This week's newsletter is particularly special to me - you'll soon see why. But first:

Moon Moment

Moon: Waning crescent, almost new

Next full or new moon: New moon on Oct 14, 1:55pm EST. 

Seasonal moment: Today is Friday the 13th! Peak spook, as we welcome the falling of the leaves, and the gentle descent into the dark season. 

Astrological season: Late Libra season

Isabel's Scary Stories

Happy Friday the 13th, friends! In the spirit of the day, I'm going to share with you a scary story that is very dear to my heart. 

If you've known me a while, you probably know I love spooky things, and that I also love flowery, bright things.

My partner and I recently had a short conversation in which I mentioned that my two great cinematic loves are horror, and children's cartoon movies from my childhood (think the My Little Pony movie) - "That's a great way to summarize who you are," he said, laughing. 

So today I'm telling you about my novel: a horror novel that takes place mid-summer. 

(Yes I have seen and adore the movie Midsommar! Yes, it was totally an inspiration for this novel, along with the movie Promising Young Woman.)

I started this project almost two years ago, as I wrapped up seeking agents for my first novel (that process didn't pan out, but I'm much more excited and ready to seek out an agent with this novel).  

I wanted to write a story that explores our culture's penchant for punishment as a way of reform; we can raise our kids to be empathetic and forgiving, but we still have prisons. 

I also wanted to explore a young, gender-fluid woman's recovery process from a sexual trauma - how she makes mistakes, and in the end learns that her desire for punishment is not a path to safety for her (or anyone). 

I also wanted it to be spooky AF. 

Enter my novel, that for now I'll call Scary Stories: five young people isolated at a summer camp on an island in Maine, working as counselors. They live at the camp, and party at the camp, and process all the messed up shit they each bring with them . . . at the camp. 

Above is the first character drawing I did, of my main character, Sloan. I draw all of my major characters, to get the sense of how they dress, hold themselves, and approach the world with either openness or defensiveness. 

I plan to share more about this story in the coming months, as it is truly the heart of my creative work right now, and the container in which I am most consistently healing from my early 20s. I'm figuring out how to do so without giving it all away :) 

Next week, we'll get into a little spooky spellwork for shadow season! Get your broomsticks and candles ready . . .

And in the meantime, sign up to come to my Shadow Party, a dark season workshop for the witchiest parts of all of us!