@gavinfoxauthor
Published Freelance Occult Author. Wrote The Accelerated Necromancer. Does Magick With A Tinge Of Cosmicism. The Barghest Howls And The Wyrd Follows. Latest writing: http://TheAcceleratedChaote.Com Buy me a Koffee: https://ko-fi.com/gavinfoxauthor
OK, so here's a slightly left field entry for #TechnopaganTuesday this week then. But a cautionary tale from the early days of the online space that still haunts the modern web. Yes, I'm talking about that time the US Secret Service went after a role playing games company. No, seriously.
Well I hope you enjoy it. As I tell everyone who grabs a copy, there's some quite revolutionary ideas and perspectives in there, but the tools work whether the underlying cosmology resonates or a more classical necromantic vision is preferred. Take what resonates and discard the rest, as always. 😅
Ha! Well... definitely was one of my more 'Constantine' adjacent moments to be sure. Go big or go home I suppose. 😅
Ha! Well I'm always happy to spread the (round brown) word. Just save some for me in September, eh? 😆
So as my followers on #WitchSky know, I am mad about conkers. I have a personal seasonal ritual where I collect them in September. Alter them over winter, then scatter them in my garden at first budding in spring. And judging by the fresh holes in my lawn, the squirrels are putting them to good use.
Lino print of a Hearth with a pot on top
#WitchSky
This is what it feels like to post on #BlueSky.
A rare island of (mostly) human interaction within the bot and brain rot zombie infested social media landscape. Long may it remain a place where the weird can find each other.
New review up on my author portfolio, #ForteanSky. The Rough Guide To Unexplained Phenomena is a flawed gem, but a gem nonetheless, and worthy of a place on any paranormal enthusiast's bookcase. Find out why below, and when you're done there's other reviews on there too if you fancy reading more.
OK, early #ForteanFriday entry then. Michael Talbot's extended Holographic Universe discussion on the Thoughts Allowed show way back when, plus an extra hour originally available on the accompanying VHS. Why #Fortean I hear you ask? Well he covers a bunch of weird experiences as well as the science.
I can see that too. I mean, Fort's work is strongest when he's referencing other news or journal articles. And I do respect his desire to collate all that info at the time he did (it's a shame he regularly destroyed his notes and lists of sources though) I just can't really enjoy his literary voice.
... for future inquiry. But I can't be the only person that finds his writing to be illegible, even allowing for the time period. And as someone who reads Lovecraft, I know all about that type of bruised and battered prose. Fort's just really sucks, whereas Keel was actually a talented author. (3/3)
... not necessarily as distinct as they first appear to be, especially when the people experiencing those weird events are more interesting than the spooks themselves. So I've long considered myself a Keelian and not a Fortean. I respect the role of Charles Fort in opening the floodgates ... (2/3)
Been listening to a lot of John Keel's work on audiobook this week, and yeah, still in love with his output despite the controversy over just how true it all was. I get the feeling he saw it as living folklore, and I can definitely get behind that as a paradigm. True and true adjacent are ... (1/3)
No official #FolkloreThursday today from what I can see, but here's a little something to keep everyone going. Love it when an actual news network does a segment on their local ghosts, and this one is better than most, #ParanormalSky. Early entry for #PhantomsFriday too, perhaps?
Yard work for my #WeirdWednesday today then, #ForteanSky. In honour of the creeping green vines I'm cutting back, here's something also green and creepy for #CthulhuSky. A surprisingly rarely referenced ode to old Howard himself, spoken at his graveside. Worth putting up with the sound issues for.
Planning on sharing my thoughts on some of John Keel's books over at the Media Reviews section of my online portfolio soon, seeing as he has always been a big influence on my writing. And now I have acquired almost all of them as audio, revisiting those ideas should be doubly easy, dyslexia or not.
Quieter weekend than the last one, mostly just sorting files on my hard drive during #MercuryRetrograde and also getting some writing done. Had something nagging away at me since the trip back to London. Wouldn't call it a mystical download or anything so grand, but new ideas to explore either way.
Just finished this yesterday and madly in love with it (especially Jacket, who is a very good boy). Popped a glowing review up on Amazon, and not just because I know the author. This really is one of the best modern urban sci-fi fantasy books I've read in a while. Definitely worth your time.
Great. Always loved how these sorts of 'spirit of place' experiences can be translated across borders or cultures. Those who live their mystical side honestly will tend to find common ground with others who do the same, as it should be. The Weird is the Weird, regardless of location or date.
That's exciting. Most seem to forget that there were people involved in the experiences that led to the folklore that others now see in the books or hear friend of a friend. So what you do today has a chance to become the urban legends of tomorrow, be it as revivals of old ideas or wholly new ones.
OK, so seeing as there is no official #FolkloreThursday this week I'm going to share an example of how personal mythology and spirit of place can impact someone as they grow instead, especially in a storied city such as London. This one saw print in an Anathema Publishing hardcover back in 2021.
Nice. Looking forward to hearing what you think about it. 🦊
An oddly specific horse related observance you have there, but I can get behind that. Especially as it's the Year of the Horse based on the Lunar Calendar too. Meta-horse narratives (and apple bribes) for the win in 2026, eh?
So it's the first #MercuryRetrograde of 2026 from tomorrow through to the 20th of March then, #WitchSky. Never used to pay it much mind, but after a few bad months here and there, I'm ready to accept that both tech and interpersonal relationships are going to suck until it's over.
I've decided to shift gears a little at my author website, use it as a portfolio space for my published writing first, with side projects like Memento Magus, The Weird Year Ahead entries and my Media Reviews in support. So that means the scrappy and unfocussed monthly blog entries had to go.
Wheel of the Year thinking, #PaganSky. As of now there is 247 or so days until Halloween. And 116 until the summer solstice. Last year I lived the seasons, this year I think I'll concentrate more on the actual observances and celebrations themselves. So a mystic pathworking through a cultural lens.
#Mood.
A very well worn poster for the musical event that signalled the end of the Chaos Streams II launch in London. Black posterprint text, filthy once white paper, heavily graffiti covered red wall behind. Fun fact: this was on the inside of the door of the gents.
Right, so still recovering from the London trip but pushing through as best I can. While I'm in no rush to visit my hometown again any time soon, the trip was cathartic. The IOT put on a damn fine show, that's for sure, though I'm happy to remain freelance as far as my own path goes. Fun though.
Yep, still feeling it a couple days after. And as for the book, hopefully it serves you well. It was designed to work as either a unique magickal pathworking or as a set of individual tools that can be used in any system, so hopefully you'll find value in it either way.
Advertise your account with just one image.
#PaganSky, #WitchSky.
