Inspiration can come from many sources: an old newspaper article, a family legend, a snippet of a documentary, a misheard conversation at the grocery store. It can also come from a combination of factors, when bits and pieces mash together to ferment in the back of your brain and produce something (hopefully) wonderful.

As a Pagan author who likes to work my spirituality and philosophy into my writing, venues that accept such stories can be few and far between. Publishers who specialize in fantasy and horror don’t bat an eye at stories filled with Goddesses, valiant knights, and ancient monsters, and romance publishers are open to paranormal elements. But such stories are a very hard sell to science fiction publishers, and more real world, secular-oriented markets — think psychological thrillers, contemporary romance, mainstream literature, and such — look at anything “magic-y” with gimlet-eyed suspicion.

As such, I figured I should just stick to the speculative fiction markets. Even if I did come up with, say, an idea for a political thriller, it was unlikely to pass inspection. (An FBI agent dedicated to the Themis and the Horae? Pfft! Too unrealistic. Too … not monotheistic.)

And then, in the summer of 2024, editor/author/publisher Blaze Ward announced that he would be taking over Thrill Ride The Magazine, and he was sending out feelers for authors who might be interested in contributing to the four new issues due out in 2025. I was intrigued by the proposed themes: Secrets, Fast Cars, Sidekicks, and Spies. Even before Ward accepted my request to join the endeavor, I was already coming up with ideas — ideas with definite Pagan themes. Surprise!

For the Secrets issue, I started with a very old idea that had been bumbling around in my brain since a college art class, and combined that with my love of history, and my anger at the current political/cultural situation, and that dash of Pagan spirituality and philosophy. The result was the very long short story “The Goddess and the Mad Friar.” It is a celebration of creativity and freedom of expression; an adventure story; an ode to those heroes who risk life and limb to preserve the fruits of civilization; and a warning to beware fanaticism and puritanical ideology — in yourself and in others.

By the time I finished “The Goddess and the Mad Friar,” I realized that I had the makings of a series of tales. Rather than center it around one person or a group of people, though, I would center it around a Goddess: Minerva, the Roman Goddess of wisdom, justice, the arts, and much more. The Goddess as depicted by Botticelli, one of the greatest of the Italian Renaissance artists. I would follow that painting down through the centuries, chronicling the Goddess’ impact on the lives of everyday people: thieves, students, moonshiners, secretaries, firefighters, and — yes — spies.

The call for submissions for Thrill Ride The Magazine taught me a lesson: I should never limit myself. Pagan spirituality, beliefs, art, and sacred tales should be as welcome, as normal, as any other in every genre of literature. Pagans shouldn’t have to hide in made up fantasy universes. Just like us, our stories have a place in the world.

So get writing.

[Note: Thrill Ride The Magazine #9 (Secrets) is available at all major retailers in print and digital editions, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and more.]