Val Thomas
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Author
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Witch
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Crafts-person
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Herbalist
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Teacher
New Magazine
Mermazine is finally available! Having started our quest for the Merfolk of East Anglia back in 2019 and put it on hold during the pandemic, Chris, Alice and I revived the project in February of this year. We realised that, rather than write a book on the topic, it would be much more appropriate to produce a magazine, in which we could include writing and artwork by other people. Now Issue 1 is here and can be purchased directly from me using the PayPal email contactvalthomas@gmail.com . If you prefer you can buy it from Alice's Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/FensalirCunning . UK price £19 including P&P.
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​Mermazine also has its own website. Check it out at: http://www.mermazine.net/ .
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The picture on the left shows what the front cover looks like, featuring Alice Kerridge-Crick's wonderful drawing of The Mermaid of Sheringham next to the beautiful Mermaid of Grimston. The picture on the right shows the poster for our very first Mermazine event, an online talk by Alice, Chris and me, about the project, with extracts from Issue 1. Here's the joining link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86540648093?pwd=VPRzTFjDTqcyrkg2sTLgaQ49IIKbH3.1
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Meeting ID: 865 4064 8093
Passcode: 009370
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https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/86540648093/invitations?signature=Q5b3gqU2B7Ng2JkpFuIztwIyK0ugDcNGDJo-9AiAuiY
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Published Works
Hallowtide: A Dark Devotional
Published by Troy Books
Hallowtide: A Dark Devotional explores the sacred days between Hallowe’en and Martinmas. In the darkness, surrounded by the scent of decay, we feel keenly our own mortality and the presence of those who have died recently or long ago: family members, distant ancestors, friends and beloved animal companions. By indulging our emotions at this time, we embrace life with greater intensity. The book casts its spell through personal memories and reflections on joy and loss, woven together with a little of the history and folklore of these holy days. It includes spells, recipes and pathworkings. There are also nine Dark Devotions, powerful, tried-and-tested rituals which can be adapted to suit the tastes of the various streams of witchcraft and magical practice. They are perfect for the dark times but most are suitable for working throughout the year. Beautifully illustrated by Alice Kerridge-Crick, this book will make you laugh, cry, reflect on life and loss and embrace the melancholy of the season while always acknowledging that renewal, growth and blossoming will return.
Of Chalk & Flint
a way of Norfolk Magic
Published by Troy Books
Of Chalk and Flint: A Way of Norfolk Magic is a celebration of the county of Norfolk and its Nameless Tradition of magic and witchcraft. The spiritual energy which informs and powers this magic wells up from the land itself and from the Chalk and Flint which have shaped the landscape, its flora, its fauna, its culture and its history. While the book is focused on Norfolk, the principles of the magic explored here are applicable anywhere in in the world. Thus, this book provides a valuable resource for anyone seeking insights into natural magic, witchcraft and working with the power of the land.
Bounded in a Nutshell: Lockdown, Magic and Infinite Space
Bounded in a Nutshell: Lockdown, Magic and Infinite Space is a magical diary of the Covid-19 pandemic, covering 2020 to 2022. Written at the time, as events unfolded worldwide, it charts the various lockdowns from the perspective of a witch drawing on her magical training and experience to cope with the situation, to protect, as far as possible, herself and her community, to learn from the situation and to seek guidance for the future. While largely confined to home, just like the rest of the population, the author embraces the present, yet travels in time and space by working with magical memories, history, folklore, fiction, plant knowledge and enchantments of various kinds. Thus, the diary offers a heady blend of observations, stories, spells, recipes, ritual and personal insights. It is one witch’s personal account of an extraordinary time, but it also shows the importance of the magical community, both locally and internationally, and how much can be achieved when practitioners pool their power and intention to work for a common end. We can be bounded in a nutshell physically, but there is no limit to how far our minds can travel and the enchantment we can bring to our own lives and the lives of those around us.