Books by Rebecca Buchanan

Fairy Tale: a wonder tale or magic tale that typically features dwarfs, dragons, elves, fairies, mermaids, talking animals, trolls, unicorns, or witches, and usually magic or enchantments. Myth: a sacred story of the gods; a religious account of the beginning of the world; the deeds of Gods and heroes; as a result of which the world, nature, and culture were created and given order. The Fox and the Rose combines the best of both of these traditions, literary and spiritual, magical and mystical. Most of the tales in this collection follow the recognizable fairy tale scheme: once, in such-and-such a land, there lived .... There are tests to pass and promises to keep and, if the hero proves worthy, a happily ever after is won. Sometimes, though, the endings are bittersweet or justly tragic, particularly when promises are broken, pride overrules compassion, and respect is denied.

There has been an explosion in explicitly Pagan and Pagan-friendly literature. Science fiction and fantasy, and their attendant sub genres, children's books and teen books, mystery and historical fiction and romance (especially of the paranormal variety), are rich with Deities and mythologies and practitioners of the Old/New Ways.This anthology - the second following A Witch Among Wolves, and Other Pagan Tales - continues the tradition of Pagan authors writing Pagan tales for a Pagan audience. "Black Leopard" is a contemporary magical realism tale centering on Dionysus, while "Crossroads" finds a young girl voicing a heartfelt prayer to Hekate. "Hysthaany" follows a small community of Sekhmet devotees into outer space on a mission of mercy, while "Mr. West" finds Osiris paying a visit to a modern-day mortician. "Seeds" is set in a dystopian future of environmental degradation, while the title story, "The Serpent in the Throat," is an adventure-horror tale set in ancient Canaan.

The world's oldest literature is pagan.For thousands of years before the monotheistic traditions rose to dominance in the West, pagans told stories about the loves and miseries and adventures of Gods and Goddesses, heroes and witches and warriors. The Pagans of the contemporary world, in addition to rediscovering the Gods and heroes of old, are also writing for those Gods and heroes. "Alexander's Heart" is a science fiction tale set in a distant future ruled by the descendants of Cleopatra and Marc Antony. "Devourer" finds the Egyptian Goddess Bast in modern-day Louisiana, while "The Flower in the Dark" addresses political oppression and liberty. "Footprints" follows the Olympian Queen of the Gods to contemporary Florida, while "Orion: An EcoFable" explores the nature of environmental responsibility and the consequences of human arrogance. Finally, "A Witch Among Wolves" centers around a Lithuanian ragana, a devotee of the Horned Lord of the Underworld.