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Hey! I have some book-related news: preorders for my newest title, and a giveaway of free books! Read on:

First, I just turned in the final tweaks and edits for my next book, New Paths to Animal Totems! It'll be out from Llewellyn Publications this December (just in time for the world to end) and it's my first try at writing for a more general audience--without watering down the material. You can read more about it at the link above, though one of the things that struck me as I was re-reading it is how unlike other introductory books on totemism this one is. It's not just a collection of "here's what this totem means" definitions and a mess of quick exercises. I really got into the environment and context of animal totems, instead of just treating them as "animal spirits floating above your head". By the end of the book you won't just know what animal totems are and how to work with them, but you'll also have a wealth of information that can be applied to both totemism and other spiritual explorations as well. A great standalone text, or a nice complement to my other books, too!

So--with that said, I am officially opening preorders for New Paths to Animal Totems! You can preorder here on my website and there's also a preorder listing on my Etsy shop. The website link also includes links to where you can preorder it on Amazon, Powells, and from Llewellyn itself. However, ordering directly from me pays me the most for my work (and you get your copy signed!)

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The OTHER book thing is that I am doing another giveaway! I'm giving away three of the brand-new Llewellyn periodicals that I have writings published in (I've been writing for the periodicals for years). I wrote twenty-five of the spells and activities in the Witches' Spell-a-Day Almanac this year, and the Magical Almanac includes my article "Everyday Totemism", specifically about working with tertiary totems. You can find two of my articles in the Witches' Companion; "Pagans and Cultural Appropriation" looks at the issues surrounding cultural borrowing (or theft) in neopaganism, while "Pagans & Mental Health" explores the relationship that the pagan community has to mental illness, and how to be more sensitive and responsive in including pagans with mental illnesses.

All of these are exclusive writings, found nowhere else! But you could get to do some reading for free. Just link to this post on your blog or Facebook or other social media outlet by the ****midnight that starts Tuesday, August 21, 2012**** and you'll be entered in a random drawing to win one of the three periodicals in the picture (no, you don't get to choose which one--it's random!). You only get ONE chance no matter how many times you reblog, though. AND MAKE SURE you link to your own link here, so I can see it and know about it and get you into the drawing!

....aaaaaaaand GO! (And thank you :) )