What Is The History Of Cartomancy, And Is Tarot French?

There are many reasons why someone could get enthusiastic about fortune-telling, but what if the reader is the one who finds an obsession with the process? This little OCD Vampire is intrigued by cartomancy and what it means!

What Is Cartomancy And What Does It Really Do?

Cartomancy refers to the divination method of fortune-telling. When the deck of cards started appearing in Europe in the fourteenth century, the practice of cartomancy appeared as it required a deck of cards to proceed. This type of divination is called cartomancers, card readers or readers.

When cartomancy started, the reading would occur with a deck of regular cards called a French-suited playing card deck. It was the most popular way of reading through cards from the Victorian era to the Belle Époque.

OCD VampireJanuary 29, 2024January 28, 20243 Comments

Experts, Kasey Hill

What Is Wicca And What Does It Mean To Be A Wiccan

We often hear the word Wicca and directly associate it with witchcraft. But what is Wicca aside from that? Wicca is the only religion found to be witchcraft, and that sets it apart. Kasey Hill is here to explain more about Wicca!

Paganism Versus Wicca

Paganism is a nature worship-based religion offset from the traditional worldly religions rooted in patriarchal fundamentals.

One of the significant precepts for this religion is the belief in not just a single God but in a multitude of gods and goddesses depicted in history through mythological texts and oral stories.

Kasey HillJanuary 24, 2024January 24, 20241 Comment

England - Stonehenge - Paganism - Celtic - Druidism

Experts, Middle Ages, OCD Vampire, Paganism, Witch History

The Secret Knowledge Of The Age Of Druidism

In the writing world, we often use folklore and legends. But Druids are not part of the usual characters in novels. Their secrecy might be to blame.

Why Did I Fall Into The Rabbit Hole Of Druidism

Upon research as a medievalist enthusiast, looking for various types of witches, the word Druid popped into my head. Many associate druids with fantasy or games such as Magic The Gathering or Dungeons & Dragons. But there is much more to them.

Druids are not as known as other Celtic folkloric people, such as Leprechauns, Faeries, Elves, and Trolls, to only name a few. The influence of the Celtic culture in fantasy literature is significant and provides solid roots. But druids are different.

OCD VampireJanuary 22, 2024January 21, 20241 Comment

Apothecary - Books - Magick - Witchcraft

Experts, OCD Vampire, Paganism, Witch History

Witchphobia Is Happening, Leading To Dangerous Hatred Toward Witches

The hate for witches goes back millennia and is still present in our time now, worse than it has been in centuries. Why are people so afraid of witches? Read to find out!

Is It The Fear Of The Unknown Or Something Else?

While I would like to believe it is only the fear of the unknown that drives people to hate witches, it’s more complicated than that. People who hate witches often are also religious.

It’s part of those people’s education growing up to fear and hate witches. Some religious people find witches silly because they don’t know what it is to be a witch. However, others believe they know what a witch is and hate us for it.

OCD VampireJanuary 16, 2024January 17, 20242 Comments

Experts, OCD Vampire, Witch History

A Witch’s Path In The New Year 2024

Being a witch today is more challenging because of all the false information surrounded it. Conspiracy theories and ‘normal’ people are giving birth to a second age of witch hunt.

So Many Different Witch Paths

* This article will not mention or discuss Wicca as a religion. *
* This article does not mention astrologer, psychic, or medium as a path. Not all witches are fortune-tellers or astrologers, which are their own paths. *

Witchcraft comes in many forms and is unique to the witch’s heart. There are main paths such as but not limited to: green, hedge, hereditary, folk, kitchen, house, pagan, Norse, seer, necromancy, druid, solitary, eclectic, academia, and so many more.

Those paths mentioned above can have similarities but also uniqueness to their practice. Many genres submerge as years go by and new skills and specialties grow.

OCD VampireJanuary 15, 2024January 17, 20241 Comment

Experts, Halloween, OCD Vampire, Paganism

What Is The True Purpose Of Halloween

Pagans, witches and goths alike were all Hollywoodified and categorized as people who sacrifice for rituals and speak to the devil. Halloween is no exception to the rule. So, what is Halloween?

The Horrible Reality That We Live In

When scrolling around on social media, I came across one person who said she posted a picture of herself in a Halloween costume. Nothing alarming, but then she mentioned Christians trying to tell her that Halloween is a day of sacrifices for Pagans and witches.

I don’t take well to people who spread wrong information. That is because I know how much damage it could cause. The truth and solid facts are important because they can hurt a group of people or anything that isn’t responsible for the lies being spread.

OCD VampireOctober 31, 20231 Comment

Experts, OCD Vampire, Witch History

The Witch Trial Of Salzburg In Austria

The witch trials in Europe spread throughout the continent, and some of the most tragic are the most famous. So, let us visit one of the most famous cases in the 300 years of witch trials!

The Overall View Of The Salzburg Witch Trials

The most known witch trials occurred from 1675 to 1690 in Salzburg. The trial had many names, including the Zauberjackl trials, the Salzburg witch trials, and the Witch Jackls process.

The process of the witch trials led to the death of a hundred and thirty-nine people. Austria wasn’t a kind place for witches, but rather nightmarish, and it is one of the reasons for this case to be so famous. Another reason is that most of the victims were males.

OCD VampireOctober 30, 2023October 29, 20234 Comments

Experts, Middle Ages, OCD Vampire, Witch History

Agnes Sampson, A Scottish Witch, Tortured To Death

The witch trials occurred when everyone could be a victim of accusations leading to torture and horrible deaths. But some of the worst stories of witchcraft lead to Scotland, and Agnes Sampson is one of them.

The History Of Agnes Sampson

Agnes Sampson was a widow and mother who lived in Scotland. She was mainly a healer and a midwife. There is little information on her life or documentation as a citizen because Agnes was the village’s healer and midwife. She was a kind person who kept to herself, most likely, but she was the perfect scapegoat: woman, older, widow, healer.

Why would King James VI need a scapegoat? As mentioned in the previous article about Scotland’s witch trials, the king’s voyage back to English territory was overlooked by a storm. His marriage to Anne of Denmark brought him to Scandinavian lands, and on their way back, the storm forced them to take refuge in Norway.

OCD VampireOctober 16, 2023October 15, 20231 Comment

Experts, OCD Vampire, Paganism

The September Equinox We Know As Mabon

Fall is many of us’ favourite seasons. We wait for the turning of colours, the temperatures lowering, the rain coming in, the smell of the earth swirling in the wind mixed with hot beverages and comforting perfumes of cinnamon and cloves. So, why not celebrate Mabon, too?

The Wheel Of The Year Stops On Mabon

The Wheel of the Year is a holiday calendar quite precious to us Witches who practice Nature celebrations. Many of us know Samhain due to many movies and Yuletide going through a revival with the Frozen franchise and Krampus.

But if we go in order and remain with the big eight celebrations it starts with the Winter Solstice called Yuletide, then Imbolc, followed by the Spring Equinox called Ostara.

OCD VampireSeptember 23, 2023September 10, 20231 Comment

Experts, Kasey Hill, News

The Reality Of Spiritual Cults In The 21st Century

Gothic Bite Magazine is not a place for religion. However, if we see people pulled in wrongful places we want to speak up. Cults are surfacing and using Gothic terminology and demonology. So what is a cult?

Let’s Talk About The Overall Dressing

The New Age Spiritualist movement has been a catalyst in the lives of society ever since Wicca became a broad spectrum in the 1960s. Earlier derived as Witchcraft by Gardner in the 1940s and 1950s.

Many societies and groups of people have been seeking enlightenment established within the last hundred years, including those seekers and societies that stem back to the Freemasons, the Templars, and the Illuminati.

Kasey HillSeptember 19, 2023September 18, 2023Leave a comment

Pilgrims Going To Church by George Henry Boughton

Experts, OCD Vampire

The Contradictions Of Increase Mather in The Salem Witch Trials

It is the Fall season, and here at Gothic Bite Magazine, we celebrate the Witch Age early for our Fall season, from September 1st to November 30th. So, let’s start this Witch Age Season with Increase Mather, an enemy of Witches!

Puritans Leading To The Salem Witch Trials

We all know about the Salem Witch trials of 1692. The darkest and most horrifying Witch trial in North America. It is also one of the darkest pages in the history of the United States of America.

In the State of Massachusetts, Salem was a more considerable territory and differently shaped and Puritans populated the village. But what do we know about Puritans? The term isn’t often used or is linked to the thought of pilgrims and the first colonies of what would become the United States.

OCD VampireSeptember 11, 2023September 10, 20233 Comments

Experts, OCD Vampire, Reviews, YouTube

They’re Watching A Review About A Witch’s Cottage

There are many mainstream horror movies out there made to reach out to as many people as possible. But there are little indie movie gems that often pass under the radar. They’re Watching from 2016 is one of them.

Let’s Get Outside The USA For A Movie

While They’re Watching takes place outside the United States, it is an English movie. What does this mean? They removed us from a ‘movie comfort zone’ and explored new horizons. They’re Watching might not be a huge horror movie, but it has a powerful story.

They don’t make all independent movies on a tiny budget or cheaply with horrible actors. Independent movies are often very resourceful and rely on craftsmanship. They’re Watching is a smaller movie with meat around the bones and an exciting story.

OCD VampireAugust 18, 2023Leave a comment

Experts, Kasey Hill, Paganism

Beltane, An Ancient Pagan And Wiccan Practice On The First Of May

The First of May is the Beltane Day for those who practise witchcraft or are Pagans. It is part of the Wheel of the Year. But what is Beltane, and how does one celebrate it?

A Little History

Beltane, also known as Cétshamhain and Lá Bealtaine, is the last of the spring fertility festivals. It is the mark of the end days of spring and the beginning of the summer days to come in June.

People would douse and relight their household fires from the bonfires of Beltane. Beltane and Samhain divide the year into two primary seasons. Beltane is the summer—Light part, and Samhain is the winter—Dark part, marking the passage into the growing and resting seasons.

Kasey HillMay 1, 20231 Comment

Experts, Indie Community, Interviews

Gothic Bite Magazine Interviews Their Writer, Becki Kolodziej

At Gothic Bite Magazine, we love welcoming new patients to become part of our asylum. We question them and learn about them. It doesn’t matter what creative field they are part of because they’re our patients now. This week, we welcome Becki Kolodziej.

Patient Name: Becki Kolodziej

Hello all. I am Rebecca Kolodziej, a writer and poet from Wales in the United Kingdom.

I’ve always loved to write since a very young age. Horror has been a massive part of my life. I love creating spooky things by drawing, writing, and even crafting. I like to learn about horror by reading as many books as possible.

rebeccakgothicbitemagazineApril 28, 2023April 27, 20231 Comment

Experts, OCD Vampire

The Mirror Fixation Challenge

What is it called when your brain starts seeing shapes and changes your face when fixing your reflection for too long? Well, that is a question coming up often and here is the answer!

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall What’s Wrong With You?

I developed a mirror phobia called eisoptrophobia. My phobia is due to self-image issues. It can lead to dramatic changes in someone’s life. When I lost all of my excess weight because of my body dysmorphia, I still wasn’t looking at myself in a mirror.

I knew what I looked like despite avoiding cameras and trying to look away from mirrors as much as possible. However, one evening I brushed my teeth and looked in the mirror in the bathroom. It’s the only mirror in our house that isn’t covered.

OCD VampireMarch 20, 2023Leave a comment

Experts, Kasey Hill, YouTube

The Christian Denunciation Horror Genre

Christian Horror is growing in the genre and is taking much more space in the last decade. It has many faces, and Christian Denunciation Horror is one of them, told and explained by Kasey Hill.

First Of All, A Little About Kasey Hill

Kasey Hill has lived in Franklin County, VA, for most of her adult life. Spending two years in journalism in high school and has a few articles published in the Franklin News-Post. She built much of her young adult life around reading and writing.

After being away from the craft for a few years, she returned to the creative writing flow. She has several novels published and many more stories circulating for anthologies as she pushes her passions forth into the writing community.

Kasey HillMarch 15, 2023March 10, 20231 Comment

Experts, Paganism, Paranormal, Paula Phillips

Northern Norway’s Witch Trials

On Bookstagram of late last year, a new book was advertised and caught my attention. The book is loosely based on the true story of the Vardo Witch Trials.

About The Book

The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave takes the readers to the island of Vardo. We are pulled into the very experience the witch trials caused in Vardø in the year 1621.

Through the eyes and mind of Maren, we see the stories of the women of Vardø. We also share the Commander’s wife’s point of view, Ursa, who is responsible for sending the authorities to the village.

NZGeekChicJanuary 27, 2022Leave a comment

Experts, OCD Vampire, Reviews, YouTube

Do You Remember Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows?

I am not ashamed to say I am a big fan of the Blair Witch franchise. But everyone despises the sequel, and it had me want to revisit it. Here is my review!

* WARNING: Spoilers Ahead!*

The Official Summary!

Do you remember Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows? No? Let’s dig in!

As it follows the twisted path traveled by five people fixated on The Blair Witch Project, Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows journeys into a dark and dangerous place where the line between truth and fiction blurs and perhaps vanishes altogether.

OCD VampireJanuary 19, 2022January 18, 2022Leave a comment

Experts, Paganism

What Is The Broom Closet? And Why Is It A Thing?

Broom Closet: a term used by the Pagan community for those who haven’t yet revealed their religion to others.

Fear Of The Unknown

Quite a few years ago, I got an Awen tattoo on my index finger. When I returned to work a week later, a fellow employee—who was a Christian and was kind to me (before this incident)—asked what it stood for.

When I told them it was a symbol for inspiration and divine illumination for poets, writers, artists, and creatives, they asked about God [Christian God] and what I believed. She interrogated me, and I felt I couldn’t be honest, so I said whatever she wanted me to say, and I’ve been trying to hide my tattoos ever since.

L. A. MacielAugust 17, 2021Leave a comment

Experts, Paganism

The Witch’s Corner with L.A. Maciel

Welcome to our new weekly segment with L.A. Maciel and The Witch’s Corner! Here, you’ll find answer to questions about witchcraft you never thought about before!

A Witch’s Introduction

There’s a common phrase amongst writers that are writing about ourselves is difficult. I would have to agree. And it’s not just the concept of feeling narcissistic in this case.

It’s about self-preservation. You see, I am a witch. Well, I’m a pantheist pagan with animistic leanings, but I still practice witchcraft in one of its many forms. And this reality can cause problems.

L. A. MacielMay 25, 2021May 24, 20212 Comments

There are many reasons why someone could get enthusiastic about fortune-telling, but what if the reader is the one who finds an obsession with the process? This little OCD Vampire is intrigued by cartomancy and what it means!

What Is Cartomancy And What Does It Really Do?

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We often hear the word Wicca and directly associate it with witchcraft. But what is Wicca aside from that? Wicca is the only religion found to be witchcraft, and that sets it apart. Kasey Hill is here to explain more about Wicca!

Paganism Versus Wicca

Share this:

In the writing world, we often use folklore and legends. But Druids are not part of the usual characters in novels. Their secrecy might be to blame.

Why Did I Fall Into The Rabbit Hole Of Druidism

Share this:

The hate for witches goes back millennia and is still present in our time now, worse than it has been in centuries. Why are people so afraid of witches? Read to find out!

Is It The Fear Of The Unknown Or Something Else?

Share this:

Being a witch today is more challenging because of all the false information surrounded it. Conspiracy theories and ‘normal’ people are giving birth to a second age of witch hunt.

So Many Different Witch Paths

*** This article will not mention or discuss Wicca as a religion. ****** This article does not mention astrologer, psychic, or medium as a path. Not all witches are fortune-tellers or astrologers, which are their own paths. ***

Share this:

Pagans, witches and goths alike were all Hollywoodified and categorized as people who sacrifice for rituals and speak to the devil. Halloween is no exception to the rule. So, what is Halloween?

The Horrible Reality That We Live In

Share this:

The witch trials in Europe spread throughout the continent, and some of the most tragic are the most famous. So, let us visit one of the most famous cases in the 300 years of witch trials!

The Overall View Of The Salzburg Witch Trials

Share this:

The witch trials occurred when everyone could be a victim of accusations leading to torture and horrible deaths. But some of the worst stories of witchcraft lead to Scotland, and Agnes Sampson is one of them.

The History Of Agnes Sampson

Share this:

Fall is many of us’ favourite seasons. We wait for the turning of colours, the temperatures lowering, the rain coming in, the smell of the earth swirling in the wind mixed with hot beverages and comforting perfumes of cinnamon and cloves. So, why not celebrate Mabon, too?

The Wheel Of The Year Stops On Mabon

Share this:

Gothic Bite Magazine is not a place for religion. However, if we see people pulled in wrongful places we want to speak up. Cults are surfacing and using Gothic terminology and demonology. So what is a cult?

Let’s Talk About The Overall Dressing

Share this:

It is the Fall season, and here at Gothic Bite Magazine, we celebrate the Witch Age early for our Fall season, from September 1st to November 30th. So, let’s start this Witch Age Season with Increase Mather, an enemy of Witches!

Puritans Leading To The Salem Witch Trials

Share this:

There are many mainstream horror movies out there made to reach out to as many people as possible. But there are little indie movie gems that often pass under the radar. They’re Watching from 2016 is one of them.

Let’s Get Outside The USA For A Movie

Share this:

The First of May is the Beltane Day for those who practise witchcraft or are Pagans. It is part of the Wheel of the Year. But what is Beltane, and how does one celebrate it?

A Little History

Share this:

At Gothic Bite Magazine, we love welcoming new patients to become part of our asylum. We question them and learn about them. It doesn’t matter what creative field they are part of because they’re our patients now. This week, we welcome Becki Kolodziej.

Patient Name: Becki Kolodziej

Share this:

What is it called when your brain starts seeing shapes and changes your face when fixing your reflection for too long? Well, that is a question coming up often and here is the answer!

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall What’s Wrong With You?

Share this:

Christian Horror is growing in the genre and is taking much more space in the last decade. It has many faces, and Christian Denunciation Horror is one of them, told and explained by Kasey Hill.

First Of All, A Little About Kasey Hill

Share this:

On Bookstagram of late last year, a new book was advertised and caught my attention. The book is loosely based on the true story of the Vardo Witch Trials.

About The Book

Share this:

I am not ashamed to say I am a big fan of the Blair Witch franchise. But everyone despises the sequel, and it had me want to revisit it. Here is my review!

* WARNING: Spoilers Ahead!*

The Official Summary!

Share this:

Broom Closet: a term used by the Pagan community for those who haven’t yet revealed their religion to others.

Fear Of The Unknown

Share this:

Welcome to our new weekly segment with L.A. Maciel and The Witch’s Corner! Here, you’ll find answer to questions about witchcraft you never thought about before!

A Witch’s Introduction

Share this:

* This article will not mention or discuss Wicca as a religion. *
* This article does not mention astrologer, psychic, or medium as a path. Not all witches are fortune-tellers or astrologers, which are their own paths. *