Touring with the Book of Spells

It's not recommended to travel during a Mercury Retrograde, but I like it. It's kind of like being the ball in the pinball machine. You just don't get to move the levers - that's up to the mischievious, mercurial God of Communication. Mercury appears to retreat its steps from our two-dimensional perspective four times a year, when we re-do, re-visit, re-cooperate.

The key to success on a road trip in Mercury Retrograde is in accepting that you will be batted around in the most unexpected ways.  There's just no possible way to see the detours coming. So, I relax, knowing I'm the passenger. The driver of this wild ride, this trickster, has a better plan than I can imagine.

How could I have planned for Laurie, the owner of The Enchanted Fairy Box, to walk into the Crystal Cave when I was dropping off a flyer for The Book of Spells (to be published October 1)? I hadn't seen her in over a decade. Eighteen years ago, I had one of my first booksigning events for The Teen Spell Book, for which I was terrified. I hadn't taken years of coursework in Wicca or Witchcraft, or Women's Studies or anything that would make me feel qualified to write this book.

The Witch simply woke up me in and began writing through me. First with The Wicca Cookbook, and then with The Teen Spell Book. While my children took naps, the Goddess whispered instructions for rituals and spells for bringing together community through seasonal meals and healing teen angst and vicitim identity that I held onto with a viselike grip. I was the passenger for the introverted writing and the driver for the extroverted marketing. Oh, the horror I felt. But that day I stepped foot into her shop, Laurie gave me a wonderfully soft, squishy hug that helped me accept my power. Plus, I met two lifelong friends that day, Rue and Melinda, who had both been in the audience.

How could I know the healing salve I would feel when I invited my biological father's sisters to my son Kobe's birthday party? I did not anticipate the insights into this Wolfgang family nor the joy of forgiveness with their clarity.

How would I have connected the driving impetus to understand the working conditions of the Mexican women during the 1930s and 1940s unless we had dined across from the Cannery? I do not know when I will tell her story, but I know this version of Rosie the Riveter will simply wake in me one day and I will write down whatever she says.

How could I have forseen the immense gratitude that fills me from visiting with family and friends?

Or the absolute bliss of camping alone?

Or the relief from establishing some ground rules with Yeshe Matthews, my spiritual teacher?

Things that needed to happen, such as a spa day and massage, did work out. My publisher wants to include my cousin Kelle's candles in the package with advance copies. Didn't see that coming! Things that were not in my best interested faded away, and gratefully, I don't even know what these mishaps are!

Now, I'm wrapping this up because it's time to go check in for the writer's conference. I'll pick up new business cards, designed from the new cover of The Book of Spells on the fly by my friend Copperwoman. I'll try not to be overwhelmed with Mercury guiding me. I know this book is amazing. I cut 25 spells that I now see do not help to awaken the power within.  I added new spells that are important to me now, like Increasing Bliss Tolerance, Blessing Youthful Innocence and Owning Your Star Shine. The Book of Spells reflects my growth in the last 18 years, and the courage and confidence to accept when I'm the passenger and when I'm the driver.