Nausea

Two friends sent me a link to this New York Times story ("In Africa, Accusation of Witchcraft Leads to Abuse") on children accused of witchcraft. I read it with a growing sense of nausea.

In my novel The Witch’s Trinity, a family member has possibly accused her mother-in-law of witchcraft because there is not enough food, and she wants one less mouth around the table. And that’s exactly what is happening today in Angola, Congo and the Congo Republic. Except instead of happening to grownups, it’s happening to children.

The article reports:

Officials attribute the surge in persecutions of children to war — 27 years in Angola, ending in 2002, and near constant strife in Congo. The conflicts orphaned many children, while leaving other families intact but too destitute to feed themselves.

“The witches situation started when fathers became unable to care for the children,” said Ana Silva, who is in charge of child protection for the children’s institute. “So they started seeking any justification to expel them from the family.”

This picture is of a six-year-old boy Afonso Garcia, pushed out of his family home because of accusations of witchcraft. He now lives in a shelter with other boys who were accused. Children are being beaten, abandoned and even killed for being witches.

Although my novel describes a horrifying situation, I appreciated the buffer of its being long ago and far away (and fictional, although it certainly could be any woman’s story from medieval Germany). This New York Times story just makes my heart ache… it is happening now.

Talk of the Bay with Rick Kleffel

I'm excited to report that an interview with Rick Kleffel will broadcast on Halloween, Oct. 31, between 10 am and 11 am on KUSP's Talk of the Bay program. This is 88.9 fm or for those not in earshot, it streams at kusp.org/live. I'll be talking about The Witch's Trinity with Rick.

Read it and eat

Instead of "read it and weep," Towne Center Books has come up with a monthly event called Read it and Eat. It's a luncheon where the author answers questions, reads a passage or two... a low-key, fun thing to do.

For my book, this is quite ironic, since the characters in The Witch's Trinity are starving... but I'll be participating Nov. 30.

Towne Center Books is an absolutely lovely indie bookstore in Pleasanton, California, at 555 Main Street. Please call 925-846-8826 for more information and to register. Hope to see you there.

Death of the Stablehand

First of all, two bloggers were generous enough to post interviews with me: please see Michelle Moran's History Buff and Kelly Hewitt's Loaded Questions.

And here's an image titled Death of the Stablehand by Hans Baldung Grien. Although it appears more modern than the Compendium Maleficarum images I've been posting lately, this is actually older, from the early 1500s. As you can see, the witch in the upper right, wielding what looks like an upside-down broom, has either killed or stupefied the poor stablehand, as the horse looks on bewildered.

Trampling the Cross

Much of witchcraft is a reversal of Christanity. For instance, witches say the Catholic Mass backwards, and it becomes the Black Mass. They accept the Eucharist but underneath their tongue instead of on top--and then spit it out into the privy. In The Witch's Trinity, they pray with their hands pressed together and facing downwards rather than towards heaven. I'm actually not sure if I made up that detail or if I saw it somewhere in my research.

Old witchcraft woodcuts illustrate these reversals. Here is a new witch trampling upon the cross rather than venerating it. And please note--the witch is a male! The image comes from the Compendium Maleficarum, a book that explained everything about witches (borrowing some information from the earlier Malleus Maleficarum, another witch hunting Bible). This woodcut is from a 1610 edition, reproduced in Brian Levack's The Witch Hunt in Early Modern Europe. The Compendium Maleficarum was written by a Milanese monk named Francesco Maria Guazzo.

Is the pebble trial real or invented?

People ask me whether The Witch's Trinity is based on a particular case of witchcraft I found in my research. It's not--it's an amalgam of all the different things I read, as well as some invention.

The pebble trial is a good example of this. In The Witch's Trinity, a character must endure a test of her innocence. A kettle of water is boiled, and three pebbles are thrown into the steaming, rupturing water. The character is asked to retrieve the pebbles--if she can get them, and if she remains unburned, she is innocent.

In my reading, I learned about the pebble trial. It did exist. But I altered it slightly to suit my story--rather than one pebble, the character must collect three, a reference to the Holy Trinity. Like many of the witchcraft tests, this one is impossible to pass successfully.

If you have read The Witch's Trinity (or even if you haven't!) and would like to ask me any questions, please feel free to do so either by writing a comment on any post--the comments automatically go to my in-box, so I always see them--or by sending me an email to (my first name) (the AT symbol) (erikamailman.com). I would love to hear from you.

Witch's Trinity on the radio

I will be on KPFA this Monday the 15th from 3-3:30 p.m. as part of Denny Smithson's Word for Word program, 94.1 FM, discussing The Witch’s Trinity. I don't know if KPFA has live streaming, but the website KPFA.org does indeed post the recordings after the fact

Precursor to the broom

In this image from De Lamiis et Phitonicis Mulieribus--a very old tome on witchcraft--shapeshifted witches ride the air on a stick, a more ancient concept than that of women riding brooms.

De Lamiis was written by German Ulrich Molitor in 1493. He was a law professor, and his book went into several editions, illustrated by woodcuts that were updated so it is possible to find different versions of the same image. I'll post two of those next time for comparison purposes.

Here's what Wikipedia has to say about Molitor:

Ulrich Molitor (15th century) was a Professor of Law at the University of Konstanz, Germany.

He wrote one of the first books on witchcraft, De Lamiis et Pythonicis Mulieribus (The Witches and Diviner Women), published in 1489.

Although Molitor supported the death sentence for heretics and practitioners of witchcraft, from a moderate point of view for his time he considered that the Sabbaths were an illusion caused by the Devil and not a reality.

This image located in Alan C. Kors and Peter Edwards: Witchcraft in Europe 1100-1700.

Shapeshifters

This image is from a 1610 edition of the book Compendium Maleficarum (found in Brian Levack's The Witch Hunt in Early Modern Europe). It shows witches who have taken the form of creatures--including a slow but very evil snail--to work their maleficence.

Shapeshifting plays a role in The Witch's Trinity, as an owl and a cat are possibly imbued with human souls.

It is ON SALE!

My local bookstore (only bookstore in my new "hometown") had not received The Witch's Trinity by the on-sale date of Sept. 25. I had to check back three different times to see this stunning vision: a pile of my books! I knew the store had ordered five copies, so I was thrilled to see only four. That means one got bought! Heady stuff. ;)

Litquake update

Here's the word on the Litquake panel I'm so happy to be part of:

Monday, October 8, 5:30-7:30 pm
The Journey to Being Discovered:
First-Time Authors Reveal All
Foundation Center, 312 Sutter St., Second Floor Conference Room. FREE

Learn from a panel of newly published, first time writers at this panel discussion, a co-production with The Foundation Center. Three novelists and one nonfiction author will talk about all that was involved in making their dream of writing a reality. We’ll cover finding the time and discipline to write regularly, identifying potential publishers, getting noticed by literary professionals, dealing with rejection, and publicizing your book. In Litquake festival fashion, the writers will also be reading from their newly published works. Bring your questions. Space is limited and advance registration required. Please visit http://foundationcenter.org/sanfrancisco/wksjourneyOct_8.html to register.

Participants include: Anita Amirrezvani, Bridget Kinsella, Erika Mailman, and Kemble Scott

The next Witch's Trinity reading is 7 p.m. this Thursday the 4th, at A Great Good Place for Books in Oakland's Montclair District, 6120 La

San Francisco Chronicle

A really nice review ran in the Chronicle for The Witch's Trinity, which you can read here. I really like the reviewer's writing style; she must be a writer herself.

I have four more events scheduled before I lapse into quietude:

* Oct. 4: A Great Good Place for Books, Oakland , at 7 p.m. (6120 LaSalle Ave.)

* Oct. 8: Litquake, San Francisco’s Foundation Center near Union Square, at 5:30 p.m. (312 Sutter St.)

* Oct. 13: Book Passage, Corte Madera, at 4 p.m. (51 Tamal Vista Blvd.)

* Oct. 17: Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco, at 7 p.m. (155 Fell St., at Van Ness)

Witches offer children to the devil

This image was included in a pamphlet for the witchcraft trial of a Scottish woman, Agnes Sampson, in 1591.

Here's what Wikipedia has to say about her trial:

(b.unknown- executed 28 January 1591) Agnes Sampson was a Scottish healer and purported witch. Also known as the "Wise Wife of Keith", Sampson is most famous for her part in the North Berwick Witch trials in the later part of the sixteenth century.

Sampson lived at Nether Keith, a part of the Barony of Keith, East Lothian, Scotland. She was considered to have healing powers and acted as a midwife for a large section of local society.

In the spring of 1590, James VI returned from Oslo after marrying Anne, daughter of the King of Denmark-Norway. The Danish court at that time was greatly perplexed by witchcraft and the black arts, and this must have impressed on the young King James. The regal voyage back from Denmark was beset by storms. "In the summer of 1590 a great witch hunt was instituted in Copenhagen. One of the first victims was Anna Koldings, who under pressure divulged the names of five other women, one of whom was Mail the wife of the burgomaster of Copenhagen. They all confessed that they had been guilty of sorcery in raising storms which menaced Queen Anne's voyage and that they had sent devils to climb up the keel of her ship. In September two women were burnt as witches at Kronborg" ^[1] James heard news from Denmark regarding this and decided to set up his own tribunal.

By the autumn of 1590, Scotland was aflame with witch hunts and many of those sent to trial were questioned by the King himself.

Agnes Sampson was arrested along "sundrie" [sic] others, questioned regarding her role in the storm raising, and that of others. She was put to the torture which she resisted at first but:

"This aforeaside Agnis Sampson which was the elder Witch, was taken and brought to Haliruid house before the Kings Maiestie and sundry other of the nobility of Scotland, where she was straitly examined, but all the perswasions which the Kings maiestie vsed to her with ye rest of his counsell, might not prouoke or induce her to confesse any thing, but stood stiffely in the deniall of all that was laide to her charge: whervpon they caused her to be conueied awaye to prison, there to receiue such torture as hath been lately prouided for witches in that country: and forasmuch as by due examination of witchcraft and witches in Scotland, it hath latelye beene found that the Deuill dooth generallye marke them with a priuie marke, by reason the Witches haue confessed themselues, that the Diuell dooth lick them with his tung in some priuy part of their bodie, before hee dooth receiue them to be his seruants, which marke commonly is giuen them vnder the haire in some part of their bodye, wherby it may not easily be found out or seene, although they be searched: and generally so long as the marke is not seene to those which search them, so long the parties that hath the marke will neuer confesse any thing. Therfore by special commaundement this Agnis Sampson had all her haire shauen of, in each parte of her bodie, and her head thrawen with a rope according to the custome of that Countrye, beeing a paine most greeuous, which she continued almost an hower, during which time she would not confesse any thing vntill the Diuels marke was found vpon her priuities, then she immediatlye confessed whatsoeuer was demaunded of her, and iustifying those persons aforesaid to be notorious witches."

also:

"Item, the saide Agnis Sampson confessed before the Kings Maiestie sundrye thinges which were so miraculous and strange, as that his Maiestie saide they were all extreame lyars, wherat she answered, she would not wishe his Maiestie to suppose her woords to be false, but rather to beleeue them, in that she would discouer such matter vnto him as his maiestie should not any way doubt off. And therupon taking his Maiestie a little aside, she declared vnto him the verye woordes which passed betweene the Kings Maiestie and his Queene at Vpslo in Norway the first night of their mariage, with their answere eache to other: whereat the Kinges Maiestie wondered greatlye, and swore by the liuing God, that he beleeued that all the Diuels in hell could not haue discouered the same: acknowledging her woords to be most true, and therefore gaue the more credit to the rest which is before declared."(Newes from Scotland)^[2]

Prior to this last confession James had not been convinced of Sampson's guilt, but afterwards he was convinced. Sampson was taken to the Scaffold on Castlehill, garotted then burnt to ashes.

Edinburgh Burgh Treasurer's accounts itemise the cost of Agnes Sampson's execution, giving the date as the 16 day of January 1590 [OS] 'quha wes burnt' as £6 8s 10d.

This image is from Alan C. Kors and Peter Edwards: Witchcraft in Europe 1100-1700

Book release is tomorrow

We went to Cody's today to drop off wine for tomorrow's event. Although the book isn't on display because it doesn't release until tomorrow, there was a wonderful big poster for it on the front table. The reading is tomorrow, Sept. 25, at Cody's on Fourth Street in Berkeley.

It feels like forever ago that I learned the book was going to be published... and it also feels like just yesterday. I am thrilled and grateful.

Mediabistro course

I'm teaching novel writing again, starting Oct. 9. This is an online course with chats on Tuesday nights. Visit www.mediabistro.com to enroll.

I really enjoy teaching creative writing... it's great to take a look at part of someone's novel in progress and hopefully offer some useful critique. Like a brick-and-mortar workshop, the website allows other students to comment on each other's work, building community. I've taught with MB three times, and twice the students decided to continue contact with each other after the class ended, forming their own writers groups. That makes me feel great... since writing is such a solitary activity, we need the support of our peers to help make it possible.

Ancient Egypt beckons

Apologies for the long hiatus in posting... we moved out of our beloved Oakland! Hard choice to make, but necessary to avoid my poor partner commuting three hours a day for work. We all breathe a little easier now.

Want to recommend a great book on ancient Egypt, Nefertiti. It's written by Michelle Moran; we both work with the same fantastic Random House editor. In this book, iconic Egyptians come alive and walk and talk and scheme...and temples are built and destroyed. I recommend it highly.

Litquake!

Litquake is coming up again... was it a whole YEAR ago?

I'm excited to be part of it again with The Witch's Trinity. I'll be appearing with other authors including good friend Kemble Scott. Litquake is San Francisco's literary festival on an astonishing scale... a whole week of event after event, with simultaneous event! See below for this one.

Monday, October 8, 5:30-7:30 pm
The Journey to Being Discovered:
First-Time Authors Reveal All
The Foundation Center, 312 Sutter St., Second Floor Conference Room. FREE

Learn from a panel of newly published, first time writers at The Journey to Being Discovered: First Time Authors Reveal All. Three novelists and one nonfiction author will talk about all that was involved in making their dream of writing a reality. We’ll cover finding the time and discipline to regularly write, identifying potential publishers, getting noticed by literary professionals, dealing with rejection, and publicizing your book. In Litquake festival fashion, the writers will also be reading from their newly published works. Bring your questions. Space limited. Advance registration required. Please visit foundationcenter.org/sanfrancisco/sf_october.html starting September 4, 2007 to register

Participants include: Anita Amirrezvani, Bridget Kinsella, Erika Mailman, and Kemble Scott.

English cover

The English publisher Hodder will be bringing The Witch's Trinity out in December, with a different cover. Can't wait to see it "live"--the colors are amazing.

Witch's Trinity book cover

The Witch’s Trinity comes out September 25, and I can’t wait. Three months away, but given how time has been flying now that I have a baby, it’ll probably be here tomorrow.

My wonderful publicist has set me up with six readings in the Bay Area, as follows:

• Sept. 25 (the launch): Cody’s Books, Berkeley
• Sept. 26: M is for Mystery, San Mateo
• Oct. 4: A Great Good Place for Books, Oakland
• Oct. 13: Book Passage, Corte Madera, at 4 p.m. (changed from the 12th)
  
• Oct. 17: Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco (changed from the 18th)
  
• Oct. 30: Books Inc., Alameda CANCELLED
  

This last weekend I was a panelist at the Book Group Expo in San Jose. A wonderful event! I really enjoyed meeting the other authors – and a panel is so much easier than a reading. It’s more comfortable to present as a team rather than a solo flyer, and answering questions is more fun than reading a chapter from your book.

I’m posting two different covers of Witch’s Trinity. Can you tell which one is the one Crown is going with?

Initially, Crown created the fire cover. I liked this because the wood shape against the fire is mysterious and Rorschachian. But apparently it doesn’t look literary enough (and could even be mistaken for fantasy genre), so the cream-colored cover with the small demons woodcut is the official cover now. I think this was ultimately a good decision!

P.S. Now that I've uploaded the "fire" cover, I'm seeing that it's coming in as a wonderful eerie blue... something to do with me converting a PDF to a jpeg and it being rasterized. Let me scout around for a true-color version, or if worse comes to worse, I'll scan in my galley. But I kind of like it in blue!

P.P.S. Here's the galley.

P.P.P.S. I looked at an older post and saw that I had referred to my newborn as "preternatally wise." Pretty funny malapropism... getting the word "natal" in there. I meant, of course, preternaturally.

Book Group Expo

I'll be at the Book Group Expo in San Jose on June 9, as part of a panel called "Beats, Shoots, and Bleeds: Characters on the Edge." My fellow panelists are Kemble Scott, Peter Plate and Cara Black, with Eddie Muller as moderator. Our panel is at 11:30 a.m.

The expo is a fun, two-day event with lots of writers, chocolate, wine tasting... I went last year and had a great time. The headliners are Amy Tan and Khaled Hosseini.