Thorn Mooney
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thornthewitch.bsky.social
Thorn Mooney
@thornthewitch.bsky.social
Religious Studies PhD candidate: paranormal, secularism, magic, spiritualism, ethnography. Lit MA. Publishing production day job. Witch author, Gard priestess, guitarist, fountain pen person, Swiftie, probably a werewolf.
https://linktr.ee/thornthewitch
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Hello new platform! I’m Thorn. I’m a religious studies PhD student thinking about magic, modernity, and the paranormal. I publish trade books about witchcraft, and am usually online talking about fountain pens and books. Every now and then, guitars.
Reposted by Thorn Mooney
My advice for today (US):

Get off social media

Do something to support your local community, especially the marginalized folks ever targeted by this vivious regime

Otherwise, nest at home. Have a conversation with a friend. Make art. Anything to recharge your batteries for whatever’s next.
January 3, 2026 at 5:56 PM
One of the ways I preserve my space online is by blocking accounts that even remotely look like bots. If they follow thousands of people, I know they’re not interested in real engagement. If they only repost slop articles and political memes, that‘s a block.
January 3, 2026 at 4:49 PM
I like to spend the days before and around new years decluttering, fixing broken things, and selling books that no longer belong in my collection. Everyone at the used bookstore today had the same idea, so that was my afternoon. Honestly it was so satisfying though.
January 2, 2026 at 10:27 PM
Isn’t this pretty much every year
January 1, 2026 at 5:36 PM
Speaking of planning for the new year, consider taking one of the many seminars offered through the Religion Department! My own is about contemporary Paganism, but there are several to choose from according to your interests! #witchsky #religiousstudies
www.religiondepartment.com/contemporary...
Intro to Contemporary Paganism with Thorn Mooney
www.religiondepartment.com
December 31, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Reposted by Thorn Mooney
Here is the original story. Courtesy of @richardkaczynski.bsky.social
December 31, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Hahahahaha not Google Photos auto sorting pictures from my dad’s funeral
December 30, 2025 at 8:48 PM
An important lesson I’ve learned over years of working multiple jobs, running a coven, having hobbies, getting exercise, and maintaining personal relationships is that things have to be scheduled. If it’s not on the schedule it’s not getting done. This time of year I’m drafting that schedule.
December 30, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Reposted by Thorn Mooney
my neuroweirdness means sometimes i go on random cleaning sprees (i LOVE a good clean house) but i am so doing this!!!
I have been seeing a new trend on social media of neurodivergent/depressed people motivating themselves to clean by putting on Celtic or medieval music and pretending they're an innkeeper cleaning up their tavern.

I just...I love neuroweird people, man. I love us.
December 30, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Quote this with what you have accomplished in 2025, no matter how small.

- Passed comprehensive exams
- Defended dissertation proposal
- Completed a year of fieldwork
- Made appearances with Religion for Breakfast and Esoterica and began teaching with the Religion Department
Quote this with what you have accomplished in 2025, no matter how small.

* Had another book come out, Ghostlore
* Submitted two books to the publishers, due out in early 2026
* Signed another contract!
* Finally did an event at Treadwell's
Quote this with what you have accomplished in 2025 no matter how small

- got a new book contract
- started teaching my own courses for Continuing Ed at Liverpool uni
- won 'teacher of the year' at the Regency academe
- got small research funding
- wrote a collection chapter on new research
December 28, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Reposted by Thorn Mooney
Gentle advice:

You don’t have to have a solution for everything

You don’t even need to plan on how you’ll fix it all tomorrow

You just have to get through this moment right now as best as you can
December 23, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Reposted by Thorn Mooney
Happy Tuesday! Commissions are still open, and if you commission in the next 2 days I can have it done before 2026, so you start the new year with a brand new story of your choosing! It's also the perfect time of year to get an oracle reading for the new year! ko-fi.com/alittletookish
Buy Lilly a Coffee
Become a supporter of Lilly today!
ko-fi.com
December 23, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Thorn Mooney
Anyway, if anyone wants to help me out with some bills while I’m looking for my footing, I’d love you forever. But- I know things are tight and I want y’all to take care of yourselves first. There is no obligation.
Buy Ånden Heks a Coffee
Become a supporter of Ånden Heks today!
ko-fi.com
December 23, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by Thorn Mooney
I'll be honest, these benefit abled folks as well. I find searching Bluesky super helpful since the alt-texts are included so it pulls appropriate media.
March 30, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Keep looking at him
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Everybody congratulate me on paying off my Animal Crossing house. Fucking money-grubbing raccoons.
December 21, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Everyone has to look at my mom’s son.
December 21, 2025 at 3:15 AM
This is the way. I have all kinds of things muted and it‘s the only way being on the internet is tolerable anymore. You can also set time limits on the things you mute (like if you’re avoiding spoilers on something, or waiting for a holiday to be over).
Just a reminder that, among the many Bluesky tools to curate your experience, you can mute certain specific words, temporarily or forever, and just not see or have to deal with posts containing them.
December 21, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Never shutting up about how magical the American South is. www.fodors.com/news/photos/...
#witchsky
Salem Isn’t the Center of American Witchcraft — These Towns Are
Witches aren’t just in Salem anymore.
www.fodors.com
December 20, 2025 at 4:35 AM
People are always like “you never answer emails” or “it’s so hard to get in touch with you.” This is how it’s done:
December 14, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Reposted by Thorn Mooney
After the huge success of last year's tour, I’m again leading an Ancient Christianity Turkey tour in May 2026!

We’ll walk the streets of Ephesus, visit ancient churches and synagogues, and nerd out about ancient religion together.

Spots are limited →
www.wetravel.com/trips/ancien...
Ancient Christian Turkey with Religion for Breakfast | Ephesus 2026 in Turkey
This tour is a deep dive into the world of early Christianity and ancient Greco-Roman religion—led by Dr. Andrew Mark Henry, a scholar of early Christianity and the creator and host of Religion for Br...
www.wetravel.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:57 PM
“Witches Among Us” has very few reviews. If you like my work and want a totally free way to help me keep writing books, leave a review! It doesn’t have to be long or detailed. We are playing an algorithm game! That‘s it!
December 10, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Reposted by Thorn Mooney
"I can't afford to support my favorite author right now, I—"

Reviews.

Reviews are free AND they are a gift to authors that can keep on giving (i.e., exposure, marketing, algo boosts, etc.)

Please, give the gift of reviews to your authors this holiday season. It really can make a difference!
December 9, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Sometimes I think when I’m sick of religion and publishing and witches I should just go into pen sales. I could sell the shit out of fine stationery. Forget talking to gods and thinking about James Frazer. Who cares what Gerald Gardner wrote just feel how smooth this paper is.
December 9, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Morning pages is often just me writing about whatever fountain pen I’m using and commenting on the nuances of the ink (before, you know, unexpectedly launching into something random about my childhood). This lovely red one from @abigailmarkov.com arrived yesterday! Her work is absolutely delightful.
December 9, 2025 at 4:17 PM