What at first appeared to be a specific book about the Native American sacred pipe opened up a whole world of mythology, history, and religion.

Do you know what a Smaragdus is? Or a Lapidary for that matter? Click on in for gems and stones Claude Lecouteux style.

Since I just got done reviewing “The Secret History of Poltergeists and Haunted Houses: From Pagan Folklore to Modern Manifestations” by Claude Lecouteux I thought now would be the perfect time to take a look at “Ghosts & Spirits Tarot” by Lisa Hunt. I know I seem to be near pants wetting excited over every tarot deck I review, but seriously you guys, “Ghosts & Spirits Tarot” is incredibly impressive. How impressive? Incredibly.

Join us for 10 questions with Avi Glijansky, creator, writer, and director of the web series “The Further Adventures of Cupid and Eros”. We discuss mythology, the creative process, why Psyche would date a dermatologist, and so much more! Trust me, you’re not going to want to miss this one! There’s even video!

How reading “Phantom Armies of the Night” by Claude Lecouteux inspired me to create my own feast for the Good Women.

Join me as I goes international with my interview with Claude Lecouteux, author of one my favorite-est books ever, “The Return of the Dead: Ghosts, Ancestors, and the Transparent Veil of the Pagan Mind”. We discuss his latest book (now one of my other favorite-est books ever) “Phantom Armies of the Night: The Wild Hunt and the Ghostly Processions of the Undead”, translating, what’s next, and more!

Not too long ago I received a review copy of “The Vengeful Djinn: Unveiling the Hidden Agendas of Genies” by Rosemary Ellen Guiley and Philip J. Imbrogno. I really enjoyed the book and set about trying to verbalize what the book was about and why it was a worthy read. The problem was, my mind kept wandering back to the introduction written by Philip J. Imbrogno. It was just so good at explaining the book, and it did so in such a way that I couldn’t wait to get into reading the book itself. On a whim I contacted Llewellyn, the publisher of “The Vengeful Djinn” about being able to publish Imbrogno’s introduction on The Magical Buffet for my readers, and much to my delight they said yes.

So without further ado, Philip J. Imbrogno’s introduction from “The Vengeful Djinn”!

Yes, you read the title correctly. There will be talk of Hooters, both restaurant chain and part of female anatomy, and Goddess worship. Are you really not going to check this one out?

As you know, I have been publishing my old “Letters from the Publisher” from back when The Magical Buffet was a monthly e-zine because the letters didn’t migrate over to the new blog format. Most of my letters aren’t worth republishing. However there are a few that share some of my more personal thoughts that I wanted new readers to have access to. With that said, here is my “Letter from the Publisher” from May 2008.

I frequently say that I love people who hustle. It’s a hard thing to define since I don’t necessarily mean “to earn one’s living by illicit or unethical means,” as Random House Dictionary says. When I say I love the hustle, or people who have got their “hustle on”, I’m generally talking about “to proceed or work rapidly or energetically, to push or force one’s way; jostle or shove, to be aggressive, esp. in business or other financial dealings,” as the rest of the 2010 Random House Dictionary entry states. Kathy Griffin? Hustle. Perez Hilton? Hustle. David Pitkin? Hustle. However there is one lady who I put above all others when thinking about the hustle. Is it Oprah? Nope, it’s a woman whose hustle was so potent that she, despite being an actual person, has become entwined with the Gods themselves. (And no, it’s not Madonna. Just click into the article already!)