These are things your fellow witches do and sell!

Check out witches' goods and services--and add your own

A couple times a year I ask my paid subscribers if they have a product or service they’d like to make known to all readers and today is that day! Below please check out some of the really cool things other witches make or produce—you might find something you want to buy, someone you might want to hire, or a project you want to support.

Got something of your own you’d like to promote? Feel free to mention it in the comments! If you want to get a heads up next time I give paid subscribers a chance to list their services or products, join the paid subscriber crew!

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Want to raise a reader? Can we read? is your weekly guide to children’s books and building a culture of reading in your home. Let me save you the time, energy, and emotional labor of finding excellent books so you have more bandwidth for what really matters: reading together.

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I have a weekly newsletter that comes out every Thursday morning - a personal essay, along with pop culture recommendations and links from around the internet. I’ve been doing it for seven years! It’s my favorite passion project.

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I’m a Marriage and Family Therapist serving clients in Illinois via telehealth. I take BCBS PPO. Current openings are during kids school hours. Reach me at tara@taraolearylmft.com or my business phone number, 630-216-9847. If you never tell me how you found me, that is a-ok by me! (Or you can, whatever)

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I have a free Substack that is mostly about stickers and cool stuff I found on etsy.

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My nonfiction book, The Possibility of Life, is about how we imagine alien life in science and in sci-fi. If you like Star Trek, Carl Sagan, stargazing, Arrival, or just thinking about the familiar world in new ways, it’s probably your jam. Ed Yong called it “thoughtful, witty, and profound,” and Esquire wrote, “Packed with wonder, humanity, and hope, The Possibility of Life will leave you grateful for life on Earth, even as you dream of first contact.”

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My little pocket-sized book, Machine Readable Me: The Hidden Ways Tech Shapes Our Identities, is out at the end of October! It’s the culmination of over 10 years of research on the ways in which data about us shapes the paths available to us in our lives, written for people totally new to this issue. It includes a section on how predictive machine learning is impacting children’s rights, which might be of particular interest to witches! It’ll be published in the UK so easiest way to get it for US-based witches is probably the ebook :-) and/or request it at your local bookshop and library!

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I’m excited to announce that the Dear Businesslady career-advice column you may remember from The Toast (RIP) is BACK, now on The Stopgap (which itself has major Toast vibes). I need letters, so please send me your work woes! dearbusinesslady@gmail.com

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In DON’T RUIN THIS FOR ME, comedians and real life BFFs Adrienne Gunn and Elizabeth Gomez look back at the 80s and 90s pop culture that put them on a path towards total middle-aged disappointment because—oops!—apparently real life is nothing like a John Hughes film. Listen to it here or wherever you get your podcasts.

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I have a free, bi-monthly newsletter called Action Items that covers a range of things including observations on life, stories I have collected along the way, things I love and hate, and lots of pep talks. Past issues & subscription link is here.

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My recently published academic book, Making Meaning with Machines, is great for witches who want to unwind the spells technology places on our body through a nuanced approach to observation of machines at the intersection of robotics and dance—not for those who want to build killer dancing robots, please!

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My latest novel, Time’s Mouth, is a witchy look at time travel, mothering, family secrets, California, and even an all-female cult in the woods of Santa Cruz! It came out August 1st and received some nice press from a bunch of places including the  LA Times and the San Francisco Chronicle, and it was People Magazine’s Book of the Week (only in print so make sure to look for the old issue at your dentist’s office...)! You can read more about the novel (and me) here.  And, hey, I’ve got a Substack too: it’s called Italics Mine and it’s about writing, mothering, reading, eating, wearing clothes, looking at art, and, really, any other topic that strikes my fancy. 

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I cohost a witchy podcast/co-write a newsletter about writing currently called Marginally, where we talk about writing and other things - living, parenting, working, community-ing. You can find us here or sign up for the newsletter here.

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Tyler LePard is a communications consultant for nonprofits with 20 years of experience. Do you need help writing your annual report? Want a communications and digital strategy? Looking for someone to fill in while your staff is on leave? Tyler can help with writing and editing, communications and digital strategy, story-telling, social media training, online fundraising, project management, and coordinating partners. Tyler lives in Seattle, Washington, and works with clients around the world, such as Bellwether Housing, the International Women’s Media Foundation, Population Services International, Global Washington, Rewire News, and The Pride Foundation.

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My newsletter, Write More, Be Less Careful, is about why writing is hard & how to do it anyway. I think witches will love the combination of encouragement and practical advice, and also a new section, good creatures, that features interviews with folks about the intersection of caregiving and creative practice, and we’ve had a bunch of really great writers so far, including poet Eugenia Leigh, Touched Out author

Amanda Montei

,

Sarah Wheeler

, and more. (And if you have a suggestion of someone I should feature—including you!—I’d love to hear from you.)

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I am a yoga therapist and former pastor, leaning into the witchy. I have two offerings: 1. Yoga Therapy, which is kind of like private yoga for whatever’s bothering you (no talk therapy involved). 2. Spiritual accompaniment, which means I am a consultant for rebuilding of meaning and ritual post-religion/church. My name is Beth and my email is peaceplaypresence@gmail.com. I also have a newsletter about being a former pastor and all of the above!

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I wrote a book called Brave New Home: Our Future in Smarter, Simpler, Happier Housing. You’ll love the book if you never wanted the house w/ the yard and the picket fence, but felt like there were no other good options. I also write this Substack about housing and other topics in cities.

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I recently became the new owner of Riffraff Bookstore + Bar in Providence, RI. Would absolutely love if any witches would order their books or holiday gifts from our website — we can also special order anything if we don’t have it in stock! And anyone local(ish) to Providence should come in for a spooky cocktail anytime!

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Got sons? Get Building Boys: Raising Great Guys in a World That Misunderstands Males, by Jennifer L.W. Fink, mom of 4 sons ages 17-25. Readers say it’s “destined to become the go-to instruction manual for raising decent and emotionally intelligent boys.” Available now as a hardcover, ebook, or audiobook.

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I’m a humor writer and have a Substack with funny stuff and writing tips you can check out here.

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I’m a producer for Spooked, a podcast featuring true-life supernatural stories, told first-hand by people who can barely believe it happened themselves. Listen to us wherever you get your podcasts ... and PLEASE let me know of any terrifying tales of your own! anne@snapjudgment.org 

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I started a new Substack for my more personal food writing and recipes after spending the last few years working on other people’s cookbooks and mom-ing through Covid. Since I fix recipes for a living and am always elbow-deep in cookbooks, nothing I make for myself at home is overly trendy, complicated, or precious. And the recipes I share here are for me/you/us (witches), centering the cook’s pleasure and worrying less about what the kids (if you have those) will eat, because my god, every day is a roulette wheel.

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Feeling stuck? Don’t know what to do next? Not even sure what you want anymore? I’m a middle-aged woman, so I get it. I’ve been a professional writer for more than 20 years. I have a degree in religion. I’ve been studying Tarot since I was a teen. I don’t claim that I can tell your future, but I can help you figure out how to align your values, your desires, and your life. Tarot for Transition is a series of four readings, designed with love to suit your particular needs at this time. Please contact me at queenofwandsintuitivetarot@gmail.com if you’d like to learn more. 

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Hi fellow witches, I’m a freelance writer always looking for new clients. My primary areas of focus include news articles, health & fitness stuff, and e-commerce. Would love to connect with anyone looking for a writer! Feel free to email me: megan.kretz@gmail.com or visit my portfolio.

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I’m a writer and mother who is really into learning about people and, even more specifically, having open conversations with mothers about how they work, dress, live, mother and keep it somewhat together in a world that demands so much. I write Dear Dilate, which is a good place on the internet for mothers to read, relate and take what they need whether it be a personal essay that allows them to feel seen and understood, an interview with a working mother or simply helping them figure what to wear.

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I author Somebody Might Enjoy This, an illustrated newsletter that blends family lore, identity, self-employment, and creativity. Channeling my upbringing in a large family, I am comfortable navigating ambiguity and nuanced interpersonal dynamics through the art of visual storytelling.

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Seeking parents of older boys (16-21) to take a quick survey for a project on how adolescents think and talk about care and their futures! This survey is for a joint project by two writers who focus on issues of caregiving and equity: Kate Mangino, author of Equal Partners: Improving Gender Equality at Home, and Kate Washington, author of Already Toast: Caregiving and Burnout in America. Thanks for considering!

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Maybe your readers would like to know about Writing Co-Lab, an experimental, cooperative writing school I started with some friends — we offer online writing classes, and almost all of what the students pay goes right to the teachers. (I teach a very witchy class called Writing for Women on the Verge... it’s full for now but I’ll reup it sometime early next year!)

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Hi academic or corporate witches! If you work at a place that uses freelance writing and editing, would you consider sharing my contact with the powers that be? I produce human-driven narrative stories with a focus on profiles, whether a customer profile, case study or professor interview. I’m expert in synthesizing complex information for clients including the University of Chicago and Subaru. Plus I love highlighting inspiring, intriguing voices of women. Feel free to pass on my email: byalisonbowen@gmail.com. More here.

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The professional version of me needs to tell you I’m available for grant research, grant writing, and all types of editing, especially related to nonprofit fundraising and development, which is a niche I’m leaning into after 20 years in publishing, comms, and digital marketing. The personal version of me just wants you to know my picture book, Are You My Boyfriend?, is approaching its 10-year anniversary(!) and appeals to toddlers and teens as much as the adults it was originally written for. Oh, and if you’re into gratitude, I write a weekly #thankyouthursday newsletter.

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I’m a freelance writer & editor, specializing in analytical writing and academic editing: I help people tell better stories with their data. You can find me at katelarsonwrites.com or (aspirationally) hiding out in a cabin in the woods, far away from other humans.

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My Etsy shop is Kitschy Niche Crafts. I make whimsical Hanukkah menorahs featuring liberal heroes and sentiments. I also do custom orders featuring colleges, sports teams, and whatever else people come up with! New for this year, and not yet up in the shop, there will be a Zelenskyy menorah (very limited quantities).

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My labor of love is baby books with continuous, rhyming Shakespeare and vivid, dreamlike illustrations. They’re perfect for ages 6 months-2.5 years or so, when the littles love repetition and animal noises and pointing out details on the page, and you’re afraid you’ll never get the text of Goodnight Moon out of your head ever again. The words are weird, gorgeous quotations from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest, paired with art that tells a story and enchants the growing minds of babies and their readers alike. You can get the books from me or at Amazon.

Another niche thing I specialize in is writing flap copy, mostly but not exclusively for novels—I’ve worked on books by Charlaine Harris, G.A. Aiken, Jeffe Kennedy, Courtney Kae, and Alyssa Cole, among others. I bet there’s a bunch of witches writing fabulous books and I’d love to persuade potential readers they have GOT to read them. Hit me up at enparekh@dramaticellipsis dot com with your genre for clips!

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I’m trying to promote my new Substack, Not a Serious Life, about not-serious stuff related to pop culture and middle age malaise.

Also, after losing my years-long contract as a writer and editor at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, I’m looking for work. I’m an experienced journalist, editor, communications specialist, and content strategist with more than 20 years of experience. I have written articles for The New York Times, The Atlantic, No Depression, and Glamour. Mostly I write about health or the arts. If anyone’s running for office, I’m the senior writer at a digital marketing agency, Impact Politics. We’re looking for clients! elizabethAtracy@gmail.com

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I’m a graphic designer with two options. First is if you have kids who read Wings of Fire, I made a shirt with the dragonets names on them that I sell on Etsy that kids like and holidays are coming up. I sell other weird stuff too but the Wings of Fire one is the most popular:

Also, let me know if you happen to be in a marketing department looking for a graphic designer. I have worked mainly with association and non-profits resulting in lots of alphabet soup clients (SHRM, ECI, CCAoA, APIC, ZTT, etc) but I do print and print adjacent (online pdfs and such) from logos and tiny mobile ads to brochures and catalog and 40 foot conference graphics. Find out more here. 

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End credits

Thanks for reading Evil Witches, a newsletter for people who happen to be mothers. Here’s what the newsletter is all about if you like a light manifesto. If you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions for future issues, you can reply directly to this email or leave them in the comments.

Are you a paid subscriber? If not, think about it! You get access to extra content, intimate, funny and helpful threads calling for and providing helpful advice, ways to chat with local witches and promote your work to other readers, and you sponsor ad-free, spon-free content.

Our Instagram, curated by Carly O., lives here and it’s very funny. The whole Evil Witches archives live here if you’d like to read some past funny essays, helpful “what I wish I had known” type pieces and general shit talk about children and husbands.

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One witchy thing

“Someday we’ll have freedom and fun and not be tired all the time.”

—My husband to me on our 15th anniversary earlier this week.