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

Episode 266 – Magic in the Mail 2025

First Steps and Witchy Soirees

Summary:

It’s time to open up our mailbox and pull out some of your messages! We answer some of the questions that have been sitting in our inbox for a while now, including ones about where to get started with folk magic, what to do if you find a penny in an egg, how to host a witchy party, and more!

Please check out our Patreon page! You can help support the show for as little as a dollar a month, and get some awesome rewards at the same time. Even if you can’t give, spread the word and let others know, and maybe we can make New World Witchery even better than it is now.

Producer for this show:

New World Witchery is a Patreon supported podcast. This episode is sponsored in part by listener MissV. We appreciate all you do for us and we’ll gladly send our resident witch-in-training to come help out with your household chores!

Play (right-click to save): Episode 266 – Magic in the Mail 2025
Stream on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3k5K3oOqdDX8lpQpyGKaes?si=5Dvpl4j6RFKVHh8eGmWrcw

Sources

These questions came from our listeners (and the answers from our own brains)! We do mention going back through some of our catalog of 250+ episodes to find some of our advice on getting started with folk magic, so feel free to do that!

Books and Things:

Please consider ordering our collaborative book Conjuring the Commonplace: A Guide to Everyday Enchantment and Junk Drawer Magic from 1000Volt Press! It’s available for purchase on Bookshop, Amazon, or from your local bookstore!

You can buy Cory’s book, New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic! (also available from Amazon) and the Llewellyn’s Complete Book of North American Folk Magic as well (also available on Amazon)!

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us at compassandkey@gmail.com or newworldwitcherypodcast@gmail.com or leave a comment at the website: www.newworldwitchery.com . We’d love to hear from you! Don’t forget to follow us at Twitter! And check out our Facebook page! For those who are interested, we are also on TikTok now. You can follow us on Instagram (main account, or you can follow Laine as well) or check out our new YouTube channel with back episodes of the podcast and new “Everyday Magic” videos, too (as well as most of our contest announcements)!

Promos and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket (#35954).

Please consider supporting us by purchasing our promotional items in the New World Witchery Threadless shop or by joining our Patreon supporters. If you like us AND you like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you will love our new show: Myth Taken: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Podcast, now available through all the podcatchers! Please think about checking out our Audible Trial program. Visit Audibletrial.com/newworldwitchery to get your free trial of Audible, where you can download over 180,000 titles (including some narrated by Cory). Your purchases help support this show, and there’s no obligation to continue after the free trial

Special Episode -All Hallows’ Read 2025

Not for the faint-hearted

Summary:

We revisit the All Hallows’ Read event one last time as Cory shares some of his own horrific writing. CONTENT WARNING: These horror stories contain gore, body horror, dental phobias, animal harm, sexual situations, domestic violence, and misogynistic language. NOT INTENDED FOR MINORS!

Producers for this show:

ConjuredCardea, AthenaBeth, Jen Rue of Rue & Hyssop, Achija Branvin Sionach, Catherine, Jamie, Ralph of the Holle’s Haven Podcast, Christopher, Montine of Book of My Shadows, Victoria & Keifel of 1000 Volt Press, Heather, Sherry, Fergus, Jennifer, Donna, Stephanie, AromaG’s Botanica, Benjamin, Matthew Venus of Spiritus Arcanum, Mark, Vee, Meg, Liz, Donna, Lisa, Jacob, Sierra, and Jen!

Our sincere thanks to everyone supporting us!

Play:

Play: Special Episode – All Hallows Read 2025

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5xWdEdO4sWNYm4RoSF3MTb?si=owsZA_raSSqOQepKZNgv9A

-Sources-

All of these stories are from Cory’s brain! (But inspired by folklore). If you want to know where those folk inspirations come from, feel free to check out our Patreon!

No transcript available for this episode.

You can now buy Cory’s book, New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic! (also available from Amazon). We also have a new book, Conjuring the Commonplace: A Guide to Everyday Enchantment and Junk Drawer Magic (1000Volt Press) (also available from Amazon).

Image via Pixabay (CC 2.0)

Don’t forget to follow us at Twitter! And check out our Facebook page! You can follow us on Instagram (main account, or you can follow Laine as well) or check out our YouTube channel with back episodes of the podcast and new “Everyday Magic” videos, too (as well as most of our contest announcements)!

Promos and Music:

Music for this episode is licensed from Audio Socket. Additional music Kevin Macleod, from Free Music Archive and used under a CC 2.0 license.

Artists and license info:

Carpe Noctem by Elegy Music (#28966186)
Motel Mayhem by Andrew Scott Foust (#29192602)
We Didn’t Believe in the Ocean Until It Swallowed Us by Shadowy Lines (#29326126)
Reasonable Monster by Shadowy Lines (#29326684)
Weird Winter by Mark Petrie (#29479240)
Prayer From Lemuria by Paul Summerlin (#29517958)
Left Hand Path by Ben Leinbach and Outlaw Dervish (#29574106)

Sound effects from Freesound.org and in the Public Domain.

Please consider supporting us by purchasing our promotional items in the New World Witchery Threadless shop or by joining our Patreon supporters.

If you like us AND you like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you will love our new show: Myth Taken: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Podcast, now available through all the podcatchers! You can also check out Cory’s folklore show, Chasing Foxfire, where he explores the intersection of folklore and topics like history, medicine, science, nature, literature, pop culture, and more!

Please think about checking out our Audible Trial program. Visit Audibletrial.com/newworldwitchery to get your free trial of Audible, where you can download over 180,000 titles (including some narrated by Cory). Your purchases help support this show, and there’s no obligation to continue after the free trial

Episode 265 – The Magic of Verity Vox with Don Martin

We’re Cursed Send Help!

Summary:

We sit down to chat with one of our favorite people, Don Martin, whose NY Times bestselling book Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire appeared on bookstore shelves last month. We discuss the book’s origins in Appalachian history and folklore, the joys of podcasting for the past 15 years, and what lies ahead.

Producer for this show:

Play: Episode 265 – The Magic of Verity Vox with Don Martin
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1v6wLWVCAr7NnNFF8DDkGj?si=I3edUOz6SDK9XG1FKzIWnw

Sources

You can find Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire anywhere books are sold now! Or preorder his book on loneliness, Where Did Everybody Go? You can also check out Don’s previous books of poetry, The Playground and While I Wait to Be a God Again, as well as his witchcraft primer The Dabbler’s Guide to Witchcraft.

Some of the other titles/authors recommended on this show included:

Witchlings by Claribel Ortega
The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton
The Sunbearer Trials and Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
The Simon Snow series by Rainbow Rowell

Books and Things:

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

Promos and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket (#35954).

Episode 264 – Magical Occupations Part 3

Magic Working Overtime

Summary:

Laine and Cory chat about one of our favorite topics, Magical Occupations! We briefly revisit our previous episodes on the subject, then go through a new list of occupations and the folklore and magic associated with them, including firefighters, dancers, sex workers, and bookshop keepers!

Producer for this show:

New World Witchery is a Patreon supported podcast. This episode is sponsored in part by listener MissV. We’re grateful for your support and we’ll be sending some enchanted dolls your way to offer you our thanks in person!

Play: Episode 264 – Magical Occupations Part 3
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2qIneJaU7j3lD9iHfmkBmH?si=S_lFQaZgRHaqSKPSpfwToQ

Sources

We mention our previous episodes on magical occupations:

Episode 30 – Magical Occupations
Episode 81 – Magical Occupations Revisited
We also mention our 2024 episode on Occupational Witchcraft and our article about “Folk Magic on the Job,” too.
We talk about Judika Illes’s book, The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft.
Cory mentions some firefighter lore from the Dartmouth Occupational Folklore Archive.

Books and Things:

You can now buy Cory’s book, New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic! (also available from Amazon) and the recent release Llewellyn’s Complete Book of North American Folk Magic as well (also available on Amazon)!

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

Promos and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket (#35954).

Episode 263 – Kitchen Witchery with Dawn Aurora Hunt

Wooden Spoons are Wands

Summary:

Cory sits down at the kitchen table to speak with Dawn of Cucina Aurora about all kinds of things: magical ingredients, who would come to our witchy dinner parties, and the sunny nature of a good dish of orange chicken.

Producer for this show:

New World Witchery is a Patreon supported podcast. This episode is sponsored in part by listener Ralph. We greatly appreciate your support and want you to know we’re sending a letter of recommendation on your behalf to our friend Frau Perchta in thanks for all you do!

Play: Episode 263 – Kitchen Witchery with Dawn Aurora Hunt
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/episode/166bCXYxFK6EzSqzIydsmZ?si=oPALvG47Que8cq0Bkkd6_Q

Sources

Be sure to check out Dawn’s website, Cucina Aurora! You can find magical ingredients, prepared meals, and more!

Also take a peek at the Kitchen Witch’s Culinary Oracle Deck, which we use for our game in this episode.

Books and Things:

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

Promos and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket (#35954).

Episode 262 – All in the Cards

Shuffle and Spread ‘Em

Summary:

Laine and Cory sit down to talk about their experiences and methods for reading cards, including playing card divination, oracle decks, and tarot.

Producer for this show:

New World Witchery is a Patreon supported podcast. This episode is sponsored in part by listener Donna. We’ve done a reading and it looks like you’ll be getting a fantastic raise this year! So congratulations and thank you!

Play: Episode 262 – All in the Cards
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2GOLDhLHbRNWXdqktMPtc9?si=xv44SzjzTzadrNgjP6dd5w

Sources

We talk about a lot of decks and resources we recommend, incluidng:

Decks mentioned:

The Mutable Oracle by Glitter and Toadstools is a favorite for both Laine and Cory
Cory loves the darkly witty Mildred Payne Oracle from Deviant Moon
The Winterseer Animal Oracle by Siolo Thompson gets some praise from Cory
Laine loves her Buffy Tarot!
We highly recommend following the Instagram account 3am tarot for some amazing spreads (and she also has a book out now!)
Jessica Roux’s Woodland Wardens oracle gets a mention
Portable Fortitude by Corina Dross (a neat magical/art fusion deck Laine got for Cory)
Wylie Beckert – Wicked Kingdom (one of Cory’s favorite decks)
Laine and Cory describe decks of cards found in Central and Eastern Europe that use hearts, bells, leaves, and acorns for the suits, better-known as “German Suited Decks“
78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack (our favorite Tarot book)
Cory’s releasing his solo RPG – The Lost Cartomancer very soon, stay tuned! (Patreon supporters get it for free!)
The Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis was suggested to us by listener Abi! Thanks Abi!

Books and Things:

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

Promos and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket (#35954).

Episode 261 – Cunning Folk with Tabitha Stanmore

Best. Road Trip. Ever.

Summary:

We get to sit down and chat with Dr. Tabitha Stanmore, author of Cunning Folk and historian of folk magic and service magicians in the Early Modern period! We chat about missing spoons, modern service magic, and just which of the cunning folk she’d slap with a fish given the opportunity. It’s a wonderful chat so we hope you enjoy!

Producer for this show:

This episode is sponsored in part by listener Pretty Poisons Witch. We’ll be sending along several itinerant magicians with our thanks to perform some spells on your behalf shortly! Thank you for your support!

Play: Episode 261 – Cunning Folk with Tabitha Stanmore
Download (open and then click “download” to save): Episode 261 – Cunning Folk with Tabitha Stanmore

Sources

Links for our guest:

You can buy Cunning Folk at bookstores everywhere (and we highly recommend it!)
You can find out more about Dr. Stanmore and her work at her website
Cory also mentions Euan Cameron’s Enchanted Europe in this episode

Books and Things:

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

Promos and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket (#35954) or used under CC 2.0 license (from Kevin Macleod).

Episode 260 – All Them Witches with Judika Illes

Who’s at your Witchy Dinner Party?

Summary:

We are chatting with one of our favorite witches, Judika Illes! We talk about the past 15 years of witchery, the nature of magical publishing, and much more.

Producer for this show:

This episode is sponsored in part by listener Jamie. We are thankful that Jamie is helping us support our quest to enchant our bookshelves so that they can hold an infinite amount of witchy books. Thank you for your support!

Play: Episode 260 – All Them Witches with Judika Illes
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3FhAoz106Ceil0fahmUMGe?si=YyclNktwRnyfYlytmWvJMw

Sources

Links for our guest:

Judika’s website and author page at Weiser
Her new deck (Protection Spells) and latest book (Witches: A Compendium) are also available now!
Some favorite books by her include The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells, the Encyclopedia of Mystics, Saints, and Sages, and The Encyclopedia of Spirits

Books and Things:

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

Promos and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket (#35954).

Episode 259 – Folk Magic Reflections

We Don’t Go Back

Summary:

We reflect on our podcast’s 15-year history, our own journey with folk magic, and some of the evolutions in witchcraft generally during the past decade-and-a-half. Then we discuss what the future holds for New World Witchery.

Producer for this show:

This episode is sponsored in part by listener Jamie. We greatly appreciate the efforts you have made to warp the fabric of time to keep us young and beautiful podcasters forever, Jamie! Thank you!

Play: Episode 259 – Folk Magic Reflections
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5uipid8m47L6x0hAn2SeXf?si=CfU4eo7kTsO0_SN9bWRoZA

Sources

Just us for all these past 15 years! But you can visit our website to find all of our previous episodes.

Books and Things:

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

Promos and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket (#35954).

Episode 258 – Witchcraft for Wayward Girls with Grady Hendrix

Of Covens and Bookmobiles

Summary:

We interview horror author Grady Hendrix about his latest book, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. The discussion covers maternity homes, occult paperbacks, fears of satanic feminism from centuries gone by, and so much more!

Producer for this show:

Our producing supporter this month is Achija Branvin Sionach, and we’ll be sending you our cursed bookmobile full of haunted tomes to select a favorite as a token of our gratitude soon!

Play: Episode 258 – Witchcraft for Wayward Girls with Grady Hendrix
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3PqWua84xDUuybIsiZUDMc?si=QMl3Hj2aT2yrGjOYsyeOgw

Sources

Links for our guests:

Find out more about Grady at ⁠his website⁠
Pick up Witchcraft for Wayward Girls at ⁠bookshop.org⁠ and other ⁠online stores⁠
Learn more about maternity homes in ⁠The Girls Who Went Away⁠ by Anne Fessler
Read the ⁠Letterboxd review ⁠that sparked Grady’s story

Additional links (recommended by Grady Hendrix):