“On Writing and Worldbuilding” by Timothy Hickson (both volumes)

"Writing advice tends to be full of 'rules' and 'tips' which are either too broad to be helpful or outright wrong. With over 35,000 copies sold, On Writing and Worldbuilding: Volume I discusses specific and applicable ideas for your writing, from effective methods of delivering exposition and foreshadowing, to how communication, commerce, and control play into the fall of an empire. Following the immense success of the first book, On Writing and Worldbuilding: Volume II brings a host of new topics to table in even more detail and depth. Writing advice tends to be full of 'rules' and 'tips' which are either too broad to be helpful or outright wrong. Aimed at specific, applicable, and ...>>

“Lure of the Arcane: The Literature of Cult and Conspiracy” by Theodore Ziolkowski

"Explore 2,000 years of conspiracy in fiction with this study of the depiction of cults, conspiracies, and secret societies in literature from ancient Greek and Roman mysteries to the 21st century thriller. Fascination with the arcane is a driving force in this comprehensive survey of conspiracy fiction. Theodore Ziolkowski traces the evolution of cults, orders, lodges, secret societies, and conspiracies through various literary manifestations—drama, romance, epic, novel, opera—down to the thrillers of the twenty-first century. Lure of the Arcane considers Euripides’s Bacchae, Andreae’s Chymical Wedding, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum, among other seminal works. Mimicking the genre’s quest-driven narrative arc, the reader searches for the significance of conspiracy ...>>

“Llewellyn’s 2023 Herbal Almanac: A Practical Guide to Growing, Cooking & Crafting” by Llewellyn

"For twenty-four years, Llewellyn's Herbal Almanac has provided enthusiasts of all skill levels with a wealth of practical ideas on growing, using, and benefiting from nature's most dynamic plants. This impressive guide is packed with valuable information, including gardening resources, hands-on project ideas, and dozens of helpful tips and techniques. Discover a wealth of innovative herbal ideas that span gardening, cooking, crafts, health, beauty, history, and lore. This year's edition also includes profiles for mustard, elderberry, bay, and summer savory. Whether you are interested in herbs for stir-fries, no-cook sauces and marinades, foot baths, natural-made dolls, or Victorian houseplants, this wonderful almanac has something to delight your herbal practice."...>>

“A Divine Language: Learning Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus at the Edge of Old Age” by Alec Wilkinson

🕵️🐷🕵️ zero-day🕵️🐷🕵️ "A spirited, metaphysical exploration into math's deepest mysteries and conundrums at the crux of middle age. Decades after struggling to understand math as a boy, Alec Wilkinson decides to embark on a journey to learn it as a middle-aged man. What begins as a personal challenge―and it's challenging―soon transforms into something greater than a belabored effort to learn math. Despite his incompetence, Wilkinson encounters a universe of unexpected mysteries in his pursuit of mathematical knowledge and quickly becomes fascinated; soon, his exercise in personal growth (and torture) morphs into an intellectually expansive exploration. In A Divine Language, Wilkinson, a contributor to The New Yorker for over forty years, journeys into the heart ...>>

“The Magick of Birthdays: Rituals, Spells, and Recipes for Honoring Your Solar Return” by Hannah Hawthorn

🕵️🐷🕵️ zero-day🕵️🐷🕵️ "Celebrate your special day—and yourself—with simple rituals in this modern guide to ancient spiritual traditions. Your birthday is the ultimate moment to celebrate, honor, and reflect on who you truly are. This practical companion is a modern-day grimoire filled with rituals, spells, and other simple practices for making the most of your solar return. Practices include simple spell craft, candle magick, solar work, astrology and numerology, kitchen witchcraft, recipes for specific intentions, and more. Reflect on the past year, let go of what you don’t need, and move into your new year with clarity, purpose, and a touch of self-care magick. Blow out the candles in a whole new way this birthday and ...>>