Basic Witches
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About the Book
A magical lifestyle guide for everything from powering up a stylish crystal to banishing terrible Tinder dates.
Want to feel terrifyingly beautiful? Wear the right color of eye shadow to project otherworldly glamour. Need to exorcise a toxic friendship? Repeat the proper incantation and make it disappear. Want to increase your energy? Whip up a tasty herbal “potion” to rev up your stamina. DIY projects, rituals, and spells—along with fun historical sidebars—summon the best trends of the modern witchy lifestyle and the time-trusted traditions of the hell-raising women of the past. With humor, heart, and a hip sensibility, Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman dispense witchy wisdom for the curious, the cynical, and anyone who could use a magical boost.
Selected Table of Contents:
CHAPTER 1 – Self-Initiation: An Induction into Basic Witchery
What We Mean by “Witchcraft”
Our Favorite Pop Culture Witches
CHAPTER 2 – Glamours: The Power to Change How You Look
How to Clothe Yourself in Literal Darkness
The Dark Magic of Unfeminine Haircuts
A Spell for Self-Care
CHAPTER 3 – Healing: The Power to Care for Yourself
A Spell to Make Peace with Your Body
Magical Exercise
A Ritual for a Relaxing Netflix Binge
CHAPTER 4 – Summoning: The Power to Care for Others (and Have Them Care for You)
The Transformative Power of Vulnerability
A Collaborative Ritual to Deepen Friendship
CHAPTER 5 – Enchantment: The Power to Make Choices about Love and Sex
Conjuring Your Perfect Mate
The Magic Circle of Consent
A Spell for Talking about Sex
CHAPTER 6 – Banishment: The Power to Avoid What Brings You Down
Expelling Social Toxicity
The Different Types of Personal Demons
A Spell to Counter Impostor Syndrome
CHAPTER 7 – Divination: The Power to Decide Your Destiny
A Spell to Name Your Heart’s Desire
How to Read Tea Leaves
Praise
“The practical mantras and rituals in Basic Witches help banish toxic vibes and summon the sorcery to lead an empowered life. Pairs well with a cauldron of rosé.”— Los Angeles Times
“A handy guide to boosting self-confidence and reaching positive outcomes.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Interesting and empowering.”—Syfy Wire
“This book is a gem—get it for you, for your girl gang, and any woman who might be occasionally tempted to hex a catcaller.”—BookRiot
“An excellent book that puts a spell over its reader from start to finish.”—BioGamer Girl
“The perfect read for women who wish to embrace the power they have from within and transform it into personal purpose, truth and intention.”—Soul & Spirit Magazine
About the Author
Jess Zimmerman
Jess has written a bunch of essays, some fiction, a high-profile opinion column, years of political journalism, a master's thesis on Neuromancer, and one and a half books, but still lives in fear of the Fun Bio. Mostly, though, she cannot be stopped from editing things, so here we are. Before coming to Quirk she was the editor-in-chief of the digital magazine Electric Literature, publishing essays and humor about books and narrative media. She likes dogs, skulls, mythical monsters, nonlinear stories, industrial music, large-scale immersive art projects, the old internet, and science fiction comedy from the '80s, and her most useless skill is reading Morse code (not a written language).
