Blog Archives

the weird chip

As I type this it’s an ordinary Sunday afternoon. My house is (semi) clean, and while there are the usual creaks and settling (and rampaging of three new cats!) it’s otherwise quiet. Out the window the sun is shining for the first time in days. I can see clear back into the woods behind my house. Tonight I imagine I’ll even be able to see the stars.

What I won’t see are UFOs or strange animals (cats notwithstanding), and I sure  won’t hear or see any ghosts. Nor will I pick up a psychic message, or get any valuable intel on the future.

Sure, I’ve had the odd lucid dream or hypnopompic hallucination but I’ve never mistaken these for anything more than unusual-but-not-unheard-of brain misfirings. Even in the most auspicious places and circumstances I’ve not seen or heard a thing.

See, much as I’m interested in unusual experiences, I’ve never had any. And after 45 years I don’t suspect I will. I don’t think my brain has the “weird chip”.

computer chip

Though some argue that I ought to. I’m all on board with the co-creation hypothesis because I think a lot of what makes weird encounters weird is our own brains, but I’m not sure I agree that creative sorts are more prone to extraordinary experiences than others.

Admittedly, vanity and insecurity fuel this hesitation: I’d like to think that with all the writing and costuming that I’m at least a little creative. And yet, nada.

But this might not be a bad thing. In the past I’ve wanted to see something but having talked to a few witnesses of the weird I’m not so sure anymore. Such experiences can turn lives upside down. In addition to dealing with a harsh blow to what they thought they knew of the world, experiencers have to contend both with ridicule and others insisting they know what they really saw or did.

Besides, my interest in all this stuff would make me the least reliable witness ever.

Or, perhaps if these phenomena have minds of their own, I’m just not cool enough to get invited to that party. Which works out–I’m not that cool in this plane so it’s not a surprise if I’m not in others.

But I’m gonna keep looking.

 

biweekly links 5-16-2018

Strange Angel Trailer: Sex, Magick, and Rocket Science: at last we get a glimpse of this historical fiction tv show about rocket scientist cum occultist Jack Parsons, based on a “too weird to be true” story.

Occult Voices – Paranormal Music, Recordings of unseen Intelligences 1905-2007: includes “trance speech, direct voices, clairvoyance, xenoglossy, glossolia including ethnological material, paranormal music, “rappings” and other poltergeist manifestations as well as so-called “Electronic voice phenomena”. Of note: Aleister Crowley speaking in Enochian.

The South’s Own Loch Ness Monster?: after the kerfluffle earlier this year of something unidentified washing up on a Georgia beach we get a full article about Altahama-a or “Altie”. I’d heard of it, but not in detail and I’m tickled that a historical fiction writer is weaving the creature into one of his books.

old fashioned black and white engraved map of the east and southeast coasts of North America, showing Florida, Cuba, and possibly the Virgin Islands. A coiled sea serpent swims just under what would become Louisiana
Map of Florida engraved by Jacques le Moyne de Morgues, published by Theodor de Bry in Frankfort, 1591. Note sea serpent slinking around the Gulf of Mexico. If that’s Altie its way out of its usual haunt. Via Wikipedia Commons.

Magical macguffins: the Books of Soyga and Dunstan

Is my book of Soyga of any excellency?

So asked John Dee of the angel Uriel at his first séance with Edward Kelley in March 1582. There’s no suggestion that Kelley had heard of the book but “Uriel” recovered nicely, telling Dee that it was given to Adam in Eden and only readable by the archangel Michael. What was the Book of Soyga, and why was Dee so eager to read it?

picture of long bearded wizard reading stack of books and manuscripts
I feel justified using this image as Gandalf was one of many fictional wizards clearly based on John Dee. From One Wiki To Rule Them All.

For years scholars thought the book lost when Dee’s library was looted and sold off, and some even speculated that it was the real name of the Voynich Manuscript, based on no real evidence I can find. Then in 1994 Dee scholar Deborah Harkness found copies in both the British Library (Sloane MS. 8) and the Bodleian Library (Bodley MS. 908) under the name “Aldaraia sive Soyga vocor”.

Turns out it’s a medieval-ish magical treatise with the things you’d expect: astrological conjunctions, magical spells, lists of demons and angels. Most is in Latin, a language Dee read and spoke fluently, but it was the tables at the back that stumped him.

yellowed manuscript of table of characters
“Book of Soyga”, Table 1 (Aries), Bodleian Library, Oxford University, MS Bodley, 908, fol. 180r. From Blog of Wonders, the only place I could find a linkable image.

The 36 36×36 tables of letters form a cipher Dee couldn’t decode. From what I’ve read he never succeeded, nor does it appear that Dee ever revisited Soyga with Kelley or any other scryer. Voynich scholar Jim Reeds finally worked out the math in 2006 [PDF]. Whatever else might be said of the Soyga tables, it’s a fair guess that the Soyga tables inspired Dee and Kelley’s 49 49×49 magical squares.

The Book of Dunstan is a bit harder to pin down. I’ve not been able to find any extant copies or translations, and even the sixteenth century provenance is debatable. Allegedly it’s an alchemical treatise that Kelley found either through spiritual direction or in the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey (depending on whether you believe Dee’s diaries, Elias Ashmole’s assertions, or Kelley himself). It was supposed to have included vials of red and white powder for use in alchemical transmutation. Kelley did later “transmute” gold using the red powder, but whether he ever made sense of this book isn’t clear (though at various times the spirits did forbid him from using the powder).

Both books show up in my book because they can’t not, but the vague origins of St. Dunstan and the vague reasoning behind mentioning Soyga at all give room to play with their place in the story. Good thing I’m using them as plot points though, as the actual use of alchemical and magical treatises are still way over my head!

References:

CipherMysteries covers the Book of Soyga in exhaustive detail.

Book of Soyga translation [PDF] by Jean Kupin

Online Soyga-table generator with the seed word of your choice.

Reeds J. (2006) John Dee and the Magic Tables in the Book of Soyga [PDF]. In: Clucas S. (eds) John Dee: Interdisciplinary Studies in English Renaissance Thought. International Archives of the History of Ideas/Archives internationales d’histoire des idées, vol 193. Springer, Dordrecht

biweekly links 5-2-2018

I’ve been on a bit of a Southern history jag since coming back from a trip to my home state of Georgia. Turns out I know very little about where I grew up. Some of my stranger findings:

old fashioned map of the northwest three-fourths of the state of Georgia
Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library. (1859). Map of the State of Georgia Retrieved from.

Mary Shotwell Little Vanishes at Lenox Square-Well, We Think!: how had I never heard about this 1965 unsolved disappearance? A woman disappears from the biggest shopping mall in Atlanta. Her car is found with 40 unaccounted for miles on it… but the last sightings of her were six hours away in Charlottesville NC. Was she kidnapped or did she fake her own death–and in either case, why? See (or listen) also here and here.

Disappearance of Dannette and Jeannette Millbrook: I’d not heard of this one and no surprise – back in 1991 the authorities wrote off the Augusta, GA teenagers as runaways on no evidence whatsoever. Though re-opened in 2013 the Millbrook sisters’ case still didn’t get much attention until The Fall Line podcast focused on it for an entire season. A sad, frustrating cold case hopefully soon to come to a resolution.

The Georgia Guidestones: not hours away from my hometown yet I’ve never been (never been to Rock City or Ruby Falls either – yes, I am a slacker). A still anonymous “Small Group of Americans Who Seek The Age Of Reason” commissioned these in 1979 and they’ve inspired speculation and conspiracy theory ever since. Project Archivist covered these in one of their early episodes; their guest Raymond Wiley co-hosted Out There Radio back in 2005 based out of the University of Georgia radio station WUOG (where back in the early 1990s I hosted the dance music show during my student days).

And finally a whole blog of Georgia Mysteries for my future rabbit hole needs.

a short break

I don’t have fresh content for you this week, but I have a good reason.

closeup of little gray kitten face
In a rare moment of stillness.

The short version: since our Spice died on New Year’s day we’ve been in a stage of catless mourning. Once spring rolled around we started thinking it might be nice to have feline companionship again, and after some fits and starts we’ve  adopted (accumulated?) three new cats (!) in less than a week.

I’ve not had kittens in my house for almost twenty years and I forgot how Relentlessly! Hyperactive! they are. The Wonder Twins* are ten-week old littermates (boy/girl) that we must play with with several times a day lest they destroy their room and keep us up all night.

And we must confine them: not only are they so tiny there are any number of places they can get into if we let them loose, we also have to isolate them from their two-year old “sister.” We named her “Sveta” after Svetlana Sorokina, “Babylon Berlin”‘s master spy because she revealed unparalleled hide and seek ability upon our first attempt to pick her up. I can’t get a good picture of her as she’s still undercover (or, under the bed).

We’ll introduce them eventually but first the kittens have to grow and Sveta needs to chill. Until we get a schedule of kitten play and older cat trust-earning established, I’m not making much progress on my out-loud read-through of my second draft.

Which is not bad because my beta readers aren’t done yet either, but as I have this guilty need to constantly be working on it I’ve decided to resume by reading it to Sveta. I’ll feel less like I’m talking to myself, accustom the new cat to my voice, and possibly scare her away from ever coming out from under the bed.**

Original content will come in future weeks: more link dumps, magical maguffins, more oddities as I find them. Just let me catch my breath.

*Until we have better names.

**I will not be reading it to the kittens. My book contains adult themes unsuitable for cats under a year old.

Art Bell’s heirs

I was a latecomer to Coast to Coast AM, only listening once the show became available online in the 1990s. His subject matter revived my childhood obsession with all things weird and I enjoyed Art Bell’s rare ability to ask informed questions without appearing to pass judgment on any guest, no matter how off the wall. I was surprised and saddened to learn of his passing this past April 13th (a Friday. Of course).

headphones with soundwaves coming out
Khadijah Roussi, via.

So in memory of one of the first* and arguably greatest paranormal broadcasters I’m posting my personal list of his spiritual children: the podcasters of the strange and mysterious.

Some caveats: This list is just what I listen to regularly and is no way complete–please feel free to include your favorites in the comments! I put them in alphabetical order and while I’ve highlighted occasional favorite episodes or series you can generally jump in anywhere.

*See Mae Brussel; Long John Nebel.

biweekly links 4-11-2018

LGTBQIA historical fiction: ‘White Houses’ explores Eleanor Roosevelt’s romantic life; Alan Hollinghurst sketches the evolution of gay rights in latest historical novel, ‘The Sparsholt Affair’: I’ve not read either but I’m especially looking forward to “White Houses”.

‘Nosferatu’ and 96 Years of Expressionistic Nightmares: I didn’t know that Albin Grau, one of the producers of this classic vampire movie, was a dedicated occultist. Grau intended “Nosferatu” to be the first of a string of supernatural/occult themed movies by Prana Film but the lawsuits from the Stoker family following “Nosferatu”‘s release bankrupted them. I also didn’t know that Robert Eggers is directing a remake. I loved “The VVitch” so I’m cautiously optimistic.

Review: Shakespeare’s hidden astrology revealed: that Shakespeare’s play’s show occult influences isn’t news; he based the wizard Prospero from “The Tempest” on John Dee, a man Shakespeare might have known in person. Astrologer Priscilla Costello has written several books arguing that Shakespeare poured far more Elizabethan arcane symbolism into his plays.

Helen Mirren in robe of shining blue shards, wielding a staff
I thought of digging up an old Nosferatu pic for y’all, but I’ll use any excuse to include a picture of Helen Mirren in something fabulous. Here she is as Prospera in “The Tempest”. Via

The murder that instigated the UK’s most dangerous autopsy: in light of the more recent Russian poisoning attempts I thought it worthwhile to look back on a terrifyingly successful one. It took multiple doctors and an atomic weapons specialist to diagnose Alexander Litvinenko’s poisoning by polonium-210, and the doctors performing the autopsy had to wear what sounds like level 4 biohazard suits. More chilling information in the article’s references.

publicity vs. privacy

Ever since I got serious about writing I’ve become more comfortable with self-promotion than I ever thought possible.

Which is good because the modern publishing world expects authors to handle much of their own publicity, especially online. Kristen Lamb’s book really pushed home the need for a blog separate from social media because I own all the content. To my surprise there’s an audience for my blatherings so not only is this necessary but if done right it’s fun…

Except for one bit. And Lamb’s not the only one making the recommendation:

Did you catch it?

I blog under my real name. A whimsical bio follows every post. You can subscribe by email. I’m still sorting out a secure contact form. I’ll list my books as they come out and publish a newsletter once I’ve got bona-fide hardcore news.

generic placeholder icon

I can’t bring myself to post an author photo.

Yeah, part of it is vanity. I’ve never met a camera that likes me. My greater concern is privacy though. Like every woman online I’ve had my share of unwanted attention but that was back in the days of IRC chatrooms and Livejournal: nowhere near the speed and fury and transparency of Twitter,  Facebook, and the like. Social media platforms don’t permit aliases and industry experts don’t recommend them. Even blogging under my real name was a psychological hurdle it took me a year to jump. Having my face out there as well feels like I’m painting a big red target on my back.

The early text-based internet spoiled me in another way as well. Under an alias people judged me not for what I looked like but by what I wrote and how well I wrote it. My name and appearance didn’t matter if I gave good brain.

Including a photo will end that neutrality. I fear that once my face is out there reactions will devolve to what I look like to the exclusion of all else.

Note I say “once.” Author photos are part of the game and I’ll have to get a proper headshot and post it at some point, especially if I take the traditional publishing route. But I’m just not There yet. Bear with me.

“My Dear Hamilton” out today

A bit of promotion today. I loved “America’s First Daughter” and have been waiting for this one since I heard about its inception. Guess what just rose to the top of my to read list:

 

 

Wife, Widow, and Warrior in Alexander Hamilton’s Quest for a More Perfect Union

From the New York Times bestselling authors of America’s First Daughter comes the epic story of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton—a revolutionary woman who, like her new nation, struggled to define herself in the wake of war, betrayal, and tragedy. Haunting, moving, and beautifully written, Dray and Kamoie used thousands of letters and original sources to tell Eliza’s story as it’s never been told before—not just as the wronged wife at the center of a political sex scandal—but also as a founding mother who shaped an American legacy in her own right.

 

MY DEAR HAMILTON is available now! Grab your copy today!

 

 

A general’s daughter…

Coming of age on the perilous frontier of revolutionary New York, Elizabeth Schuyler champions the fight for independence. And when she meets Alexander Hamilton, Washington’s penniless but passionate aide-de-camp, she’s captivated by the young officer’s charisma and brilliance. They fall in love, despite Hamilton’s bastard birth and the uncertainties of war.

A Founding Father’s wife…

But the union they create—in their marriage and the new nation—is far from perfect. From glittering inaugural balls to bloody street riots, the Hamiltons are at the center of it all—including the political treachery of America’s first sex scandal, which forces Eliza to struggle through heartbreak and betrayal to find forgiveness.

The last surviving light of the Revolution…

When a duel destroys Eliza’s hard-won peace, the grieving widow fights her husband’s enemies to preserve Alexander’s legacy. But long-buried secrets threaten everything Eliza believes about her marriage and her own legacy. Questioning her tireless devotion to the man and country that have broken her heart, she’s left with one last battle—to understand the flawed man she married and imperfect union he could never have created without her…

 

✭✭✭ PICK UP YOUR COPY OF MY DEAR HAMILTON TODAY✭✭✭
Amazon | B&N | GooglePlay | iBooks | Kobo | Autographed Paperback

Add to Your Goodreads

Get a FREE Bonus Book – through April 9!

Join Stephanie and Laura’s VIP mailing list

 

 

 

 

EXCERPT:

The fashion was now all empire waistlines and sheer fabrics à la Grec, which would have left me feeling naked without gloves and shawl. “I am dressed to be seen in society, sir!”

With the tip of his quill pen, he flicked my flimsy shawl to the floor. “And now you are not.” He gave his most irresistible smile.“Your country needs you. I need you. You are my good genius of that kind which the ancient philosophers called a familiar.” His eyebrows nearly waggled. “And you know that I am glad to be, in every way, as familiar as possible with you.”

Smitten by his flirtation, I gave a helpless shrug. “Oh well, for the country then . . .”

I forgot about the dinner party. I forgot everything but the familiar thrill of matching minds with the man I married. “Not that line,” I remember telling him. “That business about the ignorance of facts and malicious falsehoods will be taken harshly.”

“That’s the president’s line, not mine,” Alexander protested.

“Nevertheless, it portrays him as a partisan in the mud,” I argued, and our debate went well into the night. In truth, it went on for days as Alexander worked on the address, scribbling words and crossing them out.

Eventually, he removed the line to which I objected. That and many others, taking into consideration my suggestions, leaving me awed with the magnitude of the masterpiece. I knew, even then, that the Farewell Address was a moving and worthy tribute to the United States and its people. A plea for unity. A statement of purpose and guidance for the nation George Washington helped bring into being.

And because of Alexander Hamilton, I had the great and everlasting fortune to be a part of its shaping.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

About Stephanie Dray:

Stephanie Dray is a New York Times bestselling author of historical women’s fiction. Her award-winning work has been translated into multiple languages, illuminating women of the past so as to inspire the women of today. She is a frequent panelist and presenter at national writing conventions and lives near the nation’s capital.

 

 

 

 

Stephanie Dray Website |Newsletter | Facebook |Twitter | Dray & Kamoie Website

 

 

About Laura Kamoie:

Laura Kamoieis a New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction, and the author of two nonfiction books on early American history. Until recently, she held the position of Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy before transitioning to a full-time career writing genre fiction under the name Laura Kaye, also a New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels.

 

 

 

 

Laura Kamoie Website |Newsletter | Facebook |Twitter | Dray & Kamoie Website

 

biweekly links 3-28-2018

Powerful Market for Magic Enchants Publishers: on the occult spirituality and historical shelves, at least. Most exciting for me is a new John Dee book, which I need like a fat hole in my head because I’m done researching, really and for true…

Bulgaria was the catalyst for Elizabeth Kostova’s “The Shadow Land”: I loved Kostova’s “The Historian” and this new book sounds unusual enough that I’ll probably give it a whirl but I’m a tad disappointed that she “[shies] away from [‘historical fiction’ as a category] because it’s gotten kind of a bad name” (??)

Speaking Martian: Dee and Kelley weren’t the only medium/interpreter duo to invent/discover/come up with a strange language. Hélène Smith produced “Martian” language over several years with the assistance of psychologist Théodore Flournoy. Being of a less wanting-to-believe ilk than Dee, Flournoy suspected glossolalia from the outset, though he never seemed to have discouraged or tried to cure Smith during their séances. His publication of his suspicions in the book “From India to the Planet Mars” was a shock to Smith and they parted company soon after. In the 1930s the Surrealists promoted her as a “muse of automatic writing” and she became a painter in her own right. An intriguing story I wish I had time to delve into further!

strange hieroglyphic-type figures handwritten with typed caption: Fig. 31. Text No 38 (March 30, 1899), written by Mlle. Smith copying a text of Ramié, who appeared to her in a visual hallucination (Collection of M. Lemaitre)
Example of Hélène Smith’s “Martian” script. Via.