Sherri L. Dodd:

Witches have always fascinated me. Perhaps it roots from a childhood of unchaperoned walks to our neighborhood creek in southeast Texas. The cool splash of water on a sweltering, humid day served a refreshing sensation. (First sign of a witch’s repertoire: communing with nature.)

Then, after harassing crawdads and holding the wriggly creatures up to my squeamish friend (yes, I was that kid), I wound down with Betty MacDonald’s Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, witch (pun intended) perpetuated the allure of magick for me and went along with Mother Goose’s own witchy progression, from donning a pointy black hat in 1902, to becoming an actual goose in the 1970s, to getting a full Pilgrim makeover in the 1980s (thanks, Satanic Panic), to regaining her original witchy ensemble by the 1990s.

Aptly, also in the 1990s, my attraction to witches (married to my appreciation of Stevie Nicks spinning in mesmerizing, black-fringed circles on MTV) evolved into the study of modern-day witchcraft via Scott Cunningham’s first edition of Wicca. Shortly thereafter, I met my soulmate and sought Catholic confirmation.

Fast-forward to two years ago: I sat in front of my keyboard typing a short essay that would become a 900-page trilogy, brainstorming how I could work Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic in with serial-killer true crime: Lovely bohemian ladies meet ruthless homicidal maniacs. Further, how could I capture the essence of mystical redwoods as striking as Delia Owens’ stunning marshlands in Where the Crawdads Sing? Finally, what witch is complete without a cat? For this, I read David Michie’s The Dalai Lama’s Cat to learn more about how the lucky feline landed in HHDL’s care and added it to experiences with my own Siamese.

I also wanted meaning in my lightweight, easy reads, even if some find my trilogy akin to Netflix in paperback form. My protagonist, Arista, is the epitome of joy and goodwill — think Thich Nhat Hanh’s Peace in Every Step. But as the trilogy progresses, she must deal with tragedy. Enter Mark Manson’s The Subtle of Art of Not Giving a F*ck. I’ll add that the latter came at a perfect time, as walking meditations fell anemic to my escalating familial issues. (Kudos, Disappointment Panda!) Finally, there had to be authenticity, so, among many others, I read Thorn Mooney’s The Witch’s Path and the full set of Llewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials.

This must be as it goes for many authors! Though not always evident, a book’s characters, its environment, and its overarching message carry a taste of its creator’s literary journey, for what they read is an integral part of their perspective, transferred onto paper for your enjoyment.

Sherri L. Dodd is the author of the Murder, Tea, and Crystals trilogy, which comprises Murder Under Redwood Moon, Moonset on Desert Sands, and the forthcoming Hummingbird Moonrise. She wrote it with the intention of shattering fears about modern-day witchcraft, as well as to bring awareness to its similarities to Catholicism. Luckily, the cozy-mystery and thriller elements overshadow any hint of preaching in her books.