Jamie's book The Teen Spell Book was featured in the film, I Could Never Be Your Woman (2007) with Michelle Pfeiffer and Paul Rudd. In this scene Michelle says: That's just lousy because the only way teenage girls can feel in control is to be anorexic or witches. (Then she picks up the book and does the love spell to get the guy).

Director Amy Heckerling says of this scene, "When you have no control you go to witchcraft...See witchcraft works, cuz he came..And it's fast."

Jamie says: For some people experiencing the Entrantress/Hunter stage (13-33 years-old) the idea of manipulation based on a feeling of loss of control could very well be the basis of their interest in Wicca. It could also be that these people are quite sensitive and can perceive that they are inheriting a polluted Garden of Eden and, at the current time, an invitation into a population filled with fear. Wicca helps them heal themselves, their community and the world through connection to the Earth. Fear is the only thing that makes you want to control. In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust is the basic tenet of Witch-craft, or if you flip this compound word you get the Craft of the Wise. Wise has its etymology firmly attached to the words Witch, Wicca, Wicce. It's not about casting love spells - unless it's in Hollywood. Maybe they should just hire me to straighten them out. Claro que si!! Of course, yes!

Top six reasons to keep a diary

1) It helps you find your voice. Being a teen there are so many things thrown at you, spending time along with your thoughts helps you decide which thoughts are yours, and which are opinions of someone else

2) It helps you organize. There is a lot going on when you are a teen. Writing helps you get things clear in your head in a way that makes sence and allows you to articulate your feelings, opinions, or thoughts,

3) It helps you separate drama from reality. When you write, you get a chance to realize your responsibility in a situation and save "face" at the same time. You see things from a more objective position.

4) Writing helps you process your feelings -- like going from rage to anger to sadness to hope.

5) Writing allows you to express things you might never say outloud.

6) Writing helps you set goals and visualize your dreams.

» VIEW MORE ON WRITING

Q - How do i be a wiccan and a christian? And dont spells work best when they're made up?

A - Wicca is a way of life - like other earth spiritualities, such as Native American shamanism. We use nature as our guide. The elements (air, fire, water, earth), Mother Earth, Father Sky, the seasons - these are our teachers.

There is no singular book of wisdom for Wiccans like the Bible for Christianity, the Qu'ran for Islam or Torah for Jews. You are your own book that reveals itself slowly. Your book began as the breath of spirit as you entered this human world. You had access to the knowledge of the Spirit World, but as your human experience became more pronounced, you forgot how to co-create with the Divine and your book had few words with many blank pages. But in time, with experience and an open heart, you will learn and this knowledge and wisdom about yourself, your connection to the Divine. Words will appear on the pages and will be written on your heart and soul. And you will learn how to create a world of your choosing like a painter creates worlds on a canvas.

That said, spells will be more powerful for you if you create them because they are tailored specifically to your needs. But as you are learning to trust your intuition, discovering what the symbols, colors, animals, etc. mean to you, and finding out what magick looks and feels like, working with other's spells is considered good practice.

Since you are your own book, you can incorporate any philosophy into your spiritual practice. You can be a Wiccan and adore Jesus. You can be a witch and still pray to the saints. It's all up to you. There's no wrong way to do it. Just create harmony.

> VIEW MORE Q & A

> Got a question? email me at jamie@jamiewood.com

Spell Casting

When you blow out a birthday candle or the fluff of a dandelion how much time do you give your wish to come true? What's the difference between this kind of wishing and spell casting? Maybe less than you imagined. With spells you may add a chant, music, incense, a picture, a color, an oil -- all the better to focus your intention. My friend used to say, if you were stranded on a desert island, you could still do magick, because you are the magick. Essentially a wish, a spell, a prayer all amount to the same thing: a plea to the Divine As You See It. The Divine does not work on a human time clock – ever. Your spell or wish comes true in perfect time, so be a good little witchy poo and understand magic works best with Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.

Rose Geranium Hand Salve/June 2009

This recipe was going to be in my next book until I realized that I had three salve recipes. Oops. So I'll offer it here instead.

Rose geranium carries the energy to grant the ability to look at your feelings and opinions with an open heart and calm demeanor. It can help you stay alert and conscious to all of life. It can remind you to count your blessings, however small or inconsequential they may seem compared to your obstacles. It can take effort, but it is essential to focus on what is going right, rather than what is going wrong if you want to attract more of that good feeling.

When you begin to feel a drain from life, it's time to make a change, even if it's just an attitude adjustment. The universe supports you. When you speak your intention, your word is the Universal call to action. You can manifest your dreams and desires when you focus on what you want, blessings and love: love for yourself and all your foibles. Love for the world and all Her people. Love for Life and the Mystery Within.

As you make this salve, stir in a clockwise direction, thinking about all the things that are going well in your life. Say

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>> VIEW PAST SPELLS HERE

You can pre-order the ebook for Rogelia's House of Magic! »CLICK HERE« TO PREORDER!

"Jamie Martinez Wood has proven that she is, again, a contemporary curandera straight out of Cali; with magical powers to cast an intoxicating spell over the most reluctant reader in your family.They will want more. Rogelia's House of Magic is one part heart-warming, two parts fun, with a hearty dose of cool. The key ingredients for a tasty read!"

- Michele Serros, author of !Scandalosa! A Honey Blonde Chica Novel

"Charming and magical...captures the essence and beauty of Latina girl friendships."

-Josefina Lopez, Real Women Have Curves & Hungry Woman in Paris

"I really liked the fact that the three main characters in the book were of Latin descent but were constructed in such a way that they were just three normal teen girls, each dealing with normal teen issues such as strained parental relationships (absentee parents, chilly mothers with busy schedules), the death of a sibling and the sometimes rough waters of teen crushes. The overall themes of teen girls bonding, working through their problems and uniting to save a friend are solid and meaningful."

-Kiwi Magazine

"The dialogue is natural and the girls' unwavering friendship will inspire readers... (Rogelia's House of Magic) conveys the beauty of Mexican culture and the seriousness of magical undertakings."

-Kirkus Review

READ MORE PRESS ABOUT ROGELIA'S HOUSE OF MAGIC »HERE«

MEET THE THREE APPRENTICES OF ROGELIA GARCIA
a wise old woman who holds the key to the magic of their ancestors.

VIEW BOOK TRAILER:

MARINA: the sweet yet spoiled Latina princess - she can hear the voices of dead people, and one of them is talking in Spanish. Marina knows she must interpret an important message from beyond, but how can she do that when she doesn't even speak the language?

FERN: the fiesty free-spirit - she sees colorful auras, especially around a cute boy named Tristan, a cute boys from the barrio. Fern is certain that the greyish cloud hanging over Tristan is bad news - but how can she ignore him when he's so gorgeous?

XOCHITL: the wallflower - she has the ability to turn invisible when she does not want to deal. And considering that she's mourning the untimely death of her twin sister, it's a wonder that anyone can see her at all. When Xochitl's grandmother Rogelia becomes a maid in Marina's house, she agrees to teach the girls the ways of the curandera (spiritual healer). Even though Marina and Fern are thrilled to have this chance to understand and use their powers, Xochitl isn't happy about sharing such a sacred practice with anyone but her sister. Besides, magic has let Xochitl down before - why wouldn't it now? But as she and her friends eventually discover at Rogelia's House of Magic anything is possible.

I chose to personally interview my subjects in the Latino Writers & Journalist to best capture the spark that makes them inspirational to readers, which is the point of any biography. In this way the biographical essays establish a commonality with you, the reader and hopefully inspires and encourages you to seek out and unearth their own unique gifts.

© Jamie Martinez Wood 2007