Previously published in Yule Log Murder Christmases in coastal Maine can seem picture perfect—until murder ruins the scenery . . . Hayley Powell’s holidays aren’t off to a very merry start. Not only has her daughter brought Conner—an infuriatingly perfect new beau—home to Bar Harbor, but a local troublemaker has been found dead with traces of her signature Yule log cake on his body. As Conner becomes the prime murder suspect, Hayley must put aside her mixed feelings to identify the real killjoy.
According to an oft repeated legend, during Christmas before the Civil War, all enslaved people in the American South enjoyed lengthy vacations of a week or more depending on how long an oversized “Yule log” burned in their master’s fireplace. As long as the log held out, slaves escaped heavy labor and their masters’ whips and enjoyed a rare freedom of movement to go and do what they wished as well as gorge themselves on food and drink they never got the rest of the year. No wonder they soaked those logs in swamps to make them burn even longer. But is it true? In this book historian Robert May takes readers on a detective caper as he investigates a story that reaches back to colonial America and continues today. May finds no evidence of the Yule log tradition in the historical record, instead showing that it originated with pro-Confederate Lost Cause propagandists attempting to present the South’s prewar system of human bondage in as soft tones as possible. Tales about good-natured masters and unresentful slaves jovially sharing Christmases played to this impulse beautifully. Debunking the Yule Log Myth does more than correct the historical record. It serves as a highly instructive case study in the process of historical mythmaking. This captivating tale will appeal to all readers interested in African American history and the long struggle to support white supremacy by creating a mythical antebellum American South.
Grimassi has written extensively about Wicca, and Llewellyn specializes in books sympathetic to occult ways, so the combination is pretty predictable. He describes not only the usual magic practices, but also the religious and spiritual aspects of what believers say is inherited ancient European wisdom and scoffers say is made-up, new-age nonsense. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
It's goodbye Maine and hello Washington, D.C. as Maya, a private investigator, and Sandra, a pampered housewife and P.I. in training, play chaperone on a high school class trip to D.C. with their kids. The last thing they expect to encounter is another murder! Friends, moms, and P.I. partners Maya and Sandra have left their hometown of Portland, Maine, on a school trip to Washington, D.C.—where a killer has just added murder to the itinerary. . . Drafted as chaperones, Maya Kendrick and PTA president Sandra Wallage are accompanying the SoPo High seniors to the nation’s capital—much to the embarrassment of Maya’s daughter Vanessa and Sandra’s son Ryan. Now both moms are about to find out which is harder—shepherding unruly high schoolers or solving a murder. The last sight they expected to see on this trip is a female intern who works for Sandra’s soon-to-be-ex-husband, Senator Stephen Wallage, in a fatally compromising position. Desperate to avoid scandal, Stephen begs Maya and Sandra to solve the case. But their FBI counterparts—tough-as-nails agents Markey and Rhodes—are far less enthusiastic about the meddling of two “amateurs.” With suspects ranging from senators to students to stalkers, Maya and Sandra must follow a twisty trail of clues so they can catch a killer and survive to make the return trip . . .
Learn witchcraft and fine-tune your unique blend of magic with The Door to Witchcraft Whether inciting a light curiosity or a passionate craving, witchcraft is a practice that you can adapt to fit your goals. The Door to Witchcraft shows you the wonders of magic and how you want to practice it. The book begins with an overview of its history, values, and beliefs. Once you have a solid foundation, learn how to tap into your powers and customize your magic practice. Finally, put your powers into action and start practicing spells. Learn everything a beginner needs to know to practice magic, with: An overview of witchcraft—learn what witchcraft is, including terminology, a brief history, and how it fits into the present day and your life. An introduction to core belief systems and values—including nature and the environment, intuition and personal energy, and healing and helping others. A guide to tap into your powers—including techniques to access your power, how to practice different methods of divination, and ways to develop psychic abilities and intuition. A how-to primer on practicing witchcraft—including solitary vs. group spellwork; traditions, rituals, and ceremonies; calendars and cycles; songs, hymns, and chants; and clothing and tools. A directory of spells—including love, health and healing, career, friends and family, spiritual work, and protection. Walk through the door and into the world of witchcraft with this beginner's guide.
Visit small-town Maine in a trio of Halloween cozy mystery tales by New York Times bestselling authors Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Barbara Ross. HALLOWEEN PARTY MURDER by LESLIE MEIER Tinker’s Cove newest residents Ty and Heather Moon turn their Victorian home into a haunted house to raise funds for charity. But when Heather overdoses on tainted drugs and Ty finds himself accused of murder, journalist Lucy Stone uncovers some sinister secrets in the Moons’ past linked to a conspiracy in her hometown . . . DEATH OF A HALLOWEEN PARTY MONSTER by LEE HOLLIS Everyone attending Island Times Food and Cocktail columnist Hayley Powell’s Halloween bash is dressed as their favorite movie monster. But when partygoers stumble upon Boris Candy’s bludgeoned costumed corpse, it falls to Hayley to discover who among her guests wanted to stop the man from clowning around permanently . . . SCARED OFF by BARBARA ROSS Three teenage girls having a sleepover on Halloween night get spooked when high schoolers crash the house for a party. But no one expected to find a crasher like Mrs. Zelisko, the elderly third floor tenant, dead in the backyard—dressed in a sheet like a ghost. With her niece traumatized, Julia Snowden must unmask the killer behind such a murderous trick . . . “Entertaining . . . These puzzling cases are a seasonal treat for cozy readers.” —Publishers Weekly
