Witch, Please: A Memoir: Finding Magic in Modern Times

by Misty Bell Stiers

Overview

A touching and thought-provoking account of how a woman explored a spectrum of religions—ancient and new—and ended up, unexpectedly, becoming a bona fide witch—plus a celebration of modern Wicca and witchcraft, spell books, broomsticks, holiday recipes and recipes for the changing of the seasons, and much more.

Misty Bell Stiers set out on a spiritual path to find a faith that worked for her, and accidentally became a witch. She knew the Bible well, and got to know the Torah and Koran. She studied Eastern philosophies, even the stories of the Egyptians and Greeks. Finally, after overcoming an immediate prejudice ("Um, no," she writes as her initial reaction), she found Wicca.

Witch, Please reveals what makes the mysterious religion of Wicca so desirable for more than a million Americans. In her witty, direct, and heartfelt text, Misty explores spirituality, perseverance, and finding oneself. She shares what Wicca means to her and what defines her as a witch; what she uses her spell book, cauldron, and broomstick for; the significance of Wiccan holidays, many about new beginnings; the surprising history of Wicca; and what kinds of witches there are. She also shares how in her busy New York City life, as a mother and a creative director, her faith grounds and sustains her. Her uplifting, you-too-can-find-what-works-for-you voice speaks like a best friend: relatable, honest, and encouraging.

This unusual and beautifully written memoir explores what it's like to be a modern-day witch, and how it's changed Misty's outlook on life. It's candid, but it's also threaded with magic and has a warming, lightheartedness to it. Bewitching original drawings by Misty are throughout, and Misty even shares ten original recipes for her Wiccan holiday treats (including the likes of her cinnamon rolls and roasted garlic rosemary bread, sprinkled with magic and seasoned with love, laughter, and healing).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781948062923
Publisher:	Apollo Publishers
Publication date:	09/21/2021
Pages:	248
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.70(h) x (d)

About the Author

Misty Bell Stiers is an artist, storyteller, and creative director who has spent her career focused on leveraging her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion to create systemic change. Misty has a BFA from the Ringling College of Art and Design and an MPS from the Pratt Institute. She lives with her husband and two children in New York City.

Table of Contents

EVERYONE DESERVES THE CHANCE TO FLY
Introduction

THAT'S ME IN THE CORNER
How I Became a Wiccan

A LITTLE FAITH AND A LOT OF HEART
What Wicca Is ... and Isn't

A RESTLESS SPIRIT ON AN ENDLESS FLIGHT
Discovering My Identity as a Witch

THAT'S THE POWER MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND
Marriage and Wicca

I LIGHT A CANDLE THEN I CALL YOUR NAME
The Gods and Goddesses, Symbols, and Tools of Wicca

I PUT A SPELL ON YOU
The Truth about Spells and Curses

BIG WHEEL KEEP ON TURNIN'
Living the Day-to-Day as a Witch

THESE ARE THE DAYS OF MIRACLE AND WONDER
Raising My Children Wiccan (Not Wicked)

AND WE'LL DANCE BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON
Wiccan Holidays

CHASING THE SUN
Living My Faith in Times of Crisis

OH OH OH IT'S MAGIC
Afterword

NOTES

Editorial Reviews

Witch, Please is very useful for beginners to know the experience and journey of a modern witch. Stiers’s experiences are universal for many readers, from falling in love and getting married to sharing her Wiccan faith with her family, having children, and experiencing difficult times and loss. Through Stiers’s personal experience you will learn about the gods/goddesses, symbols and tools of Wicca; spells and curses; living day-to-day as a witch; and Wiccan holidays (sabbats) with meaningful and delicious recipes. This book is very grounded, giving readers a hint of what life could be like as a Wiccan.”
—DC Public Library

“Witch, Please is a fantastic, enlightening read. Misty Bell Stiers’s personal journey working and raising a family in New York City as a modern-day witch is full of wisdom and wisecracks, but it never gets preachy. It reads like any good story should, like it is being told from one best friend to another.”
—Nathan Tysen, Broadway lyricist (Tuck Everlasting and Amélie)

“Misty Bell Stiers dispels rumors about Wiccans and reveals what their beliefs mean in the modern era. Witch, Please is about a modern mom and her experience using the tenets of Wicca as her version of third-wave feminism. This book casts a major spell on anyone who reads it.”
—Seth Herzog, comedian with The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

“Misty Bell Stiers’s practical, conversational writing style is relatable and addictive. From the first line she pulls you in, opening our eyes to the simple everyday magic of connecting with others, understanding oneself, and the wonders of the earth and sky. In her understated and approachable way, she shares her journey with us as she finds her individual path of honest, spiritual growth.”
—Dawn Aurora Hunt, owner and CEO of Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery

“Today, in a world that seems so unfamiliar to many of us, Misty Bell Stiers has gifted us with a book that shows that we can still follow the sun over the horizon, that we can inhale the crisp air that floats over glacier-carved lakes, and that we can wrap our arms around the sacred, wherever we may find it and whenever we open our hearts to it. The authenticity of her voice is only matched by her welcoming, lyrical prose—both weaved together to narrate and define. Misty gives us an intimate view of how to find magic in modern times, magic that has always been with us and inside us, and helps us find a familiar world again. It’s honest. It’s lovely. It’s magic.”
—Kase Johnstun, award-winning author of Beyond the Grip of Craniosynostosis

From the Publisher