K.A. Laity's Blog, page 4

Madonna of the Wasps

MADONNA OF THE WASPS My neo-giallo novella is out as an ebook with a spanking new cover by S. L. Johnson (AKA the Queen of Everything including cover art). Madonna of the Wasps involves a cult, an ancient knife, some art students, and a woman who thinks she may have found a way to live forever.... Read More

Irreverent Tarot 12: Leonora’s Priestess

OCCULTURE, LEONORA & MORE Episode 12 – Contemplating Leonora Carrington’s High Priestess card as I work on my presentation for Occulture this October in Berlin. I am very excited about that, of course, especially as it gives me even more excuses to delve into my fascination with Carrington, her art, and her magic. So much... Read More

Get Some Magic: Cronework CD

My contributor copy arrived of the very cool CRONEWORK cd from FU&Yr A-Sides and Difficult Art & Music. Wow, it’s a terrific collection and no, I’m not just saying that because I’m on it. It offers a real range of music all tied together with the theme so these are magical works that engage with... Read More

Review: Trance by Appointment – Gertrude Trevelyan

TRANCE BY APPOINTMENT Gertrude Trevelyan Boilerhouse Press Trance by Appointment is the story of Jean, an otherwise ordinary working-class London girl. But Jean has what her mother calls “the Sight.” She sees what no one else can: the future. At first, under the patient guidance of Madame Eva, she learns to control this talent and begins... Read More

Occulture 2025: me & Leonora!

I am delighted to announce that I will be part of the OCCULTURE CONFERENCE in Berlin this October! What an amazing line up to be part of! This is so exciting and I am really looking forward to having another opportunity to explore my obsession with Leonora Carrington amongst people who will be just as... Read More

Irreverent Tarot 11: Etteilla’s Creation

ETTEILLA & CREATION The Grand #Etteilla, featuring his thematic desire to encode the creation story into the opening sequence of cards — and why his Fool and Magician are in such unexpected locations. Also a bit about the astrological associations he gives the cards. If you’re unfamiliar with the first professional cartomancer from the 18th... Read More

Irreverent Tarot 10

IRREVERENT TAROT 10 – Etteilla and Gender Essentialism Pride Month has me thinking about the ways that gender is encoded in the tarot cards in so many different ways. Looking at the Grimaud Etteilla here in Dundee, rather than Lo Scarabeo’s in Hudson. Fascinating that the booklet retains some artefacts from the past and dispenses... Read More

Gothic: Black Magic by Marjorie Bowen

BLACK MAGIC (1909) Marjorie Bowen ‘I do not sin,’ he smiled. ‘I am Sin.’ I started this over at Internet Archive after seeing that Penguin would be republishing it as part of their ‘Weird Girls’ [yes, girls] series with funky faux psychedelic covers. At first I thought they looked kind of fun but the more... Read More

Play Reading: BELL

This special HVWG event will be a live, “radio play” style performance of two plays written by local playwrights. This live performance will not include any sets, costumes, or frills – just actors on stage, reading the parts, breathing life into our playwrights’ words. The first play, “Bell” is a short, humorous, single-scene play written... Read More

Review: The Get Off – Christa Faust

The thriller killer trilogy ends with The Get Off. Angel Dare’s adventures began with Money Shot and continued with Choke Hold, the latter I read on a train ride in Finland and was so captivated with its breakneck pace that I immediately read it again. It’s hard to believe that Christa Faust can get even... Read More