While my stories are fiction, they are not complete fantasy. I try to base my writing on things that happened to me or on stories that I've heard from people I've met on my travels. From my experience, witchcraft is a lot more prevalent in Africa than elsewhere, and indeed the initial spark for this trilogy came from a visit to The Ivory Coast in 1999. My fascination with African mysticism and its lesser-known connections to Western magical traditions, has grown over the years, and what began as a simple story about a skeptical Scotsman encountering supernatural forces evolved into a complex narrative spanning continents and belief systems.
For the subject of Voodoo, I drew on some of the encounters I had on a visit to Louisiana, but also on stories I have heard from friends from Benin, the original home of Voodoo or Vodun, where it is still practiced by sixteen percent of the population. Enhancing these experiences with extensive research, I've worked to portray these ancient traditions with as much accuracy as possible, so that the story feels real.
When I first conceived The Witch's List, I had a rough idea of the overall story arc of the trilogy, but I didn't realise how far down the rabbit hole of mysticism and magic it would lead me. My initial research into African spiritual practices opened up a whole new world of interconnected beliefs and rituals that span the globe. While Voodoo is often portrayed rather stereotypically in popular media, if you dig a little deeper you'll find that in Louisiana, it is a tradition that blends West African Vodun, Native American spiritual practices, and elements of Roman Catholicism, which I have attempted to include in Voodoomsday.
The journey of writing The Witch's List trilogy has been one of continuous discovery of the world's mystical traditions. Through Sandy's eyes, readers are invited to challenge their preconceptions about magic, reality, and the nature of belief itself. As Voodoomsday brings this journey to a close, I hope that readers will come away with not just a thrilling story, but a new appreciation of spiritual beliefs that shape our lives.
Whether you're a long-time fan of the series or new to Sandy's adventures, I invite you to approach Voodoomsday with an open mind and heart. The magic you find there might just change the way you see the world.
