and discomfort.
Any Witch Way – Mr. & Mrs. Witch Pub Day and why I love Witches
That’s from the dedication to Mr. & Mrs. Witch, my new novel out today. And, if you’ve ever seen Bewitched, or even a clip of Bewitched, I bet you know exactly what I mean. I thought instead of telling you — again — just about the book, I’d instead write about why I love witches and why I think they’re having a moment (besides that we all love them, duh)…and a little about the book.
Say the word witch and the quickest associations that leap to mind for me are: women, power, and… burning. Maybe also…fun? Which is weird to throw in with burning. But it’s true, whether the witches in question are Samantha smoking hot or Macbeth’s ominous hags or historical women who claimed to be witches or who got classed that way, they are often women, perceived as powerful, and so people — usually men or other reps of the patriarchy — fear them and thus the burning. But there’s also the place witches bring for playful imaginative longing, for them to conjure what they want, what we want; there’s the possibility they might be in league with not the devil but each other. Friends! Women being friends! The horror. What might they get up to together?
Witches don’t fit in, even if they try to. Mostly, they don’t need to. They are outside the social order, another thing that makes them scary to some. Maybe witches in a given story are wicked and evil, maybe they are kind and generous, maybe they are both or something in between. That’s already a much wider variety than many types of characters that tend to be women (and the few female archetypes) get to encompass. How glorious! Witches are agents of possibility.
Witches and witchcraft have had a swell of popularity over the past few years, not just in books, but in pop culture and, well, real life. We have two thriving shops that sell witchy goods here in town — Creatures of Whim and White Willow Emporium (both of which I visit way too often, and plan to take Instagram live field trips to later this week!) — and it’s not that big a city. It makes perfect sense. Women and our bodies and, yes, our power are under attack. We all know this. And the pandemic reminded us of how thin the mortal veil really is. And with climate change, we’re reminded daily how little control we have over nature, and how maybe being more in tune with it might be a good idea.
So it’s not surprising at all to me that traditions that empower folk wisdom and intuition and so many other things we tend to align with the feminine end of the spectrum are having a renaissance. And it’s also joyfully wonderful to see so many books exploring this and giving us all an escape valve from a society that is literally attacking not just women but also those who don’t perform gender a specific way’s right to exist. Daily. A reminder that we do all have power in being who we are meant to be and that is what those villains — real villains — on the attack fear most. Their inability to understand us makes them want to control us.
I named the secret agent society of witches in Mr. & Mrs. Witch — which includes both men and women and non-binary people, though it’s mainly run by women — C.R.O.N.E. for a reason. Christopher helped me reverse engineer the acronym; we landed on Covert Responses to Occult Nightmares by Enchantresses. But part of the reason why C.R.O.N.E. had to be it? I’ve been saying hashtag crone life for years. Much the same way grrls helped reclaimed the word girl and so many others when I was a teen (chick, lady, babe), I am all for us claiming these words generally meant to imply women are past their prime. Crone. Hag. Because fuck that. We need a new, everlasting prime. To me, the word crone can just as easily symbolize freedom, power, flying (literally in this case) under the radar. What better name for a covert society of witches? What better way to live than saying women can be rad at all ages? (And other people too!)
The hero’s counterpart organization, H.U.N.T.E.R., was similarly reverse-engineered — Humans Undertaking Nocturnal Terror and Evil Reduction) and it’s no accident that its patriarchal leanings are part of what’s wrong with it, ultimately.
There are many ways to write about witches. Many kinds of witches to write about. Many kinds of magic to write about. And while Mr. & Mrs. Witch is on one level intended as pure, sexy, escapist fun — there are familiars that are really ostriches who glamour up as chickens for outsiders, a horse that masquerades as a toad, and yes, magic secret agents on opposite sides who fall in love — it is also about how we can come together to throw off limiting restrictions and use love to make each other better by creating new ways to be. By not being so scared of what outsiders are capable of that you try to stop them from living their lives, but instead see what beautiful new possibilities exist because they are here. Because we are here.
Also? Who doesn’t want to be able to poof a glass of champagne that doesn’t make you too soused into existence? So settle in for sexy spies and witches, hijinks, hemlock, combat brooms, and blowing up the patriarchy (with the help of a few good hunters and a lot of powerful witches).
Snag the book wherever you like to get your books and remember leaving reviews, recommending it to others, and sharing is SO APPRECIATED and basically the witchcraft of word of mouth. If audio is your pleasure, voila:
I hope to see some of you at Joseph-Beth tonight at 7 p.m. for a conversation with the fabulous Tif Marcelo. Hit the bistro for themed drinks beforehand! I’ll be having a C.R.O.N.E. Potion or two.
Say the word witch and the quickest associations that leap to mind for me are: women, power, and… burning. Maybe also…fun? Which is weird to throw in with burning. But it’s true, whether the witches in question are Samantha smoking hot or Macbeth’s ominous hags or historical women who claimed to be witches or who got classed that way, they are often women, perceived as powerful, and so people — usually men or other reps of the patriarchy — fear them and thus the burning. But there’s also the place witches bring for playful imaginative longing, for them to conjure what they want, what we want; there’s the possibility they might be in league with not the devil but each other. Friends! Women being friends! The horror. What might they get up to together?
Many claimed to have seen her eerie green eyes glowing in the darkness, sending shivers down their spines. The legend grew stronger with each passing year, as new tales of the peeping witch circulated through the village. Some said she had the power to control minds, manipulating her victims into doing her bidding. Others claimed she had a horde of loyal creatures at her command, ready to do her sinister bidding. As the fear of the peeping witch grew, so did the measures taken by the villagers to protect themselves. Windows were reinforced, doors were bolted shut, and charms and talismans were hung above doorways to ward off evil spirits. The village became a fortress, with the residents constantly on edge. One day, a brave young girl named Lily decided to unravel the mystery of the peeping witch. With determination in her heart, she ventured into the woods alone, armed with only a lantern and her courage. As she made her way deeper into the forest, she felt the air grow colder and the trees whispered secrets only they knew. Finally, Lily came upon a small cottage nestled amongst the trees. Its walls were weathered and covered in moss, and the windows were cracked and dusty. With trepidation, she approached the cottage, her heart pounding in her chest. To her surprise, there was no sign of the peeping witch. The cottage seemed abandoned and desolate, its former inhabitant long gone. Lily explored every nook and cranny, searching for answers to the legend that had gripped the village for so long. As she rummaged through an old trunk, she discovered a pile of worn-out journals. Intrigued, she flipped through their pages, uncovering the truth behind the peeping witch. It turned out that the witch was not a malicious creature, but a lonely spirit desperate for companionship. She had been cursed and forced to spy on the villagers, longing for someone to break the curse and set her free. Filled with sympathy, Lily made it her mission to lift the curse and bring an end to the legend. With the help of the village elders, she devised a plan to break the spell once and for all. On a moonlit night, they gathered outside the cottage and performed an ancient ritual, calling upon the spirits to release the witch from her torment. A blinding light enveloped the cottage, and a figure emerged - not a horrifying witch, but a frail, lonely woman. It was the peeping witch, finally freed from her curse. Grateful for their help, she thanked Lily and the villagers and promised to leave them in peace. And so, the legend of the frightening peeping witch came to an end. The village no longer lived in fear, and the woods returned to their tranquil state. Lily's bravery and compassion had brought about a resolution to the tale that had haunted the villagers for generations..
Reviews for "Warnings and Myths about the Frightening Peeping Witch"
1. Emma - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "Frightening peeping witch". The story started off quite promising, with a suspenseful atmosphere, but it quickly became predictable and cliché. The ending was particularly disappointing, as it felt rushed and lacking in originality. Additionally, the characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard to empathize or root for them. Overall, this film simply didn't live up to its potential and failed to deliver the scares it promised.
2. Mark - 1/5 - I'm a big fan of horror movies, but "Frightening peeping witch" was a complete letdown. The plot was convoluted and confusing, making it hard to follow what was happening. The scares were cheap, relying on loud sound effects and jump scares instead of building genuine tension. The acting was also subpar, with most of the performances feeling forced and unnatural. Save your money and skip this one - it's not worth the time or effort.
3. Sarah - 2/5 - As a horror aficionado, I was excited to see "Frightening peeping witch", but unfortunately, it fell flat. The pacing was incredibly slow, with long stretches of nothing happening and then sudden bursts of action that seemed out of place. The plot was also poorly executed, with elements introduced without proper explanation or resolution. The film lacked a cohesive and logical narrative, leaving me feeling frustrated and unsatisfied. While the concept had potential, the execution left much to be desired.