To help out my students and readers …

… over at CareAndFeedingofSpirits.com, I’ve added all the books that I referenced when writing On the Care and Feeding of Spirits to the Persephone’s Haven bookstore: click here to check out the books from the On the Care and Feeding of Spirits bibliography!

These cover memetics, psychology, paganism, magick, psychic self defense, spiritual cleansing, and more, and make a great resource for further study to supplement On the Care and Feeding of Spirits.

Happy reading!  If you have any questions about any of these books or the topics they cover, please do not hesitate to ask, either by commenting here or emailing me at vivienne at persephoneshaven.com.

As always, if you find this post helpful, please spread the love by clicking on the “share” button below.

Thanks so much!

BB,

Vivienne

Great products, from Hoodoo to ebay to internet business, check ‘em out!

There are several products and companies that I use on a regular basis, and L-O-V-E, so I recommend them quite often. Since I send so much business their way, I figured I would sign up for their affiliate programs. There is now a new tab on the home page entitled “affiliates,” where I have put links or buttons to these companies, along with a brief description of what I use them for. Amazon is there, of course, but you can already access that by clicking on the “bookstore” tab. My web host and the site I buy my domain names are there, an ebook that helped me with ebay, and some podcasts by Catherine Yronwode, who does a kick ass hoo-doo correspondence course that I keep referring to again and again.

Please visit my affiliates page and purchase the products that will be most helpful to you.  If you have a product or service that you would recommend, please post a comment here and let me know, and I can look into becoming their affiliate, as well, and be a one-stop-shopping source for all your needs.

As always, if you find this post helpful, please spread the love by clicking on the “share” button below.

Thanks so much!

BB,

Vivienne

Books by vampires, for vampires

I’ve added some more books to the “non-fiction: vampirism” section of the PH bookstore. I figured I would make a list of books by vampires that might be a helpful resource, especially concerning awakening and turning.  I have not read all of these, so it’s up to you to discover how useful they are or whether you agree with the contents:

Practical Vampyrism for Modern Vampyres
by Lady CG

V Special Edition
by Father Sebastian

Of course, I had previously listed:

The Psychic Vampire Codex
by Michelle A Belanger

and

Vampires in Their Own Words
by Michelle Belanger

I’ve also added:

The Ethical Psychic Vampire
by Raven Kaldera

Vampires: The Occult Truth (Llewellyn Truth…
by Konstantinos

and

Emotional Vampires
by Albert Bernstein

Happy reading!  And as always, if you have any opinions about any of these books, please post a comment.

BB,

Vivienne

P.S.: If you enjoyed this post, please share it by clicking on the “share” button below. Thank you!

new vampire fiction in the PH Book Store

Dante Valentine series by Lilith Saintcrow

I just posted about these books to my ile mailing list (an ile is a household in Lucumi (Santeria).  The one I belong to meets at my padrino’s (godfather’s) house).  They are new additions to the bookstore here at Persephone’s Haven.
I just finished the first one, Working for the Devil.  The main character, Dante Valentine, is a necromancer who works with Anubis and the Egyptian pantheon.  During the course of the novel she travels to Nuevo Rio, where there are many shamans practicing Santeria and Voudon.  In one scene, she sees a woman has a drawn a veve (a voudon symbol) in the street.  She describes how the chicken that the woman sacrifices keeps twitching after its dead, and as the blood pours onto the veve, Dante feels the rush of power flowing in.  A few moments later, she sees someone resembling Baron Samedi (one of the voudon loa (spirits)) coming through the crowd, but she leaves the area after that.

I haven’t yet read the other books in the series, so I don’t know how much these traditions come into her story lines, but I was quite interested with her treatment of them in this book.  If anyone else here has read any of them, please let me know what you think.

BB,

Vivienne

P.S.: If you enjoyed this post, please share it by clicking on the “share” button below. Thank you!

new non-fiction vampire books in the PH Amazon Store

The bibliography of The Science of Vampires had so many fascinating books listed that I’ve started searching for them at Amazon and uploading them according to category. I’ve just added a whole bunch to the “non-fiction: vampires” section. I can’t vouch for all of these, because I haven’t read most of them, and they look like they come from many different view points. I have read Skal’s Monster Show, and absolutely loved it, so I’m looking forward to reading his treatments of the vampire archetype, Hollywood Gothic and Encounters with the Undead.

I found Liquid Dreams of Vampires quite interesting, and while Vampires Among Us is definitely one to be taken with a grain of salt, when it was first published I don’t think there was anything else like it, and I was happy to get it, and found it fascinating reading.

I would love to hear from anyone who has read some of the others on this list, and get your opinions. I would be happy to post any reviews you might want to write. You can leave comments on this post, or send me an email and I can upload a file.

There are several other non-fiction books from Ramsland’s list that I want to add to the AStore, but they will probably be scattered across categories, so next I will get up some of the fiction; I had more that I’ve been reading recently that I need to add, as well, so I’ll post here when I get some more of those up.

Happy reading!

BB,

Vivienne

P.S.: If you enjoyed this post, please share it by clicking on the “share” button below. Thank you!

Hello again everyone, and welcome to 2009!

Hope your year is going well so far.  I’m diving right in with new avenues of magickal research, so I hope to do a lot more blogging here to talk about my new discoveries and make recommendations for books, podcasts, websites, and other resources.  I’m also hoping to start a Persephone’s Haven podcast.  I figure I’ll be able to get more teaching done, and more in-depth reviews, in an audio format than I’ll have the time and energy to write, though editing a podcast will take a lot of time too.  I’ll give it a shot.  If there is any particular topic you would like information about, please let me know (you can post a comment here or email me).  If enough people are interested in doing so, I can set up a regular Talk-Shoe conference call so we can all talk together about any particular topic and post it here as a resource.

***

I’m working on a new article for Article Base, on whether it’s possible to be Turned into a vampire.  That’s the topic for our next vampire meet up, the first Friday in February.  I’ll post the meeting notice and the Talk Shoe conference call information in my next post.

***

Nephilim United is in the process of finishing our first video in our educational how-to craft series, carving realistic foam tombstones.  The video is in the editing process right now, but as soon as it is up and available for sale I will post here and let you know.

***

I’m probably going to be replenishing my stock of tarot decks and maybe buying some new books for my eBay store; in the meantime I need to get some more of Carla’s belly dance costumes up, and the t-shirts and spaghetti-strap tanks similar to the tote bags with her art work.  I’ve got lots of my used books to get up, too.  Too much to do, too little time!  But I’ll get things up here and there.  If there is a particular deck or book you are interested in, please let me know.  You can post a comment here or email me.

***

I’m going to be receiving my Warriors soon (in Lucumi).  Then I’m going to receive Ayao sometime later this year.  Don’t forget to check out my godfather’s books in the a-store (my Padrino is Ocha’ni Lele).

***

I’ve been on a crazy puzzle phase lately.  I’ve loved crosswords and other puzzles since I was a kid, but the last few months I’ve been voraciously consuming puzzle books!  That seems to be petering out a bit now, as I get more into some new craft projects.

I just finished crocheting a queen-size afghan for my parents and gave it to them for their Christmas wedding anniversary.  The last few years I have been on an afghan kick, each one a year-long project.  Now I’m interested in doing smaller, more challenging knit and crochet projects again, so I’ve gotten lots of patterns for various kinds of bags, and have been making pouches, iPod sleeves, and so forth for carrying all my different accessories.  I want to do a laptop bag next.  I’ve also started latching a rug, and at the same time I bought that from Herrschners, I also bought a needlepoint pillow kit that will go very nicely with the finished rug.

Maybe once I get my own necessities made, I will make some bags in goth colors to put up for sale at eBay.  If there is any particular kind of bag or item that you think would be popular or particularly useful, please let me know.  I won’t be able to mass produce anything, but I figure I can put up the occasional one-of-a-kind hand-made item for sale.

Okay, enough of the general update stuff.  I’ll get the vampire meet up notice up next and go from there, giving more details on my research and what I’ve been reading.

Happy 2009!  Happy Obama Presidency!

BB,

Vivienne

Friday’s vampire and Shadowlore meet up conference call in information

You have been invited by viviennedavalon to join a live Community Call. Sanford Vampire and Shadowlore Meet Up (Join in) Host: viviennedavalon – vivienne_davalon@yahoo.com Episode: EPISODE8 – Sanford Vampire and Shadowlore Meet Up – history and folklore Well, we didn’t have access to the community room at Panera Bread last time until mid-way through the meeting, but hopefully that doesn’t happen too often. Otherwise, it has been working out quite well for us. It is quieter for our recordings, and Kirra continues to come through for us by bringing her great mike. Of course, it helps if I remember to hit the “record” button on Talk Shoe, so there is actually a podcast for people to access later! eep! Last meeting’s topic was suggested by Vampiress, and she took the lead on this one. We addressed the relationship between vampire and donor, how to appropriately begin such a relationship, how to delineate the parameters of the relationship, spell out the responsibilities each has to the other, and avoid problems. It was a very informative meet up, and I am just kicking myself to here and back that I forgot to hit “record!” We will have to repeat the topic sometime down the line so we can have a podcast on the subject up for handy reference. Our next meet up on October 3, 2008 is our last meeting before Halloween, so Mordred suggested we talk about history, folklore, and other topics that are usually addressed by Hollywood and TV documentaries during this month — facts and fallacies, near-misses, myth and legend, etc. If you have any books along the lines of the “Vampire Encyclopedia” and its ilk, please bring them with you for handy reference and to share around. *** As our meet up matures, we want to continue to reach out to more like minded people in our area who need some networking and social acceptance, and who want the opportunity to learn and to teach. Our members have mentioned being rather insulated because of family issues, or the underwhelming enthusiasm of at least one local Wiccan group for vampires, or social drama online. We’ve been teaching specific topics and gotten some good discussions going, and want that to continue. We’re here to be an educational resource and support network, and the more talented people we get who are willing to share their experiences, the better that resource will be for all our members and for the larger community. There is a lot of creative cross-pollination going on, and I want us to continue to create a space and network that encourages productive, creative interaction, personal growth, and community cooperation to make great things happen! Looking forward to meeting more of you at October’s meet up. BB, Vivienne Call ID: 17560 Personal Message from the Host: This host did not include a personal message. Scheduled Time: Date: Fri, October 3, 2008 Time: 07:15 PM EDT How to participate: Call in: Dial: (724) 444-7444 Enter: 17560 # (Call ID) Enter: 1 # or your PIN Join from your computer: Click here to join the call or just listen along (Optional) Become a TalkShoe member Facebook user? You can join this Call directly through the TalkShoe Community Calling Facebook application. Listen to the Recording: If you missed this event or want to hear previous recorded episodes click here. P.S.: If you enjoyed this post, please share it by clicking on the “share” button below. Thank you!

3” diam. buttons – McCain/Armageddon/Apocalypse – pinback or magnet back

I’ve just added three new fixed price button listings to ebay:

A Vote for McCain is a Vote for Armageddon

- or -

If you Vote for McCain you Vote for the Apocalypse
(2 designs)

Designed by Magus Dethen
Exclusive to Persephone’s Haven

$2.99 each; up to 5 buttons ship for $1.99
Discounts available for multiple purchases – See other listings at Persephone’s Haven for sets of 2 for $5, and bulk orders of 10 or more for $1 each.

3″ diameter pin-back and magnet back buttons – please contact me to specify which design you want and whether you want pin-back or magnet-back

white and red lettering on a black and white background

“A Vote for McCain is a Vote for Armageddon”: a semi-transparent head and shoulder image of McCain is superimposed over a nuclear mushroom cloud, with the phrase overlaid in white and red lettering.

“If you Vote for McCain you Vote for the Apocalypse”: a semi-transparent head and shoulder image of McCain is superimposed over a painting of souls writhing in agony at the end of days.

Neither of these is an exaggeration:

• McCain was endorsed by Rev. Hagee, an apocalyptic dominionist preacher who believes Armageddon must be fought by the United States against Iran and that the Holocaust was God’s way of forcing the Jews back to Israel to fulfill end-times prophecy (McCain Gets Hell For Embracing Armageddon Sect“; McCain, Hagee and Armageddon as Foreign Policy“; “McCain Courts “Apocalypse Pastor” Hagee“

• “The pastor McCain calls his ’spiritual guide,’ Rod Parsley, believes America’s founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a ‘false religion.’”

• McCain thinks singing “bomb-bomb-bomb, bomb-bomb Iran” was funny (see You Tube video footage here and has made it clear he plans to go to war with Iran;

• McCain has said the nuclear option is on the table and Bush recommends a pre-emptive strike against Iran (”Iran: Bush’s Nuclear Option for a McCain Victory.” McCain wants to solve the energy crisis by proliferating nuclear power plants; (”It’s Time for the Nuclear Option, Says McCain“)

• McCain has had so many lapses of memory and made so many mistakes that many have called for him to be tested for senility — this is the man who would have his finger on “the button”:
  • He couldn’t remember how many houses he had or what kind of car he drove;
  • He didn’t know the difference between Shia and Sunni Muslims and had to be corrected three times in the space of a few seconds by Lieberman;
  • He thinks Iraq (rather than Afghanistan) shares a border with Pakistan;
  • “Many of McCain’s fellow Republican senators say he’s too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: ‘The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He’s erratic. He’s hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me.’“

• McCain’s Vice Presidential pick, Sarah Palin, is a “stealth dominionist.”  Dominionists believe Christians should take over the world by force so they can impose their version of ”Christian” law on everyone in the world, which includes the death penalty for gays, abortion providers, pagans, and anyone else who disagrees with them.  They also believe the Apocalypse is a good thing, because they will be raptured into heaven where they can laugh at the torture and suffering of those left behind.

The fate of the world literally hangs in the balance with this election.  Warn as many people as you can with these buttons.

BB,
Vivienne D’Avalon

P.S.: If you enjoyed this post, please share it by clicking on the “share” button below. Thank you!

A Quick tour of Persephone’s Haven

Welcome to Persephone’s Haven!

We have finally switched over to a new web host that has allowed my web designer to make some blogging software part of the site. Now I can blog here on a regular basis, to keep the site up to date with fresh content, and keep you all apprised of on goings on in the Haven. (If you were signed up to the Persephoneshaveninfo yahoo board, please subscribe to the rss feed here — I will be shutting down that yahoo newsletter site eventually, in favor of this blog).

Let me give you a quick tour:

At the top of the page is our spiffy new logo (thanks webmaster Magus!)

The welcome message on our Home page explains my vision for Persephone’s Haven.

Our About page tells Persephone’s story (and explains the logo).

The Merchandise button is a work in progress; as I learn more about html I will add pages of merchandise; currently I only have a few 3″ diameter buttons listed, and unfortunately the paypal buttons don’t seem to be working, so contact me if you would like to buy some and I will take care of you.

However, we are an Amazon affiliate, so you can purchase any of the books (and some other merchandise) that I will talk about and recommend, by clicking on the Book Store link. Persephone’s Haven gets a small percentage of each book purchased from Amazon through our site.

We also have an eBay presence, and now have a button in the menu linking to that.  Please check in at Persephone’s Haven eBay periodically for new merchandise, and consider signing up for the store newsletter to stay up to date on sales and to receive coupons for repeat customers.

The Links button is now populated with the urls of many sites that I have found useful or interesting, and I will continue to add more — and I promise I will try to keep things grouped together and organized in some sort of logical, coherent order!

Again, welcome to Persephone’s Haven. I warmly greet those of you who have been following our growth since our start five years ago and waiting patiently for a properly functioning website. And I look forward to meeting new friends and being able to use the blog to build our own Haven community, interacting with, educating and supporting one another.

Salutations and Blessed Be,

Vivienne