We are celebrating Halloween, a festivity we don’t tend to celebrate here but that has gained importance and has deeply established here with the American ‘‘trick or treat’’ tradition. November the 1^st is the Day of the Death, in Spain it is ‘el  Día de Todos los Santos’, day in which many families visit their death relatives and friends in the cemeteries. It’s a sad festivity surrounded by terror because of the halloweeny tradition, but that has never called my attention. It makes me sad to think about those who are not here anymore, but I must admit that the magic and witchcraft that November the 1^st hides, does call my attention. That is the reason why I cannot stop suggesting the book MANUAL DE MAGIA MODERNA by KEYLAH MISSEN. A book that the author, reiki master, physiotherapist and knowledgeable of the magical arts since childhood, has created a simple and easy to manage manual, though to initiate the reader on the basic esoteric  tools, from reiki to tarot, the pendulum, numerology and many others. With it we learn how to attract beneficial spirits, how to clean our house by using the stones, how to create a favorable environment for our wishes through the magic candles and even how to get in contact with our totemic spirit. We will also find the keys to create our own magic spells and magical tools, such as pendulums and wands; prosperity rituals, of protection and love; tips on how to improve your health and on how to boost beauty. A passionate introduction on magical spells and esoteric techniques to experiment power and the joy of magic day to day.

We know through historic tradition that women who knew how to heal were called witches, and that there was a woman on TV who only by moving her nose helped anyone she bumped into. So if there exist good witches and in this manual rites are positive, aiming to strengthen the good ideals it is, therefore, a present for a night like yesterday’s to invoke that calm, justice, honesty and peace rule the world. Tuesday’s terrorist attack in Manhattan has again touched our hearts. Violence and crispation don’t bring anything other than discomfort, so maybe a magic manual to combat all of this is necessary. Maybe we don’t have the exact potion yet, but with everyone’s eagerness to believe it we are taking a massive step. Do we try?

14th Century, medieval times and Barcelona, are three words that bring me good memories. One of the first successes of the Agency had these three main ingredients, and now that the Agency is turning 15 years old, I look back and CATHEDRAL OF THE SEA is still the book that has set a before and after for me. Now they say that there will be a second part and the truth is that it’s sad for me to know and not be able to be involved, but that’s what the life of the agent is like. The loyalty of the authors depends on a lot of things, and even if the intention is always to have a long relationship, it’s not always the case.

However every time there’s a new book, the thrill is great, and that’s what happened to me with LA FILLA DE LILITH by Glòria Sabaté, who talks about medieval Barcelona and all its many curiosities. With characters that are truly well outlined, and with various mysteries to discover, Glòria invites us to read a historic novel with a mysterious murder and the fears and superstitions the people had at the time and that even touched some of their lives. An addictive novel, and very well written, which is an excellent premiere by an author that has promise. And I hope that our relationship is long and successful, since I started with the three magic words, and magic, like she says in her novel, lives among us and exists in different shapes. It’s a good start, with no doubt, in every way.

I don’t know if magic exists, but I like to think it does and that everything that surrounds it may be true. It is also true that there are many scams! There are healers that don’t heal, tarot readers who cheat, and seers who see nothing, and only prey on people’s desperation. However, there are professionals who know what they do and they explain you that tarot cards have to be interpreted, and that they are never irrevocable. And, when you do a little of research, you find people who achieved “miracles” (or the way you like to call it): they cure people or improve their living with only small changes in their lives.

Magic is a word with room for many things. There is a part related to a hidden world, but magic can also be found in quotidian life. I want to believe that there is good  magic, and that with its help we can make wishes come true. We are told since we are kids, tales tells us: just believe and be positive to make things come true. At least we have to try, and maybe magic is in yourself, and you only have to know how to find it, or someone to help you discover, like Mary Poppins with her children, like Peter Pan and Wendy or the magic that emerges in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Isabel del Río publishes her first adult novel, LA VIDENT DE LA LLUNA PLENA with Columna editorial in Catalan, and soon with Kailas Editorial in Spanish. This is a novel in which, through the tarot cards, the protagonist will discover many things about her past and her present, always with mystery and magic as a backdrop. LA VIDENT DE LA LLUNA PLENA is an original novel that keeps you in tension and leaves you wanting to read more.

Congratulations to Isabel for this premiere in adults where we have started a non-easy way, because the word difficult has not magic in it, so it is better not to name it. We are sure to make a space to that author and novel, because they deserve it. We go for it with a little help of good fairies magic and also of those readers who like mystery novels in which nothing is what it seems.

Enjoy the booktrailer (in Spanish)!

“Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it” Roald Dahl.