Video Book Reviewed

Doctoring the Devil

Notebooks of an

Appalachian Conjure Man

by Jake Richards

Publisher: Weiser Books

288 Pages

Publication Date: 4/01/2021

 

Bright Blessings,

The Appalachian Mountains stretch from Canada, through New York, and into the South, clear down to the Cumberland region and cover over 200,000 square miles. This includes 420 counties in 13 different States and are home to more than 25 million people. It’s where tons of European settlers from mostly Germany, Scotland, Ireland, and parts of Eastern Europe set down roots to call home when they immigrated to The Americas. Many Indigenous Native Americans, and people of African descent made the Appalachias home as well. All of them brought with them their stories, music, foodways, and they also brought their magic.

 

 

Long spoken in mysterious tones by people at metaphysical shops, the magic of the Appalachias is as practiced today as it was generations ago. One author and teacher who is at the forefront of keeping these magical ways alive is Jake Richards, and I’m reviewing his 2021 book Doctoring the Devil, Notebooks of an Appalachian Conjure Man. The book is 288 pages, and published by Weiser Books. This is by far one of the very best books I’ve had the pleasure of reading, let alone reviewing about magic, and you simply MUST get a copy of it immediately.

Watch my video where I talk about the book, and listen to some excerpts I read from it.

 

Blessed Be.

 

Doctoring the Devil: Notebooks of an Appalachian Conjure Man on Amazon

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About the Author:

Saoirse is a practicing witch, and initiated Wiccan of an Eclectic Tradition.

A recovered Catholic, she was raised to believe in heaven and hell, that there is only one god, and only one way to believe. As she approached her late 20’s, little things started to show her this was all wrong. She was most inspired by the saying “God is too big to fit into one religion” and after a heated exchange with the then associate pastor of the last Xtian church she attended, she finally realized she was in no way Xtian, and decided to move on to see where she could find her spiritual home.

Her homecoming to her Path was after many years of being called to The Old Ways and the Goddess, and happened in Phoenix, Arizona. She really did rise from her own ashes!

Upon returning to Ohio, she thought Chaos Magic was the answer, and soon discovered it was actually Wicca. She was blessed with a marvelous mentor, Lord Shadow, and started a Magical Discussion Group at local Metaphysical Shop Fly By Night. The group was later dubbed A Gathering of Paths. For a few years, this group met, discussed, did rituals, fellowship, and volunteering together, and even marched as a Pagan group with members of other groups at the local gay Pride Parade for eight years.

All the while, she continued studying with her mentor, and is still studying for Third Degree, making it to Second Degree thus far.

She is a gifted tarot reader, spellworker, teacher, and was even a resident Witch at a Westerville place dubbed The Parlor for a time.

Aside from her magical practice, she is a crocheter, beader, painter, and a good cook. She has been a clown and children’s entertainer, a Nursing Home Activities Professional, a Cavern Tour Guide, a Retail Cashier, and a reader in local shops. Her college degree is a BA in English Writing. She tried her hand at both singing and playing bagpipes, and…well…let’s just say her gifts lie elsewhere! She loves gardening, reading, antiques, time with friends and soul kin, and lots and lots of glorious color bedecking her small home!

On the encouragement of a loved one several years back, she searched for a publication to write for, and is right at home at PaganPagesOrg.

She is currently residing in Central Ohio with her husband, and furbabies.

Saoirse can be contacted at [email protected].