Happy New Year!

Astrologically speaking

Hello and happy new year!

Today is the spring equinox, and many people (astrologers) consider this the official start of the year. It certainly feels more like a new year right now—flowers have blossomed, trees bloomed, and allergies returned here in Portland. The days are officially longer than the nights, and while I love winter, this year I am pushing it out the door with its suitcases and no invitation to return (for six months at least).

I know it may not feel like spring by you (my brother informed me of snow in Indiana earlier this week—hi, Andrew!), but I can report from Portland that it is coming and this year it is glorious.

There’s nothing quite as magical as changing seasons, and I’m spending my days noticing every detail. Soon we’ll be in summer with its heat and lush foliage and seemingly endless days, but for now, we get just a taste, a sprinkling to savor. It’s the perfect time to mark the change and begin the new (astrological) year. I’ve included a few spring rituals below, but if you have any you love, please share!

What’s Brewing

Sharing updates each month has made me appreciate how long it takes to finalize a novel. I’ve just reached the midpoint in my revision (which is really drafts 6, 7, and 8 in one), and while it’s been a lot of work (my voice disappears each Wednesday after spending Monday and Tuesday reading 50 pages out loud for editing), it is really becoming exactly what I hoped. From magical flora and fauna to astrology-inspired magic to characters who don’t quite fit in one box, it’s everything I love about fantasy. I can’t wait to share it with you!

Monthly Magic

Each month I share links to stories (real and fiction) that add a little more magic to the world. Here are my favorites this month:

🌷I love all of the rituals in your pocket guide to romanticising march. The list is perfect if you want to make an intentional shift to spring and shake off the cobwebs that have accumulated over winter. I plan to do a walk before the world wakes up, nurture a living thing, and visit somewhere full of possibility.

👽 With the hype around the Project Hail Mary movie, I’ve been on a recent Sci-Fi kick. I just finished Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini, a book set in the distant future where humans potentially discover intelligent aliens. Naturally this led me down an extraterrestrial wormhole (if you will) to an episode of the Woo Woo podcast about an alien encounter from the 80s. It happened in Indiana (not out west, where so many seem to be) and hearing the first person account absolutely terrified me. It was honestly better than an alien movie. Link on Spotify.

🫖 This Equinox Blend tea has been my go-to for this time of year for a few equinoxes. It’s energizing without caffeine, and a perfect blend for reflecting on the seasonal transition.

On the Podcast

For this month’s theme episode, Marianne and I share our favorite fantasy books for adults. From complex themes to approachable magic to quests, there’s a book for everyone! If you’ve been wanting to read more fantasy lately but aren’t sure where to start, this is the episode for you.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Music | Overcast | Amazon Music | Castbox | Pocket Casts

Or watch on YouTube!

More Magic Book Club March

The Bookshop links below are affiliates. If you purchase through the links, Bookshop shares a small percentage that will be used to keep More Magic running. Thank you for your support.

We’re transitioning to the world of cozy fantasy for our March read! This month’s book is Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

The book description:

A woman who runs a cat rescue in 1920s Montréal turns to a grouchy but charming magician to help save her shelter in this heartwarming cozy fantasy

How to Participate

Online: Join the Storygraph Buddy Read to chat as you read. We all comment while reading, and it locks what you can see based on where you’re at in the book to avoid spoilers (I share screenshots in the bottom of this post).

You can also comment on the book club post on Substack when it goes up at the end of the month. And this year every book club book will also have a podcast episode (available on YouTube too so you can comment!). We’re hoping to have more authors on in 2026 to share the BTS of the books, so subscribe on your favorite platform for the most recent updates.

In Person in Portland, OR: If you’re in Portland, join us for the in person book discussion! For this one, we’ll be meeting at 10:30 am on March 28 at Harlow on Division. Register on Meetup so I know how big of a table to grab. We’ll see you there!

If you’d like to participate in other ways or have ideas, please complete this quick survey! I’m hoping to add more options both online and in person and would love to hear what you want to see.

Want to plan ahead for the rest of 2026? Here’s the schedule:

• April - A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan

• May - The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin

• June - Circe by Madeline Miller

• July - The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

• August - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennet

• September - Hekate by Nikita Gill

• October - Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

• November - Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher

• December - Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

I can’t wait to hear what you think of the books!

As always, wishing you more magic in the meantime,

Demi