Curse and Cure
magic for real life
September 2022, Self-published
This book has been a long, long time coming - and it’s been an absolute pleasure to introduce it to the world. It’s been my dream to create a non-denominational, thoughtful witchy 101 book since I was thirteen - a book without the traps of duotheism, a god/goddess gender binary (and even the implication that deity work is mandatory), and unspoken but taken for granted aspects of Wicca. I have nothing against Wicca, but it’s definitely not for everyone - and many elements of Wicca become merged into more generalized forms of magic in general, which is really just unnecessary. I wanted to write the book that I always wished existed when I was growing up, devouring endless books, and teaching myself magic - a book that would teach me some of the mechanics of magic, and how to practice fearlessly in a way that was uniquely my own. Curse and Cure is that book.
While it’s literally impossible to put everything I know about magic in one book, Curse and Cure: Magic for Real Life is me dipping my toes into that process. If my first book, Witchbody, was a manifesto about my beliefs, my experience of the world, and my definitions of what magic is and can do, Curse and Cure is more of a how-to, encouraging and practical guide to getting started.
There’s sections on energy work and magical timing, sections about altars and various spiritual beings; there’s even sample solo rituals, as well as in-depth, easy to follow instructions for group rituals for healing and self-care. It also has a lot of stuff I wouldn’t have been able to write at thirteen - intimate chapters on finding out who you are, and reflecting on how that can influence and shape your magic; I even address appropriation, eclecticism, and what it might mean to be a witch in a settler context. I talk about the pitfalls and traps of spiritual communities, and the mistakes we make, and things we may overlook, when we are desperate to belong. I also address covens, what they are and if you need one, as well as how spiritual leadership can be kinda weird.
I’m not aware of any witchy book like it, so… I hope you pick it up. I can pretty much guarantee you’ll learn something!
Official book blurb
Curse and Cure: Magic for Real Life is the book about witchcraft you’ve been waiting for.
Written in the non-denominational and no bullshit, academic yet wildly approachable style Sabrina Scott is known for, this book will teach you all you need to know about getting started as a witch - all without any pushiness, gender essentialism, spiritual bypassing, and the idea that your practice needs to look like anyone else’s. From in-depth musings on cultural background and different types of ancestors, to extensive teachings on energy work, magical timing, and ritual, to reminders about magical ethics, expertise, and what it means to be a discerning witch online, Curse and Cure is an indispensable magical guide for the discerning, smart witch making their way in today’s scientific and spiritual world.
Whether you’ve been dabbling in witchy spaces for a few decades, or just bought your first sticks of incense yesterday, your practice will be both solidified and transformed by the teachings in this book.
Sabrina Scott is a professional witch and spiritual teacher with more than 20 years of experience, 200+ students, and clientele worldwide. She has been profiled by Vice, Broadly, Refinery29, Yahoo, Witches Magazine, Ghosts Magazine, and more. She is the creator of graphic novel Witchbody. This is her second book.
Watch the online launch party replay
Yes, I did a zoom book launch online! During this lil launch party you'll see original art from the book, hear a reading from the book from one of my favourite sections (Healing and Harm in Spiritual Communities), and hear me talk about my creative process in general, as well as my journey to self-publish instead of sticking with the fancy big five publisher that originally signed this book back in summer 2020.
Click here to sign up and watch the launch for free.
Get your copy
Curse and Cure: Magic for Real Life is available both paperback and hardcover!
The links below are all for paperback as the default, but you should be able to find a hardcover option on Amazon, too.
If you’re a bookseller
I know many booksellers, independent shops, and boutiques will be hesitant to support Amazon in any way. I get it.
But the fact of the matter is, Amazon’s self-publishing platform, KDP, is in the process of beginning to radically transform the publishing industry…in way that is so, so good for independent artists and writers.
This book was actually originally signed - enthusiastically, I add - to a big five publisher that you’ve heard of. While I appreciated their big fancy stamp of approval, at the end of the day I elected to break off my relationship with them and stay true to myself, my artistic vision, and the original mission of the book. The KDP self-publishing platform on Amazon enabled me to do that.
(And, psst - Weiser didn’t change a single thing about my art, writing, design, or anything whatsoever when they acquired Witchbody from me back in 2018.)
If you’re a bookseller or any other shop, please know I want you to carry my book.
I’ve enabled Amazon’s extended distribution, which means Curse and Cure should be available on whatever distribution platform you use, whether that be Ingram or something else. Financially, it’s actually more advantageous to me to just ask everyone to buy the book directly from Amazon, but I absolutely love the magic of bookstores, and the little serendipitous rituals of discovery that bookstores and other shops and boutiques make possible. So, I want your shop to carry my book - even if I get less of a cut. Bookstores are awesome.
If you’d like to carry Curse and Cure and would rather do consignment than ordering wholesale through Amazon, let me know - it’ll be more expensive for both of us, but it’s a possibility. Get in touch at hello@sabrinamscott.com