Links: Witches, Tea, & Female Anger

Workspace with computer, journal, books, coffee, and glasses.It’s Wednesday, everyone! Only a few more days until the glorious weekend and I hope you all have something fun planned! Now onto some links…

Reader Ellen has started a Kickstarter for a book and artisan tea shop, which I know is right up our readers’ alley:

We’re Cid and Ellen, and we’re opening The Novel Tea in Sacramento, California. Our goal is to create a space that not only sells books and tea, but which builds community, by encouraging people to slow down and spend time savoring simple luxuries, like a cup of tea and a good book.

Now this is a cause I can get behind! The campaign has over twenty days left, so even if you don’t donate, getting the word out would be a huge help.

Harlequin is launching a new women’s fiction imprint called Graydon House. Here is a little snippet about the imprint’s launch title How to Be Happy by Eva Woods:

How To Be Happy by Eva Woods – Described as Me Before You meets Beaches, the novel explores the unlikely friendship between two very different women—one has reached a crossroads after a shattering tragedy imploded her marriage and the other has just been given three months to live—who jointly embark on an unexpected journey toward redemption, love and happiness.

They also have six or seven additional titles already signed to the imprint, including House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick, Burned by Emily Belden, and My Last Love by Falguni Kothari.


USB Wall Outlet Adaptors!

What do we want? More USB ports! Where do we want them? EVERYWHERE!


This test came across my Facebook feed and I thought it was perfect for the Bitchery: What Witch Are You. I got Maleficent and I’ll take it!

You are Maleficent from “Sleeping Beauty!” You are poised, graceful, and stunningly powerful. You pride yourself on good manners and etiquette — and when someone hurts you, you remember forever. You are strong and independent, and you don’t take betrayals lightly. You are one scary witch!

If you take the test, let me know what awesome witch you get.

Lastly, I was doing some research on women and anger for a piece I’m working on and I found this amazing op-ed in the New York Times by Roxane Gay:

Feminists are regularly characterized as angry. At many events where I am speaking about feminism, young women ask how they can comport themselves so they aren’t perceived as angry while they practice their feminism. They ask this question as if anger is an unreasonable emotion when considering the inequalities, challenges, violence and oppression women the world over face. I want to tell these young women to embrace their anger, sharpen themselves against it.

My only complaint is that I wish it were longer. I could read Gay’s writing all day.

Don’t forget to share what super cool things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!

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Comments are Closed

  1. Denisetwin says:

    Glinda! That was cute!

  2. roserita says:

    Glinda! But don’t let the pink and sparkles fool you; I can kick ass with a smile!

  3. Nerdalisque says:

    Maleficent! Pretty accurate, except for the “graceful” part.

  4. Another Glinda the Good here! 🙂

  5. Barb in Maryland says:

    Winifred from ‘Hocus Pocus’ (portrayed on film by the great Bette Midler. Pretty accurate.

  6. Olivia says:

    Endora from Bewitched, makes me feel like a badass!

    You are Endora from “Bewitched!” You are sassy, classy, and full of charm. Despite your calm, sophisticated exterior, you are brimming with power — and you’re not afraid to use it! You have little patience for dumb mortals — but if you love someone, you protect them with all your might. You are a force to be reckoned with!

    Endora, played by Agnes Moorehead, was a leading character on the wildly popular TV show “Bewitched.” She was a powerful witch who hated mortals — specifically her bumbling son-in-law, Darrin.

  7. SQ says:

    I got Glinda as well !

    You are elegant, refined, and kind-hearted. But people shouldn’t be fooled by your calm, sweet exterior! You are strong, powerful, and sharp as a tack. Your wisdom and fierceness always shines through, and people should think twice before crossing you.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Lurker here, but felt I had to speak out

    I’m not one to *own the word witch or bitch to define myself as being strong woman, regardless that these fun and silly “surveys” may reflect positive attributes. IMO, this plays into the hands of people like the Drumps of the world. It’s defeatist language, imo.

    Hurricanes and tornadoes were, until recently, given female names. By MEN.

    I apologise if this post seems ranty, but I am angry when a site by women, for women, post silly things like “What witch are you”

    I am a woman (51 yrs) who does not apologise for being a woman, for liking what I like, hating sexism, bigotry, racism, etc, or for loving genre romance.

  9. GHN says:

    Endora – and who is that anyway? (Non US-ian here, and someone who doesn’t watch much TV to boot!)

    Speaking of witchy accessories, black kitties came up several times o that test. My brother has one (yes, black, and nary a white hair in sight!!) who seems to be behaving more like I am the “cat-mom”, despite my allergies. Though I must admit I have granted him asylum when a certain Scary Monster (Terry the Terrible, a cairn terrier) is visiting.

  10. Todd says:

    Another Endora here – red hair and all!

  11. genie says:

    Endora. I cannot complain about that at all. She was the only reason I watched Bewitched! (also, I have red hair too)

  12. Susan says:

    The Novel Tea sounds wonderful. Books, tea. . . it just needs a cat for the trifecta! Too bad it’s on the “wrong” coast for me. 🙂 Good luck, ladies.

    (And. . . Glinda!)

  13. Marci says:

    Ursula. HeeHee.

    You are Ursula from “The Little Mermaid!” You are bursting with charisma, charm, and naughtiness. When you want something, nothing and no one can get in your way. You know how to use your body and words to persuade someone to your side. People should know better than to tangle with you!

  14. jimthered says:

    I absolutely recommend the book GIRLS ON GAMES: A LOOK AT THE FAIRER SIDE OF THE TABLETOP INDUSTRY by Elisa Teague (and others). This is a collection of female professionals in the tabletop gaming industry (including several from Teague) talking about the good and bad, the joy of playing and the horror stories of sexism (both professionally and at conventions), solutions to the issues, advice on working as a professional, and a lot more. (There are are also very relevant cartoons from John Kovalic’s DORK TOWER.) It’s an incredible read! Full review at http://thearmchaircritic.blogspot.com/2016/10/girls-on-games-by-elisa-teague.html

  15. Marci says:

    FYI – there’s an interesting post called The Anger of Samantha Bee from The Atlantic. I didn’t agree with the article but I love Samantha Bee and am also really angry right now myself.

    http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/10/the-angers-of-samantha-bee/503612/

  16. Chinami Wirth says:

    I got Endora. Don’t have the red hair but I remember her attitude and love her. There is also an online tea retail shop that is trying to open a brick and mortar store. This is in Seattle, but it looks like tea shopsare opening everywhere.

  17. Karen H near Tampa says:

    I am a 67-year old woman (I have no idea how that happened) and while I don’t care for “bitch” as it’s almost always used by men to describe women they are putting down, I’m totally fine with “witch.” I consider witches to be women of power who can get what they want without any help from men (except for the occasional “tongue of man” ingredient for a potion). I only wish I believed in magic and could really be a witch. I am also, and have been for a very long time, a feminist and while I’m very angry about a lot of the awful things that are visited upon women–still, in 2016!–I also adore many men. I cheerfully admit to letting people know when they are being sexist, including my mom, and not accepting a man saying, as happened recently, “but I don’t mean anything bad when I call [fully-grown women] ‘girls!'” Words matter! And I’m very tired of being referred to as a “guy.” That’s a pet peeve of mine when I’m not now, never have been, and never want to be male. Using that term eliminates half (or more) of the population and I tend to correct wait staff and others who use it when referring to a group that includes me (most especially if there are no men in the group). I’d rather not be addressed at all.

    I got Endora even though I don’t have red hair. But she always seemed a bit grumpy to me (who wouldn’t dealing with dumb humans) and that certainly fits.

  18. kkw says:

    I wanted Ursula but wound up Endora (I don’t actually know who most of them are). In hindsight I probably should have picked the goldfish? But how does one pass up the jaguar?

  19. Cristiane says:

    Glinda!

    Roxanne Gay has a wonderful book of her essays called “Bad Feminist.” Highly recommended.

  20. Lostshadows says:

    Another Glinda. I was kinda hoping for Kiki, but I knew my choices were all wrong.

  21. LML says:

    “I’m very tired of being referred to as a “guy.”

    “I tend to correct wait staff and others who use it when referring to a group that includes me”

    HELLO, Karen H near Tampa. Me too, me too!

  22. denise says:

    You are Winifred from “Hocus Pocus!” You are intelligent, sharp-tongued and cunning. You’re daring and bold, and you light up the room with your big personality. When you want something, you know how to get it. You are loyal to family and friends, even though they often annoy you. You are one powerful witch!

    Winnifred Sanderson — known by “Winnie” to her sisters — was the leading witch in the 1993 Disney movie, “Hocus Pocus.” Played by the incomparable Bette Midler, Winnie is a favorite amongst fans.

  23. denise says:

    I’ve seen links for the Novel Tea online, perhaps on Book Riot?

  24. denise says:

    oops, just realized the Novel Tea to which I was referring is a different entity.

  25. LauraL says:

    I am the Grand High Witch from “The Witches” and it fits, well, except maybe the elegant part. You are sophisticated, charming, and elegant — but not someone others should cross! Beneath your dignified exterior, there is great power and a sassy temper. You set your bar very high, and you have little patience for stupidity. You are dazzling and scary all at once.

    My take on the witch-bitch thing. When I was in my 20s and leaping upward in my career, I proudly wore a necklace that said “Bitch.” I thought a woman had to have balls of steel, display the anger, and be a Tiger Lady to succeed. As I grew older, I learned I could get the best results by being charming, yet assertive, and never showing my anger. As I near retirement, I am mentoring both male and female engineers in a male-dominated field that is becoming less so. So many of the young ladies come out of school too serious and sound strident. I wish I could instantly teach them to use their anger to their advantage, but it is a power one has to develop to one’s own personality and needs.

  26. starlightarcher says:

    Wonder what it means when as a practicing witch I took the quiz and got nothing? Probably that I should just be my own witch, and not someone else’s. Reading that excerpt about female anger reminded me of pieces from the book The Spiral Dance by Starhawk, which is (interestingly enough) a book about the spirituality and practice of witchcraft. Different portions of the book speak about anger, and there are foundational lessons of the practice regarding emotions like anger.

    In the type of magic I was taught, we learn that anger is a life force energy. It is a holy and divine emotion, where shame has no place. And, it wasn’t till after I began to practice my craft that I finally allowed myself to stop fighting that emotion. Which funnily enough, I found myself becoming angry much less often. As though, once I had permission to feel something, I no longer had to horde it up and became able to let it come and go as needed.

    I began to express my feminism more openly as I began to practice witchcraft. And for my path, I don’t think I could have explored one without the other. Those two aspects of myself have grown up together, like intertwined trees.

  27. kitkat9000 says:

    Endora the first time, though after changing my song, vacation, and people choices (Rhiannon to Witchy Woman, beach to Holland, stupid to mean), I got Glinda. I’m sticking with Endora as that’s closer to me.

    Speaking as a 47 year old, life long, fairly militant feminist, I have no problem with either witch or bitch. But then, outside of one occassion at sixteen, I’ve always stood up for myself. Volubly, vehemently and taking no shit from anyone.

    I don’t think I’ve ever been called “witch”, but have long since lost count of the times I’ve been called “bitch”- most frequently from other women. You know what? Doesn’t bother me. Every time it’s happened, I stood up for myself and argued the point at hand whatever it was. If that didn’t work, and sometimes it didn’t despite my efforts, I simply called them out for their bullshit. Because it was always bullshit.

    I wish I could say that when people in my life have gone low, I’ve gone high, but sometimes cursing someone out far, far more effectively than they can is incredibly satisfying. But then, I’m a Bitch. And proud of it.

  28. […] Linkity from Smart Bitches. And more linkity from Smart Bitches. […]

  29. SB Sarah says:

    In the type of magic I was taught, we learn that anger is a life force energy. It is a holy and divine emotion, where shame has no place. And, it wasn’t till after I began to practice my craft that I finally allowed myself to stop fighting that emotion. Which funnily enough, I found myself becoming angry much less often. As though, once I had permission to feel something, I no longer had to horde it up and became able to let it come and go as needed.

    @starlightarcher: that is fascinating and so thought-provoking. Thank you for sharing that! I’m going to spend hours thinking about how I address my own anger, and how much of it is mixed with shame.

  30. Diana Kirk says:

    Karen Karbo is writing a book called “In Praise of Dangerous Women” and Gay is writing a book called “Dangerous.” Two women I deeply respect for their desire to pursue the words and history of women that are Dangerous, which historically has meant saving the rest of our asses from a burning stake. Women that were trailblazers, women that spoke up and defied expectations. I don’t care what words people use to describe me…quite often the words themselves either fire my ass up each morning to prove those mutha fuckers wrong or fire my ass up each morning to prove those mutha fuckers right. If you want to change the world, you gotta make the world how you want to see it and frankly, people’s pet names for me such as bitch, witch or delusional c*** only means I’m getting under their skin because change is hard and I’m here to change some shit around.

  31. Julie says:

    If you haven’t read Harriet Lerner’s THE DANCE OF ANGER, you might want to give it a try.

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