Today we’d like to introduce you to Enfys Book.
Hi Enfys, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up a very weird kid in Rochester, Minnesota in the ’80s and ’90s. I never quite fit in with my peers, as I was (I realized later) queer and neurodivergent, and always felt a pull toward the supernatural. I had vivid psychic experiences from a very young age, but my Catholic upbringing didn’t give me much in the way of context to help understand what was happening.
Eventually, I found my way to Maryland in 2005, and over the next 10-20 years I really found my people, and a spiritual path that worked for me, which has blossomed into a writing career.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Like anyone, I’ve had my share of struggles. Simply finding my way to a place where I felt like I could truly be myself was a very long journey…one that began to find its destination when I started going to Piratz Tavern, a pirate-themed bar in Silver Spring, back in 2007 or so. I fell in love with the vibe, the staff, the music, and made good friends with the other patrons. Eventually this led to me joining a pirate band (Pirates for Sail), then helping to form a new pirate band that eventually pivoted into being more of a nerdy band (The Misbehavin’ Maidens).
Around the same time, my spiritual life hit a couple of crisis points that were very painful, including being briefly mentored by some rather toxic people. But I learned from those experiences what to look out for, and am so thankful I’ve found the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel tradition based here in the mid-Atlantic. I’ve really flourished, and learned so much. The past decade has been the most growthful and creatively prolific period in my entire life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Most folks in this region who are familiar with me know me as “Lucky” Annie LeBlanc, one of the founding members of The Misbehavin’ Maidens — a funny, filthy, feminist, fandom folk band that performed from 2013-2023, largely at local theme bars and science fiction conventions all along the East coast. We published four albums, which are still available to purchase in CD form on Bandcamp and can be found on every major music streaming site.
I’m really proud of what we created in that band. We started out with the concept of “what if lady pirates sang dirty songs” but quickly evolved into a band performing originals and parodies about our favorite fandoms, and often including social justice messages, while still keeping the content funny and accessible.
On the spiritual creative side, I started a blog called MajorArqueerna.com back in 2019, which eventually turned into my first book, “Queer Qabala.” It’s a look at Hermetic Qabala through a queer lens. That book got picked up by Llewellyn Worldwide, an esoteric publishing house that’s been around for over 100 years. After that, I co-authored a book called “Sagittarius Witch,” which is part of Llewellyn’s “Witch’s Sun Sign Series.” And my most recent book, “Queer Rites: A Magickal Grimoire to Honor Your Milestones with Pride” is a book of rituals for queer rites of passage, and that was published by Llewellyn in January of this year. In between all of that, I’ve traveled the world teaching workshops at conferences and festivals on the subjects of my books, and about queer magickal practice in general. It’s been a lot of fun and has deepened my faith and my conviction that queer identity is not at odds with a spiritual practice, but rather queerness is sacred and part of the architecture of the universe.
What matters most to you? Why?
At this stage in my life, I’m passionate about protecting and empowering LGBTQ+ folks, and giving them spiritual tools and inspiration to feel at least 10% better about themselves in our current political climate, which seems determined to fill us with shame and keep us in isolation. We can, and must, fight back against these efforts.
Pricing:
- “Queer Rites” – $17.99 (paperback)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://majorarqueerna.com/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@majorarqueerna
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/majorarqueerna
- Other: https://kind.social/@enfysbook
