Here are some of my favourite photos that I took this month, out on the heath. It’s lovely to be out there, when I’m able, capturing these moments in time.
Happy Holidays!
December Photography
joanna van der Hoeven
Feel the magic…
Deer Rut video now up!
Here it is, the video for this year’s deer rut! I didn’t have as much time as I normally do to get out onto the heath for filming, what with the book release of Smugglers and Secrets, Book 4 of the Witches of the New Forest series at the end of October. But I did manage to film some old favourites, including Aelfric, Boromir, Faramir, Theoden, Merry and Pippin!
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!
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.
Lammas/Lughnasadh Update!
It’s the 1st August: Lammas, Lughnasadh. The first harvest festival, it comes as a welcome respite for me. I’ve been away in Canada visiting family, and the 35 to 38C temperatures were horrendous. To come back to the UK and step outside Heathrow airport to feel the cool, rainy air on my skin was pure bliss, despite the jet fumes and cigarette smoke that floated on it.
Now home in Suffolk, I can look out over my garden and see that the grass that had burned in the hot summer sunshine is now coming back to green. We’ve had rain since I’ve been away, and the drought has abated. But still the crops were being taken in even as I drove to the airport, the fields of wheat being cut on the 6th July, for they had grown to their stunted height and already dried out in the blazing sun. Now the scent of onions is in the air, as the first root vegetable crops are being taken in. Everything is a month ahead of schedule because of the lack of rain this winter, spring, and early summer.
What this harvest will bring for local farmers I can’t really say, but I’m pretty certain the yield will be much less than usual, or rather, we are reaching a new normal. If climate change continues, what is grown in this region of East Anglia will most likely need to change. The plants in my garden survived, thanks to vigorous watering, even as the water butts ran out at the end of May. We have saved as much water as we could, whenever we could, to give back to the parched land. My neighbour and I have been taking turns watering the deer, as on one side of the heath where there is a large herd they are fenced in and the little ones aren’t able to jump over to reach water. To see the ground on the heath cracked and dry already in May was heartbreaking.
But we carry on, because there is nothing else we can do. The sunshine has kept our batteries for the home topped up nicely over the summer via our solar panels, and all our electricity as well as water heating has been taken care of with ease. We’ve sold a bunch of electricity back to the grid, and made a decent profit. At one point we were even paid to take energy from the grid to top up our batteries, as for a few days with the wind there was a surplus of energy in the grid, and in the wee hours of the morning we were being paid to take electricity from the energy providers, as they do not have enough storage. What a strange world we are living in!
The harvest continues in the land around me, and I ponder my own harvest, both materialistically and spiritually. It’s been a wonderful year for me with the release of my new fiction series, Witches of the New Forest. The books have been a great success, and at the moment are providing me with an actual living wage; the first time my writing has ever done so! The dream of a 13-year old girl in her bedroom, pounding away at a manual typewriter in the hope of becoming a fantasy fiction author have been realised.
Spiritually, things have been incredibly busy, and so I’ve had to adapt my routines, daily prayers, and offerings. There was a bit of disconnection this summer, as everything in my life seemed to ramp up, but now things have settled and I am finding a new home in my own practice, dedicated to the goddess, Freya, and working with the spirits of this land where I live.
As such, today I will take some time out to do some baking: to offer it back to the land, the gods, the spirits. Even as the thunderclouds roll in from the north, I will honour the gifts of sunshine and rain, of earth and sky, of nourishment and sustenance. For this is what Lammas is all about: giving back. For many Pagans, they might feel a bit adrift during this festival, not entirely sure what it’s all about, especially if one is living in an urban environment. The wheat and barley harvest seems so very far away, as do other harvests. But the food that we eat still reaches our tables (hopefully) and to this cycle of growing, reaping, and transformation we pay homage at this time of year with a celebration of the first harvests. It was important to our ancestors, and even if we are not ourselves out in the fields cutting down the golden stalks under the sun, we can still honour where it is that we came from, and what had great meaning to those who have gone before.
Being thankful for what we have received is a large part of all the harvest festivals. Early this morning, before sunrise, I gave thanks to Freya in her aspect of Gefn, The Giver, for all the bounty that I have received. In the giving of thanks, we come to truly know and feel gratitude, and in feeling gratitude, we understand the nature of blessings, and of being blessed. We no longer take so many things for granted and instead, see the gifts that lie all around us, if we only open our eyes to see them.
In deep relationship, we weave our way through our lives, becoming part of the tapestry of life that flows in and out of time, one thread upon the other, bringing beauty, inspiration, and love.
May your Lammas and harvest be plentiful, and may you know the joy and blessings of gratitude. As a beautiful friend just messaged me on WhatsApp, As the grain turns golden in the fields, may the moments of your life turn into golden memories.
Visiting Mont Tremblant
I did manage to visit an old friend, Mont Trembant National Park, while I was back in Quebec, Canada, where we had a three-day respite from the heat throughout the month of July. Some of these photos are taken on the trails just outside the park, and some within.
It does my heart good to return to this sacred land, and the mountain that was once known as Manitonga Soutana, the mountain of the spirits, which designates the highest summit in the region and an important place of passage where ceremonies were held. According to legend, the Algonquians (Anishinabe) believed that the Spirit made the mountain tremble when people disturbed nature. It might also refer to the water coursing down the slopes of the mountain which caused this impression of trembling for the people lying on the ground. The name Mont Tremblant reflects this legend.
A six-hour hike took us to the top of Nez d’Indian (Indian’s nose – this mountain desperately needs to be renamed or given its original Indigenous toponym. There is also Chutes Diables (Devil’s Falls, again, let’s rename this, please!)
To see more short videos from my stay in Quebec, head on over to my YouTube channel HERE!
As I mentioned previously, my fiction series, Witches of the New Forest, is doing really well, and I had just finished writing the manuscript for Book 4 before heading out to Quebec. We are now in full editing mode, and we are on schedule for a 31st October release date! This will be Ryder’s story, whose adventures will certainly match those of her sister in the first three books!
In other news, I’ve had to cancel my appearance at this year’s Witchfest, as upon my return to the UK I received the dates for some surgery that I need (it’s not anything bad, just something that needs to be done before things deteriorate further). I will be in and out of appointments until the end of December, and so I’ve had to wipe my calendar of most things for the rest of this year. I hope that the new venue for Witchfest is a success, and I can’t wait to attend next year!
That’s it for the moment! I wish you all a blessed Lammas/Lughnasadh!
New Cover, Pre-Orders Soon!
Writing through the Depth of Winter Into Spring
As I returned from my holiday back in Quebec, Canada, spending time with my family, I dove straight into writing the third book for my new fiction series, Witches of the New Forest. The first two books in this series flowed out of me like water, and I wrote like a woman possessed (which may entirely be the case when you’re knee-deep in awen). This third book has somewhat followed suit, and I am halfway through writing it as we speak. But it is providing me with new challenges as well.
Being the final book in Hunter’s trilogy, and the culmination of the books before, (Hedge Witch and The Veil Between the Worlds) there is a lot of pressure on this final book before we move on to her sister, Ryder’s story. The build-up and the expectation is there from the readers (and from myself), and this can sometimes restrict the flow of awen, the flow of inspiration, because I am letting myself and my worries get in the way of writing. It’s hard to admit to, but there it is.
So, I’ve just got to get over fretting what other people are going to think of this book, and just let it happen. It’s how the other two were written. I had a general idea, a few of scenes came to mind while either out wandering the forest and heath (or in the bathtub, terribly inconvenient for writing key points down), and then I just sat down and let the characters do their thing. Now, I feel like I’m worrying over them like a mother hen, and they just can’t do what they want, or need to do, to finish the work.
The characters need the freedom to express themselves and work out their own dynamics without me getting involved. Yes, this is a bit of an oxymoron, as there are parts of me in each character, but it’s only when I allow them the freedom to interact with each other that the magic (or magick) really happens. Worry doesn’t really help the artistic process one bit!
So, following on from my previous post which I wrote back in December, I need to get my Zen on. I need to stop striving and just let it be.
Easier said than done.
I think that there is also a lesson to be learned (at least for myself) in this latest book, which is all about how Hunter is allowing her past to dictate her future. Through the Witch’s Compass, she is able to navigate herself to her true nature, and find her authentic self in all its glory and all its disaster. When we accept this and stop striving, we can move forwards with more awareness. I need to stop trying to be perfect, to stop allowing negative incidents from my past colour my current perceptions, and be open to receiving guidance and the divine inspiration that is all around me.
Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy.
As we move into spring, I think both Hunter and I will make it through this, though there are still going to be challenges and set-backs along the way. But we both have a great network of people that are with us, and though the person that supports me on a daily basis may not be a Druid/Park Ranger like Jack, he is still my foundation and my rock. His science-mind is a great complement to my magickal mind, and who knows? That may even be the inspiration for much of Ryder’s story, yet to come…
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
Today is the Day!!!
A new chapter of my life has begun, with the release of the first book in my new fiction series, Witches of the New Forest. Hedge Witch is Book 1, and forms a trilogy before we move on to other characters, and their stories, throughout the rest of the series. I am so excited, and I hope you all enjoy this new series. And Book Two, The Veil Between the Worlds, is on track for a December release!
Paperback and Kindle editions are available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hedge-Witch-Witches-Forest-Book/dp/B0DLLFZDKM/
Down the Forest Path 