In this interview we discuss

• The layout of the book

• How content was decided upon

• Who the book is for

• And some very cool ways you can use this book to deepen your personal reading experience.

To learn more about Ethony or even join her book study click here!

If you have this book or want to recommend one for review leave a comment on this post.

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Before we dive into today’s message I wanted to remind you that my Adventure in Tarot - Journey through the suit of Cups, starts TOMORROW!!!

I am so excited for this 14 day adventure.

I can already tell it is going to something truly special just from the lessons I have already written up.

But I also know it is going to be a lot more spontaneous and in the moment than the journey through the Cups. If you are want to get in before the first lesson drops tomorrow afternoon, click here and it will take you to the registration page.

Righto, lets get into todays message

Message from the Ace of Wands

“There is magic all around you

Right here

Right now

In this moment

You do not have go anywhere

Or wait to feel it

Just move with the nudges

Your inner being

Is sending your way

Do not question

Just move

For you do not wait

For magic to find you

You feel into the moment

And move with the magic

You may not be able to always see it

Nor will your mind

Truly understand

What is being asked of you

But do it anyway

You will know

When you have matched up

With the magical energy

As you will feel

Calmer

Quieter

Uplifted

Inspired

Things will just

Start to line up

The day will move

With more ease

As there will be less

Interruptions and distractions

Just keep moving with the nudges

And you will be connected

To the magic

That is always available to you.”

Message from the 10 of Cups

“We hear lots of you ask for happiness

Success

Fulfillment

Love

Yet it seems most of you

Are not sure what it feels like

Or how to identify it

When it shows up

Often confusing it

For something else entirely

Which in turn makes you believe

That these emotional states

Are not for you

Which could not be further from the truth

As they are around you all the time

Moving through your day

In the mundane moments of your experience

You might just need to slow down enough

To feel them

To identify the subtle nudges

Your emotional body is sending you

These could be

To be still

To be quiet

To allow the wonder of the moment in

To receive something good

A thank you

A hug

A moment of appreciation

Gratitude

For what you seek

Is already in your life

Hidden in boring parts

Just waiting for your to find it

Which is why it is time

To make a game out of

identify the joy

The comfort

The fun

The heart based wonder

That already exists in your day

Seeking out these feelings

Shows you

That the emotional states of being

You desire

Have already planted seeds

In your day

Your week

Your month

All you have to do is tend to them

Once you do that

Your cups will be filled to the brim

Overflowing

From you to all around you.”

But let’s dive into today’s message.

A Message from the Star Card

“Every time you desire something

You drop a pin on your vibrational map

This is in turn gives the energy

Somewhere to direct itself

Yet you do tend to drop a lot of pins

Making your map

Look more like a murder board

Than an efficient

Navigation tool

Which is why

You may want to consider

Holding your desire

Long enough

For movement and momentum to be felt

For one of the reasons

You change course so often

Is because you have decided

That nothing has happened

That you are still in the same spot

That there has been little to no progress

From where you are

To where you want to be

This is never true

You just haven’t given the energy long enough

To show you evidence

And we understand

How impatient you humans can be

And we love your creative nature

So very much

We just want you to see

Everything that the Stars have aligned for you

In order for the that to happen

You just need to spend

More time holding the aligned energy

That your destination is emitting

Because there is a good chance

That the direction the energy will take you

Wont be the direction

You have become fixated upon

This is where progress is often missed

In the misalignment of the maps

Yet your navigation system

Is always working to redirect you

To the path of least resistance

Which means around the obstacles

The frustration

The anger

The pain

Which is why those above emotions

Let you know that you are headed the wrong way.

For just as we Stars move

So too will your route.

By all means drop your pin

But then go relax.

Take a nap

Read a book

Hang out with people who make you laugh

And let us steer you to the place of your desire

Charting you course

With love, care and kindness.”

Message from the Page of Cups

“Not everyone is comfortable

Talking about their childhood

For some

It was a wonderful time

Filled with carefree moments

For others

Childhood gave way to survival

No two humans

Have the same childhood experience

Some learned loss early

Some did not

Some learned hard lessons

While others were protected

Yet regardless of experience

You all learned the same thing

How to use your emotional energy

For some it became a weapon

Others learned to hide it altogether

While some of you chose

Early on

To lead with an open heart

This is where you either

Gained armor

Or allowed your sensitive self to Feel

Whatever habit you picked up

Is still with you today

You may be aware of it

Or it may just be running

Your emotional show

Without you even knowing

No matter what sort of adult your are now

Your childhood shaped you

Moulded you emotionally

And made you choose

Between your emotions or your mind

To keep distance

Or to be open

To see the world as a safe place

Or to be cautious and hyper vigilant

To trust what comes next

Or to plan everything out so there are no surprises

There is no wrong or wright path

No correct or incorrect childhood

Only deep wisdom and healing

Swimming within your emotional body

Just waiting for you to sit down

And have a chat with it.”

In order to be in the running for prizes you need to leave a comment about the actual message, not the card, not how much you would like to win. But how you are taking in the above message.

Leave a comment

Message from the Devil Card.

“You have built a lovely cage

With your lack and excuses

A way to separate yourself

From the things you want

Your cage is built

With all the reasons

You shouldn’t or couldn’t

Reach for what you want

Go where you want to go

Feel the way you wish to feel

Every bar carefully constructed

With one belief after another

But while you were building

This very strong and sturdy cage

You failed to notice something crucial

The lock on your cage

Is purely decorative

You are staying trapped

By choice

Not out of necessity

At any time

You could reach around

And Release yourself

Take what you need

Move on

Instead

You have chosen

To stay right where you are

Suffering

Looking out at the world

When you could so easily

Be a part of it

Your freedom

Your liberation

Is at your own hand

A choice

An action

That you have the pawer

Right here

Right now to make

By all means

Stay in the cage if you want to

You do have free will after all

Just remember that you are the one

Who put yourself there

And you are the one

Who continues to stay there.

At anytime

You are also the one

Who can leave and have a different experience.”

Remember in order to be in the running for prizes you need to leave a comment about the actual message, not the card, not how much you would like to win. But how you are taking in the above message.

Leave a comment

Will you be joining us for the paid subscribers only Monthly Circle?
May 28 will be our very first live monthly call just for paid subscribers. Make sure you have upgraded so you can be there.

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I ran a similar challenge last year but only on instagram, this year I am broadening that reach. I am also doing the messages a little differently and instead giving you a taste of the types of channeled messages my Inner Temple clients get.

So please enjoy todays message and card.

Message from the Seven of Pentacles

“ Your life is spent

Predominately

In the expectancy phase

Meaning your will find yourself

Waiting, Watching, Growing

More than anything else

This is because the energy

You came here to experience

Is the Journey

It was never about the manifestation

Though have a destination

Gives you a point of focus

Clarity

A target

For your thoughts, feels and energy

But it is the travel time

The pregnancy

That you will spend the majority of your existence in

This is not a fault

This is the purpose of the design

Which is why

All spiritual teachings

Sound similar

They all ask you to find the joy

In the moment you are in

To be present

Grounded

Thankful

For what is in front of you

Right here

Right now

So today

Do not let your mind

Wander to the future

Or even drift to the past

Instead be still

And find the magic this moment has to offer

For things will and do change

Meaning this place along the path

Will be gone soon enough

And there will be a part of you in the future

Who will miss this space

Because that is how the journey goes.

Enjoy your gift

Your present

As it was always meant for you to receive it

Today.”

Leave a comment about the above message, not just an emoji, if you wish to be in the running for prizes.

Due to some technical issues, this did not end up being live as I had hoped. However, it did end up being a fabulous interview with Elliot. So please enjoy this Months Tarot Book in Review.

Summary and Show Notes…

In this month’s Tarot is Ridiculous book review, host Leeza Robertson welcomes author and professional tarot reader Elliot Adam to discuss his latest book, Tarot in Love, published by Llewellyn. It’s a warm and wide-ranging conversation that covers the inspiration behind the book, its unique structure, the philosophy of compassionate love readings, and why this kind of resource has been long overdue in the tarot world.

Elliot opens by explaining what drove him to write Tarot in Love — the simple observation that relationship questions dominate tarot readings, yet there has been almost no dedicated literature on the subject. Rather than writing a book that leaves querents feeling powerless and waiting for answers from someone else, Elliot wanted to flip the lens back onto the reader themselves. Why do you want this person back? What does this relationship reflect about your own sense of worth? The book doesn’t shy away from practical insights, yes, it will tell you what someone might be thinking but it grounds every reading in self-awareness and personal empowerment.

The conversation touches on the emotional complexity of relationship readings, and both Leeza and Elliot are refreshingly honest about the challenges they present. Elliot discusses two common pitfalls readers fall into: colluding with a client’s denial about a dysfunctional relationship on one hand, and being dismissive or even cruel toward someone who is genuinely hurting on the other. His approach charts a compassionate middle path, honest, but never unkind.

A highlight of the discussion is the breakdown of how the book is structured. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all interpretation, each card is explored through multiple relationship contexts: new relationships, long-term partnerships, intimacy, desire, and seeking romance. Leeza notes that many of these sections particularly “seeking romance” which could easily be applied beyond romantic love to areas like health, healing, and self-worth, making the book a surprisingly versatile tool for any reader.

Elliot also opens up about the cards that challenged him most during the writing process, particularly the Pentacles suit. What initially felt like an awkward fit for a love book ultimately revealed itself to be about something far deeper — our sense of value, worthiness, and what we believe we deserve in relationships. It’s a reminder, as both Leeza and Elliot agree, that tarot rewards those who sit with the symbolism rather than reaching for quick keywords.

The episode wraps with Leeza recommending the book not just for new readers navigating their first relationship readings, but for seasoned practitioners looking to add fresh perspective and greater depth to their practice.

Timestamps - for interesting topics

• 01:10 – Why Elliot wrote the book. He discusses how relationship questions dominate tarot readings, and his desire to shift the focus from disempowerment (”when will they come back?”) to self-reflection and personal growth.

• 03:35 – The ethics of relationship readings. Elliot addresses two problematic extremes: validating unhealthy relationships, and readers who are dismissive or even sadistic toward clients asking love questions.

• 07:02 – How the book is structured. Each card is explored through multiple relationship lenses: new relationships, long-term partnerships, intimacy, desire, and seeking romance.

• 17:35 – Who is this book for? Elliot recommends it for those exploring their own relationships, and especially for up-and-coming readers who need a compassionate, grounded framework for love readings.

🔍 Where to Find Out More About Today’s Guest

Elliot Adam is a professional tarot reader and author with over 25 years of experience. He began his tarot career at the age of 16, and by 20 had opened his own tarot shop, Athena’s Oracle, in Milwaukee. Amazon He holds a doctoral degree in classical oboe and has performed thousands of readings for clients all over the world Elliot Oracle, including journalists, actors, doctors, and entrepreneurs. He is the author of two acclaimed books published by Llewellyn: Tarot in Love and the award-winning Fearless Tarot. His website, ElliotOracle.com, features a daily tarot Card of the Day with upright and reversed meanings, as well as readings and free content for anyone interested in tarot. Elliot Oracle

• 🌐 Website: ElliotOracle.com

• 📺 YouTube: Elliot Oracle on YouTube

• 📖 Tarot in Love (Llewellyn): Available at ElliotOracle.com and all major booksellers

• 📖 Fearless Tarot (Llewellyn): Buy on Amazon | Signed edition at ElliotOracle.com

14 cards - Ace to King

14 days - April 6-19

14 Lessons - To do on your time at your own pace.

Zero Calls

Zero meetings

Zero zooms

Just you, your cards, a notebook and the lessons which are delivered via telegram each day of the journey.

The entire program is run through Telegram, where every single day a new lesson will be posted and you can work at it at your own pace. Homework will be given and interaction is encouraged but nothing is ever presumed and there is no pressure. Because what would be the point in taking a journey through our emotional body if we were only going to fill it with more stress?

Instead think about these 14 days as a way for you to breathe deeper, relax a little more, and open up space to invite more peace, calm, and joy into your life.

You can click here and join today.

I have been deep inside my writing cave this month, which means I haven’t been in contact with very many people, which is why we once again have another written review. To be perfectly honest the book that I chose this month, we would not have been able to have a recorded video anyway because the legendary Rachel Pollack is no longer here to give interviews. Though while she was on the mortal plane, I did interview her and she was amazing.

My very first interview with Rachel was at the very beginning of my publishing career and the Animal Totem Tarot was in production. We had not finished with the artwork yet; we were about halfway through. Rachel had just come out with a deck of her own and she was really excited to see the Animal Totem Tarot come to life. I sent some of it to her after our interview and she was so incredibly supportive of the deck. That really stuck with me because it is hard for beginners in this industry. A lot of people will slam doors in your face or not want anything to do with you when you’re beginning but Rachel was never like that. She was kind; she was genuine in her want for your success. She left a profound mark on me and my work, which is why it feels so fitting to do a review of one of her books today.

Now when it comes to picking a book of Rachel’s to do a review of, there are definitely many, many to choose from as just like the great Mary Greer, she has a prolific amount of material inside the tarot space. I, like many Tarot professionals, have more than one Rachel Pollack book in my collection. One of my all time favorite Rachel Pollack books is actually not about Tarot at all, but thats not for this review!

When it came to sitting down and thinking about which book I would like to pull out of her collection to add to this blog, I went for a book that fit the intermediate to advanced space. One that tackled more complex elements of the tarot and provided some interesting historical facts not often found in beginner texts.

Our book this month is Tarot Wisdom: Spiritual Teachings and Deeper Meanings by the late great Rachel Pollack.

This books leans very heavily on historical decks like the Marseille and the Visconti, while also weaving in the Golden Dawn and Rider Waite Smith decks along the way. You will also find examples from Rachel’s own deck, the Shining Tribe Tarot. Rachel also uses the Kabbala as a lens to view the cards and their placements, which elevates the meanings and discussion of all the 78 cards.

The Major Arcana are dealt with as archetypal energies in this particular book, which means that each card has a lot of information inside of it that you may not find in other tarot books. Rachel gives you, on the very first page of every Major Arcana card, a list of:

• keywords

• the number association

• the astrological correspondence

• the Kabbalistic letter and where it sits on the path of the Tree of Life

She will then present a couple of different images from various decks before diving into her discussion of the archetypal energy itself, mixed with some really fascinating historical information.

One of the things I quite enjoy seeing in this book are the different meanings for each archetype and these will come from different resources, whether it’s the Christian version, the Golden Dawn version, the Rider-Waite-Smith version, historical or literature versions of the archetype. This gives the cards a grounding in culture and time their where being used in. Not just as printed images on paper but as usable teaching tools that have been adapted throughout time to ground principles and lessons into the culture in which it finds itself. That’s one of the fascinating things about how she has laid out some of the historical text here: seeing how the meanings of the cards have shifted and changed over hundreds of years.

You will notice with this book is that the majority of the word count is weighted towards the major arcana. With each of the archetypes she dives a lot deeper into the meanings, the history, the teachings, and the philosophy, whereas the minor arcana cards, or the pip cards (aces to ten), are given much shorter word lengths and attention.

I understand that we are very limited by word counts when we sit down and write these sort of books, but, I would love to see a book that dealt with the minor arcana in more detail or at least in as much detail as the major arcana tends to get. For me, the minor arcana are the everyday cards. The cards that we use from the time we get up in the morning to the time we pull our feet back into bed at the end of the day. These are the cards that represent what everyday life means for us. Whereas the big concepts in the major arcana don’t happen every day, yet somehow we have given them far more weight than we have the mundane application of the minor arcana cards.

The Court Cards are given their own section in this book and I really like the way that it is broken down into possible different ways to read the Court Cards. Because at the end of the day these are the people cards of the Tarot and they can have multiple meanings and are not always read the same way. Depending on how you interpret each particular person that pops up within the court. In fact there is a fun section in the Court Card Chapters that is titled “Movie Stars, Fairy Tales, Superheroes and Noble Worthies”. This particular section does a really fantastic job of looking at the people in the four courts in a fun and relatable way for contemporary audiences.

The very last section of this book is dedicated to readings. It’s interesting that she starts this chapter on readings on how to buy a tarot deck, then she has a fourteen-step process on how to actually conduct a reading, and then ends with spread examples, which are actually really quite nice. I always enjoy looking at the spreads in other tarot practitioners books because spread variation is a big deal these days. Whether we’re looking to create a spread for social media or we’re looking for a spread to create for ourselves, it’s just fun to look at the way other Tarot peeps design their particular spreads. (if you are really into spreads, watch the interview I did with Meg Jones!) There are actually quite a lot of spreads in the back of this book so if you are looking for new ways to play with the cards, then the entire back section of this book is definitely designed with that in mind.

This is a must-have book if you are looking to expand your understanding of the cards, where they came from, and their meaning. The great thing about books like Tarot Wisdom is that you can spend time with it, put it on your shelf, and forget about it for a while. Come back to it and something new will be there for you. It’s one of the reasons that I keep this book in my collection not just because Rachel wrote it, but because I do come back to it time and time again. Because there is always something new in this book for me to learn and for me to contemplate that I did not notice before.

Case in point, I was just doing som historical research into the Court Jester and the role of the Fool in royal courts, and Rachel touches on it in this book. So imagine my joy when I sat down to do this review and there was information right under my nose! If you have this book and it is also a favorite of yours, let me know in the comments below.

Well that is it for this month’s tarot book review. But stick around as I will have another episode of Behind the Cards coming up soon as well as my next Tarot is Ridiculous interview. Oh and come hang out with me for 14 days as we journey through the suit of Cups!

Until next time, stay safe, find small joys, and find something new and interesting in your cards, Leeza.

I did actually have an interview lined up this month but the first person I had arranged to come in, we just couldn’t find a time on the calendar that matched. The second person who said that they would be happy to come and speak on my sub stack ended up ghosting me. So here we are, at the end of the month, and I am sitting down to do the next book review.

But do not worry, despite all the missed connections and radio silence, I still have a fabulous book to dive into this month. It is Tarot by the Moon by Victoria Constantino. This is not a new release. This book came out in 2021 and it’s one of the very few books that I actually got sent by my publisher to review before it went to print That means that the copy that I have is an uncorrected proof. By that I mean it hasn’t had its final edits done. So the final layout, text and thickness of paper will be a little different if you bought this book once it was officially published.

This is a book that is designed to be used all year round. It’s set up so that you follow the Full Moon’s from January all the way through to December and each chapter is dedicated to whatever the full moon is going to be in that month. It is interesting that this entire book is based on the full moon of the month, because no other moon cycle is mentioned in this book at all. So if you are looking for a book that co-ordinates with all the lunar cycles, this is not it.

Each chapter starts off with a little bit about the full moon of the month. For example in March it is the Worm Moon. There’s a little bit at the beginning of the chapter about what that Moon is, the other names that it is called, and what we can expect from this particular full Moon cycle.

Inside the chapters…

Next thing is the spreads for the month. Each full moon has several spreads that you can do throughout the month. The one that is in the March section is tied a little to spring so you’ll find spreads like:

• sprouts unfurling

• sowing seeds

• what is preparing to emerge

Each full moon chapter also comes with its own unique spells and rituals based on the energy of whatever that particular full moon is going to create. In the month of March the spells we have here are:

• I wrap the warm blanket of love around me.

• Planting new seeds.

• Growth and expansion.

In between the spells and the spreads there are different sections in the chapters; going back to the chapter for March there’s a little section here called “Moon Phase Cards as Indications of Timing” as well “Significance of Numbers”, and“Keeping a Manifestation Journal”. These small self contained sections in each chapter give the reader more ways to work with both the content of the book and the full moons themselves.

Style and layout…

I do like the way this book is laid out in workbook style, inviting you to dive into the full moon and learn as much as you can about each moon that is featured in the 12 month cycle. The very first part of the book is where you’ll find most of the Tarot content outside of the spreads that are in the monthly chapters. The first part of the book (mainly contained to the introduction) is where you will find -

• Why this book was written to be worked with in conjunction with the Moon and the Moon cycles

• How to make the most out of the book

• Interpreting the Tarot

• A little bit about numerology, breaking down the different systems inside the Tarot

One of things I do like about this book is that it does include the Blue Moon. A Blue Moon is when we get two full moons in one month, typically one at the very start of the month and one at the end. I appreciate the fact that we have a chapter dedicated just to The Blue Moon because it is a very potent part of our magical experience and to be able to put some spreads and rituals to that is incredibly useful for moon magic practitioners.

The last thing I will mention is that in the very back of the book you will find an appendix section. Which to be honest, I do find a bit odd and I have no idea why this was not placed at the front of the book. But hey, it is what it! In the appendix section you will find the following

• Appendix A- some meditations to work with the book.

• Appendix B - the author talks about how to amplify your attentions for your full moon rituals.

• Appendix C - she touches briefly on feng shui and how that works with the full moon cycles as well.

Thing that are missing from this book…

There is no astrology in this book and as I pointed out at the start of this review, there are no other moon phases mentioned either. This is one of the main reasons I do not pull this book out very often as I tend to be a whole lunar cycle, steeped in astrology kinda girl. I am not pointing these things out to distract from the good aspects of this book, I am doing so in order for you, dear reader, to be aware of the limitations you might find with this book.

Now I imagine one of the reasons these things are missing is due to word counts for non-fiction publications. To add all the moon phases would have blown that 65,000-70,000 word limit right out of the water. Keeping the focus on full moon’s has allowed the author to create something intimate and deeply personal with this single moon phase. And obviously it works for enough people as this book is still in print.

This book is for…

Moon manifestors this is a must for your collection!
I would also highly recommend this book to those wanting to deepen their lunar practices and dive deeper into each full moon. Especially if you are someone who spends time and energy under the full moon doing rituals, spells, healing and tarot work. Just keep in mind that this is very much a work book. It’s not a book you would read and then put on your shelf. It demands to be picked up every single month, looked at and loved.

Righto, that is our Tarot book for the month of February. If you have this book, love it and use it often let me know in the comments below!

Don’t forget to join me for Part Two of Behind the Cards in March along with our next guest, which I will have!

Until then, stay safe, find some joy, make good memories.

In this first episode of Behind the Cards, I share where I personally begin when creating a tarot deck. Drawing on my experience designing multiple decks—both published and unpublished—I explain why every deck must start with a deep understanding of the original tarot story before any theme, artwork, or design decisions are made. I walk through how I approach the narrative structure of the Major and Minor Arcana, why story coherence matters, and how different thematic “lenses” must support the tarot’s foundational framework rather than override it. This episode focuses on the importance of structure, psychology, and narrative clarity as the true starting point of deck creation.

Show Notes

Welcome to the very first episode of Behind the Cards. I want to start by sharing a little context about my background as a creator. I’ve designed many tarot decks over the years. Seven of them secured contracts, five are currently on the market, one was canceled just weeks before printing, and one—The Fairy Wheel Tarot—will be released this summer. Beyond those, there are countless deck ideas that never went anywhere, because not every idea is meant to become a tarot deck.

That’s an important thing to understand early on: you need many ideas, and not all of them will land.

One example of this was a Priestess-themed deck I pitched. My editor, Barbara Moore, felt it didn’t work as a deck—but suggested it would make a strong book instead. That idea eventually became Tarot Priestess. Sometimes an idea simply wants a different form.

So where do I actually begin when creating a deck?

I always start with the original tarot story. All tarot decks, no matter how modern or thematic, are rooted in that foundation. While I personally don’t deeply connect with the artwork of the traditional Rider–Waite–Smith deck, I do work with its underlying structure. I often reference the original narrative and immerse myself in the many stories contained within the 78 cards.

The first story I revisit is The Fool’s Journey, the sequence of 22 Major Arcana cards. Even though I’ve taught and written about this journey many times—and have already told this story through multiple decks—I return to it again and again. Each new deck asks a different question: How do I tell this story in a way I’ve never told it before?

Once I’ve revisited the Major Arcana, I move into the Minor Arcana. Traditionally, the tarot contains five core storylines: the Fool’s Journey and one storyline for each of the four suits, told from Ace to King. Sometimes I work with that structure. Often, I don’t.

In many of my decks, I separate the court cards into their own narrative, creating six storylines instead of five. In the deck I’m currently working on, I’ve gone even further. Rather than telling the suits as four long journeys, I’ve broken them down by number—aces, twos, threes, and so on—telling the story of each number across all four suits. This creates fifteen distinct storylines instead of five.

This approach allows me to explore the psychology of the Minor Arcana more deeply. For example, the aces can be viewed as a single concept expressed in four different ways: emotionally (Cups), mentally (Swords), practically (Pentacles), and through action (Wands). This structure fits the theme of my current deck and allows for much deeper exploration.

After outlining these story structures, I write everything down—nothing fancy. I use Apple Notes. I document how I’m telling the story and why I’ve chosen that structure.

Only after that do I choose the theme.

The theme is the lens through which the tarot story is told. For example, one deck was told through mermaid mythology. Another, Cirque du Tarot, was structured like a theatrical performance, with multiple perspectives. That deck was complex—and possibly too complex—which may be why it didn’t resonate as widely.

Other decks, like Animal Totem Tarot, presented different challenges. In that case, finding 78 animals with distinct, non-overlapping symbolism was far more difficult than expected. For The Fairy Wheel Tarot, mythology, folklore, and fairy tales provided a rich and cohesive lens. The deck I’m currently working on also has strict mythological rules that must be honored throughout the imagery and storytelling.

All of this happens before any card design begins.

This phase is theoretical, but essential. The theme must be capable of telling the full tarot story—the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana—clearly and coherently. One of the biggest issues I see with new deck creators is that they choose a theme without considering whether it can actually support the full narrative of tarot. When imagery is simply “slapped on,” the deck often becomes confusing or difficult to work with.

Tarot is a conversation. We dialogue with the cards. That conversation must be consistent, coherent, and meaningful on multiple levels.

That’s where I’ll stop for today.

In the next episode, I’ll talk about how to layer the theme over the tarot structure in a way that remains clear, consistent, and easy to read. If you’re watching the replay and have questions, please leave them in the comments—I’ll answer them as this series continues.

Key Takeaways

• Not every tarot idea is meant to become a deck

• Every deck must begin with the original tarot story

• The Fool’s Journey is the foundational narrative

• The tarot contains multiple storylines, not just one

• Deck creators can choose different structural approaches depending on theme

• Breaking the Minor Arcana down by number allows for deeper psychological exploration

• The theme is a lens, not the foundation

• A theme must support the full tarot narrative to work

• Coherence, clarity, and consistency are essential for usability

• Most of the real work happens before any cards are designed

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Tarot, Grief, Activism, and Holding Sacred Space

In this kickoff episode for 2026, Leeza is joined by her dear friend and respected tarot badass Theresa Reed (The Tarot Lady) to discuss Theresa’s powerful book The Cards You’re Dealt — a work that fills a long-standing gap in tarot literature.

Rather than focusing on sparkly predictions or surface-level positivity, this conversation dives into the gritty, real-world situations tarot readers actually encounter: grief, illness, trauma, death, job loss, caregiving, and the emotional weight of living in turbulent times.

✨ Why The Cards You’re Dealt Matters

Theresa shares that she wrote this book because tarot readers are often not trained to hold space for clients facing heavy life experiences, despite those experiences showing up at the tarot table every day.

The book was created to:

• Prevent unintentional harm in readings

• Offer practical, ethical guidance for professionals

• Support readers navigating their own crises with clarity and compassion

• Provide tools grounded in 30+ years of professional experience

💔 Tarot & Grief: A Necessary Conversation (even though it is not sexy)

A central theme of the discussion is grief a topic both Leeza and Theresa feel is deeply under-talked-about and often avoided.

Key insights include:

• Grief isn’t “uncomfortable” because it’s wrong it’s uncomfortable because it asks us to feel

• Tarot offers a safe visual language for expressing emotions that are hard to name

• A simple yet powerful technique: choosing a card to represent how you feel — for adults and children alike

• “Feelings are healing” naming emotions is the first step toward integration

🃏 Choosing the Right Deck for Sensitive Work

Theresa and Leeza discuss deck selection when working with grief or trauma:

• Rider–Waite–Smith and Wiser Tarot for direct, honest reflection

• Softer decks (Tarot for Kids, Whimsical Tarot, Spacious Tarot) for gentler entry points

• Decks with mythic or ethereal qualities like Leeza’s Mermaid Tarot, as effective bridges for both children and adults

• The importance of avoiding decks that are overly graphic, scary, or flippant when holding sacred space

🌍 Tarot in Troubled Times: Activism & Self-Regulation

The episode expands into the collective moment we’re living in — political unrest, global trauma, and emotional overwhelm.

Theresa recommends a very simple yet powerful 3 cards spread Body–Mind–Spirit as a daily practice to:

• Check personal regulation

• Prevent burnout

• Stay grounded enough to engage meaningfully with the world

📚 Supporting the Tarot Community

A heartfelt portion of the conversation centers on supporting Llewellyn / Weiser authors and artists, particularly those based in Minneapolis who continue creating and publishing amid difficult circumstances.

Ways to support include:

• Buying their books

• Sharing their work

• Checking in on authors and creators you love

🌐 Where to Find Theresa Reed

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetarotlady

  Website: https://www.thetarotlady.com/

  IG: https://www.instagram.com/thetarotlady/

  Substack: https://substack.com/@thetarotlady

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetarotlady

  Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thetarotlady

  BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetarotlady.bsky.social

  (Leeza will be featured in an upcoming Substack interview.)

📖 Final Thoughts

The Cards You’re Dealt is more than a tarot book, it’s a guide for readers who want to:

• Hold ethical, compassionate space

• Navigate life’s hardest moments with integrity

• Use tarot as a tool for healing, reflection, and responsibility

This episode is an invitation to read tarot not just skillfully but humanely.

See you next month for the next book in our Tarot Is Ridiculous series.

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When I first narrowed this Substack into a very specific niche — tarot books — I honestly wasn’t sure how it would land. Would people be interested? Would it feel too narrow? What I can say now is that I’ve been absolutely thrilled by the response. This direction feels aligned, alive, and deeply needed — and we’ll be continuing this work well into 2026, with many more interviews on the way.

📚 Why Tarot Books Matter

One of the things that really drives this Substack is a belief I hold strongly as a deck creator, tarot author, and bookseller:
tarot books are an essential part of a tarot education.

While guidebooks inside decks are important (and something creators put a lot of care into), at some point every tarot reader needs additional perspectives. Tarot has a shared structure and story — but interpretation is personal, creative, and ever-evolving. Tarot books allow us to:

• Explore new angles of familiar cards

• Re-examine what we think we know

• Learn from different voices and lived experiences

• Deepen our relationship with the tarot story

This is why interviews have become such a vital part of this Substack — they expand the conversation beyond one voice and invite us all into collective learning.

💬 I Need Your Help for 2026

This is the most important part of this post.

I would love your input as I curate the 2026 lineup. Some of you want advanced material. Some are intermediate. Some are still very much at the beginning of your tarot journey — and I want this space to serve all of you.

Please drop your recommendations in the comments:

• Tarot books you’d love to see featured

• Authors you’d like me to interview

• Books you’ve owned for years and want deeper insight into

• Let me know where you are on your tarot journey

This Substack is community-driven — it isn’t just about what I want to explore, but what we want to learn together.

❤️ A Year-End Practice Recommendation

While my original intention for this Substack wasn’t to focus on my own work, I do want to share one gentle recommendation as we close out the year.

If you have Tarot Healer, I invite you to do the Heart Chakra chapter before the end of December.

Why the heart first?

• The heart reveals desire, emotional truth, and direction

• It shows what wants to unfold in 2026

• In January, you can then move to the Root Chakra to see whether your foundation feels safe and stable enough to support what the heart is asking for

Let the heart lead the story.
Let the root help you build the structure.

This two-month pairing offers a beautiful bridge between reflection and intention-setting.

🙏 Thank You

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who is part of this Substack, especially my paid subscribers. Your support makes it possible for me to buy books, schedule interviews, and create this space with care and depth.

If you’re considering becoming a paid subscriber in 2026, I’d love to have you. And if you’re here as a free subscriber, thank you. Truly. There are thousands of Substacks you could be reading, and I don’t take your presence lightly.

Please don’t forget to leave your recommendations in the comments — that’s the magic that shapes what comes next.

Wishing you a beautiful holiday season, whatever you celebrate.
Be safe as we step into 2026.

Heart first. Root second.
I’ll see you in January for our very first interview of the new year. 💫

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Most tarot readers don’t struggle with insight.

They read consistently.

They hold space well.

They interpret symbols, patterns, and emotional undercurrents with real skill.

What many struggle with is something quieter, their wisdom doesn’t have a place to live.

It moves constantly.

From deck to deck.

From spread to spread.

From session to session.

From post to post.

Their insight travels but it never quite finds home.

The Difference Between Expression and Ownership

There is an important distinction most creatives are never taught to name:

Expression is when wisdom moves through you.

Ownership is when wisdom has a container that belongs to you.

Expression is generous.

Ownership is stabilizing.

Expression is vital, however, on its own, it’s exhausting.

Think about all the constant posting and creation content you do every single week, year after year!

Ownership is what allows creative work to:

• last

• compound

• deepen over time

• support the person doing it

This is not about productivity.

It’s about containment.

Tarot Readers Already Have Frameworks — They Just Don’t Call Them That

Every experienced reader develops patterns:

• how they read certain cards

• how they sequence meaning

• how they hold difficult symbols

• how they translate intuition into language

Over time, this becomes a worldview a personalized methodology if you will.

But when all of that wisdom is always filtered through someone else’s deck, it never fully stabilizes as yours.

You are interpreting.

You are translating.

You are contributing.

But the framework itself, the structure holding the meaning, it is outsourced.

A Deck (or Book) Is Not Just a Product

When approached slowly and intentionally, a tarot deck or book becomes something else entirely:

A creative owned asset.

Not in the marketing sense.

In the structural sense.

A deck or book:

• gathers your thinking into one place

• clarifies your worldview

• creates consistency across your work

• allows your insight to be referenced, not repeated

It becomes a home your wisdom can return to.

This is why books and decks change how people show up publicly.

They stop explaining themselves as much.

They stop chasing coherence.

They stop feeling like their work disappears as soon as it’s shared.

Ownership Changes the Nervous System

There’s a subtle shift that happens when creative work has a container.

Urgency softens.

Visibility feels less performative.

Repetition becomes refinement instead of exhaustion.

You’re no longer pulling insight out of yourself on demand.

You’re returning to something you’ve already built.

This is where sustainability begins — not with better scheduling, but with better structure.

This Is Not About Doing More

Writing a book or creating a deck is not about adding another project.

It’s about choosing where your wisdom belongs, who see’s and how it is held onto.

It’s about deciding that your insight deserves:

• continuity

• authorship

• a form that lasts beyond a single moment of exchange

Many tarot readers are already doing the work of authorship.

They just haven’t claimed it yet.

Where Wisdom Slows Down

When creative work finally has a home, it changes pace.

It slows.

It deepens.

It begins to belong.

And from that place, everything else, the readings, teaching, visibility, income, starts to organize itself more naturally around it.

This is not the loud path.

But it is the lasting one.

Where creative work slows down and becomes sustainable.

Welcome back, Tarot readers and seekers!

This month’s Tarot Book featured an insightful and heartfelt conversation with author and intuitive Chanda Parkinson, diving deep into her book Meditation and Tarot. Together, we explored how meditation can transform your connection with the cards — shifting tarot from memorization into embodiment, intuition, and soulful discovery.

Why Meditation Belongs in Tarot

Chanda shared how her journey began in the late 1990s, when there weren’t many accessible paths for self-teaching tarot. As a deeply introverted beginner, she found that traditional study methods — memorizing card meanings and flipping through guidebooks — only got her so far. What finally unlocked her connection to the deck was meditation.

“I realized if I wanted to learn tarot, I had to slow down and stop trying to memorize everything. Meditation was the doorway for me.”

Through stillness, she learned to build a living, intuitive relationship with each card — especially the Magician, her first meditation companion and lifelong teacher. The card’s reminder, “You already have everything you need,” became both mantra and method.

The Trickster, Jumpers, and Chaos Magic

We explored the playful, unpredictable nature of tarot — what Chanda called the “trickster energy” of the Magician. Sometimes the cards tease us into surrendering control, and sometimes they insist we stop taking ourselves too seriously.

This flowed naturally into a discussion on jumper cards — the ones that quite literally leap from the deck while shuffling. For Chanda, these aren’t accidents but invitations from the universe:

“When a card jumps out, that’s my cue — the reading begins. It’s how the deck talks to me.”

While some readers prefer structured shuffles or spreads, Chanda sees value in chaos and spontaneity, calling herself a “chaos witch” who treats every moment as a message.

Meditation in Action: The Knight of Swords

In a live demonstration, Chanda pulled the Knight of Swords, guiding everyone through a short, powerful meditation. Participants were invited to:

1. Observe the colors, symbols, and energy of the card.

2. Drop from head to heart, tuning into the feeling rather than the meaning.

3. Imagine themselves as the Knight, ready to charge into unknown territory.

The practice revealed how meditation opens a dialogue with the card beyond logic — one participant (Leeza!) shared her realization about “cutting ties with the past before leaping forward,” while Chanda noted how fitting the card was during Mercury Retrograde’s reflective energy.

“The undercurrent of the Knight of Swords is: I can do this. I have got this. I am enough.”

Rituals, Baths & Beyond

Before wrapping, Chanda gave us a sneak peek at her latest book, The Book of Ritual Baths. This project, born from her fascination with healing and ritual, features interviews with therapists, healers, and spa practitioners — exploring how cleansing rituals of all kinds (even sound or moon bathing!) can become sacred acts of self-care.

“You don’t even need a bathtub. A bowl of water, your hands, and an intention are enough.”

Takeaway Wisdom

To close, Chanda offered this reminder:

“Keep it simple. Tarot is built on universal human patterns. Slow your practice down, meditate, and the cards will reveal themselves to you.”

A beautiful truth for all of us walking the tarot path — it’s not a destination, but a journey of deep listening.

Reflection Questions

• What happens when you stop trying to know your deck and start listening to it?

• How might meditation change the way you interpret or experience the cards?

• What “trickster” moments has tarot used to teach you lately?

Where to Find Chanda

📖 Meditation and Tarot and The Book of Ritual Baths are available through Llewellyn
🌐 Learn more: https://chandaparkinson.com
📘 Facebook: Chanda Parkinson – Psychic Intuitive

Closing Thoughts

Thank you to everyone who joined us live for November’s Tarot Book. See you next month for our next book.
Leeza

PS…if you enjoy the content I create on this blog, please consider becoming a paid member. I purchase all the books I review here as a way to support the authors who write them. Your paid subscription to this blog helps me buy more books and bring you even more incredible tarot people into the limelight.

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So here we, now. Cutting it superfine.
Now this review is actually a video podcast episode that I did earlier in the year before I decided to take this substack in a different direction. I have been sitting on this interview just waiting for the right time to drop it, which is now!

The book we are looking at this month is Will You Give Me A Reading by Jenna Matlin.

This book is for anyone who wants to start reading the cards for other people. Though, to be fair, you can get a lot out of this book even if you just read for yourself. in the above picture you can see all of my yellow sticky note tabs. That is because this book is filled to the brim with helpful and insightful information on how to approach the cards for readings.

We talk more about the book and exactly who it is for in the interview below. You will also find the summarized show notes. I do hope you enjoy the discussion Jenna and I have.

🎙️ Tarot is Ridiculous, Season 2: The Business of Tarot with Jenna Matlin

Welcome to Season 2 of Tarot is Ridiculous! This season, we’re diving deeper than the cards themselves — into the business of tarot. Whether you’re dreaming of reading professionally, building a brand around your practice, or simply curious about turning your love of tarot into something sustainable, this conversation with Jenna Matlin is a must-listen.

Known as the goddess of tarot business, Jenna joins host Leeza Robertson to unpack what it really means to go pro — from legal logistics and ethical integrity to marketing, mindset, and building resilience as a spiritual entrepreneur.

💫 Episode Summary

In this episode, Jenna reminds us that turning tarot from a passion into a profession takes more than just knowing your cards — it requires clarity, courage, and commitment. Together, Leeza and Jenna explore what readiness truly means: being “off book,” yes, but also emotionally and professionally equipped to handle the realities of self-employment.

They discuss how to navigate business structures, stay grounded in ethics, and develop the discipline required to succeed in an increasingly noisy digital landscape. Jenna shares how she transitioned from her 9-to-5 life to full-time tarot reading, the six-month plan she gave herself to make it work, and the mindset shifts that helped her grow.

The episode closes with practical advice on structuring client questions, showing up authentically, and learning the art of consistency — even when motivation fades. As Jenna beautifully puts it, “Motivation is the gift of discipline. Confidence is the gift of courage.”

If you’re ready to take tarot seriously — as a reader, a business owner, or both — this episode will leave you inspired and equipped to take your next step.

🃏 Key Moments & Takeaways

• When to Start Charging for Readings: It’s not just about skill — it’s about readiness to step into business ownership and visibility.

• Going Off Book: True proficiency means fluency, ethics, and self-awareness — not just memorization.

• The Six-Month Test: Jenna’s structured, practical approach to transitioning from hobbyist to professional.

• Boundaries & Ethics: Knowing when to read, how to separate bias, and how to hold space responsibly.

• Asking the Right Questions: How to help clients move from anxious “Will I?” questions to empowering “How can I?” ones.

• Marketing & Visibility: Why being seen is essential — and how to approach it with authenticity.

• Mindset & Discipline: The real secret to success in tarot (and any business).

• Jenna’s Quote to Remember: “Motivation is the gift of discipline. Confidence is the gift of courage.”

Aright my lovelies, that is it for this month.
Next Month I am aiming for another book review live! So keep a watch out for that.
Until then stay safe, stay open, and listen to your cards!

Talk soon,

Leeza.

PS, if you want to dive deeper into the major arcana, than my Fools Journey Workshop is for you. Forget keywords or having to memorize the meanings of the cards, this workshop walks you step by step through the journey of the Major Arcana. You will never forget the cards again. But don’t take my word for it- “I loved this- a totally new perspective on the tarot. And a new spread I will definitely use again” Callie.

Click here and following in the Fools Footsteps.

There are lots of different ways to learn Tarot. But when it comes to the Major Arcana, the Fools Journey is my all time favorite.

This is because it anchors the cards into their positions. Showing you the importance of their placements and how each of them fit into a larger story. This in turn becomes the back drop to the best spread in Tarot.

This Saturday I will be teaching the Fools Journey Live, while also walking you through your own personalized Fools journey spread.

I love teaching the story of the cards and showing people who the different parts of the tarot are designed to be used in a very specific way.

This is where keywords become irrelevant unless you understand the framework of the narrative, that is, the 22 major arcana cards.

So come and join this coming Saturday, October 4th, 10:30am - 12:30pm (Pacific US) for a deep dive into the Fools Journey.

Click Here To Register For Class!!!

When I first dreamed up this series on tarot books, I knew I wanted to do more than reviews. I wanted to bring the authors themselves into the conversation and who better to kick that off than Meg Jones Wall?

In this episode, we talk about her new book Tarot Spreads and why spreads are so much more than pretty layouts on Instagram. Meg describes them as structures,

“Spreads are not just layouts, they’re blueprints for the kind of conversation you want to have with your cards.”

Instead of giving us another massive list of layouts, she teaches readers how to create their own, revise what they find online, and trust their intuition in the process.

We dive into her brilliant section The Way of Spreads, where she explores three archetypal approaches to building spreads, the Magician, the Hierophant, and the Priestess. Then we laugh about why neither of us reaches for the Celtic Cross very often.

This is a conversation about tarot as a living practice, one that adapts, evolves, and reshapes itself with every reading. Meg also shares what’s next for her work, including a new book on the Devil archetype and a fresh round of study containers.

If you’ve ever felt stuck with spreads, overwhelmed by choice, or simply curious about how to deepen your relationship with the cards, you’ll love this exchange.

The Full Cleaned up Transcript

Leeza Robertson (Host):
Welcome to the very first livestream here on Substack for the Tarot is Ridiculous podcast. As many of you know, I’ve been running a series throughout 2025 focused on tarot books. Today, we’re diving into the beautiful Tarot Spreads with Meg Jones Wall.

In the past, I’ve typically written reviews of tarot books, but this time I thought why not bring the author on directly? That way we can have a real conversation, pick their brain about the book, and explore why it was written.

Meg, thank you so much for joining us.

Meg Jones Wall (Guest):
Oh my gosh, thank you for having me. It’s always such a joy to talk with you, so I’m glad to be here.

Leeza:
For those who’ve followed the podcast, this is actually the second time I’ve interviewed Meg. I love bringing back my favorite people for another round of conversation, and Meg is absolutely one of them. Honestly, I’d talk to her any day of the week about anything.

But let’s focus on this book, because tarot spread books hold a very particular place in the tarot publishing world. What prompted you to write a book specifically about spreads?

Meg:
It felt almost inevitable after a certain point. I’d been writing and teaching tarot for a few years. My first book, Finding the Fool, came out in 2023, and when I thought about what to write next, spreads seemed the natural direction.

People associate me with tarot spreads, I write them constantly, I share them online, and I talk about them often. So the idea of creating a book about spreads felt both obvious and necessary.

But I knew I didn’t want to write just another compendium of hundreds of spreads. Those books have value, of course, but I wanted to go deeper. My goal was to teach readers not only how to use spreads but how to understand them, how they function, how to create their own, how to revise existing ones, and how to read with greater confidence.

Once that clicked, I knew I had my book.

Leeza:
I think that’s brilliant. Honestly, I don’t think we’ve had such a thorough book on spreads since Barbara Moore’s, and that was quite some time ago. Things have changed a lot since then, especially with social media playing such a huge role.

These days, spreads are everywhere online. But one of my pet peeves is how often they’re just posted with no explanation of how to use them, how the story flows, or how the conversation unfolds. Your book actually addresses that, which I love.

You talk about spreads as structures. Could you elaborate on what you mean by that?

Meg:
Absolutely. I think of spreads as blueprints or frameworks for the reading. You’re designing in advance the type of conversation you want to have with the cards.

I often use the metaphor of a conversation with a friend. Sometimes you call just to catch up and see where the dialogue flows, that’s like an open reading without a spread. But sometimes you call because you have a specific issue you want to discuss. You go in knowing you want advice, encouragement, or clarity. That’s what a spread does—it shapes the conversation ahead of time.

So when I say spreads are structures, I mean they guide the flow of information before you even draw a card. They give you agency, especially when the subject matter is tender or overwhelming.

Leeza:
And you explain this beautifully in the book. I especially loved your section The Way of Spreads. Honestly, Meg, I thought that could have been an entire book on its own. The way you explored archetypal approaches to creating spreads, the Magician, the Hierophant, the Priestess was genius.

Why did you only include three? And is there hope for more?

Meg:
[Laughs] Thank you. Yes, in that section I broke down three archetypal methods of writing spreads: the Way of the Magician, the Way of the Hierophant, and the Way of the Priestess. Each represents a different way of approaching the creative process, imagination and expansion, structure and research, intuition and flow.

I limited it to three in this book because it was meant to illustrate possibilities, not be exhaustive. But I agree with you, it could absolutely be expanded into a whole project. In fact, I once developed a study guide called Unlocking Archetypesthat worked similarly, and I’ve considered revisiting it as a larger book. So perhaps someday!

Leeza:
Please do. I would love to see an entire book on that.

Now, one thing I want to highlight for listeners: when we write books, the “how-to” sections are often the hardest. Writing down a process that’s second nature, like shuffling, laying cards, or breaking down a spread, can make your brain short-circuit. You suddenly forget how you’ve ever done it before!

Meg:
Exactly. Explaining habitual processes is shockingly hard. I once had to write an article on how to shuffle cards, and I thought, how on earth do I describe this thing my hands do automatically every day?

Leeza:
Right? And yet those simple explanations are what readers need most. Which brings me to another part of your book I adored the section on Revising Spreads. Could you explain what you mean by revising a spread, and why it’s such an important skill?

Meg:
Of course. Revising a spread means taking an existing layout, whether one you created or one you found and adjusting it to suit your needs.

Maybe you find a spread online that mostly works but has one position that doesn’t fit your question. Or perhaps you want to tweak the wording to make it more personal. Learning to revise allows you to work flexibly with existing spreads without having to invent something from scratch every time.

It’s one of the most practical skills I teach in the book, because most readers encounter spreads created by others. Being able to adapt them keeps the practice alive and relevant.

Leeza:
I love that. And, I have to ask, have you ever revised the Celtic Cross?

Meg:
[Laughs] No, I haven’t. It’s not a spread I personally use. But I do discuss it in the book, because it’s historically significant and still widely taught. In fact, I include a compilation of modernized versions by different teachers, so readers can see variations and make choices that work for them.

Leeza:
That makes sense. Personally, the Celtic Cross has always been my least favorite too much repetition, too much clutter. I’d much rather pull three cards and get clarity that way.

Meg:
Same! I tend to prefer smaller, more focused spreads. But again, that’s the beauty of tarot, you can adapt it to your style.

Leeza:
Exactly. That’s one of the big takeaways here: there is no one right way. Whether it’s spreads, reversals, or keywords, the point is to create a practice that works for you.

Meg, before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like listeners to know about your work and what’s next for you?

Meg:
Yes! Tarot Spreads was released in July and is available in bookstores, libraries, and online. I’m incredibly proud of it and hope it supports readers in deepening their tarot practice.

Beyond that, I’m working on my third book, which focuses on the Devil archetype. I also run classes, mentorships, and study containers, including one launching October 1st called Rebel Rebel, which explores tarot through the lens of rebellion and disruption.

The best way to find everything I do books, classes, newsletter, mentorships, everything is at threeamtarot.com. That’s the central hub for all of my work.

Leeza:
Perfect. Thank you so much, Meg. I always love our conversations. Your work is brilliant, and I know our listeners will get so much from this.

Thank you , , and many others for tuning into my live video with ! Join me for my next live video in the app.

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I know this months post is much later then normal. But I have been out with a nasty flu virus all month. It has only been in the last few days that I have started to get back to Augusts to-do list. And even though I only post on substack when I have some spare time, I still wanted to make sure I put a review up this month, even if it is the last day of the month!

So please excuse the lateness of this post, it truly was beyond my control.

Righto, let’s dive into this month’s book, which if I am being super honest, is a bit niche. But for those of you who asked for more books for advanced readers, I have treat for you this month!

Now tarot books themselves are a micro niche inside the non-fiction space. They do not have a very large audience and you won’t make much money off them. If you are lucky you might earn enough to buy a sandwich. We really do write Tarot books because we love talking about Tarot.

So imagine writing something super niche inside an already micro niche, it is bold and risky and you have to make sure you do it correctly.

This book ticks all the write boxes which is why it is still in print today, let me introduce you to Tarot For The Fiction Writer by Paula Chaffee- Scardamalia

Full disclosure, I love Paula, we have known each other for a long time. I have also interviewed her multiple times, and she has done some writing workshops for me when I was teaching non-fiction writing classes. So I am slightly bias when it comes to her work. That said, this book is a real treat for more advanced readers who might want to view the cards in a very different way.

Let’s get one thing out in the open first, this book deals primarily with 22 major arcana cards. There is a very brief chapter about the Court Cards, and a very small discussion of the suits in chapter 15.

So why would the main focus of this book be on the 22 Major arcana Cards?

Because this book isn’t for tarot readers per se it is for fiction writers who dabble with tarot cards. It is laid out in a way that walks the reader through the drafting, writing and editing process. But the way she does this is really fascinating for advanced tarot readers.

Let me explain…

Once a reader moves beyond the beginner phase they soon start to learn how the cards work together as a series. Connecting stories through the suits and paying closer attention to the numbers and positions of the cards. This is when you would generally learn the Fools Journey spread and deepen your understanding of the 22 Major Arcana Cards. Which is the very first step into the narrative structure of the 22 cards - they are master story tellers and when you learn to understand them, the uses for writing are endless.

As a side note, teaching the Fools Journey is one of my favorite things to do. It just deepens your knowledge so much.

But I digress.

This book expands on the Fools Journey and takes it a step further and breaks the majors up in to smaller groupings ( the Fools journey works on 3 groups of 7 cards). The way Paula has crafted these small groupings, is truly an ingenious way to think about these 22 cards and how they work together to assist one in crafting stories.

For example in Chapter 10 ( see above image), she groups Temperance, the Devil and the Tower together to discuss reviewing, editing and refining the first draft of your novel. This is incredibly clever as we must balance energies and story arcs of the hero and the villain in the story. While also being brave enough to cut and cull parts of the book to give it tension, spice, and make it more enjoyable for the reader.

However we can also think about this when it comes to a spread.

• Where is the hero/ heroine in the reading and are they being active or passive?

• Who is playing the Devil and why?

• What needs to be cut away or reworked so clarity can help craft a solution?

The more you get into this book, the more your brain starts to see possibilities for new ways of working with the cards.

Let’s dive into how Paula has set this book up.

She has divided this book into 4 parts.

Part 1 - Preparing for your journey - this section covers deck selection, tarot structure and the role of spreads. Then dives into the roll of the Fool. Before launching into the Magician, the High priestess, the Empress and the Emperor. This part is all about start the writing process. How to prepare for the journey of writing a book and what tools you might need for your voyage.

Part 2 - Out to Sea - this section discusses the Hierophant, the Lovers, the Chariot Strength, the Hermit, the Wheel of Fortune, Justice, the Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, the Devil and the Tower. There are four chapters in this section and each one deals with the many different parts of the writing journey, from beginning, to what to do with your characters, to preparing for edits.

Part 3 -Docking, Delivering, and Celebrating - in this section, she discusses the Star, the Moon, the Sun, Judgment, and the World. There are four chapters in this section and they are preparing you for what comes next once you have a finished manuscript. For you see, the work is not done on a book until after it hits the shelves. Until then there is more to do. You have to picth it, sell it, edit it again (possibly 4-5more times) get it ready for print and then, if all goes well, the words - The End, will have meaning.

Part 4 - Putting it Together- in the last part of this book Paula touches briefly on the role of the Minor Arcana and how tarot spreads help map the journey of your book. I have had one of Paula’s sessions for writers, and the spread she created for the book I was working on at the time was incredible. It allowed me to see where I might lose the reader, what things I had missed or over looked and what to consider next. You will find all of what she does in that session on the pages of part four of this book.

This book is not only filled with clever ways to approach each of the court cards, but it is also beautiful to look at with its hardcover and colorful pages. This is one of those books that I truly treasure in my collection. So much so it is being packed away now that this review is over so it can come with me on my move to the UK. Not all the books in my collection will make the cut, but this one is going!!!

Let me know in the comments if you have this book or if you are going to add it to your collection! Don’t forget to like and share this post as well if you found it helpful.

Before I sign off, I just want to let you know that next month I will be doing a Live right here on Substack with the Author of our September Book.

Neither of us have any idea how to use the Live feature on Substack so it is going to be an interesting interview! I do hope you can join us on September 24 at 11am PST / 2pm EST. I am presuming this interview will stay on the blog page. But again, this is our first time, so I guess we will all find out together!

Alright, my lovely readers, that is for me this month, see you in September!