“Wander the ways of witchcraft in the mountains of Appalachia! In Backwoods Witchcraft, Jake Richards presents a fresh perspective on the practices, lore, and magick of the hillfolk of Tennessee. Jake offers a plethora of charming tales from his family and upbringing as the reader is delighted to partake in a time-honored, homegrown, century's-old culture of ritual, spells, and beliefs from the American South.”
—CHRISTOPHER ORAPELLO, podcaster, artist,
and coauthor of Besom, Stang & Sword
“Jake has dug deep into the mountains and the land to share the wisdoms of his people, and he has done a wonderful job. He has shook the memory of this ole conjure woman and made me remember some things that I haven't thought of in years. I feel that this book is a blessing from the ancestors to draw forth knowledge that has been citified, changed, and lost. The land holds the memory, bones, and blood of the ancestors; and knowledge holds the key to unlocking what has been lost. I feel this book will help some to turn the key and open that door. Many blessings, Jake, and congratulations on a job well done!”
—from the foreword by STARR CASAS, author
of Old Style Conjure
“In Backwoods Witchcraft, Jake Richards shares his memories of growing up with Appalachian folk magic practices as they were passed on to him through generations within his family. In so doing, he offers a snapshot in time, recording and preserving a tradition of American folk practices, many of which are being forgotten in the post-industrial age. Richards presents family stories and experiences that came with learning the charms and formulas themselves. In doing so, he teaches the techniques in the context of the ideas behind the recipes, something that is often lacking in a lot of books on American folk magic. His writing comes across as humble, sincere, simple, and clear to follow. Backwoods Witchcraft is a great contribution to the writings on traditional folk magic.”
—MAT AURYN, author of Psychic Witch: A
Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick, and
Manifestation