Llewellyn's 2013 Witches' Companion: An Almanac for Contemporary Living (Annuals - Witches' Companion)
Llewellyn Publications has grown and expanded into new areas of personal growth and transformation since it began as the Portland School of Astrology in 1901. Along with the strong line of astrology books the company was founded upon, Llewellyn publishes books on everything from alternative health and healing, Wicca and Paganism, to metaphysics and the paranormal-and since 1994 has published a growing list of Spanish-language titles.Llewellyn has long been know as one of America's leading publishers of New Age books, producing a wide variety of valuable tools for transformation of the mind, body and spirit. Reach for the Moon-and discover that self-help and spiritual growth is what Llewellyn is all about.Lupa(Portland, OR) is a neoshaman, artist and sustainability geek. She has been working with animal magic in various forms since the 1990s and has developed a self-created and spirit-directed neoshamanic path. She possesses a Master’s degree in counseling psychology with an emphasis on ecopsychology. Visit her online at TheGreenWolf.com.Susan Pesznecker (Oregon) teaches writing at Portland State University and Clackamas Community College. She also teaches online courses in magick through the Grey School of Wizardry.Barbara Ardinger, Ph.D., (Long Beach, California), is a Witch, teacher, and freelance writer.  She holds a Ph.D. in English Renaissance literature.Linda Raedisch(New Providence, NJ) writes and lectures on a wide variety of arcane topics. She is a longtime library employee and professional crafts instructor who teaches classes on candle making, broom making, and other oldtime homemaking arts.Tess Whitehurst is an intuitive counselor, energy worker, feng shui consultant, and speaker, and the author ofMagical Housekeeping. She has appeared on the Bravo TV showFlipping Outand her writing has been featured inWriters Digest,Whole Life Times Magazine, and online at AOL Huffington Post and Lemondrop.com. She lives in Venice, California. Visit Tess online at www.tesswhitehurst.com.Praise forMagical Fashionistafrom Publishers Weekly "In this satisfying and unusual style guide, intuitive counselor and energy worker Whitehurst (The Art of Bliss) examines the metaphysics of fashion and its potential as a personal art project. As the author explains: "We all wish for a satisfying creative outlet and an endlessly inspiring wellspring from which to regularly draw. I would suggest that our wardrobe and daily clothing choices offer both." After discussing the power of clothing, Whitehurst encourages readers to clear their closets and get their "fashion energy moving." Along the way, she explores both Western and Chinese astrology and how they relate to clothing, and encourages readers to focus on their strengths rather than their perceived shortcomings. Next, she addresses the underlying meaning of certain apparel, such as pants ("What are you grounded in?"), as well as the symbolism of gemstones, and the meaning of fragrance oil notes and colors. Though Whitehurst instructs readers to "stand like a celebrity" and "walk like a supermodel," it's obvious that readers are meant to think of themselves on the same playing field, not as inferior beings. Sprinkled throughout are metaphysical exercises, guided visualizations, and encouragements—sure to be welcomed by the open-minded fashion lover."Melanie Marquis is a lifelong practitioner of magick, founder of the United Witches global coven, and organizer of Denver Pagans. She is a writer who has written for the American Tarot Association, Llewellyn's almanacs and datebooks, and national and international Pagan publications includingCircleandPentacle Magazine. She resides in Colorado.Visit her online at http://www.melaniemarquis.com. Gede Parma (Fio) is a Witch and Priest. He is an initiate of the WildWood and Anderean traditions of contemporary and traditional Witchcraft and has spent most of his life in Australia. Gede is also an Anderson Faery Witch and a Reclaiming teacher and loves to sing, play and dare with the Spirits. He is an ecofeminist, a devotee of Kali Maa and dedicated to Persephone, an activist, vegan and queer non-gender attached wonder-being; call him a her, a ze, a pudding. His books include Ecstatic Witchcraft, By Land, Sky & Sea and Spirited. Gede lives in Bali, teaches internationally and is enthused by radical revelation of the Divine upon the Living Earth. His website is www.gedeparma.com.Kala Ambrose(Cary, NC) is an intuitive empath, inspirational speaker, and voice of the highly acclaimed "The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show." An award-winning author, Kala is the national metaphysical spirituality writer for Examiner.com. Visit her online at ExploreYourSpirit.comDeborah Blakeis the author ofCircle, Coven and Grove: A Year of Magickal Practice(Llewellyn 2007),Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft(Llewellyn 2008),The Goddess is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch(Llewellyn 2009),Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook(2010) andWitchcraft on a Shoestring(2010). She has published numerous articles in Pagan publications, including Llewellyn annuals and has an ongoing column inWitches & Pagans Magazine.Her award-winning short story, "Dead and (Mostly) Gone" is included in thePagan Anthology of Short Fiction: 13 Prize Winning Tales(Llewellyn, 2008). Deborah had been interviewed on television, radio and podcast, and can be found online at Facebook, Twitter and www.myspace.com/deborahblakehps.When not writing, Deborah runs The Artisans' Guild, a cooperative shop she founded with a friend in 1999, and also works as a jewelry maker. She lives in a 100 year old farmhouse in rural upstate New York with five cats who supervise all her activities, both magickal and mundane.