Witches Save the World: Covens, Cauldrons, and Curses Gone Right

Covens. Cauldrons. And Curses.

The witch is a complex figure. Hero? Villain? Victim? Practitioner of a nearly-forgotten faith or just misunderstood? An elder who should be respected but is instead reviled? Or the member of an oppressed ethnic or sexual minority?

Witches of every sort appear in this anthology, and its companion volume, Witches Save the World: Hags, Harridans, and Hexes Gone Right. In some tales and poems, the witch embodies the primal forces of balance and karmic retribution, or they act in support of social justice, defending those who cannot protect themselves. Or they act in defense of Nature, calling to heel the corrupt governments and corporations that would strip the world in the name of power and profit. Or they are caretakers of their communities, mending minds and bodies, sometimes at the cost of their own freedom or even their own lives.

These are witches who do what must be done, because someone has to save the world.

Tales and poems by Charlotte Henley Babb, Nat Blooming, Zachery Brasier, Deborah L. Davitt, Dylan Demasi, Alice Dillon, Jesse Sterling Harrison, T.K. Howell, Scott T. Hutchison, Kiera Lesley, LindaAnn LoSchiavo, Simon MacCulloch, Kim Malinowski, Joshua D. Martin, Meyari McFarland, Peter Medeiros, Jeremy Morris, Lawrence Needham, Mir Rainbird, Jessica Fisher Riches, Chloe Smith, Zack Smith, Wondra Vanian, Jennifer Weigel, Kelli A. Wilkins, and Neil Willcox. Interior art by Hugh Alan. Edited by Rebecca Buchanan.

[Content Warnings: harm to children and animals, environmental destruction, references to sexual assault, political and religious oppression, violence, gore.]