Pagan author Sarah Avery is a finalist for the 2015 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award in the category of adult fiction. Administered by the Mythopoeic Society, this award is given to “the fantasy novel, multi-volume novel, or single-author story collection for adults published during the previous year that best exemplifies ‘the spirit of the Inklings.‘ ” In other words, it honors the spirit of wild imagination as found in the works of such classic fantasy authors as J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Other categories include “Children’s Literature,” “Inkling Studies” and “Myth and Fantasy Studies.”
Avery was nominated for her Pagan-inspired book Tales from Rugosa Coven, which she says is a collection of novellas and is published by Dark Quest Books. She added that the award is a “pretty big deal,” pointing out that one of the finalists regularly makes The New York Times Best Seller list and “is one of the most important writers of literary fantasy of the decade.” On her blog, Avery wrote, “My brain is trying so hard to process this list … Somehow I got preferred for something over an unknown number of authors that probably included at least a few major names who were publishing with major presses.”
The winner will be announced at Mythcon46, which will be held at the Hotel Elegante in Colorado Springs, Colorado from July 31 – August 3. The event’s theme is Arthurian Mythos with guests appearances by Jo Walton and John D. Rateliff.
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Last week, a second call has been issued to protest the destruction of antiquities and ancient sacred spaces. Back in April, we noted that Pagan Jack Prewett had called for a Global Day of Mourning as terrorists continued their destruction of ancient cities, including Nimrud and Hatra.
Now, Polytheist Galina Krasskova has issued a call for a “Polytheistic Day of Protest and Remembrance.” Krasskova writes, “This is not a Syrian issue. This is not a Muslim issue. This is a world issue. It is a human issue. Daesh is purposely targeting memory. They’re targeting their history, and their own *physical* connection with their polytheistic ancestors. It is done to demoralize, terrorize, and desecrate.”
On her website, Krasskova encourages everyone to participate in a global silent protest on July 31. She includes a meditation, which she suggests doing 9x that day and then sharing the results with others. She says, “This is a way of holding space for polytheism, ancient and modern, it is a way of drawing a line in the sand and declaring to the world that we stand in solidarity with those whose voices once rang out in praise to a plenitude of Gods and Goddesses. It is a statement that for every stone of every temple destroyed, we will restore that cultus a thousand fold. It is an act of evocation, execration, and magic. We’re still here.”
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In response to the recent controversy on Etsy and past conflicts on eBay, a small group of Pagans has announced the development of an online marketplace for “magical supplies.” The Pagan Market, as it is called, will be an online community of shops dedicated to magical supplies, including those banned from other venues.
Blake Greenman Carpenter is spearheading the project and writes, “We all need a break from the outside world sometimes and this site can give us that small clearing in the forest away from the pressures of those who don’t think like we do.” He notes that the site is a big project, and he encourages people to share ideas with him. Carpenter added, “We may start a fundraiser if we feel the funds to build the community site may end up out of our personal budget range, if so there will be extra benefits to helping the cause.“
Carpenter also notes that they are currently looking for sponsors and inviting people to volunteer as beta testers. To date, there are already more than 40 responses, most of which are offers to assist, sponsor and beta test. Some of the commenters even specifically mention the closing down of their Etsy shops. Carpenter said that the group hopes to have the Pagan Market up and running around September 21.
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Many Pagans, Heathens and Polytheists are starting to prepare for an October trip to Salt Lake City to attend the 2015 Parliament of the World’s Religions. Solar Cross Temple, an intrafaith group based in California, has just announced that they have had two programs accepted by the Council. These programs include: “Calling the Ancestors Home: A Ritual of Truth and Healing” and “Healing the Wounds of Violence with Restorative Justice.”
Attending the 2015 Parliament and preparing the programs will be Board members “Crystal Blanton, T. Thorn Coyle. Jonathan Korman, and Elena Rose, along with temple member Annika Mongan.” The Temple Board noted that its “members attended the previous Parliament in Melbourne, 2009 and found it to be a tremendous experience.”
In the coming months, more people will be announcing the the Council’s acceptance of their presentations and programs. We will continue to share that exciting news as it comes in. As for Solar Cross, its members are looking forward to attending and, in order to defer the high costs of travel, have started a GoFundMe campaign called, “Send Solar Cross to the Parliament.”
In Other News
- Did you notice something different at Polytheist.com? The site was relaunched last week with a brand new design. Director Anomalous Thracian said, “It has been rebuilt…with a new engine under the hood and a more stable hosting environment.” In addition, Thracian announced a “quarterly call for submissions” that will happen each solstice and equinox. The call is for “articles or essays on subjects, topics, perspectives or challenges related to living and practicing Polytheist religions and spiritual traditions today.” Additionally, Polytheist.com is launching a new multi-author column “showcasing entirely anonymous authors, sharing personal and informal accounts of liminal, ritual, magical and ecstatic experiences within their pursuits as Polytheists.”
- Across the internet at HumanisticPaganism.com, there is another call for submissions. In a blog announcement, HumanisticPaganism editors write, “July 12 is Malala Day,which honors Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani activist who survived an assassination attempt and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.” They also note that July hosts several “important anniversaries in the Transcendentalist movement.” In honor of Malala and Transcendentalism, HumanisticPaganism.com is looking for essays discussing the themes of “individualism, religious tradition and gender issues.“
- Several members of Idaho’s Pagan community were featured in a local news article called, “Potions and Paganism in Boise.“ The article profiles the metaphysical store, Bella’s Grove and the Tri-Council Academy or the Treasure Valley Pagan community. The reporter writes, “Woventear [owner of Bella’s Grove]…strives to create a space where budding witches and pagans can learn without judgment.” The news article provides a brief look into one of the many thriving, very local Pagan communities nestled in towns throughout the U.S.
- Filmmaker and artist Antero Alli has announced a “rare screening” of his dark comedy To Dream of Falling Upwards (2011). He writes, “Set in the parallel worlds of an urban magickal order and the rural magic of Castaneda-style desert brujas, a sex magickian accidentally summons a demon who wants to be his best friend.” The screening will take place July 2 at 8 p.m. in Finnish Kaleva Hall in Berkeley, California.
- A Change.org petition was started to “Legalise Pagan Handfastings in England and Wales.” On Saturday, Melissa Page started the petition asking for 5,000 signatures. In just two days, she has received nearly 3,000 signatures and has already sent one request letter directly to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party David Cameron MP. Page writes that she is “waiting on a reply,” but more voices are still needed. She encourages people to keep signing.
- And, one last note, the Celtic Rock Band Dragon’s Head has recently released its very first album called “Songs of the New Old Ways.” Their sound is described as “heavy, melodic, and inspiring …taking their cues from alternative, progressive rock, punk, jazz and Celtic balladry.” You can get a taste of their music and read the inspiration behind making the album at ReverbNation.
That’s it for now. Have a great day!
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Congratulations to Sarah Avery! That’s wonderful news.
‘Silent’ protest, eh? Isn’t that exactly what most of the world has been doing these last couple of years? Perhaps it would be more effective to encourage the ‘commander in chief’ to put our military on the ground and take care of these thugs. Anything less is totally pointless.
Only if we do it smart. We did it dumb once already. Smart means sending Arabic-speaking Sunni-American Special Forces under cover into Anbar and rallying locals to the banner of an Anbar Autonomous Province with the same de facto status in Iraq as Kurdistan. It means skipping the part about getting permission from Baghdad; they can’t govern Anbar so it’s dumb to treat them as the government there. It means providing ground troop air support but slapping the media when they ask whether air power can win a war; of course it can’t by itself but it’s a helluva force multiplier for local boots on the ground. (Worked like a champ in Afghanistan.) Take Anbar back and then ask Baghdad if it wants the territory it does govern to be known as East Iraq or West Iran.
A silent protest is a waste of time and effort here.
I think the Iraqi ‘government’ has pretty much demonstrated it can’t govern outside the green zone.
I’m not sure about ground troops. Daesh is a lot more aggressive than the insurgency.
What Daesh needs is an appropriate amount of the modern equivalent of napalm (since we don’t use it anymore) dumped upon them. This could mesh well with the Iraqi armies ‘run away’ battle strategy. Send them to face Daesh, let them run away. Then at run+1 hour drop cluster munitions in front and behind Daesh to lock them in place. Then go in with the mark 77s on top of them.
We should have divided Iraq up into a Sunni nation, a Shia nation and free Kurdistan twelve years ago. Then told the Turks to go….themselves, if they didn’t like it.
When will drunken Yale frat boys admit to themselves they can’t build anything much less nation build?
We’re the only ones operating under the delusion that there is, or ever was, a country named Iraq.
That’s why I ended my comment with the “East Iraq/West Iran” question. Do the Shi’ites in charge of that territory (sort of) want to be part of the federated Iraq described by Wolfsbane, or do they want Arab Baghdad to be a satellite of Persian Tehran?
There’s a Facebook event for those who may be interested in performing the protest ritual. You can join in here.
Thanks for the mention Heather, there is still a lot to do before we can open the gates to thepaganmarket.com but we will do it. If there are any questions please contact us on the website we would love to talk to anyone to shed more light.
The original Pagan marketing site, ePagan, looks like it has folded. The site’s still there but there’s nothing much on it. Guess the competitive auction format didn’t appeal.
The issue of Da’esh’s destruction of pre-Islamic sites and artifacts needs to be brought up both at the PWR and MGW. What, as modern polytheists, can we do to help preserve the traces of our spiritual forebears?
You mean besides silent protest or supporting military action? They can become efficient in lobbying the US government to bring about what you recommend above. That would mean a consolidated office supported by the different variants of polytheists. You’d probably get some Wiccanate support.