#WitchWeek2022 wrap-up, plus …

#WitchWeek2022

Well, that’s it for 2022, our Witch Week exploration of fantasy offerings from around the world! As promised we travelled from the New World to the Old, from East to West, and across six of the inhabited continents in our quest to celebrate polychromancy. We hope you enjoyed the ride!

Co-host Lizzie and I would first like to thank our debut contributors Daphne and Mallika who introduced us to fantasy from southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent; then there are those who so willingly joined in the discussion on Zen Cho’s Malaysia-set novel Black Water Sister: Daphne and Malika again but also Jean and Lory, providing keen insights and personal responses.

I would especially like to express my gratitude to Lizzie who undertook much of the editing while I’ve been involved with several musical commitments, and also furnished not one but two posts to add to our roster.

Then, as in times past, we’re also grateful to citizens of the social media world, who added comments and questions;
• those who may have tweeted / Facebooked / Instragrammed links to our posts, and who included pingbacks, links, and reviews on their own blogs;
• and we mustn’t neglect mentions of readers from the world’s four corners who’ve viewed posts or even just ‘liked’ them!

And, finally, once again, a special nod of appreciation to Lory, who seven years ago started this annual celebration of Diana Wynne Jones and fantasy fiction. The first wonderful series of Witch Weeks appeared on Lory’s former blog, the Emerald City Book Review, between 2014 and 2017; since she’s moved to her new website they may be available if you search its archive:

2017: Dreams of Arthur
2016: Made in America
2015: New Tales from Old
2014: Diana Wynne Jones

She then entrusted it all to Lizzie and myself for the last five years. Here are links to our previous posts:

2021: Treason and Plot
2020: Gothick
2019: Villains
2018: Fantasy & Feminism

And now it’s time to reveal 2023’s theme: it’s … Cryptozoo! The Greek origins of the word cryptic indicate something hidden while cryptozoology, usually characterised as pseudoscience, can be defined as the search for and study of animals whose existence or survival is disputed or unsubstantiated.

There is a huge subculture investigating unknown, legendary, or extinct animals, including popular folklore creatures such as Bigfoot, the Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, dragons and so on. Our Cryptozoo is likely to mainly feature fabulous creatures found in fantasy literature, travellers’ tales, heraldry, myth and legend but may still offer surprise exhibits.

The zoo will be formally opened during Witch Week 2023, and admission will be free, so we hope to see you all again then!

#WitchWeek2023