feedback – New World Witchery – The Search for American Traditional Witchcraft

Blog Post 65 – Thanks for Voting!

This is just a quick thank you to all of the folks who voted in our first polls. We had a very substantial response to the questions I asked about improving the blog and podcast, and some heartening feedback on the question of a New World Witchery book, as well.

It looks like, on the whole, there are a lot of readers who want more practical and hands-on segments in both the blog and podcast. For example, the question about what would improve the blog was answered “More Practice and Technique” more than any other choice, by a margin of 11 votes (out of a total of 121 votes). Likewise, in the podcast question, 48% of respondents said they wanted more Podcast Specials or Practical Segments like Spelled Out or WitchCraft.

While I can’t guarantee that the blog will undergo drastic changes and feature a vast majority of practical elements, I will say that going forward I think I will attempt to include more hands-on and how-to information for you all. It will be my goal to put up one practical segment per week at a minimum, eventually, and quite possibly more than that. The podcast will likely continue to follow a similar format (other than the desire for more practical segments, most other answers were pretty evenly split across the board), but we may try to increase the length of the practical segments a bit. And since the specials are so popular, we may try to make those a bit more frequent, too.

Finally, with the hugely positive feedback I got on the idea of a New World Witchery book (nearly two-thirds of respondents said “yes” to it, and the other third was “maybe” with only one “no” in the mix), I’m happy to say that I’ll be working on that project soon. I’ve been asked to contribute to another author’s work on folk magic first, but I think that there may be room in the occult market for a New World Witchery book, too.

So thank you again to all who responded! It was great to get that feedback, and I’m really looking forward to some of the directions this blog and podcast will be taking soon. Please feel free, as always, to comment or email us with your suggestions, questions, ideas, rants, raves, and stories! We do love hearing from you!

All the best, and thanks for reading!

-Cory

Blog Post 61 – What do you think?

Good morning and good Monday everyone!

We’ve got another podcast almost ready which should be up in the next day or two. I thought I’d start off the week, though, with a set of polls for all our readers here at New World Witchery. They’re nothing fancy, just a couple of questions about what you like best or would like to see more of with regards to the blog and podcast, and a question about whether a book on New World Witchery is something that would interest folks.

These polls are really guides for us to help make the site and show better for our listeners and readers. The results may or may not change the content of the blog or podcast, but at the very least they will help us figure out a little bit more about what people want from us here.

Anyway, without further ado, here are the polls:

The polls will probably close in about a week, so you’ve got some time to answer. I’ll also keep them up on the sidebar throughout the week so you don’t have to use only this post to answer. We really appreciate your opinions, and your readership! Thanks so much!

Be well,

Cory

Podcast 5 – Signs and Omens

-SHOWNOTES FOR EPISODE 5-

Summary
Today we have some listener feedback, as well as some exciting news. Then, we discuss signs and omens.

Play:

Download: New World Witchery – Episode 05

-Sources-

Books
Some of the books referenced in today’s show:
Buying the Wind – by Richard M. Dorson
Signs, Cures, and Witchery – by Gerald C. Milnes
Ozark Magic and Folklore – by Vance Randolph

Promos & Music
Title music: “Homebound,” by Jag, from Cypress Grove Blues. From Magnatune.
Promo 1-The Standing Stone and Garden Gate Podshow
Promo 2- Media Astra ac Terra
Promo 3- A Pagan in the Threshold
Promo 4 – Inciting a Riot Podcast

P.S. This is just a quick apology for the lateness of this episode, as well as occasional shifts in sound quality. We have been having trouble with our podcast recording software, and had to re-record parts of our show via Skype. We should have this issue resolved by our next episode, so thanks for bearing with us.

Podcast 2 – Broom Closets and an Interview with Sarah Lawless

-SHOWNOTES FOR EPISODE 2-

Summary

On this, the second episode of New World Witchery, Laine and Cory discuss the ins and outs of broom closets. In the second segment, we hear from the lovely Sarah Lawless, proprietress of the Forest Grove Botanica and keeper of many irons in many fires. Then, we wrap up with a call for comments and emails from our listeners.

Play: