If you haven’t already, be sure to listen to our first episode with Gabriela about her debut novel, The Second Bell.

This episode was recorded via Zoom, so there may be occasional audio hiccups. Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Listening Guide

• 0:00 – 3:07 Portki Party
• 3:07 – 6:06 Introduction
• 6:06 – 31:54 “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?”
• 31:54 – 56:43 “Bald Heads and Queer Noses”
• 56:43 – 1:13:40 “Round About the Cauldron Go”
• 1:13:40 – 1:43:27 “Treguna, Makoidees, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!”/ Final Spells

CW: general mention of rape. Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Links

• “The Wheel of Time isn’t the new Game of Thrones. It’s better” (Slate)
• “The Wheel of Time is Better than Game of Thrones for One Important Reason” (Inverse)

Listening Guide

• 0:00 – 3:13 Welcome
• 3:13 – 9:22 The Dragon Re-pantsed
• 9:22 – 14:20  Introduction
• 14:20 – 32:20 “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?”
• 32:20 – 1:00:06 “Bald Heads and Queer Noses”
• 1:00:06 – 1:13:44 “Round About the Cauldron Go”
• 1:13:44 – 1:26:39 “Treguna, Makoidees, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!”
• 1:26:39 – 1:34:38 Final Spells

And finally, for your viewing pleasure:

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Per usual, in our season finale, we award our annual Witchies for the following categories:

WHICH WITCH…

• Inspired you to learn something new or to improve your craft?
• Helped you to see other people in a new light or to better understand your own position in society (and/or take social action)?
• Changed the way you think of your body or the human body in general?
• Taught you something about the natural world or encouraged you to heal and/or connect with your environment?
• Encouraged you to create art or foster a spiritual practice?
• Made you laugh?

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE/ MOST MAGICAL MOMENT FROM DOING THE PODCAST?

WHICH WITCH WINS THE WITCH OF THE YEAR AWARD?

• Featuring our new People’s Choice Award!

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Links

• “The Man Who Finally Made a Dune that Fans Will Love” (NYT)
• “Here’s Where Dune Filmed Its Amazing Desert Scenes” (Men’s Health)

Listening Guide

• 0:00 – 5:45 Still Suit Riot
• 5:45 – 13:08  Introduction to Dune
• 18:08 – 36:41 “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?”
• 36:41 – 52:30 “Round About the Cauldron Go”
• 52:30 – 1:13:25 “Bald Heads and Sadis Dee!” (Bodies + Spirituality)
• 1:13:25 – 1:21:20 Final Spells
• 1:21:20 – 1:25: 54 Outtakes

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum. CW: discussion of suicide and abuse

Links

• It’s Always Halloween
• @itsalwayshalloweenpodcast (IG)
• The All Hallows Hotline: 802-532-DEAD
• @LTBcomedy (Twitter)
• @LTBcomedy (IG)
• @toomuch.productions (IG)
• Lucé’s Linktree
• Salem Witch Museum episode
• Vidéothèque
• Taking Charge of Your Fertility

Listening Guide

• 0:00 – 1:45 Welcome
• 1:45 – 15:31 Introduction to Lucé and “It’s Always Halloween”
• 15:31 – 18:17 Saved by the Shorts
• 18:17 – 30:38 Introduction to The Craft: Legacy
• 30:38 – 54:35 “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?”
• 54:35 – 1:31:30 “Bald Heads and Queer Noses”
• 1:31:30 – 1:39:53 Thoughts from Linda (about periods!)
• 1:39:53 – 1:58:48 “Round About the Cauldron Go”
• 1:58:48 – 2:05:22 Final Spells

“What we see in this film [The Craft: Legacy]…is witchcraft gives space for people’s voices that aren’t typically heard and that there are so many stories and experiences that we need to see.” @LTBcomedy

Tweet

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Links

“The Dark Side of Roald Dahl” by Hephzibah Anderson (BBC)

Listening Guide

• 0:00 – 8:53 Introduction
• 8:53 – 11:08 Pants, Pants, Pants
• 11:08 – 31:04 “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?”
• 30:57 – 1:03:14 “Bald Heads and Queer Noses”
• 1:03:14 – 1:10:33 Final Spells

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Links

• Jenny’s Instagram: @jenjnyjnfr
• Jenny’s classes: @mcyclestudios & @lom.yoga
• Mcycle’s website: mcyclestudios.com
• Katie’s website: katiemcney.com
• Katie’s Instagram: @katiemcney & @katieofshalott

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Listening Guide

• 0:00 – 4:30 Uniform Brainstorm
• 4:30 – 12:03 Introduction
• 12:03 – 26:35 “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?”
• 26:35 – 38:05 “Bald Heads and Queer Noses”
• 38:05 – 43:26 “Round About the Cauldron Go”
• 43:26 – 53:05 “Treguna Mekoides Trecorum Sadis Dee”
• 53:05 – 55:19 Final Spells

This episode was recorded via Zoom, so there may be occasional audio hiccups. Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Listening Guide

• 0:00 – 4:25 Sisterhood of the Optional Pants
• 4:25 – 9:50 Introduction
• 9:50 – 33:10 “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?”
• 33:10 – 1:04:25 “Bald Heads and Queer Noses”
• 1:04:25 – 1:23:15 “Treguna Mekoides Trecorum Sadis Dee”
• 1:23:15 – 1:49:00 Final Spells

This episode was recorded via Zoom, so there may be occasional audio hiccups. Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Listening Guide

• 0:00 – 4:48 Blabbing in Bell Bottoms
• 4:48 – 6:45 Introduction
• 6:45 – 36:10 “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?”
• 36:10 – 59:12 “Bald Heads and Queer Noses”
• 59:12 – 1:24:05 “Treguna Mekoides Trecorum Sadis Dee”
• 1:24:05 – 1:37:20 Final Spells

Gabriela Houston is a London-based writer. She was born in Poland and raised in a book-loving household on the nourishing diet of mythologies, classics and graphic novels. She came to the UK at 19 to follow her passion for literature and she completed her undergraduate and Masters degrees at Royal Holloway, University of London. After her studies she worked in publishing for a few years. She now lives with her family in Harrow, where she pursues her life-long passion for making stuff up.

This episode was recorded via Zoom, so there may be occasional audio hiccups. Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Listening Guide

• 0:00 – 4:05 Welcome/ Trusty Trousers
• 4:05 – 14:15 Introduction to The Second Bell and Gabriela
• 14:15 – 41:58 “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?”
• 41:58 – 1:20:40 “Bald Heads and Queer Noses”
• 1:20:40 – 1:36:50 “Round About the Cauldron Go”
• 1:36:50 – 1:45:24 Final Spells

Links

• “A Woman’s Life Doesn’t End at 40–So Why Does Society Make Us Feel That Way?” (The Guardian)
• “Where Are All of the Mothers in Fantasy Fiction?” by Gabriela Houston for Den of Geek
• History of Swear Words (Netflix)
• “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Broke a Major Taboo on Primetime TV” (Refinery29)
• The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford

“All women in patriarchal societies I suppose would experience it to some extent, where you are being held back in quite fundamental ways…It’s a sort of constant struggle, where you’re supposed to hold your nature back and be softer, be less aggressive. Don’t tap into your anger.” @GabrielaHouston

Tweet

“Motherhood was really the absolute end of a female character’s journey, traditionally…That means that there’s this whole huge aspect of human experience that doesn’t traditionally get the attention it deserves. ” @GabrielaHouston

Tweet

“Words matter. The way we use words matters.” @GabrielaHouston

Tweet

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Links

• WandaVision (catch up now so you’re ready for April’s episode!)
• Women of Marvel #1
• Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook

Genevieve Gornichec earned her degree in history from The Ohio State University, but she got as close to majoring in Vikings as she possibly could, and her study of the Norse myths and Icelandic sagas became her writing inspiration. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio. The Witch’s Heart is her debut novel. Learn more about Genevieve on her website.

This episode was recorded via Zoom, so there may be occasional audio hiccups. Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Listening Guide

• 0:00 – 4:32 Welcome/ Nalbinded Knickers
• 4:32 – 6:24 Introduction to The Witch’s Heart
• 6:24 – 23:48 “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?”
• 23:48 – 40:49 “Bald Heads and Queer Noses”
• 40:49 – 49:28 “Round About the Cauldron Go”
• 49:28 – 58:37 “Treguna Mekoides Trecorum Sadis Dee!”
• 58:37 – Final Spells

Texts Referenced in the Episode

• Thor
• Women Who Run with the Wolves
• Saga
• Princess Mononoke
• Howl’s Moving Castle

“You don’t have to grab a sword and go out into the battlefield to have power and be worthy of having your story told.” @gengornichec

Tweet

“[The heart is] a symbol of her capacity and her ability to love others and love herself, even after everything she’s been through.” @gengornichec

Tweet

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Links

• Hilda (Netflix show)
• Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury (releasing June 15, 2021)
• Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch by Julie Abe (releasing August 3, 2021)
• The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede
• Yoga with Adriene
• Llewellyn’s 2021 Witches’ Datebook

CW: domestic abuse, murder, violence at the Capitol

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Listening Guide

• 0:00 – 7:42 Host Introductions
• 7:42 – 13:45 Long Story Shorts
• 13:45 – 16:11 Introduction to evermore
• 16:35 – 24:56 Thoughts from Amber
• 24:56 – 46:35 “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?”
• 46:35 – 51:00 Thoughts from Jane
• 51:00 – 1:14:34 “Bald Heads and Queer Noses”
• 1:14:34 – 1:18:41 Thoughts from Marri
• 1:18:41 – 1:40:31 “Round About the Cauldron Go”
• 1:40:31 – 1:47:38 Thoughts from Chelsie
• 1:47:38 – 1:51:08 Final Spells

Links

• Our folklore episode
• “Is Taylor Swift a Witch Now?” (The Mary Sue)
• National Domestic Violence Hotline
• Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW)

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Per usual, in our season finale we award our annual Witchies for the following categories:

Which witch…

• Inspired you to learn something new or to improve your craft?
• Helped you to see other people in a new light or to better understand your own position in society (and/or take social action)?
• Changed the way you think of your body or the human body in general?
• Taught you something about the natural world or encouraged you to heal and/or connect with your environment?
• Encouraged you to create art or foster a spiritual practice?
• Made you laugh?

What was your favorite/ most magical moment from doing the podcast?

Which witch wins the Witch of the Year Award?

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Welcome/ Pant Chat (0:00 – 3:25)

Introduction (3:25 – 8:03)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (8:03 – 23:22)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (23:22 – 51:25)

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (51:25 – 1:10:26)

Final Spells (1:10:26 – 1:13:38)

Note: We recorded via Zoom, and there were some audio/ connection issues; we apologize for the glitches. Content warning for discussions of sterilization, torture, the Uighur genocide, and ICE detention centers in the first 13 minutes.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Introduction (0:00 – 13:45)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (13:45 – 40:10)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (40:10 – 59:30)

“Treguna Mekoides Trecorum Sadis Dee!” (50:30 – 1:15:40)

Final Spells (1:15:40 – 1:24:08)

“I do not think a creative team that willfully ignores real human suffering in order to get particular scenery for their shots is capable of telling an emotionally resonant story of a heroine who sacrificed everything to prevent more human suffering.” @plindawrites

Tweet

Links

• Uyghur Human Rights Project (donate here)
• Families Belong Together (donate here)
• MSNBC Interview with Dawn Wooten
• Episode 20: Revaluing Free Speech with Yan Sham-Shackleton (conversation from Katie’s other podcast about the situation in Hong Kong)
• “The Problem with Mulan: Why the Live-Action Remake is a Lightning Rod for Controversy” by Jingan Young
• “‘Mulan’ Has a Message: Serve China and Forget About the Uighurs” by Jeannette Ng
• “Beyond Authenticity: The Spectre of Han Hegemony” by Jeannette Ng

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Taylor-ed Slacks and/or The Nap Dress (0:00 – 4:25)

Introduction (4:25 – 22:35)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (22:55 – 47:05)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (47:25 – 1:02:50)

“Round About the Cauldron Go”/ “Treguna Mekoides Trecorum Sadis Dee!” (1:03:05 – 1:18:57)

Links

• How Victorian Women Were Oppressed through Psychiatry (The Atlantic) 
• The Yellow Wallpaper (The Conversation)
• Dixie Chicks’ Gaslighter (The Ringer)
• Origins of Gaslighting (The World)
• Taylor Swift’s Sexual Assault Trial (Washington Post)
• What is a Nap Dress (Huff Post)
• Folklore’s 8 Album Covers (Vulture)
• Witchcore (see also “cottagecore” and “naturecore”)
• “Safe and Sound” (Taylor Swift’s Hunger Games track)
• Miss Americana (documentary on Netflix)
• History of Rebekah Harkness (Twitter thread by Rachel Syme)
• Phone Call with Kanye West (Vox)
• “The Man” by Taylor Swift
• AOC’s Speech Responding to Ted Yoho (Slate)
• Taylor Swift Changes Merch After Accusation of Theft (Stereogum)

Links

• 44 Mental Health Resources for Black People Trying to Survive This Country
• Pride’s Proud History: Remembering Marsha P. Johnson
• “How Can We Win?” (video interview with Kimberly Jones)
• AmyMcGrath.com
• AarikaForCongress.com
• #blackAF

Books

• So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
• A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
• Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
• The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
• The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
• Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart
• Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis

CW: discussion of police brutality, George Floyd, Amy Cooper, white supremacy, systemic racism (28:21 – 50:45)

We at Witches in Britches stand in solidarity with everyone using their voice to combat racism and police brutality and to dismantle systems of oppression. We believe Black lives are precious and every Black life matters, and we invite our White listeners to learn about White privilege and how you can help fight systemic racism. This Anti-Racist Reading List, curated by Katie’s other podcast is a great place to start.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Startin’ with Tartans (0:00 – 4:30)

Introduction (4:30 – 9:00)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (9:00 – 20:53)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (20:53 – 50:46)

“Round About the Cauldron Go”* (50:46 – 1:02:25)

“Treguna Mekoides Trecorum Sadis Dee!” (1:02:25 – 1:14:34)

Final Spells (1:14:34 – 1:22:40)

Outtakes (1:22:40 – 1:24:45)

*This segment name comes from Macbeth!

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

The Pants Uncomfortable/ Introduction (0:00 – 12:13)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (11:46 – 46:25)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses”/ “Treguna” Fusion (46:28 – 1:11:46)

Final Spells (1:11:52 – 1:17:36)

Links

“Kubo” is Complicated, Flawed, and You Should Totally See It (CAAM)

How a Japanese Printmaker Influenced ‘Kubo’ (Vice)

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Recommendations/ Links

• A Guarded Heart by Heidi Kimball
• Where the Stars Meet the Sea by Heidi Kimball
• Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
• The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood
• The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
• Our Girl Who Drank the Moon episode 
• The Farthest-Away Mountain by Lynne Reid Banks
• Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
• Fresh Off the Boat
• Onward
• The Parent Trap
• Mulan (new release date: July 24)
• The Nap Ministry

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Welcome/ Boot-Scootin’ Babble (0:00 – 6:40)

Introduction (6:40 – 10:40)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (10:55 – 34:25)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (34:40 – 51:00)

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (51:20 – 1:09:05)

Final Spells (1:09:30 – 1:11:25)

Outtakes (1:11:30 – 1:13:47)

Links

• The New York Times: “Country Music is a Man’s World. The Highwomen Want to Change That.”
• RollingStone: “The Highwomen: In the Studio with Country’s Ballsiest New Supergroup”

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Welcome/ Pant Chant/ Introduction (0:00 – 8:45)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (8:45 – 24:55)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (24:55 – 39:10)

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (39:10 – 58:30)

Final Spells (58:30 – 1:01:00)

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Another season in the books! Listen to hear our answers to the following questions:

“Which witch…”

• Inspired you to learn something new or to improve your craft?
• Helped you to see other people in a new light or to better understand your own position in society (and/or take social action)?
• Changed the way you think of your body or the human body in general?
• Taught you something about the natural world or encouraged you to heal and/or connect with your environment?
• Encouraged you to create art or foster a spiritual practice?
• Made you laugh?

“What was your favorite/ most magical moment from doing the podcast?”

“Which witch wins the ‘Witch of the Year’ Award?”

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Welcome/ Britches in Brief (0:00 – 4:55)

Introduction (4:55 – 7:20)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (7:20 – 27:00)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (27:00 – 38:44)

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (38:44 – 57:06)

Final Spells (57:06 – 1:03:00)

Important Links:

Studio C- The Property Brothers’ Greatest Renovation 

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Welcome/ Pant Chat/ Introduction (0:00 – 8:53)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (8:53 – 39:27)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (39:27 – 55:33)

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (55:33 – 1:19:45)

Final Spells (1:19:45 – 1:23:00)

(Note: this was a last-minute change due to scheduling constraints. We definitely plan to discuss Akata Warrior in the near future!)

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Armageddon is here, so no actual segments this episode (apart from “Knicker Snicker” and “Final Spells”). Enjoy the anarchy!

Please note: Our use of the terms man/male and woman/female in this and all of our discussions is in no way intended to be trans-exclusive or to reinforce an essentialist binary model of gender. While we often use this language as a shorthand, we recognize, support, and welcome people of all genders.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Welcome/ Short Report (0:00 – 7:20)

Recent Magical Experiences (7:26 – 45:57)

Witchy Recommendations (46:00 – 1:10:45)

Outtakes/ Behind the Scenes (1:10:45 – 1:14:30)

Recommendations

Girling Up by Mayim Bialik

Boying Up by Mayim Bialik

The Green Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés

The Green Witch Tarot by Ann Moura and Kiri Leonard 

Goddess Power Oracle by Colette Baron Reid

Good Omens

Walk on Earth a Stranger (Gold Seer Trilogy) by Rae Carson

Lumos by Harry and the Potters

The Vision of Escaflowne 

Related Links

Guerrilla Girls

Dope Black Art

Secret Feminist Agenda Episode 3.16 (about being a female tattoo artist)

U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (four World Cup titles!)

“Changing Channels” (Washington Post article)

Beowulf in Old English

Canterbury Tales in Middle English

Barry clip (in Lululemon)

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Welcome/ “The Denim Diaries” (0:00 – 2:45)

Introduction (2:45 – 7:25)

Which Craft? (7:25 – 16:05)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (16:05 – 34:50)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (34:50 – 1:01:35)

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (1:01:35 – 1:28:00)

Final Spells (1:28:00 – 1:37:10)

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Welcome/ “Hoes in Hose” (0:00 – 5:05)

Introduction + a short throwback “Which Craft?” (5:10 – 20:20)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (20:25 – 39:55)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (39:59 – 1:16:00)

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (1:16:02 – 1:39:33)

Final Spells + Outtakes (1:39:33 – 1:47:19)

Next month we’ll be discussing Hex Wives #1 (DC Comics). You can view our schedule here.

Important photo of Jenny’s cat:

In this minisode, we talk about our recent magical experiences and share some witchy recommendations.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Little Drum.

Welcome/ Pants, Pants, Pants! (0:00 – 6:50)

Part One: Magical Experiences, Discoveries, and Thoughts (6:50 – 25:50)

Grandmother hypothesis

Part Two: Witchy Recommendations (25:50 – 46:00)

• Witchy Kitty
• Chrono Trigger
• Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
• Native American Tarot Deck
• Southwest Museum
• Binge Mode
• The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith
• King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
• Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Season 2
• Us

The Pet Sematary Cat

Eight Whole Minutes of Bonus Content!!! (46:00 – 54:00)

We apologize for the delay getting this posted. Katie’s been going through some major life events, which got in the way of editing, but it’s never too late to enjoy our VERY fun discussion about The Wee Free Men, the first Tiffany Aching book in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. Plus we have a gorgeously updated theme song from the talented Sarah Little Drum! (Listen to more of her music on her website.)

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Welcome/ Pant Chant/ Introduction (0:00 – 10:15)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (10:20 – 35:20)

“‘Round About the Cauldron Go” (35:25 – 55:00)

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (55:05 – 1:11:45)

Final Spells (1:11:50 – 1:19:00)

Sign Off and Bloopers (1:19:10 – 1:23:00)

Important Links

SNL H&M Sketch

Childish Gambino’s Live Performance of Redbone

Wee Free Men Heading to Cinemas!

Next month will be a minisode. You can find our schedule for the season here.

Content warning: slavery, sexual assault.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Welcome/ Trouser Browser/ Introduction (0:00 – 11:15)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (11:15 – 31:50)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (31:50 – 55:05)

“‘Round About the Cauldron Go” (55:05 – 1:08:50)

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (1:08:50 – 1:21:55)

Final Spells (1:21:55 – 1:29:30)

Related Links

Netflix’s Siempre Bruja Conjures up Racist Tropes It’s Not Equipped to Address (A.V. Club)

Netflix’s Siempre Bruja Failed Black History Month (Refinery 29)

Love Doesn’t Conquer Shit: The Odd Obsession with Oppressive Interracial Relationships

This American Life: “Random Acts of History”

Next month we’ll be discussing The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. You can find our schedule for the season here.

Please enjoy this reflective episode as we look back on Season 2 and the witches who inspired us to get through this rather challenging year. (Apologies for Katie’s mic issues!)

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Listen to hear our answers to the following questions:

“Which witch…”

• Inspired you to learn something new or to improve your craft?
• Helped you to see other people in a new light or to better understand your own position in society (and/or take social action)?
• Changed the way you think of your body or the human body in general?
• Taught you something about the natural world or encouraged you to heal and/or connect with your environment?
• Encouraged you to create art or foster a spiritual practice?
• Made you laugh?

“What was your favorite/ most magical moment from doing the podcast?”

“Which witch wins the ‘Witch of the Year’ Award?”

You can find all of our previous episodes here.

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please fill out this short (5 min) survey and let us know how we can improve things for Season 3! Thanks, witches! See you in 2019!

Content warning: brief mentions of Larry Nassar and Brett Kavanaugh, racial slurs, lynching, homophobia, transphobia.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Introduction (0:00 – 3:11)

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (3:17 – 32:06)

• The show’s depiction of witchcraft as an inversion of evangelical Christianity
• Wicca
• Appropriation and misapplication of various religious and pagan symbols
• Sabrina’s visions
• Exorcism scene (power drawn from the women in Sabrina’s family tree)

Related Links

The Nutcracker/ “girl goes fantasy world”  conversation started on Jeannette Ng’s Twitter

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (32:13 – 46:27)

• Witch bodies vs. human bodies
• Witches’ lack of respect for others’ bodily autonomy
• Sabrina’s erasing Harvey’s memories (with a kiss!), cursing Mr. Hawthorne, attempting resurrection
• Witches’ treatment of familiars
• Demonic possession and a man-eating Lilith
• Portrayal of Sabrina’s body in the comics

Related Links

She-Ra is a recent example (on Netflix, too!) of a female character being reclaimed by women: An All-Female Writing Team Gives ‘She-Ra’ a Modern Makeover for a New Netflix Reboot

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (46:36 – 1:13:15)

• Susie = a non-binary character (played by Lachlan Watson, a non-binary actor)!
• The show’s ambiguous, 60s-esque setting + its flat depiction of high school
• Is Sabrina a good witch or a bad witch?
• Prudence and the show’s difficulty navigating race
• White women = complicit in white supremacy
• Cousin Ambrose and Sabrina’s aunts

Related Links

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina‘s Non-Binary Character Deserves Better

Star Tati Gabrielle Talks Giving Depth to Prudence

In Defense of Prudence Night

Why Can’t Black Witches Get Some Respect in Popular Culture?

Cousin Ambrose is the Most Compelling Part of Sabrina

Final Spells (1:13:19 – 1:26:25)

• The nature of spells (Latin vs. vernacular, words vs. intention)
• The comics’ influence on popular ideas about witches
• Jenny’s lunar ritual: Gemini Sage Moon

Related Links

Tarot-Inspired Character Palettes

Content warning: domestic violence, sexual assault, Brett Kavanaugh, miscarriage.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Introduction (1:00 – 3:49)

Which Craft? (3:54 – 33:05)

• Sensory details
• Clothing as a means of communication
• Historical figures and events–fitting the story into an early modern context
• Audiobook narration (read by Jennifer Ikeda)
• Structure and genre (meta discussion about vampire novels)
• Logistics of time travel
• Matthew and Diana’s character growth

“Are you a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (33:08 – 53:40)

• Wide range of female characters!
• The Earl of Northumberland’s hearing impairment
• Fatherhood and losing a child
• Christopher Marlowe and gay villains
• Matthew and Diana’s relationship

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (53:43 – 1:20:40)

• Diana’s objectification (and elbows!)
• Marcus and Phoebe
• Reading Diana’s body
• Early modern understandings of memory and bodies as texts
• Diana’s pregnancies and miscarriage
• Diana’s familiar

Related Links

Witches Plan Ritual to Hex Brett Kavanaugh

“Round about the…Satis Dee” (1:20:43 – 1:44:23)

• Nature-based symbols (bee and snake)
• Cyclical nature of time
• Self-discovery as process
• Alchemy and the Arbor Dianae
• Diana and Philippe as liminal characters
• Rituals and rites of passage

Final Spells (1:44:28 – 1:54:21)

• Mary Sidney–one of the first women to print her work
• National domestic violence hotline: 1-800-799-7233
• Bedding ceremonies and other horrors

Blooper Reel (1:55:20 – 1:56:50)

this month we’re discussing the witch doesn’t burn in this one by amanda lovelace. content warning for discussions of sexual assault (+ a brief mention of louis c.k.) and eating disorders.

our theme song is “moon and spruce” by sarah littledrum.

here’s a listening guide for the episode. (for a description of our segments, go here.)

introduction (0:00 – 2:01)

which craft? (2:08 – 27:16)

• what is poetry? and who can write it?
• organization and structure; repetition
• fire imagery
• poetry as visual art: lowercase text, font color/ size, white space, etc.
• poetry as an open text; allusions to other works of literature and pop culture

works we reference:

• carmina burana
• “goblin market” by christina rossetti (check out foodstuff’s dramatic reading here)
• “the yellow wallpaper” by charlotte perkins gilman
• the handmaid’s tale by margaret atwood
• how to get away with murder
• winterling by sarah prineas
• paprika
• goodbye earl
• mad max: fury road
• “nanette” by hannah gadsby

related links

secret feminist agenda episode 2.16: poetry is cool

rupi kaur: the inevitable backlash against instagram’s favorite poet

the comedy-destroying, soul-affirming art of hannah gadsby

“are you a good witch or a bad witch?” (27:20 – 37:15)

• making space for all women
• fallacy of “not all men” and “boys will be boys”
• the “not like all the other girls” trope

related links

“not like other girls” trope

“bald heads and queer noses” (37:17 – 49:45)

• textual bodies: writing through trauma, women as more than textual objects, reclaiming our voices and stories
• bleeding poetry
• eating disorders and body image

secret feminist agenda episode 2.18: fat liberation

“eat” by zion t.

male authors writing female characters

“round about the cauldron go” (49:49 – 1:08:05)

• lavender
• what we can learn from trees
• self-love potions
• the importance of breath and clean air
• symbolism of fire

related links

the lavender menace

lunar ritual: parsley moon (1:08:08 – 1:11:41)

final thoughts (1:11:45 – 1:14:05)

next month we’ll be discussing shadow of night (book 2 in the all souls trilogy) by deborah harkness. you can listen to our episode about a discovery of witches (book 1) here.

In this minisode we discuss some of the incredible women running for office this November–and rant a fair bit about the realities of living in a patriarchal society.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Part One: Magical Experiences, Discoveries, and Thoughts

“Doors”- MJ Hegar’s political ad

“The Courage to Change”- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s political ad

“With blunt talk and compelling stories, viral videos are turning unknown women candidates into political sensations” (The Washington Post)

“These women have won their primaries. Will they be elected in November?” (The Washington Post)

“The Women Running in the Midterms During the Trump Era” (The New Yorker)

This American Life: “It’s My Party and I’ll Try if I Want To”

Unladylike: “How to Stop Getting Screwed in the SCOTUS”

Evangeline Lilly interview

Part Two: Witchy Recommendations

Circe by Madeline Miller

The Encore by Charity Tillemann-Dick

Caraval and Legendary by Stephanie Garber

An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard

In this episode we discuss The Jumbies (audiobook), written by Tracey Baptiste and narrated by Robin Miles.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Introduction (0:00 – 4:42)

Which Craft? (4:46 – 13:21)

• Story inspired by Caribbean fairy tales like “The Magic Orange Tree”
• Island setting, Caribbean culture
• Audiobook narration: wide range of voices that reflects the diversity of the Caribbean
• Reading songs in books
• The early reveal of Severine’s identity and humanization of her character
• Reinforcing the theme of balance by alternating points of view

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (13:27 – 31:22)

• Nuanced depiction of “bad” characters
• Multiculturalism in the Caribbean reflected in the characters
• Celebration of dark skin
• Core group of friends: 2 girls and 2 boys
• Malik as a non-verbal character
• Overlapping issues of indigeneity, colonization, slavery, and immigration
• Fear of the unknown, “us vs. them”
• Biracial bodies, merging of different communities

Related Links

Colonization of the Caribbean: Before Europeans

Slavery in the Caribbean

“We Are Not a Nation of Immigrants”: “We should say: We are a Nation of Immigrants, Descendants of Chattel Slavery & First Peoples of this Land. This would compel all Americans to acquaint themselves to the true history and sacrifices of this land that carved out the opportunities they now enjoy.”

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (31:28 – 39:12)

• Jumbie bodies
• The witch’s body and her shriveled arm
• The loss of Dru’s hair

“Round About the Cauldron Go” (39:18 – 51:52)

• Opening scene: Corinne running through the forest chasing her mother’s necklace–sets up centrality of the island enviornment and Corinne’s growing power
• The witch’s magic vs. Corinne’s magic (both based in natural world) and the liminal spaces they inhabit
• White witch vs. green woman
• Severine’s cooking vs. Corinne’s oranges
• Severine as force of death, Nicole as a force of life
• Corinne saves the frog, then the frog saves her

Related Links

The Green Man

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (51:58 – 57:09)

• Forming Magic–connected to child-bearing?
• All Hallow’s Eve and graveyards
• Importance of the ocean and the fish folk
• Wax figure of Corinne’s mother

Final Spells (57:14 – 1:00:55)

• Logistics of interspecies reproduction
• Not your regular “dead mother” trope

New Segment! Lunar Rituals with Jenny (1:01:00 – 1:06:43)

• Lovely suggestions for celebrating the summer solstice
• Thoughts about the power of oranges (and the sun)
• Rituals for the Basil Moon

Re: our comments about family separations at the border. We recorded this episode before the new Executive Order. However, most of the families that were separated have not yet been reunited, and those that have are still being held in internment camps. You can help by calling your representatives and donating to the following organizations:

• Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES)
• Families Belong Together
• More suggestions

You may also want to participate in a Families Belong Together event on June 30.

In this not-so-mini minisode we touch on a whole range of topics, including the reframing power of travel (perfect for a full moon in Sagittarius!); the grounding effects of place and heritage; Carnival and the liberation of marginalized bodies; the peculiar magic of royal weddings; fairies, ghosts, and monsters, and just about everything except witches–which is ridiculous, considering our conversations were centered around New Orleans and Scotland! (To make up for it, I’ve linked some witchy recommendations below.)

Our thanks to Sarah Littledrum for providing the theme song, “Moon and Spruce” (she gets a bee-themed shout out from Jenny in this episode!), and a very special thank you to Linda’s sister, Alisha, who rescued Linda’s recording for us when Linda was out of town.

Finally, if you are moved by Linda’s account of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, please consider donating to help the people of Puerto Rico who are still suffering from the damage caused by Hurricane Maria. You can find a list of relief organizations here.

Related Links

Our Outlander episode

Our Akata Witch episode

About women and masked/ liberated bodies in Carnival:

The Masked Merriment of Mardi Gras

History of All-Female Krewes

Women krewes march, dance into Mardi Gras history

• Excerpt: “All the clubs owe a huge debt to the women-led social aid and pleasure clubs. … That image of women being able to be sexy and have a different body type really came from black Mardi Gras.”

NOLA History: Women in Carnival

“Carnival and the lower body” from Ritual in Early Modern Europe by Edward Muir (a little more on the academic side, but it unites several threads of our discussion)

• Excerpt: “Carnival liberated human consciousness and permitted a new outlook by allowing common people to organize themselves ‘in their own way’ as a Carnival crowd. According to Bakhtin, the basic mechanism by which Carnival achieved its liberating effects was through turning the world upside down, especially by privileging images from the earthly underworld and the lower body, what Bakhtin called the ‘material bodily lower stratum’ represented through ‘grotesque realism'” (99).

About Scotland:

History of Scotch Whisky

Katie’s travel blog (see the Gryffindor apartment here)

Culloden Battlefield

Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition

Grey Cairns of Camster (which Katie crawled inside and immediately regretted)

The Jacobite Steam Train (aka Hogwarts Express)

Witch trials in early modern Scotland

Witchy Recommendations

Louisiana State Museum

Witchy things to do in New Orleans

Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman

Secret Feminist Agenda Episodes 2.18 and 2.19

Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland by Lisa Schneidau

Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook 2018

All of Scotland! (Katie stayed in the Highlands, but if you happen to go to Edinburgh, be sure to check out all the witchy things!)

And finally, here is the ritual Jenny shared from Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook. (Plus a resource for creating your own rituals.)

In this fun grab bag of an episode–our first minisode of season two–we talk about the sorcery of predatory guardianship, the magic of daily practice and setting goals that focus on internal fulfillment, the mystical origins of birthday traditions, and the witchy power of Hamilton! (Tip: Listen closely to Jenny’s section for some beautiful birdsong in the background!) We also give recommendations for some uncanny books and board games. See below for links and further reading.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Part One: Magical Experiences, Discoveries, and Thoughts

“How the Elderly Lose their Rights” by Rachel Aviv 

Classical Roots of Harry Potter Spells

Our Girl Who Drank the Moon Episode 

Anne Lamott: “12 Truths I Learned from Life and Writing”

This is Why You Get to Celebrate Your Birthday Every Year (NB: half of the citations are broken/ wrongly linked, so definitely take this with a grain of salt!)

Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend

“The Women of Hamilton”

Part Two: Witchy Recommendations

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo

Mysterium

As d’Or (Golden Ace!)

Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden

Disclaimers about Joseph Boyden: here and here

In this episode we discuss Madeleine L’Engle’s beloved children’s classic A Wrinkle in Time as well as the recent (2018) film adaptation directed by Ava DuVernay.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Introduction (0:00 – 4:11)

Which Craft? (4:16 – 30:50)

• L’Engle’s publication journey and inspiration for the book
• Setting for the story: New England vs. L.A.
• “It was a dark and stormy night”
• Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which as witches (+ references to Shakespeare)
• A Wrinkle in Time as a contemporary dream vision
• Process of adaptation and changes made for the film:
  • Focus on Meg’s journey: learning to love herself
  • Sequence on Camazotz
  • Final showdown with the IT
  • Meg’s relationship with her father
  • Mrs. Who’s quotes
  • Changes to Mrs. Whatsit’s character
  • Changes to the Happy Medium
• Visuals/ CGI and music

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” + “Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (30:55 – 55:37)

• Casting Storm Reid and centering women of color
• Meg’s journey to embrace her body and natural hair
• The witches’ appearance and bodies
• Importance of representation in film and how movies like Black Panther and A Wrinkle in Time are changing the industry
• Calvin as sidekick/ love interest/ supporting character
• Meg’s parents, biracial couple
• Dr. Kate Murry: beauty, scientist, mother
• Mae Jemison
• Charles Wallace

Related Links

Vulture: Ava DuVernay on Meg’s Natural Hair

Code Switch: In Search of Black-on-Black Love

“‘Round About the Cauldron Go” (55:43 – 1:06:02)

Gather ’round while Jenny drops some of her boundless wisdom about gardens and flowers and the portrayal of the natural world in the film!

• Meg’s backyard garden
• Mrs. Who’s house
• “Tessering is almost nearly perfectly natural”: finding your frequency
• Magic of wild nights
• Uriel: natural beauty, color-speaking flowers, Mrs. Whatsit’s transformation
• Orion: finding balance
• Camazotz: looking inwards

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (1:06:05 – 1:16:44)

• Spiritual truths beyond Christianity
• Nature of evil (book version vs. film version)
• Tesseracts powered by love
• Fantasy as a vehicle for conveying complex ideas to children

Final Spells (1:16:48 – 1:19:46)

• Math and making learning fun
• Flatland (Correction: the main character is a square, not a triangle)
• Meg holding Calvin’s hand in the book vs. in the film

Blooper Reel (1:20:42 – 1:23:52)

Claire’s Recommendations

• The Mortified Guide
• Stuff Mom Never Told You
• Still Processing
• Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!

That’s right. Our whole coven is back to discuss the 2014 film adaptation of the Sondheim musical Into the Woods. The perfect way to kick off a month with a blue moon!

The first full moon in March is called the Sap Moon or Worm Moon. Other names include the Moon of Winds, the Death Moon, the Chaste Moon, the Fish Moon, the Sleepy Moon, and the Big Famine Moon.

CW: sexual assault, #MeToo, Larry Nassar, Johnny Depp, infidelity, infertility. See the listening guide below for which sections to skip.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Introduction (0:00 – 3:15)

Which Craft? (3:30 – 17:10)

• Adaptation: differences between the stage version and screen version
• Circular narrative and the four central characters
• Effect of using and changing familiar stories (and returning to the darker roots of fairy tales)
• Meryl Streep’s performance
• Conveying theme through lighting, music, and special effects
• The baker and his wife as everyman characters

“Are You a Bald Head or a Queer Nose?”: Representation + Bodies (17:40 – 1:05:45)

• The baker and toxic masculinity/ social pressures (+ the importance of having a supportive community in order to change cycles of abuse/ destructive behaviors/ demands of cisheteronormativity)
• So many dead mothers (separation of child and parent as central theme)
• Women in diverse stages of life–but no women of color
• Sexual violence: Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Larry Nassar, #MeToo, empowering victims of assault (31:14 – 40:26)
• Jack’s sexual awakening and the princes’ focus on sexual conquest (40:26 – 42:45)
• The baker’s wife: punishing women for infidelity (43:20 – 49:46) 
• The witch’s body: can beauty and power co-exist? + healing from assault (49:52 – 55:35)
• Infertility as a curse (55:41 – 59:49)
• Blindness, disability, and magical princess tears

“Round about the Treguna”: Nature + Spirituality (1:06:06 – 1:22:46)

• The woods as a psychological, transformative space/ journey
• Getting what you wish for/ the magic of normalcy
• Liminal spaces, bridging life and death
• The spell and its ingredients (transmuted by the cow)
• The witch’s garden and magic beans

Final Spells (1:23:13 – 1:28:20)

• Typecast Lucy Punch and other versions of Cinderella
• Other movies/ plays with similar musical themes
• Learning from and improving on our parents’ example

Related Links

Liz Gilbert on The School of Greatness

Blooper Reel (1:29:16 – 1:30:06)

A sort-of photo of the four of us, together again:

Claire and Jenny’s tablet-laptop contraption:

Katie’s blue hair:

Other names for December’s moon include the Bitter Moon (Chinese), Oak Moon (English), Snow Moon (Cherokee), Peach Moon (Choctaw), and Twelfth Moon (Dakotah Sioux).

We have reached our eighth episode (a very fortuitous number!) and the end of our first season. In this special episode, we reflect back on the texts we’ve discussed and the witches who have inspired us.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Listen to hear our answers to the following questions:

“Which witch…”

• Inspired you to learn something new or to improve your craft?
• Helped you to see other people in a new light or to better understand your own position in society?
• Changed the way you think of your body or the human body in general?
• Taught you something about the natural world or encouraged you to heal and/or connect with your environment?
• Encouraged you to create art or foster a spiritual practice?
• Made you laugh?

“What was your favorite/ most magical moment from doing the podcast?”

“Which witch wins the ‘Witch of the Year’ Award?”

You can find and listen to all of our previous episodes here.

If you have comments, feedback, and/or suggestions for Season 2, please do let us know! Thanks again for listening, and we will see you on a forthcoming full moon in 2018!

Here are some of the other names for the November moon: Dark Moon (Celtic), White Moon (Chinese), Snow Moon (English), Beaver Moon (Algonquin), Trading Moon (Cherokee), Sassafras Moon (Choctaw), Moon When Horns Are Broken Off (Dakotah Sioux), and Frost Moon (other Native American peoples). In the southern hemisphere it’s called the Corn Moon, Milk Moon, Flower Moon, and Hare Moon. Read more about November’s moon here.

In this episode we discuss Newbery medal winner The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill.

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Introduction (0:00 – 3:33)

NB: We skipped our formal discussion of craft this time, but our observations about Barnhill’s writing are scattered throughout the episode.

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (3:38 – 12:15)

• Complex, nuanced depictions of female characters (most of the characters are women!)
• There actually is a good witch and a bad witch in this book! Ignatia vs. Xan
• The Sisters of the Star (female police force) vs. the Elders (male governing body)
• Two primary characters, Ethyne and Antain, step away from the established institutions in order to enact change
• The Elders’ authority is undermined by women’s friendship
• We end with a brief discussion of race

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (12:18 – 46:29)

• Adara’s “madness” and her magic
• Antain’s scarred face (bodies as text!)
• Luna’s neurodivergence, dyslexia, and changing body (and how it intersects with her magic)
• Love beyond physical appearance
• Systemic problems in U.S. maternity care
• Hunger as a motivating force

Related Links

“Braids, Cornrows, Dreadlocs, & many more and why it’s not ‘just hair’: A thread”

“When ‘Fatal’ Foetal Abnormalities Are Not So Fatal”

October was Dyslexia Awareness Month. Here are some ideas about how to improve our educational system for dyslexic children.

“Round About the Cauldron Go” (46:30 – 1:06:15)

• Centrality of nature: the bog, volcano, forest, magical full moon!
• Importance of birds
• “Good” characters are aligned with nature and “bad” characters work against it
• (Magical) significance of trees, wood, and paper as instruments of creation/ art
• Stories and memory

“Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee” (1:06:17 – 1:34:13)

• Sorrow and self-care in the digital age
• The importance of art and hope
• More than one way to be an activist
• Luna’s visions and the love that binds families (of all stripes) together

Related Links

“Mob Shaming: The Pillory at the Center of the Global Village”

“‘Our minds can be hijacked’: The tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia”

Irresistible : The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping us Hooked by Adam Alter

Reclaiming the idea of the maiden in the tower: A Tumblr post by star*anise

Secret Feminist Agenda episodes 1.11, 1.12, and  1.13 (about mental health, sickness, rest, and activism)

Final Spells (1:34:17 – 1:41:05)

• The necessity of change
• Luna’s father
• The things that can be accomplished when women work together

On December 3, we’ll end the year with a special episode reflecting on our first season. See you on the next full moon!

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Introduction (0:00 – 3:10)

Which Craft? (3:15 – 15:06)

• Our nostalgia for the 1990s
• Characteristics of 90s movies: likable anti-heroes, high-stakes comedy, frame story
• CGI and practical effects
• Faux 17th-century accents, time travel, and funny anachronisms
• Comedic subversion of horror tropes
• Parallels to other stories/ films

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (15:13 – 29:20)

• Lots of awesome, dynamic female characters and only one (or two?) male protagonists
• Max’s non-toxic performance of masculinity (especially after the girls teach him to be better)
• Sibling relationship as the main focus; trio of heroes working as a team
• Max’s transitions as a character
• Portrayals of sexuality: Max as virgin/ ingénue, girls are more knowledgeable/ comfortable in their bodies, Sarah’s relationship with her sexuality
• Portrayal of the children’s parents

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (29:25 – 48:30)

• The witches’ bodies as the source for the film’s plot/ conflict and their feelings about their physical appearance
• Significance of Billy the Zombie (man silenced by a woman, no blame assigned to Sarah for Billy’s infidelity)
• Male characters lose their clothes (or they get torn) while the girls’ clothing remains intact and functional
• Bodies as text: the spell book made from human skin (with an eye, possibly sentient);  marking your identity on your body or through your clothing
• Mary’s sense of smell

Related Links

“What if We Cultivated Our Ugliness? or: The Monstrous Beauty of Medusa”

“‘Toddler Grandma Style,’ The Fashion Approach That Will Set You Free”

“Round About the Cauldron Go” (48:35 – 1:14:42)

• Importance of the New England setting (maple leaves and fall)
• Origins of Halloween and the intersection with Salem and colonialism
• Binx the cat
• The witches’ relationship with nature (plus speculation about the witches’ origins, their mother, and their relationship to immortal figures like Hecate and the devil)
• Discussion of symbols and how the meaning of signs is dependent on context
• The film’s portrayal of the afterlife and the soul
• The witches’ psychosomatic pain
• Clash of belief systems: science and technology  vs. magic and nature
• Max’s witchcraft and Alison’s witchcraft
• The preservation of the Sanderson house as a museum

Related Links

History of Halloween

Final Spells ( 1:14:46 – 1:20:00)

• The title of the film
• The witches’ adaptability

Content warning: rape, sexual assault, domestic abuse, torture, homophobia

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Introduction (0:00 – 2:40)

Which Craft? (3:03 – 18:01)

• First impressions
• Genre expectations and subversions
• Gabaldon’s process
• Writing dialect
• The book’s structure (plus some musings about time travel)
• Foreshadowing and parallel moments

Related Links

Romance: Genre Expectations and Fantasy Fulfillment (Writing Excuses podcast)

About the Romance Genre (Romance Writers of America)–this is a better definition than the one Katie provides in the episode

Scottish Accents in Outlander (YouTube video)

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (18:06 – 41:45)

• Traditional gender roles and departures
• Jamie’s performance of masculinity vs. Arthur, Dougal, and other Scotsmen
• Domestic abuse
• Consent in marriage
• The changing concept of race

Related Links

Scottish People React to Outlander (YouTube video)

Women in Early Modern Scotland

What is Whiteness? (New York Times)

Marble Statues and Whitewashing History (Vice)

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (41:49 – 1:08:51)

• Jamie’s rape and the text’s treatment of homosexuality
• Disability and adaptability (Colum, Hugh, Ian, etc.)
• Jamie’s scars and his relationship to his body
• Physical manifestations of emotional trauma (the body as text!)
• Jamie’s hand (and Claire’s)

Related Links

Twitter Thread about Male Violence

What Do We Mean When We Say “Toxic Masculinity”?

“Treguna, Makoidees, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (1:08:55 – 1:19:55)

• Defining witchcraft
• Druids and Mrs. Graham
• Claire as witch
• Geillis as witch
• Different types of knowledge (vs. superstitions)

“Round About the Cauldron Go” (1:19:58 – 1:34:30)

• Claire’s role as healer and her connection to nature
• Jamie’s connection to nature
• Jamie’s healing process and rebirth

Related Links

Native Healing and the Medicine Wheel (Native Voices)

Final Spells (1:34-34 – 1:36:43)

• The Loch Ness Monster!?!?

Blooper Reel (1:37:41 – 1:38:00)

Our next episode will be about Hocus Pocus (1993 film). See you on October 5! (Don’t light the black flame candle!)

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Related Links

Salem Witch Museum

Tituba and Your Fear of Witches

Stuff You Should Know: Is a Head Transplant Really a Thing?

Stuff You Should Know: What is Collective Hysteria?

Stuff You Should Know: How Witchcraft Works

Resources for Combatting White Supremacy

NPR: A Reformed White Nationalist Speaks Out on Charlottesville

Life After Hate

Ijemoa Oluo: So You Want to Fight White Supremacy

Katherine Fisher: Facebook Post

Secret Feminist Agenda (Hannah McGregor): Taking Up Space and Feeling Safe Again

Katie’s Blog Post: Don’t Be Complicit

Solar Eclipse Fun

NPR: Rituals to Sprinkle A Little Magic Into Your Eclipse Experience

Stuff to Blow Your Mind: Gazing Into the Eclipse

Our next episode, about Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, will air September 6. See you then!

Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Introduction (0:00 – 3:20)

• Shout out to Hannah McGregor’s new podcast, Secret Feminist Agenda
• Intro to the Discworld series and Terry Pratchett

Which Craft? (3:20 – 29:35)

• Discworld‘s subversion of fantasy tropes
• Examples of Pratchett’s comedic voice
• Potential allegories in the text (imposter syndrome)
• Semiotics and the production of meaning

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (29:35 – 47:46)

• Reading magic through gender identity
• Reading magic as socially assigned labor

Related Links

Traditional Gender Hierarchy*

Male as Norm

Gender Master List: A Glossary of Gender Identities

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (47:47 – 1:00:15)

• Decoding bodies through visual cues, especially clothing (#robegate)
• Racebending and the benefits and drawbacks of foregoing racial signals

“Round About the Cauldron Go” (1:00:15 – 1:18:00)

• Connection between magic and the natural world (bees!)
• Real world magic (headology and the power of will)
• More bees!

Final Spells (1:18:10 – 1:24:00)

• String theory and parallel universes

Blooper Reel (1:25:00 – 1:26:50)

*Relevant quote from source above: “Women have traditionally been associated with the senses in Western culture, and in particular, with the ‘lower’ senses. Women are the forbidden taste, the mysterious smell, the dangerous touch. Men, by contrast, have been associated with reason, as opposed to the senses, or else with sight and hearing as the most ‘rational’ of the senses” (Constance Classen, The Color of Angels: Cosmology, Gender, and the Aesthetic Imagination, 1-2).

Next month (Sep. 6) we’ll be discussing Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. See you then!

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Introduction (0:00 – 7:13)

• Amazons as witches
• Brief history of the Amazons
• Significance of the Wonder Woman film

Related Links

The Amazon Women: Is There Any Truth Behind the Myth? (Smithsonian Magazine)

Ukraine’s Asgarda: Reinventing the Amazon Warrior Women

The Strange, Complicated, Feminist History of Wonder Woman’s Origin Story

Wonder Woman Breaks Records: Biggest Live-Action Box Office Hit by Female Director

Which Craft? (7:17 – 21:54)

• Filmography and stylistic choices/ visuals
• Costumes
• Score
• Screenplay and structure
• Casting

NB: One thing we meant to talk about, but didn’t get to, was how much of a role Chris Pine/ Steve Trevor was given, considering he was the love interest/ sidekick. (See McDorman’s review, linked below, for more about how Trevor is centered in the story.*) We also forgot to talk about Robin Wright!!! Nooooo!

Related Links

Wonder Woman: Armor vs. Underwear & Why it Matters

Wonder Woman’s Amazon Origins Detailed in New Movie Art

Joss Whedon and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Script

*Is Diana Really the Hero of Wonder Woman? A Review by G.L. McDorman

“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (21:58 – 39:55)

• Representation of people of color and minorities
• Representation of women in the film
• Female villainy
• Diana’s characterization

Related Links

My Soul Looks Back and Wonders: A Critical Examination of the Wonder Woman Movie

Eugene Brave Rock Reveals Chief is a Demi-God Too

Black Panther Teaser Trailer

“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (40:00 – 53:05)

• Ares (and his hipster mustache)
• Steve Trevor (and his nudity scene)
• Amazons (and their non-sexualized skin)
• Lesbian and bisexual representation
• Body positivity
• Working bodies and scars
• Disability and disfigurement

Related Links

How Disfigured Villains like “Wonder Woman’s” Dr. Poison Perpetuate Stigma

“Round About the Cauldron Go” (53:10 – 1:03:49)

• Dr. Poison as witch figure
• Chemical warfare and drugs
• Women in science
• Ares’s environmental argument

“Treguna, Makoidees, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (1:03:55 – 1:16:41)

• Creation of the Amazons
• Creation of Diana
• Diana’s self-discovery and empowerment
• Parallels to the Eve and Satan story
• Parallels to the Goddess Artemis/ Diana
• Love as the central theme

Final Spells (1:16:45 – 1:27:12)

• Amazon Queen Hiera
• Women’s activism today

Related Links

The 11 Biggest Marches and Protests in American History

Race and Feminism: Women’s March Recalls the Touchy History

Women Warriors: Myths and Legends of Heroic Women

Penthesilea (the Amazon who fought at Troy)

Wonder Women Have Been Smashing the Patriarchy Since Classical Times

Blooper reel (1:27:07 – 1:28:41)

• Literally just a minute of us laughing

In August we’re discussing Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett. See you on the next full moon (Aug 7)!

Here are some links and resources you might find useful:

Non-Traditional Plot Structure

African Storytelling: Rethinking the 3-Act Structure

Plot Without Conflict (Kishōtenketsu)

Interview with Mercy Akide-Udoh

Serena Williams wins the Australian Open while pregnant

Becca Long: First woman to receive a college football scholarship

AllNigerianRecipes.com

Jainism

Next month, we’re doing Wonder Woman! The episode will be posted on July 9. See you then!

Content warning: assault, rape, domestic violence

Note: As writers and creators, we know how difficult it is to produce good art. Our comments are not meant to belittle or censure. Rather, we believe in deconstructing and critiquing the things we love, and we hope that our attempt to engage critically with these texts can help our listeners generate productive discussions and insights about themselves and the social structures in which they operate. Please feel free to join the conversation on our Twitter page!

Here are some links and resources you might find useful:

Violence Against Women (womenshealth.gov)

Is This Abuse? (loveisrespect.org)

Bechdel-Wallace Test

Sexy Lamp Test

Katie’s Blog Post: Improving Female Representation in Fiction

Next month, we will be discussing Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor. The episode will be posted on June 9. We hope to see you then!

And for your enjoyment, here is our theme song, “Moon and Spruce,” written and performed by the talented Sarah Littledrum, in its glorious entirety.

Thanks for joining us!