Suggested Books to Read for Samhain

As the nights grow longer and the air takes on that crisp autumn edge, many Pagans begin preparing for Samhain. It’s a time to honour ancestors, reflect on the cycles of life and death, and celebrate the turning of the wheel into the dark half of the year. Alongside ritual and celebration, Samhain is also the perfect season for curling up with a good book. Whether you’re seeking inspiration for your practice, stories that capture the magic of the season, or deeper insights into death and remembrance, here are some suggested reads for Samhain.

1. The Pagan Book of Halloween by Gerina Dunwich

This classic explores the origins of Samhain and Halloween traditions, tracing folklore from Celtic lands through to modern celebrations. It’s a wonderful introduction for anyone who wants to understand the history behind pumpkin lanterns, trick-or-treating, and other customs, while also offering practical ideas for rituals, spells, and seasonal activities.

2. The Circle of Eight: Seasonal Practices for the Pagan Year by Jane Meredith

While not solely about Samhain, Meredith’s book provides thoughtful ways to connect with each of the eight Sabbats. Her section on Samhain is rich with suggestions for ancestor work, reflection, and ritual. It’s a particularly good choice if you’re looking for a guide that balances personal practice with community celebration.

3. Samhain: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Halloween by Diana Rajchel

Part of Llewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials series, this compact book is perfect if you’re short on time but want something specifically focused on Samhain. It includes ritual outlines, magical correspondences, recipes, and craft ideas. A handy, accessible resource whether you’re a beginner or seasoned practitioner.

4. The Witch’s Book of the Dead by Christian Day

Samhain is traditionally a time to honour and commune with the dead, and this book delves deeply into that theme. Covering ancestor work, spirit communication, and necromancy from a modern witchcraft perspective, it provides both practical techniques and thoughtful reflections. A good fit for those ready to engage more directly with Samhain’s mysteries.

5. The Book of Ancestors: A Guide to Ancestral Veneration by Mallorie Vaudoise

If you’re drawn to the ancestral aspect of Samhain, Vaudoise’s book offers a compassionate and grounded approach. It’s less about ritual and more about building an ongoing relationship with your lineage, whether through prayer, offerings, or healing ancestral wounds. It’s especially helpful if you’re looking for meaningful ways to connect with those who came before you.

6. The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

Sometimes the best way to enter the spirit of the season is through story. Bradbury’s tale follows a group of children journeying through time to uncover the origins of Halloween. It’s atmospheric, whimsical, and surprisingly profound, capturing both the wonder and the solemnity of Samhain.

Closing Thoughts

Samhain invites us to slow down, reflect, and connect with the unseen. Books can help guide that journey, offering wisdom, practical tools, and inspiration. Whether you choose historical insights, magical practices, or evocative stories, may your reading this season deepen your connection to the ancestors, the turning of the year, and the mystery of the dark.

Let us know your top Samhain reading picks below.

Do Pagan Authors Need Instagram to Promote Books?

PWC on Instagram

In today’s publishing world, authors often feel pressure to maintain an online presence. Social media, particularly Instagram, has become one of the most popular ways for writers to promote their work, connect with readers, and build community. But when it comes to Pagan authors - those whose work explores spirituality, folklore, and magical practice - the question becomes more nuanced. Do Pagan authors really need Instagram to successfully promote their books, or are there other paths better aligned with the nature of their work?

The Case for Instagram

Instagram thrives on aesthetics. It’s a visual platform, filled with curated images, quotes, reels, and behind-the-scenes snapshots. For Pagan authors, this can be an advantage. Pagan spirituality is often deeply tied to visual symbolism - altars, ritual tools, nature, tarot cards, runes, seasonal festivals, and the beauty of the natural world. A well-curated Instagram account can be an extension of an author’s voice, a living grimoire of sorts that shares their perspective in a visually appealing way.

Readers are also on Instagram. Many people interested in Paganism, witchcraft, and related practices follow hashtags like #witchtok, #pagancommunity, #occultbooks, or #witchyaesthetic. By engaging with these audiences, authors can reach readers who might not otherwise discover their books. Instagram also gives authors a space to collaborate with others, such as book bloggers, witchy influencers, or small Pagan publishers. In this sense, it can act as a digital word-of-mouth network.

The Challenges of Instagram

However, Instagram is not without its downsides. It is a highly competitive, fast-moving platform that rewards constant posting and algorithm-friendly content. For writers who value deep reflection and time away from screens, keeping up with Instagram can feel draining or even antithetical to their practice. Pagan authors, in particular, may worry that the platform’s emphasis on surface-level aesthetics undermines the deeper, lived experience of their spirituality.

There is also the question of authenticity. Many Pagan practitioners value sincerity, groundedness, and community-based knowledge. The polished, market-driven nature of Instagram can sometimes clash with these values. Authors may feel pressured to perform spirituality in a way that fits trends, rather than exploring their path in a genuine and organic manner.

Alternatives and Complements

The good news is that Instagram is not the only option. Pagan authors can reach readers through blogs, podcasts, newsletters, or even local in-person events like bookshops, festivals, and Pagan gatherings. Many Pagan readers appreciate more thoughtful, long-form content than Instagram typically allows. A well-written blog post or podcast episode can build lasting connections in a way that a fleeting reel may not.

Moreover, Pagan communities often thrive in spaces that encourage depth of discussion - forums, Discord servers, or even private mailing lists. These platforms allow authors to cultivate relationships without the pressure of chasing likes or views.

Conclusion

So, do Pagan authors need Instagram to promote their books? The answer is no - but it can be useful. Instagram is a tool, not a requirement. For authors who enjoy visual storytelling and quick engagement, it can be a powerful ally. For those who prefer slower, more grounded forms of connection, other platforms may serve better. The key is alignment: choosing the spaces that resonate with your values, your audience, and your practice.

After all, the most compelling promotion is authenticity. Whether that happens through an Instagram feed, a monthly newsletter, or a conversation at a Pagan moot, the heart of the work remains the same - sharing words that inspire, teach, and connect.

If you're a Pagan author on Instagram, let us know whether you think it's been helpful in the comments below?

The Origins of the Wiccan Rede

The Wiccan Rede is perhaps one of the most recognizable phrases associated with modern witchcraft: “An it harm none, do what ye will.” For many practitioners, it serves as a guiding ethical principle, encouraging freedom of action so long as it avoids harm. Yet, despite its central place in contemporary Wiccan thought, the Rede’s origins are less straightforward than many assume.

Early Influences

To understand how it came to be, we need to look at its historical, literary, and cultural roots. The word rede itself is an Old English term meaning “advice” or “counsel.” Its use gives the statement an archaic, folkloric quality, as though it has been whispered down through the centuries. However, there is no evidence of this exact phrase appearing in pre-modern magical traditions. Instead, the Rede is a product of 20th-century occultism, shaped by the revival of witchcraft in Britain during the 1940s and 1950s.

One of the strongest philosophical influences comes from the works of Aleister Crowley, the ceremonial magician and founder of Thelema. Crowley’s Thelemic law states: “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.” The phrase emphasized the pursuit of one’s true will, the deeper spiritual purpose of life. However, Crowley’s maxim lacked an explicit caveat about harm. The Wiccan Rede, appearing a few decades later, softened and reframed this idea, adding a moral dimension to freedom of action.

Gerald Gardner and Early Wicca

Gerald Gardner, often called the Father of modern Wicca, introduced the public to witchcraft in the mid-20th century. Though Gardner himself never recorded the Rede in its now-famous short form, his writings and rituals contained similar ethical guidance. Gardner emphasized the importance of avoiding harm and recognized the reality of magical consequences. The idea that actions - magical or mundane -carry repercussions ties closely into the Wiccan understanding of the Threefold Law: whatever energy one sends into the world returns three times over.

Gardner’s high priestess Doreen Valiente, a poet and influential figure in shaping early Wiccan liturgy, is often credited with helping crystallize the Rede’s expression. In her writings from the 1960s, she stressed the principle of personal freedom balanced with responsibility, echoing what would become the Rede’s essence.

The Rede as We Know It

The most famous version of the Rede first appeared publicly in 1964 at a speech given by Lady Gwen Thompson, who later published a 26-verse poem in the Green Egg magazine in 1975. This poem, which she attributed to her grandmother Adriana Porter, included the closing line: “Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: An it harm none, do what ye will.” While there is debate about whether the poem was truly a family inheritance or Thompson’s own composition, it undeniably cemented the Rede in the wider pagan community.

Legacy

Today, the Rede is not a rigid law but a guideline. Different traditions interpret it differently - some view it as absolute, while others see it as situational advice. What remains constant is its enduring spirit: encouraging practitioners to act with awareness, compassion, and responsibility. Its blending of ancient language, modern occult philosophy, and community transmission illustrates how Wicca itself was woven together - rooted in tradition, yet evolving to meet the needs of new generations.

Let us know whether you abide by the Wiccan Rede below.

Valiente’s Most Influential Work: The Charge of the Goddess

When we talk about the roots of modern Paganism, especially Wicca, the name Doreen Valiente inevitably rises to the surface. Often called the “Mother of Modern Witchcraft,” Valiente was not only a practicing witch but also a gifted writer and poet. While she authored several important books - including Witchcraft for Tomorrow and The Rebirth of Witchcraft - her single most influential piece of writing isn’t a full book at all, but rather a work within it: The Charge of the Goddess.

Why The Charge of the Goddess Stands Out

At first glance, it might seem odd to single out this one text. After all, Valiente published numerous writings that helped shape the practice of modern Paganism, providing ritual structures, ethical frameworks, and practical guidance for solitary practitioners and covens alike. But The Charge of the Goddess, first written in the 1950s and later refined across her books, stands as one of the most quoted, recited, and beloved liturgical texts in Wicca.

It is no exaggeration to say that Valiente gave the Goddess her voice. Where Gerald Gardner had drafted earlier rituals borrowing heavily from ceremonial magic and Victorian occultism, Valiente distilled the essence of the Pagan revival into something lyrical, inclusive, and profoundly spiritual. She transformed dry ritual instruction into living poetry, words that inspire connection and devotion.

A Timeless Invitation

The Charge of the Goddess is written as though spoken by the Goddess herself, calling her children to joy, beauty, freedom, and reverence. In it, the divine feminine is not remote or judgmental but loving, immanent, and intimately involved in the lives of her followers. The words reach beyond time and tradition, appealing to anyone who seeks a spiritual path grounded in nature and personal empowerment.

For many modern witches, hearing or speaking The Charge of the Goddess for the first time is a revelation. It affirms that the sacred can be joyous rather than dour, celebratory rather than restrictive. It reassures practitioners that the Goddess meets them where they are—whether in circle, in solitude, or in the quiet moments of everyday life.

The Influence on Pagan Literature

From a literary perspective, The Charge of the Goddess did more than provide beautiful ritual words. It set the tone for Pagan writing in the decades that followed. Valiente showed that Pagan texts could be poetic without being inaccessible, mystical without being obscure. Many of today’s Pagan authors—whether they realize it or not—write in the tradition she helped establish. Her phrasing, rhythm, and imagery echo in countless invocations, prayers, and rituals published since.

Moreover, Valiente legitimized the idea that Pagan traditions are living traditions. By rewriting, editing, and adapting the words she inherited, she modeled the creative process that keeps Pagan spirituality dynamic rather than dogmatic. In doing so, she empowered future generations of witches and Pagans to find their own voice in ritual writing.

Why It Still Matters

Even today, more than half a century after Valiente penned her words, the The Charge of the Goddess continues to be recited in circles around the world. It’s a reminder of what first drew many of us to Paganism: the promise of a spiritual path that celebrates life, honors the Earth, and embraces the sacred within ourselves.

Doreen Valiente left us many treasures, but perhaps none shine so brightly as the words of the Goddess she gave to the world. For Pagan writers, her example is clear: when we write from the heart, our words have the power to shape not only rituals, but entire movements.

Find out more at the Doreen Valiente Foundation.

The State of Publishing in 2025

If you’ve wandered into the Pagan or earth-based spirituality section of a bookstore lately, you might have noticed the shelves are far from empty. In fact, publishing in this space is buzzing along nicely, with new titles appearing every season. From beginner witchcraft guides to deep dives into mythology and land-based practices, there’s plenty to read — and plenty of debate about the best way to publish these books in the current climate.

How Are Sales Going?

While exact sales figures are hard to pin down (publishers tend to guard that data), interest in earth-centered spirituality hasn’t slowed. Books that weave together spirituality, healing, and empowerment continue to do well. Think titles like The Cauldron and the Drum by Rhonda McCrimmon or New Moon Magic by Dickens and Torok. Broader cultural trends — mindfulness, climate consciousness, and a hunger for alternative wisdom — are helping sustain demand. 

Who Are the Big Players?

If you’re an aspiring author in this space, you’ve probably heard of the major publishers:

Llewellyn Worldwide – Perhaps the most recognized name in Pagan publishing, with a century-long track record. If you’ve ever picked up a book on Wicca, tarot, or astrology, chances are it came from them.

Red Wheel/Weiser – Another powerhouse, especially known for occult and metaphysical titles. Their catalog covers everything from witchcraft to esoterica.

Inner Traditions/Findhorn Press – Specializing in spirituality, mysticism, and earth-based wisdom. Their books often have a global, cross-cultural flavor.

Collective Ink (Moon Books and O-Books) – UK-based, with a solid reputation for Pagan and mind-body titles.

Mandrake of Oxford – A smaller press with a strong occult focus.

On top of these, you’ll find vibrant indie presses like Avalonia, Rockpool Publishing, Green Magic, and others that keep the field fresh and diverse.

To Publish or Self-Publish?

This is the question many Pagan authors wrestle with.

Traditional publishing brings credibility, professional editing, great cover design, and built-in distribution. Getting published by Llewellyn or Weiser can help place your work squarely within Pagan communities.

Self-publishing, particularly through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, offers higher royalties and creative control. You don’t need to wait for an acceptance letter — you can just upload your book and go live.

But there are trade-offs. Self-publishing means you’re responsible for editing, design, marketing, and finding your audience. And in a crowded Amazon marketplace, that’s no small task.

The Amazon Dilemma

Let’s talk ethics for a moment. Amazon dominates the ebook market, which makes it tempting — almost necessary — for indie authors. But Pagan readers and writers have been raising concerns:

Quality issues: Amazon is flooded with low-effort, AI-generated “witchcraft” books, which drags down credibility.

Reputation: Self-publishing can still carry a stigma. Some readers assume “self-published” means unedited or inauthentic.

Predatory services: A cottage industry of “Amazon self-publishing helpers” has sprung up, and not all are trustworthy.

Many Pagan authors find themselves torn: they want independence, but they also want their work to stand out in a sea of questionable content.

So, What’s the Best Route?

The truth is, there’s no one answer. Traditional publishers are still the best bet if you want community recognition and a professional finish. Self-publishing gives you freedom and potentially higher earnings, but you’ll need to put in serious effort to produce a high-quality book and get it seen.

Either way, the Pagan publishing world is thriving. Readers are hungry for authentic voices, diverse perspectives, and grounded spiritual practice. Whether you choose a trusted publisher or go it alone, what matters most is the heart you bring to the work.

Question for Readers

What do you think? If you’ve published (or thought about publishing) in this space, did you lean toward a traditional publisher, or did you brave the Amazon jungle?

Let us know in the comments below.

Q&A Pagans Against Plagiarism

Boudica Foster is a co-founder and member of Pagans Against Plagiarism. She is co-owner of The Wiccan/Pagan Times, has written articles for Llewellyn’s almanacs and has six published non-fiction books on spells and reiki topics, one published fiction novel and is working on the second book in the series. Boudica identifies as a witch and has been Pagan in some form or other since the late 1970s.  She has been an active member of the pagan online community since the early 1990s.

How did Pagans Against Plagiarism come about?
 

About twelve years ago, a friend of mine put me in touch with a publisher with an unusual story.  Seems they had a book that had failed the 'Plagiarism Test'. Publishers had software they could run a percentage of the book through, and the software would search the web and compare the content.  It would then report the amount of material that they found in the book that was also found on the web. Twenty-five percent plagiarized is considered unacceptable by the publisher. This book went higher.

The author had been so pissed off they had gone onto the internet and were badmouthing the publisher. The author then took the book to another publisher and published it there. The first publisher asked if I would mind reviewing the book and maybe doing some research.

One of our other friends had already taken sections of the book and found the exact websites where the material was originally published. The instances of theft were mind-boggling. There was a blog the individual owned where the instances were eventually all laid out. 
 

The author’s book was pulled by the second publisher. The author then self-published. I did publish a review, as I was a regular reviewer on Amazon at that time. Amazon eventually pulled the book. 

The research we did, the information we had gathered and the experience we had gave us a background and was the reason we went into what came next.
 

When did you realise there was a need for it?
 

We know many authors and artists in the Pagan community. I was reviewing Pagan books on Amazon at the time and was a top reviewer. I had many contacts with publishers and authors here in the States. Many of my friends involved in this endeavor are from the UK. They also had contacts with artists and authors.

While plagiarism was what brought us into this, it was copyright violations that became the focus of our group. We noticed Facebook groups offering free copies of books that had been published recently. This really annoyed us. Here we are, some of us authors or artists, with books by people we know being given away for free. This shortchanges authors, who lose sales because someone is giving away their books. Why pay for what you can get free?

This started us down the road of, "What is our recourse if our work is being stolen?"
 

We started sharing what we learned over the course of a couple of years with people who knew us and had similar issues. We finally started a Facebook group as a place where we could gather and exchange information.
 
Can you explain what plagiarism is?
 

Plagiarism, as defined by the dictionary, is the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing it off as one’s own. 
 

So, I wrote an article for an online ezine, and a few months later it appeared on another site, word for word, with a different author's name. What was so funny was that I put Boudica at the end of all the articles I was writing at that time. The person who had copied my article had included my name. Never proofread it, just copied and posted it on their website, with a different author byline.

This has happened not just to me, but to a few of the other members of our group. Either their art or their written work has been taken from their blogs or their websites and attributed to a different artist or author.

It is the common denominator for most of the founding members of Pagans Against Plagiarism, and it's what gave us our name. But what we eventually became known for was the more common issue that so many authors and artists have in common – copyright violations.

What is copyright?
 

The best definition I have found is from Tech Terms Computer Dictionary: 

Copyright is a legal means of protecting an author's work. It is a type of intellectual property that provides exclusive publication, distribution, and usage rights for the author.

Copyright is a legal instrument. Not just here in the United States.  The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, referenced as DMCA, is an international treaty between countries who have elected to uphold the copyright standards set out in that document.
 

Can you explain what copyright infringement is?
 

Authors, writers, artists and musicians - hereafter referenced as creators - are covered by copyright laws. These laws dictate when a work is copyrighted, what rights creators have over their work, what is a violation of their rights, and gives them the legal tools needed to enforce those rights. These laws are based on the country of origin, or come under the DMCA.

Copyright infringement is when someone violates the rights of a creator. Country laws give the creator legal standing within their own country, but the DMCA gives the creator legal standing internationally, and specifically on the internet.

The DMCA enacts processes where the creator can claim their property, and, with proper identification, request the removal of their property from any place where it appears illegally.
 

So, an author finds their book being given away without their permission. The book is copyrighted. As a matter of fact, the book is copyrighted as soon as it is in tangible form, which means even the manuscript is copyrighted. So, the author has legal standing at this point. The take-down notice that the author files with the individual, website or social media platform is called a DMCA. It is a form that the author or their agent files to have the violation of their work removed.

All social media sites have an online form that can be filled out.  They have it written into their terms of service that violations of copyright will be removed by them, without notice in most cases. In severe cases, the social media site will remove the group or individuals responsible at their discretion, without notice.

Most website hosting services also have online DMCAs and include the same kind of verbiage in their terms of service. As do Dropbox, web storage sites, online shopping sites and more. 
 

The only exceptions are services that are in countries that have not signed the DMCA, which include Russia, China and some small countries in-between.

The reason I have spelled this all out is because this information becomes the tool we can use to educate and to enforce the rights of creators in the Pagan community.
 
How widespread is the problem? 

 
At the start, about ten years ago, and two years after the first plagiarism issues we encountered, we started seeing PDF versions of copyrighted books appearing on the web. First they were on websites, then, as social media started to expand, the illegal copies of these books started appearing in the file areas of various groups.

We would notice one book here, one book there. Websites were the biggest offenders, as some of them were distribution sites for many illegal copies. Creators were losing money. For authors, it was illegal PDF copies of their books. For artists, it was downloadable copies of their art. They were either stealing the material from the artists' websites or making print copies and selling them. The artists were hit worse because people were actually selling their art on sites like eBay and Etsy.

Watermarking was the original way for artists to prevent the theft of their work. But, as people became savvier with Photoshop and were able to remove the watermarks, it became harder and harder for artists to make a living off their work. Who was going to purchase nice prints of their work when they could get them cheaper on eBay and Etsy, or free by right-clicking and saving? 

Artists started disappearing from the web. Whatever art was out there, there was no way to control it anymore. Some artists spent days filing DMCAs with various websites and social media platforms to get their work removed. How can an artist create when they have to spend days at a time protecting their work? And, of course, there was always a copy that escaped notice and would get passed around again, the cycle repeating itself.

With authors, it started with illegal copies of their books in PDF format. Some industrious souls would copy entire books and issue the finished product in PDF format. Later, with the advent of e-books, we started seeing other formats, which were obviously pirated from e-readers. No matter what technology we create to safeguard our work, there are those who think it is their job to breach it, and they do.

It became obvious that this was getting worse when copies of authors' books surfaced before they were even published. Thousands of copies were either sold or given away for free before the publishers could release the book. This resulted in loss of sales for both the publisher and, more importantly, the author. Pirating of books reached an all-time high.

The results were pretty much the same as with artists. Authors removed themselves from the web and discontinued writing. If you can’t make a living doing what you love, then you have to turn to something else to provide for your family. And the Pagan community lost some very bright and well-loved artists and authors because of this.

Know two things:  

1. There are very few artists and authors who make lots of money off their works. These people are household names. Stephen King, David Hockney. Pagan authors and artists make about $1.57 per book, on average. That will depend on how popular the author is and how many books they have circulating at any time. That means they have to sell over 15,000 books per year to make a salary of $25,000 per year.
2. Pagan artists will sell a work here and there, but mostly make a living off selling prints of their works. Our Pagan artists have lost much. So much that you don’t see many Pagan artists unless you are at a festival. Only one artist was at a festival I went to last weekend. I remember several dozen back in the day. If they cannot feed their families on their work, they have to go elsewhere to make a living.

What does PAP do to help combat this? 

In the beginning, there wasn’t much we knew we could do. We would request the material be removed. That usually ended in a shouting match and getting us banned from many groups. No one likes to be told what to do with their group. They like it even less when you suggest they are stealing money from creators. And when you tell them, 'OK, we are going to report you to the creator or his agent,' the conversation deteriorates to name calling. 

We had to learn the laws. What are the options that creators have? Finding the DMCA process was key. We educated ourselves in that, and then passed information along to the creators. We provide links to copyright violation forms. We keep extensive files of sites that provide legal information and online resources for creators.

See, the key to the process is that only the creator, or their agent, can file a DMCA. It must be the creator or their legal agent who files. So, we found ourselves being the education point for all the creative members of the Pagan community.

We also offer education via our Facebook page and group. We offer information to Facebook admins, so that they understand what they are doing when they offer free artwork or books to their members. We offer information. We do not mob a group and demand removal.  

When the group was young, someone would stumble across a stash of illegal PDFs, request that they be removed, and get booted immediately. That angered many of the members. Some of them would join the group and try to talk to the admins. This resulted in more shouting matches, and we were accused of trying to mob groups to get them shut down.

Actually, we have nothing to do with groups being shut down. We can’t do that. We can report it to the creator or their agents, but the actual filing is done by them. What happens is directly associated with the people who own the rights.

Some social media sites have a very low threshold for copyright violations. You see that with YouTube and Facebook. They do not want to deal with it. A single violation, the item will be removed.  But if they have to hunt thru tons of violations, they would rather just shut the site. They have no desire to get involved in legal suits.

We have restricted ourselves to Facebook and a few side sites on an individual basis. A group that stores their copyright violations on Dropbox or sells the material on Etsy, we will report those to the creators and leave it up to them to follow up.  But most of what we deal with is Facebook.  

Having seen the extent of copyright violations, we are not nearly large enough to involve ourselves with it all. We have lives, we have jobs, and believe me when I say that it can be a full-time job if we decided to expand beyond Facebook. Some weeks it seems that it is a full-time job.

Have you had any successes in the past?

We have requested the removal of material that violates an author’s copyrights, and Facebook's terms of service. 

Occasionally, someone will be, 'Oh, sorry, didn’t know that,'  and the material is removed quickly. We have tried various ways. Via comments. Via private messages to group admins. 

Most times, we get booted for our effort. Sometimes it is preceded with verbal abuse, or you get a private message after you are booted, again streaming with verbal abuse. Many of us have gotten used to it. But to be honest, we would rather not deal with that.

The first thing we need is proof. That is required by the DMCA.  Besides the link to the material, we also provide visual proof of the violation. Usually a PDF copy of their file area with all the books listed. This also makes it easier to identify the books, and the publisher can pick all the titles and report them. Most books are handled by the publishers, who are the legal agents for the authors.

What happens next is between the publisher and the website. Facebook has dedicated staff handling DMCAs. There also appears to be more than just the pagan community filing DMCAs as it can take one or two weeks for them to respond to the publishers, sometimes a bit longer if additional information is requested. 

It is totally up to Facebook as to what happens. They decide how much work they are going to put into the response. Most responses are canned.

Hi, Thanks for bringing this matter to our attention. We removed or disabled access to the content you reported for violating the Facebook Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. We understand this action to resolve your intellectual property issue.

Almost all responses are like that.

We have seen them remove books, remove groups and remove individuals who are consistent offenders. We feel we have had a measure of success. 

Two of the largest successes are groups that were strictly up for book exchange. One group had over 900 books, the other had over 400. 

Copyright violations are more numerous than plagiarism. We have had one or two more instances of blatant plagiarism in books.  

Someone published one of Gerina Dunwich’s books with a new cover and author byline. It was offered as an e-book for free as a promo.  

From my days reviewing books, I have learned various authors' voices. Ms. Dunwich has a unique voice, and reading the first couple of pages, I went to my own library and pulled down a book, and sure enough it was the same book, the same graphics, the same font. All he did was change the cover and left off the title pages.  Amazon did pull the book when they were notified.

We just report what we find. The rest is up to the creators and their agents. If they report the violations, whether plagiarism or copyright violations, Facebook will take action.

What should someone do if they think their work has been plagiarised?

For plagiarism or copyright violations, they have to file a DMCA.  As I said, most sites have online DMCAs. You will need to provide the location of the violation, where the file is located, and you have to provide proof of ownership. Most times, all you need is where your book is on your publisher’s website, or where your art is presented, with a date. 

Sometimes they may ask for more proof. A screen capture of where the violation is located, with some identifying evidence of the website, and your work. That works for the publishers most often.  It is a simple process. Depending on the website or service, it may take a couple of weeks. Remember, they are dealing with hundreds of notices each day. 

If you need assistance, Pagans Against Plagiarism is here to help.

How can people get involved? Where can they find out more?

Being part of the solution is the way to go. We accept members who want to learn more, as well as those who want to help. We will always answer questions. You can join our group here.

Additional information and resources:

US Government website on copyright laws

UK Government website on copyright laws

Australian Government website on copyright laws

Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 PDF

Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998

Q&A Otherworld Books

Otherworld Books is a newly established Pagan and Occult bookshop based near the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland. The shop aims to offer all books to all paths, whatever your experience level. They even supply book prescriptions if you're not sure what to read next. You can also find them on Twitter and Facebook, and they have an extensive online store. Founder, Claire Proctor, talks about the inspiration for the bookshop.

How did the idea for Otherworld Books come about?

It was about three years ago at the annual Scottish Pagan Federation Conference. Christina Oakley Harrington, who runs Treadwell's in London, was the keynote speaker, as well as hosting a workshop. There were various conversations throughout the day about what a shame it was that we only got the opportunity to do these kinds of things once a year and how poor the selections in some of the more mainstream bookshops had become. Most of the remaining occult shops couldn't really support a wide range of books and didn’t have the capacity for events, and we couldn’t think of a single 'dedicated' bookshop in Scotland at all. At the time, I was vaguely considering a change in direction but, while the idea intrigued me, I didn’t really think of it as a serious notion. However, the more time went on, the more I found myself doodling ideas, checking things out and discussing it with people until one day I came to the realisation that  it was something I absolutely wanted to do without really noticing! After that, I threw myself into it and the shop opened on 1st March 2016.

How do you choose what to stock?

It varies greatly. There’s a huge chunk of ‘recommended reading,’ those existing works that by general consensus you should make a point of getting through at some point. So, for instance, most of Hutton’s works on the academic side, Philip Carr-Gomm and Emma Restall Orr on Druidry, the Farrars, Vivianne Crowley and Doreen Valiente on Wicca, Rae Beth and Marian Green on solitary witchcraft. The same is true on the occult end of the spectrum – works by Aleister Crowley, William G. Gray, Israel Regardie, Dion Fortune and so on.

It’s trickier when it comes to newer works. I feel like if you’re investing your time in reading a book it needs to add value – it should be well researched, considered and offer ideas or practical guidance that will help you on your path.

Sadly, there’s still a lot of what I consider commercialised nonsense doing the rounds. I try to avoid things that are simply repackaging the same material with little added value. There are a great many brilliant titles coming out at the moment though, particularly the Moon Books' Pagan Portals and Shaman Pathways series, which I think are the ideal blend of being informative and useful. They are written by authors who really know their stuff. Personally, I have a major soft spot for fiction and quirky titles. The ones that really challenge your thinking about your own beliefs and practice by presenting it in a different context or framework. Anything by Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman, or random offerings like Our Gods Wear Spandex and Cat Magic.

You’re based in Edinburgh, which is a city with a lot of history and folklore. Has anything spooky ever happened at the shop?

I used to joke that there was a poltergeist in the shop. During the first few months, I’d come in to find random individual books had fallen off display shelves with no apparent rhyme or reason. Then, equally as inexplicably, it just stopped. So, I began to wonder! It happened again just the other day, for the first time in ages. One of my regular customers was in and it took us right to a book she had been looking for on behalf of a friend.

Do you think your location helps business?

I think being in Edinburgh helps insofar as it’s an amazing place to be. Somewhere that draws people who are potentially interested in diverse paths. The fact that I’m reasonably central and easy to find doesn’t hurt, but just as important to me is to be a trusted resource for the community wherever they are, which is why I always wanted to have the online side available too.

We love your book prescription idea, where people tell you a bit about themselves and their interests, and you recommend a book to them. What’s the most recent book you've recommended?

Thank you. There are many people who come into the shop looking for assistance, no matter how new to the subject or experienced. There are a lot of books available, after all! I wanted a simple way to be able to offer that assistance further afield.

Sadly, I’ve had no takers for the prescription service yet, though admittedly it’s only been up a few weeks and not extensively marketed.

Where’s the furthest place you have sent a book?

So far, California. Santa Clarita, to be exact, which I’ll probably always remember because my media-junkie brain automatically thought, “Oh, where the diet’s from.”

Is there a strong Pagan community in Edinburgh? Any events you’d recommend during the year?

I would say that there’s an extremely strong Pagan presence in Edinburgh, and Scotland more generally. Perhaps not the strongest community, in the sense of lots of regular groups and events. I don’t think that’s anything negative, just a combination of the demands of modern life and that many who are drawn to paganism actually prefer a solitary path. We have great links as part of the local Interfaith community, though. We have representation as part of the Edinburgh Uni Chaplaincy and, as previously mentioned, the annual Scottish PF conference is held here. The Beltane Fire Society produce their spectacular parades at Beltane and Samhain and, with so much during the August festivals, there’s usually something pagan-themed available. There’s a monthly informal moot group, and I’ve been running monthly workshops since the start of the year. I'm always open to hosting more!

Can you offer up three recommendations on Scottish Paganism, occultism or folklore for people who would like an introduction?

I would say that the best books on the subject allow you to work with your landscape, wherever that may be. While there’s nothing particularly Scottish that I would recommend on that score, as general introductions go, you can’t go too far wrong with: 

• Pagan Paths by Pete Jennings, on the practical side 
• Paganism: A Very Short Introducton by Owen Davies, on the slightly more academic side, and either:
• The Stonewylde series by Kit Berry for a fictional intro to pagan themes or 
• Dion Fortune’s works for more ritual magic aspects, particularly Sea Priestess and Moon Magic.

Who is the most memorable customer to ever walk in off the street?

I’ve actually had the privilege of meeting the only person ever to achieve enlightenment! Apparently, Buddha didn’t actually manage it, or, at least, he’s never seen him on any of the spiritual planes.

He had seen Brian Copenhaver’s Magic: Antiquity to Enlightenment in the window and, while he had apparently misunderstood the meaning of the title, he wanted to afford me the opportunity of arranging workshops for him, so that he could share the truth with the good people of Edinburgh. In fact, he’s the person who invented adult colouring books but, because everything he thinks of is automatically shared to the universal consciousness, it was stolen and commercialised before he could do anything with it. Despite an extensive letter writing campaign, he has yet to receive any royalties.

I explained that it might be counter-intuitive to hold events proclaiming One Truth in a shop dedicated to the pursuit of lots of different paths and pursuits, but he seemed to lose interest around then – it could have been because he had finished his can of cider.

In all seriousness though, while the above is all true, I’ve had some genuinely amazing conversations with truly wonderful people in the relatively short time I’ve been here. From the sublime to the ridiculous - the best are usually a combination of both - and I love that anyone of any path can come in, share their ideas, find new ones and hopefully leave richer for the experience.