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November Skies

I hope that you all had a lovely Hallowe’en, Samhain, Winter Finding/Winter Nights, etc. Even though it has warmed up here in Suffolk, England these last few days, it still feels like winter is nearly here. There is a scent in the air, something indescribable that forebodes the season of long, cold nights. The light in the sky has turned wintry, the scudding clouds across the moon look moody, and the wild winds are here—yes, the Wild Hunt has certainly begun!

This weekend was the book launch for Book 4, Smugglers and Secrets from my fiction series, Witches of the New Forest. It’s been a crazy weekend, but I am overwhelmed by the amount of support for this series. The book sales were phenomenal, and Smugglers and Secrets reached number 11 in the top 100 paranormal ghost romance books on Amazon! It is still in the top 100 bestsellers in all three of its categories, and I am just so chuffed about it all. As well, production for the audiobook of Hedge Witch, Book 1 in the series, has begun!

Some friends and I had a lovely ritual in the back garden on Friday, followed by a meal indoors. I had found some writings on an old Suffolk ritual called Horkey, or Horkney, and so tried to recreate some of that for us. It was fun! My neighbour even played her accordion for us during a part of the ritual where we sat and thought about our ancestors after laying down offerings for them. It was a very special moment, with the rising moon shining in the sky, the wind blowing and the darkness descending. It’s a memory that I will cherish for many years to come.

The deer rut continues, though it feels like it is winding down now. I shall endeavor to get some more photographs before the end, and share them with you here. Below you will find the few that I have managed to get in between the work of getting this book out, and the planning for the ritual we shared.

I love the month of November. The dark, windy days just seem to set the mood for this time of year. I don’t mind the encroaching night, nor the loss of the warmth. Instead, I love going out for walks, feeling the reflective and melancholy nature of this time, when everything is winding down, the skies are often grey and the feeling of the year’s work rest wearily in my bones. I’ve done all that I can do, and now it is time to simply be, to rest, to let everything go as the wild winds howl, the leaves come down, the rain lashes and the cold nights settle in.

I often feel a pull towards celebrating and working in the pre-Christian traditions of my Germanic and Scandinavian ancestors at this time of year. It’s a soul-deep yearning for connections to the gods, the wights, the ancestors. Though I work with the goddess Freya all year round and Skadhi during the cold season, this winter I might explore working with other deities, perhaps ones I haven’t tried to connect to before such as Freyr, Ullr or Odin. I enjoy the simplicity of a blót, the connection of a sumbel, the forthrightness of the core values that are held dear and the feeling of rootedness that it brings to me, as if I am walking with my ancestors from an age long gone, but which is returning to the modern world.

From here on the Suffolk coast of England, I wish you all Waes Hael!  

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Autumn’s Lessons

I can’t believe that in a little over a week’s time Smugglers and Secrets the fourth book in my fiction series, Witches of the New Forest, will be out! It’s been an incredible year, with tons of hard work that has been so rewarding. Releasing four books in a year is not for the faint-hearted! I say four books, but really, the first two in the series, Hedge Witch and The Veil Between the Worlds were written almost a year before hand, and then were released within a month of each other. I didn’t want to have people waiting six months for the second book, especially as the first ended on a cliffhanger.

Writing fiction has always been my life’s dream. Ever since I was a thirteen-year-old girl, sitting in my room at my desk and typing away on my mother’s old clackety manual typewriter, I had always wanted to write stories. Tales of magic and mystery, of the Fae, of supernatural beings, of adventure and romance. And now, here I am, nearly four decades later, living the dream!

My books are selling all over the world, with the four main markets being the UK, US, Canada and Australia. I’ve had hundreds of lovely messages, feedback, and reviews for all the books, and I thank everyone that has gotten in touch to let me know how much they have enjoyed the series. (And one or two not so great reviews, but hey, that’s what you get for sticking your head above the parapet. And why is it always from someone in the Pagan community? I think that sometimes people forget this is fiction, in all honesty… I do tire of that old chestnut: you are doing it wrong). All of the lovely feedback has really confirmed that the choice I made to pack it all in and become a full-time writer was the right one. Not to mention actually making a living wage off my writing for the first time ever!

A lot of the income goes straight back into the production of more books right now, as well as advertising, but still, I’ve made more money in the last six months than I have with all my previous non-fiction books put together for the entire year! It just goes to show how much more an author can make by being self-published.

But being self-published is so much more work. You need to not only write your book, but also edit it, and then find a qualified editor to go over it again. You then need to know how to design a cover, and upload all your material onto whatever platform you are using to publish (for me, that’s Amazon and Rakuten Kobo). Just learning how to navigate these platforms is something else! Then there is the marketing, advertising, articles and interviews, podcasts and more to get the word out that you’ve written a book (but in all fairness, even going through a publisher means that the author is doing the lion’s share of this work themselves these days). I’m now in the process of trying out a hardback version (we will see how the printers do, as I’ve heard it can be hit or miss with regards to quality) as well as working on the audiobook version.

For the audiobook, I had a narrator but sadly the sample that they provided was not up to standard, and so the contract will be dissolved and my search continues to find a new narrator. The cost of creating an audiobook (that isn’t “virtual voices”, ie. AI) can run into the thousands of pounds. So, finding the right narrator for this work is essential, given the cost of production. I’ve tried having a go myself, but in all honesty I just don’t have the time, the right equipment and I would need a proper studio to cut out all the background noise from my house, neighbours, and the wildlife around me (right now the stags are roaring – wouldn’t that be fun to show up on an audiobook?).

I’ve had to research all aspects of the above for myself, and then learn how to implement it and tweak it to suit my work. Other things have had to take a backseat in the meantime, such as writing blog posts here, putting up full-length YouTube videos that so many have enjoyed, not to mention my photography. And so, I plan to pace myself a little better in the coming months. I’m feeling the burnout from all the work since 8th November 2024, when all this went live and the first book was released. It will probably be around eight to nine months between each book, rather than the original six months.

This turnaround time gives both me and my editor, Jasmin, more time to go through the text. Editing can take as long as writing the darned thing in the first place! But it is essential in order to give the readers a quality product. I did the best I could before I was able to hire Jasmin. This is why I released a second edition of Hedge Witch, and will be doing so for The Veil Between the Worlds as well. I couldn’t afford an editor for those first two books, but now that I’ve got an income, I have hired Jasmin who has worked with me on Books 3 and 4, just finished Hedge Witch and is currently working on TVBTW. Big shout out to Jasmin – you are a star!

Some people ask if I will ever write non-fiction again. The answer is – I don’t know! If I have a non-fiction book in me, then yes, of course I will write one. It will most likely be self-published, instead of going through a publisher like all the previous works. I am considering writing a book on working with the goddess, Freya, but that may have to wait until this series has been completed before I can turn my attention to that. There are at least four more books planned in the Witches of the New Forest series, so that’s a few years still to wait!

I also have another series planned, but I’m keeping that close to my chest for now. It will be similar to Witches of the New Forest, but take place in another location, with a whole new cast of characters. Watch this space…

As I sit here and type up this blog on my laptop, I look out of my conservatory window and see the golden leaves of the birch trees swaying in the breeze, the jay digging and storing acorns in the lawn, ladybirds (ladybugs in North America) coming out to enjoy the sunshine, and blackbirds chirping in the hedges. Autumn has settled in, and I hope to get out this afternoon to refill the water containers for the deer on the heath, and hopefully after that spend some time photographing the deer rut, if the rain stays away. Autumn is simply the best season, with the heat of the summer gone, the cool breezes and mellow light, the smell of woodsmoke and leaves on the wind. I feel like I’ve already missed the first half of autumn, and so I am going to make a conscious effort not to miss the second half!

It is a new moon today, and that means new beginnings. Autumn always feels like a time of new beginnings for me, which feels contrary to the popular Pagan belief of the season of spring holding that paradigm. Perhaps it’s a relic of my schooldays, when the new year began in the autumn. Perhaps it’s an ancient Viking thing in my blood, who, like the Celts, thought that the new day began in the darkness of night with the setting sun. Autumn is time to take stock, to reflect on the crazy summer energy and then stop, take a breath, and actually learn something from it. It’s harvest-time, not just in the fields but also in our souls. It’s when we take the seeds we have gathered and store them safely over the coming winter months, to plant again in the spring. These can be seeds from plants, or thoughts, ideas, and plans for how we want to live our lives. Either way, it is a time to rest and think. And that’s where I find beginnings. I can see my cat sleeping on the chair in the conservatory, in a beam of sunlight. She knows what autumn is all about.

And so, I will take some time to rest and reflect, even as I contemplate the writing of the next book in the series. I am hoping to release it probably around June next year. We will see how the writing and editing go, and take it from there. I know that this time around I won’t be setting myself a hard deadline like I have for the previous four books. Working to this kind of deadline can be incredibly stressful, which, as a self-employed person who can set their own schedule just doesn’t make any sense! I thought that these deadlines would help me to get the work out every six months, which they have, but also it left me frazzled and a little wobbly (menopause has been a real struggle this year). So, I intend to write, and write well, which takes time. I and my editor will take the time to edit the work as it deserves and as our schedules can reasonably manage. Like everything in life, it’s all matter of checks and balances, of work and rest, of giving and receiving.

I think that is also autumn’s greatest teaching.

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The Season of the Witch

The winds have changed, and the season of autumn leaves, cold nights and dew-filled, frosty mornings is upon us. Finally! After the heat of this summer, I am more than ready to don my jumpers and jeans, get on my hiking boots and head out onto the heath and in the forest without worrying about whether I’ve got enough water, sunscreen, overheating, etc. It’s time to explore!

Not that I’ve got much time myself, sigh. With Smugglers and Secrets, Book 4 of my Witches of the New Forest fiction series coming out at the end of this month, it’s all hands-on deck to get everything ready for the launch date of October 31st. In hindsight, I probably should have picked a date a few days before, but with the ghostly theme of the book, and in my own excitement about sharing Ryder’s story, I chose Samhain, Hallowe’en. So now I’ve got a book launch, and a big festival to celebrate all in one day.

I shall be in bed for the rest of that weekend. Don’t call me.

After a short week in North Wales, I returned home to find that the deer rut had begun. It is always an exciting time here on the heath and in the forest. Hearing the calls of the bucks in the growing twilight and in the full dark always gets my blood pumping. Any spare moments I can get (which will be few this month) I will be out there with my camera, as always. I already got my special boy, Aelfric, who walked right up and asked to have his photos taken. So, I did!

I’m so sad to have had to pull out of Witchfest International this year, due to medical appointments, and especially now that I’ve heard it’s the LAST EVER Witchfest International. I’ve noticed over the last five or six year the numbers of people attending have been declining rapidly, which is such a shame. But nothing lasts forever and so I urge you, if you are able, to check out this wonderful gathering with talks, workshops, stalls, and music in the evening. They even have a lovely new venue for this one, which means that the safety and security of all from any protestors will be ensured. The previous venue’s location meant that protesters to any and all Pagans could picket almost right outside the door. Well, not for this venue! So go, be your best Pagan self, and join the community in a celebration of a wonderful thing.

It’s the season of the Witch, after all!

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Book 4, Smugglers and Secrets, is available for pre-order!

I’m so excited for the release of the next book in my Witches of the New Forest series. So here it is! Smugglers and Secrets, Book 4 is now available for pre-order!

I’ve had so much wonderful feedback from my new foray into the world of fiction writing, and I can’t even begin to tell you how much this means to me. Ever since I began writing fiction at the tender age of thirteen, I knew that this was what I wanted to do with my life. And now the dream is a reality!

Will there be more non-fiction books in the future? Most likely, but right now I am enjoying writing fiction so much that everything else is kind of taking a backseat.

Book 4 is the beginning of Ryder’s story. The younger sister, she is adventurous and incorrigible. The adventure continues with Ryder’s tale!

Samhain is approaching, and that can only mean one thing: ghostly, paranormal activity is ramping up in the little village of Burley. Join Ryder for her new adventure, alongside the usual cast of characters including Hunter, Jack, Elspeth, Harriet, Dougal, and of course, Finnvarr, in this, the fourth book of the Witches of the New Forest series.

The pub is said to be haunted, and Ryder finds out first-hand that the old tales are true. Her own magickal powers are beginning to surface, and she starts her journey at full throttle (because, really, is there any other way for her to be?). She loves a good mystery, and finds herself smack dab in the middle of a ghostly one, with twists and turns that see her just struggling to keep up, let alone solve. As well, there is still trouble with the Hardwicks in the form of the handsome, yet decidedly unpleasant Xander Hardwick whom she keeps running into in the most unlikeliest of places. Determined to come into her own power, and find out just who she truly is, can she withstand the challenges that lie ahead?

A new mystery, romance, and spellbinding adventure awaits you in the New Forest!

Paperbacks are unfortunately not available for pre-order, but will be released on the same date as the Kindle and Rakuten Kobo editions, which is the 31st October 2025.

I hope you enjoy it!

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The Binge Culture

So, one thing I’ve discovered when writing a series is that people like to binge. Whether it’s books, television, food – you name it – binging is a thing right now. And now I am dealing with the added pressure of getting the next book out as soon as possible, because some people have read the third book and instantly want the fourth. Wait, they have to wait six months for the next book to come out?

Yes; yes they certainly do.

I know that most of you know that writing is a process. That if you want a book created instantly, you’d use a nasty AI programme to rip off other people’s works and then sell it as your own. But that’s not what us authors do; no, most certainly not. We think up stories (which takes time) and write them down (which takes even more time), researching and editing (which takes up SO MUCH TIME), pouring hour after hour each and every day to get that book done. And for me, so far the process requires six months to write, edit, and then release a work of fiction. And I think that’s a pretty good time frame.

I could have spent a few years just writing the series and then releasing it all at once, but hey, a girl’s gotta eat. And right now the first three books in my fiction series, Witches of the New Forest, are paying the bills. This is actually the first time I’ve made a living wage off of my writing! (More on that later.) So, I will be writing two books a year, release dates around May and October, or thereabouts (possibly even June and December, depending on the book). If the story is set at Yule, for instance, I’ll release it in December. I want readers to get into the vibe and mood of the books as much as they can, and timing the release really does help in that regard.

With my non-fiction writing, it took me two years to release a book. One year was spent reading, researching, and gathering all the material I needed before I started writing. The following year was a writing year, followed by six months usually of editing, going back and forth with the publishers. It was a long process.

I never even considered the pressure that readers would place on an author to get a book out as soon as possible, until I experienced it myself. But I refuse to rush my books, because I want the best book possible for my readers. Romantasy author Rebecca Yarros (Fourth Wing, etc.) rushed her last book, Onyx Storm, and she made the decision to take as long as it needed for the next book to come out, which might be over a year, maybe even two. Some fans were angry, they wanted it right away.

Well, tough!

Our culture of instant gratification is running rampant. We can have entire series downloaded in one go onto our devices. But what we often forget is that those series took years to create, even if it takes us a week or two to binge and watch them all. Remember the days before you could record television shows? No? That’s my GenX background speaking. You had to wait a whole week for the next episode, and then wait three months during the summer while the reruns of the less than popular shows were on before you could watch the next season in September. And those seasons were long, back in the 80’s and 90’s. I remember when a television series was 24 episodes or more! Of course, that was all dependent upon the show. Comedies ran more episodes and for a longer span than dramas, because they took less time to create. Now, you are lucky if a season gets ten episodes. But you can binge the series, wherever and whenever you want!

I think we all need to take a deep breath, slow down, and smell the books. Give authors the time to write without the added pressure. They are likely doing the best that they can. In fact, most authors have other jobs, and so can only write in their spare time. I’m one of the lucky few right now, and that’s only because I’ve persisted for over a decade with writing and earning a meager salary that afforded me to fly back to Canada twice a year and that’s about it. Now, even after I pay for all the advertising campaigns that I run to promote my work, I can also buy groceries!

Let’s support our human authors, and give them the time that they need to tell a good story, without adding extra pressure on them. A rushed story is not the best story. And if you don’t believe me, just ask Rebecca Yarros.

No, don’t ask Rebecca Yarros. She’s probably on a much deserved holiday right now.

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June Already!?!

Is it June already???

Sorry I’ve been so quiet here on my blog site, but it’s been a crazy few months. The launch of the third book, The Witch’s Compass in my Witches of the New Forest fiction and paranormal romance series happened at the beginning of May. It went very well, and I am so thankful to everyone who has bought a copy and left a review, for this book and all the others in the series! The feedback has been amazing, and I’m so happy to create a world of magickal people, for magickal people 😊

On a sadder note, my sweet cat, Barnabus, passed away of old age just a few days later. He had already been winding down since January, and we had a feeling that it was coming. I prayed to my lady Freya that when his time came, that it would be quick and painless, and it certainly was. In the span of four days, he went from walking in the garden with me to his body shutting down completely. He died peacefully at home in my arms, loved and cherished for every single day that we had together. I am so blessed to have had this little guy in my life, and I will always, always love him. You and me forever, my little Bobo man.

Ever since that day, the neighbour’s cat from three doors down has been visiting and spending all day outside on our patio, giving us cuddles and snuggles in our period of adjustment. She has been a beautiful gift of love and comfort, and we are so happy to see her each and every day.

In the meantime, I have already begun Book 4, Smugglers and Secrets, and am over halfway through the writing process. This book comes from Ryder’s perspective, and is chock-full of adventure. I had  no idea how much would happen to her in a week, but so far it’s been crazy! There is so much that is unfurling as I write this book, that I’m sure it will be at least two, if not three books to fully tell her story. I might even have to have a word with the characters of the book, and tell them to slow it down a bit. But in all honesty, it’s not up to me – they are the ones who write the book for me! I’m just along for the ride 😉

Today we finally have rain, which is much needed. Here in the East of England we haven’t had a good rainfall for months now, and so a dark, dreary, wet day like today is a true blessing. The land is dry and cracked on the heath, my beech tree hasn’t got its large leaves, and everything is a bit stunted in growth except for the birch trees. The grass on the lawn has already been burned yellow by the sun, and our water butts have been dry for months. Thank you, global warming and climate change (yes, I am being sarcastic). Thank goodness we have mostly drought-resistant plants in the garden, living here on the edge of heathland, near to the sea.

And so I am quietly sitting here at my desk, writing away each and every day, doing marketing and promoting my work. It’s a nice life, where I am finally starting to make a living wage from my writing. It only took 11 years! But I am so enjoying writing fiction,;it really is where my passion has been since I was a young teenager, writing my first book.

I hope that wherever you are in the world, that you are enjoying the summer, or winter for my antipodean friends, and that nature’s blessing is upon you.

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Re-structuring of my Patreon Page

Hello everyone! I’m so sorry that I’ve been away for a bit. I’ve had to take some time off because I developed carpal tunnel syndrome (again) and have been overdoing it workwise. The body just sometimes forces me to take a break, which is difficult when you’ve got deadlines approaching! But there you go; self-care is a necessity.

In this forced time-off, I’ve had the chance to mull over a few things, such as looking at where my focus needs to be right now. And all things point straight to my writing. I’ve stopped doing so much other media, such as making videos for my YouTube channel, because I just don’t have the time. As well, my photography has taken a back seat, because all the muses are screaming at me to write, write, WRITE!!! And when the muses call, I must listen.

I’ve thought long and hard as well about my Patreon site too. I tossed around a few ideas in my head last month already, about the different tiers and what people can expect from me on a monthly basis. And I’ve come to realise that it is still too much for me to take on at this moment. Therefore, there is going to be a re-structure of my Patreon page very shortly. Don’t worry, I’m not disappearing completely!

With the economic crisis worldwide, everyone is feeling the crunch. As such, I thought, well, why don’t I make my Patreon page accessible to EVERYONE? Having tiers means that not only are some people left out, but it also puts extra pressure on my time to deliver. And when the original idea for these tiers is now almost defunct, due to my need to write instead of providing other forms of media, I knew that I had to change the way I do things here on Patreon. Last month I had a go at doing a halfway-house of sorts, but it just didn’t feel right.

And so, now I’ve decided to just have three tiers: those who want to support me on Patreon, and another two for the divination tiers. For those who just want to support me on Patreon, and have access to posts about the writing that I am currently doing (and other writing-related things) then it is simply going to be $1 a month. This provides access to samples of the writing that I am working on, thoughts about writing, the joys and the struggles. The other two divination tiers will remain the same: one a basic divination and the other a full divination tier. In time, these divination tiers might also be removed, dependent upon my time constraints, but for now, we will see how we go!

And so there you have it: a Patreon page that is stream-lined and accessible for more people to partake in. If you are currently in a specific tier, you will have to switch to the $1 tier yourself, because I cannot do that for you as I don’t have access to your personal accounts. If you’d like to switch up to the divination tiers, the same applies. If you don’t switch, you will still pay the same amount that you are currently paying every month, and if that is fine with you, then great, thank you!

Things change, and I realized that I had to change alongside the demands of my schedule. Writing is, and always has been, my life’s passion, and I am so blessed to be able to do this, especially my fiction writing, which I love! It’s what I’ve always dreamed of doing, ever since I was a thirteen-year-old girl sitting in my room with an old manual typewriter that my mother had when she was in college. I was going to be a writer, I thought. And now I can tell that little girl who still resides in my heart that yes, you are!

Thank you so much for helping me to get to where I am now. My Patreon page helped to support me in the earlier stages of my writing career. When I fell in love with other forms of media, such as video and photography, it helped to fund the equipment that I needed, such as a better camera, gimble, and eventually a second-hand drone for beautiful aerial shots. Now, I just need your support to help me to continue to write books, and to keep them coming for many, many years.

You have all been on this journey with me, and for that, I am so grateful. Many, many blessings, and I hope that you will continue this journey with me for many more years to come!

P.S. For this month (April) I will still be providing the herbcraft and spellcraft sections, for those who have paid for this month. I shall also try to get another journal entry sorted for those in the $5 and $3 tiers. Thank you!

Click HERE to go to my Patreon Page.

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Today is the Day!

It’s Finally Here!

The Veil Between the Worlds, Book 2 of my new fiction series, Witches of the New Forest, is now available! Kindle and paperback editions are now up on Amazon all around the world. 

Pre-orders have been sent to Kindles, paperbacks are now availabe to buy, and the story continues deep in the heart of the New Forest! 

If you enjoy:
*Mystery
*Romance
*Contemporary Witches and Witchcraft
*Druids and Druidry
*Paranormal adventures
then this is the series for you!


Link to buy in the UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DP27JDWB/

Link to buy in the US: https://www.amazon.com/Veil-Between-Worlds…/dp/B0D39L2TJT/

Link to buy in Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Veil-Between-Worlds…/dp/B0DP27JDWB/

Available around the world, just go to your country’s Amazon site and search The Veil Between the Worlds, or Witches of the New Forest.

I hope you enjoy it! These books are written from the heart, and it is so good to be writing fiction again. Come and join me in the magickal world of the New Forest 🙂 
 

I will be at Crystal Encounters in Rendlesham, Suffolk, England on 7 December, 2024 for book signing! 

Happy Holidays!
(Don’t forget, books make great gifts)

With love from the Suffolk Coast,
Joanna van der Hoeven

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Wow, That Was Fast!!!

Hot on the heels of the first book, Hedge Witch in my new fiction series, Witches of the New Forest, is this new second book, The Veil Between the Worlds. How did it come about so fast? I’ll tell you!

The first two books in this series were actually written one right after the other. As the story crosses over both books, I didn’t want to leave a huge gap in between them, as there is a bit of a cliffhanger ending in the first book! So, when I finished writing the first one, I immediately began the second. Once the second book was finished, then I started editing the first. When the editing was done, I then released it, and began editing for the second. So, September/October was spent editing Hedge Witch, and October/November was spend editing The Veil Between the Worlds. 

The third book in the series, The Witch’s Compass, will be out late spring/early summer of 2025. This will the the third part of Hunter’s trilogy, before we move on to her sister, Ryder’s story. That’s going to be fun to write! Ryder is a great character, as is Hunter, but so, so very different. 

The Veil Between the Worlds is availabe for pre-order on the Kindle version only. The paperback is not available for pre-order, but will be released at the same time as the Kindle version comes out, which is 1 December 2024. 

I am having so much fun writing these books. Writing fiction is such a joy, and is what I have always wanted to do. Ever since I was twelve years old, I’ve had stories running through my head that I just had to write. It started with handwriting in unused school notebooks, and then moved onto an old manual, clackety typewriter before our family got an old second-hand electronic typewriter, which was much better for my hands than the other, older one! I wish I still had that little, blue typewriter that I began my writing career with nearly forty years ago.

It was only decades later that I released my first book, and from there went to writing non-fiction books on subjects that were so very dear to my heart:  Druidry and Witchcraft, with some Zen Buddhism thrown in for good measure. I am so very proud of the work that I have accomplished over the years, and I still have another book coming out in the non-fiction category: The Old Ways, A Hedge Witch’s Guide to Living a Magickal Life (published through Llewellyn). This one will be released on 8 April 2025, but is available for pre-order now. 

All of my work is written from the heart. Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, I only write what I am passionate about, what I love. I feel that is the best way to write, and I am so blessed to be able to do this kind of work. Through the support of those who have followed me throughout the years, my readers, followers on social media, and my Patreon community I have been able to continue writing, and creating other content such as videos, music and more. Truly, I am blessed. 

Authors today need support. The market is changing so quickly, with so many new challenges to face. Technology is racing away, with very little thought as to the repercussions on human beings, their lifestyle, their livelihoods and their creativity. If you have favourite authors, please support them any way you can. Buying their books is, of course, the best way, but did you know that leaving reviews on Amazon will help a book be seen to more people? Even if it is just a star rating that you have the time for, it all makes such a difference. Written reviews also help the author to see what people liked and didn’t like about the work, and can inspire them in their own creativity and help them to progress in their career. Leaving reviews on other platforms such as Goodreads helps to get the word out as well. And don’t forget to share social media posts from your favourite authors, as word of mouth is still one of the best ways you can help!

I hope that you enjoy my new fiction series. And don’t forget, books make excellent holiday gifts! 

Many blessings to you,

Joanna

P.S. The links I’ve included in this post are for Amazon UK. If you live in a different country, you will have to visit that Amazon page in order to be able to get to the pre-order or ordering section for that book. Thank you!

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The Veil Between the Worlds will be here soon!

No, I know, Samhain has come and gone. But the second book in my new ficion series, Witches of the New Forest, is now available for pre-order on Amazon! This is only for the Kindle edition, but the paperback will be released the very same day. Both will be released on 1 December 2024. Order your copy now! And don’t forget, books also make wonderful holiday gifts 🙂

Synopsis

Hunter is dealing with the fallout that came from her last hedge riding ritual. Her world has been turned upside down, and now she must focus and throw herself into her studies in order avoid thinking about her relationship with Jack. She and her sister, Ryder, are currently thousands of miles away from home, in the little village of Burley deep in the New Forest of England. This quaint little tourist spot hides many magickal secrets, and is a liminal place where magick, myth and legend are very real. The sisters have already been confronted with many challenges as they learn more about their magickal heritage and legacy. However, now they have even bigger problems to hand.

   It seems that Hunter has made some powerful enemies, and she must keep her friends and family safe. As she learns even more about her heritage and what that means to her as a magickal practitioner, she grows in power. But is she using it wisely? And just what will happen when she finally does cross the veil between the worlds?

This is Book 2 of the Witches of the New Forest series, and is the second part of Hunter’s trilogy.

Praise for Hedge Witch, Book 1 of Witches of the New Forest series

“I have really enjoyed all of Joanna’s books and couldn’t wait to start this fiction one. Wow I wasn’t disappointed, I couldn’t put it down and escaped to the beautiful New forest with the wonderful characters with great dynamics. Her knowledge of witchcraft makes it one of the best and believable witchy books I have ever read. Can’t wait for the next instalment.” Amazon 5 star review (UK)

“The story is absolutely enchanting while also being quite educational. Trust me when I say that this book is entirely worth every cent it costs. I can’t wait for the next installment to come out.” – Amazon 5 star review (US)

“Highly recommended. A contemporary story about witchcraft [benign] set in The New Forest, England. Very readable, strong story line, a good sense of geographical place and interesting characters. A love story develops between two of the central characters, which features some intense erotic writing! When you have finished, you will definitely want to read the sequel!” Amazon 5 star review (UK)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D39L2TJT/ UK link

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D39L2TJT US link