My Books
These are the books I’ve written, shaped by a lifetime of magical practice, community ritual, teaching, and political engagement.
Each book reflects a moment in time — both personal and collective — and many continue to find new readers and relevance in today’s Pagan and activist circles.
The Pagan Book of Living and Dying (2013)
Evolving from the smaller, self-published Crossing Over, The Pagan Book of Living and Dying is a rich compendium of wisdom on facing death and supporting the dying. It offers compassionate and practical guidance for navigating a wide range of experiences — from the deaths of children and parents to losses through violence or war.
Reviews
“I am in the middle of the galleys of The Pagan Book of Living and Dying, and it is absolutely superb. I wish I had it several months ago when my father died. I love the simple and elegant writing, and the way death is described in relationship to the cycles of the natural world. I found the book enormously comforting, and even suitable to lend my very non-Pagan stepmother as she goes through her own grieving process.”
— Margot Adler, journalist and author of Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America
“It makes a fascinating read and is full of useful practical information. I thought the information about making wills and what to sort out before you die was excellent. It would be great if we had something similar in the UK that met UK legal requirements and was readily accessible. The other fascinating info was how to ceremonially cremate a dead body. I have filed this away in my mental file of ‘facts for emergencies’ along with what to do if an elevator/lift you are traveling in starts to plunge to the ground and what to do if you accidentally drive your car into the. It must be my Scorpio mind.”
— Vivianne Crowley, writer, university lecturer, psychologist, and High Priestess and teacher of the Wiccan religion
“Too often we neglect the end of life in our desire to celebrate its joys. This book is probably the best Pagan resource I have seen for dealing with death and grief with a Pagan spiritual perspective. If you are going to initiate past the first degree or teach others in the Craft, sooner or later you will be called upon to council someone in pain and grief. This is a wonderful guide on how to do that. Even if you don’t choose to use the rituals provided because your tradition differs, this will give you a place to start.”
— Sable Aradia, writer, musician, Wiccan High Priestess and minister (via Goodreads)
“When it comes to death & dying, westerners have their own challenges and need their own rites. Starhawk, Macha et al’s anthology of essays and contemporary passing-over rites, based on our Northern European Wiccan heritage, fills this need beautifully, and covers a lot of ground.”
— Francesca De Grandis, Faeri Witch, author, and teacher
Pagan Pride: Honoring The Craft and Culture of Earth and Goddess (2004)
Across the globe, Pagan traditions are being reclaimed, reconstructed, and reimagined. From Witchcraft and Druidry to Asatru and revived ancient paths such as Hellenic, Kemetic, and Nova Roma, today’s Pagan movement draws from a rich, resilient heritage—one that continues to inspire new generations.
As one of the fastest-growing religious movements in the world, Paganism invites us to honour the wisdom of our spiritual ancestors and recognize their profound contributions to culture, art, and the shaping of civilization itself.
Whether you’re navigating interfaith dialogue or helping skeptical relatives understand your path, Pagan Pride offers thoughtful insight and affirmation for modern practitioners grounded in the earth and devoted to the divine.
Reviews
“Applying the revived and newly meaningful term “Pagan” to a wide variety of human cultural activities, Macha NightMare makes us look at our history with fresh eyes, letting us see the connections between religious polytheism and artistic creativity, political innovation, and freedom of thought.”
— Chas S. Clifton, academic, historian, and author of Her Hidden Children: The Rise of Wicca and Paganism in America
“From The Aenead to the White Horse of Uffington, Pagan Pride includes both well-known and nearly unremembered examples of pagan objects and ideas. Treasure Macha NightMare’s compilation and welcome to our strange and wonderful world, where minority religions can point to so many contributions to the majority culture.”
— Grey Cat, author of Deepening Witchcraft: Advancing Skills and Knowledge and founder of the NorthWind Tradition of American Witchcraft
“M. Macha NightMare has assembled an impressive collection of Pagan accomplishments spanning thousands of years of human history. Modern Pagan readers will rediscover their heritage with pride, while non-Pagans will acquire a new appreciation for the contributions of their Pagan forebears (and contemporaries) to our shared culture and society.”
— Don Frew, Wiccan Elder and National Interfaith Representative for the Covenant of the Goddess
“Who wouldn’t be proud? Pagans have given us art and architecture, customs and crafts, philosophy and poetry. Clearly and concisely, Macha NightMare offers a delightfully diverse overview of the world’s pagan heritage.”
— Patricia Monaghan, poet, spiritual activist, and author
Witchcraft and the Web: Weaving Pagan Traditions Online (2001)
Witchcraft and the Web: Weaving Pagan Traditions Online offers an unconventional yet insightful exploration of how the Internet shaped—and was shaped by—contemporary Witchcraft in the 1990s.
It delves into sacred technologies and the ways we access liminal space both in cyberspace and in terraspace. It examines how energy can be manipulated through magical practice and electronic communication alike.
Topics include polytheism and the digital world, online learning and teaching, virtual covens and spellcraft, and the power of networks for building community, organizing, and mobilizing for safety and change.
Reviews
“In this book, Macha opens up the fascinating world of online Witchcraft. She points out how perfectly the form and structure of the World Wide Web fit our decentralized model of linking and organizing, and how the Web has served the growth of the Craft. Full of great resources, it’s a thought provoking look at an important aspect of our current history.”
— Starhawk, author of The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess
“Witchcraft and the Internet: to many people, it seems incongruous, even counter-intuitive at first, but Witches have been in the forefront of the internet revolution…. and if you think about it rationally, it makes perfect sense. Not only are thousands of modern Pagans working in computer fields, but as a once, and sometimes still persecuted minority religion, Witches find the web the perfect place to create community, exchange ideas, and even create new kinds of cyberspace rituals. Now comes the first book to explore this phenomenon: Witchcraft and the Web. M. Macha NightMare has written a smart, insightful and extremely readable book filled with all the resources anyone would need to explore the cyber world of Witchcraft. More important, she deftly shows the impact of the web on the Craft – how it is changing the religion’s notions of authority, leadership, authenticity and even the way rituals are conducted.”
— Margot Adler, journalist and author of Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America
“The Great Goddess Spider Woman lives — and she’s weaving herself a new world on the Web, through which Macha NightMare threads her way with wit and energy. More than a manual for technopagans, this book offers provocative questions on the nature of both magic and community.”
— Patricia Monaghan, poet, spiritual activist, and author