Author: Willow Croft

I’m predicting it will be a wild few months ahead. We’ve got the amazing “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse in October, so let’s blaze into autumn with the same fierce and fiery energy!

Autumn Equinox (Mabon) September 23 (Spring Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere)

(My Autumn inspiration page is up on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AuthorWillowCroft/autumn-equinox-2023/)

Seasonal Symbolism: Embracing the Impossible, Goal Setting, Dreaming Big, Imagining Unlimited Possibilities, Solving Mysteries, Winding Forest Paths, Cave Exploration, Discovering Hidden Ruins, Unseen Worlds, Gateways, Portals, Animal Spirit Magic, Journeys of Discovery, Keeping a Journal, Reading or Watching Whodunit Mysteries, and Communicating with Plant/Tree Guardians such as Mushrooms, Apple Trees, Huckleberries, Maples, Ginger, Cayenne Pepper, Garlic, Mustard Seed, and Cumin.

Writing Prompt: What could your characters unearth while raking leaves or putting their garden to rest for the colder months? Is it a benign elemental or is it a wrathful one? What if they were lured into a cave by a mysterious chanting? What horrors would they face as they descended deeper and deeper into the earth? Alternatively, what if they awoke to a world set ablaze? How would they navigate their own survival?

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What happens when a mirror world brushes up against another? Perhaps by way of a newly discovered portal, or a magic spell gone awry. What if our world was the shadow world for an innocent world free of strife and conflict? What would happen then? What if you threw in a pair of star-crossed lovers? How would you reinvent that trope?

Deck: The Unicorn Tarot by Suzanne Star and illustrated by Liz Hilton

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What with this heat we’ve been having, students might actually be excited to leave the summer behind, and enter into the cool hallways of these venerated academics. However, even posh private academies have their hidden dangers, and it’ll remain to be seen if these collective zodiac signs survive until the winter break.

Disclaimer: As always, these are mock “horrorscopes” and should not be considered as predictive or indicative of any specific person or persons, posh private academies, or the (fictional) demises that take place within the ivy-covered walls. Or suggestions to try any of these activities at school…or at home.

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Even with the heat, summer’s still the perfect time to squeeze in a little exploring. Perhaps you’ll find your dream national park waiting for you to discover it, even if it’s in someone else’s horrorscopes! And, of course, what better way to kick the bucket than to be surrounded by Nature? Don’t forget your camping gear…and a map when your GPS fails!

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As summer vacation (or winter vacation) draws to a close, many of us suddenly feel compelled to become more industrious and organized. But what happens when you have a main character that is not only industrious, they are focused on maximizing productivity all year round? Focused to an extent that work is their “raison d’etre” to the exclusion of everything else—friends, family, and, yes, vacations. This tarot reading takes a look at a character who, like the one from July’s tarot reading, is a hermit type driven into solitude by ambition and the quest for riches.

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Ah, the beach. What’s not to love? Sand, sun, waves…and certain death! Read on to find out how to keep your guard up when you jaunt off to the coast!

Disclaimer: As always, these are mock “horrorscopes” and should not be considered as predictive or indicative of any specific person or persons, or their demise. Including the favorite flavor of ice cream I picked for you.

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Writers may have a tendency to be solitary creatures, but what do you do when your main character reveals themselves to be solitary, and/or is even the only narrator in the story? How do you build conflict and drive a story/plot line, when the character may live in isolation, away from people? Are there other life forms that are their companions, or are their own thoughts their only company? Perhaps your character may be dual natured, or in connection with inhabitants of other realms or dimensions. Check out the reading below for more tips from the tarot on how to build out your story idea.

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