What a Witch Really Is #Halloween #Samhain #Wicca #Witches

Alison Williams Writing

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.

Most of us are familiar with these words from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and with the gruesome hags that stir the cauldron. They have become the blueprint for the portrayal of witches; ugly, toothless old women; scheming, mysterious and powerful. But is it fair? And why do we see witches in this way – it can’t all be Shakespeare’s fault, can it?

Before the advent of Christianity there were many diverse religions – Druids, Norse Odinists and the witches that had for centuries acted as healers, midwives and wise women and men. However, when the Inquisition was launched, it wasn’t just direct ‘threats’ to the Roman Catholic Church that came under suspicion. Anyone could potentially be accused of heresy, and many of those healers and wise woman came under attack.

Propaganda…

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Update – and a special offer!

The year is flying past and it’s hard to believe it will soon be Christmas (how exciting!). My editing schedule has been full to bursting this year, which is wonderful, but it has meant that I’ve spent less time blogging, tweeting, sharing etc. than I would like. Add renovating a house, acquiring two more rescue dogs and attempting to knit a huge Harry Styles inspired cardigan (don’t ask!) into the mix, and the New Year has become March has become August has become October, and the year is nearly over.

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The Lovely Ted and Annie

The absolute bane of my life (the cardigan, not Harry)

But hectic as life is, I can’t complain. I’ve worked with some really lovely clients, old and new, on some fabulous books, I’ve read some amazing novels, now have four (yes, FOUR!) gorgeous dogs, and I have almost knitted a cardigan that has the dimensions of a small eiderdown.

So, to sort of celebrate, I have a special pre-Christmas offer. If you book an edit before the end of next week, you’ll get a 10% discount on the total price.

But hurry – I only have a couple of spaces left in my schedule before the end of the year!