With Ariel Gore & Annie Murphy
All classes meet in the workshop space adjacent to Seven Sisters Candle Shop in Santa Fe’s Second Street Studios directly across the parking lot from Cloud Cliff/El Patio.

The Language of Your Life:
True Tales & Likely Stories

Meets Wednesday mornings 10 am – noon, September 8 – November 10

Taught by Ariel Gore

The language of your life–for beginning and advanced writers interested in finding their voice. Especially suited for those interested in fashioning stories from their own lives. This supportive and inspiring group is appropriate for writers at all levels.

10 Weeks $290

A $90 deposit holds your spot. The remaining $200 is due at the first meeting.

Class size is limited to 10, so please sign up early.

The Graphic Narrative Workshop

Meets Wednesday evenings 6 – 8 pm, September 15 – November 17

Taught by Annie Murphy

Have you ever dreamed of penning a graphic novel? Have you thought about the mystical and mythical side of comics? This creative non-fiction graphic narrative workshop is particularly appropriate for writers and artists interested in working with memoir, family history, biography, research-based stories, dream comics, or myth-inspired graphic narratives. Students should have experience in art of some kind and have the desire to move in a narrative direction–you don’t have to be a “good drawer,” you just have to have the heart and the motivation to draw a story in whatever style you choose.

10 Weeks $290

A $90 deposit holds your spot. The remaining $200 is due at the first meeting.

Class size is limited to 12, so please sign up early.

The August Writing Intensive

The Language of Your Life: True Tales and Likely Stories

Meets five evenings 6 – 8 pm, August 9 – 13

Taught by Ariel Gore

Ignite your creative life, find your voice as a writer, create fresh material…even get started on a book project. This supportive and inspiring week-long writing workshop is appropriate for beginning and advanced writers interested in fashioning stories from their own lives. We will meet each day to write together and critique each other’s work (stories offered for critique may be written earlier or generated during this intensive).

Class size is limited to 9

$190 for the week

$50 deposit holds your spot. The remaining $140 is due at the first meeting

* * *

Ariel Gore’s books, Annie Murphy’s graphic novella, and The Collective Tarot are available at Seven Sisters Candle Shop, 1807 Second St. #32 (across from Cloud Cliff/El Patio).

(505) 984 – 3183

Ocha: Introduction to the Orishas

Are you intrigued by African-based spiritual traditions, Yoruba magic, the Orisha, Voudou, or Santeria?

In this 8-week workshop, Frank Harrell, Santero and professor emeritus of psychology at the College of Santa Fe, will demystify Voudou theology and the Orisha Pantheon.

Whether you’re a curious academic, a simple seeker, a spiritual worker looking to expand her mystical know-how, or even a new Voudou initiate, this workshop will lead you into a new level of knowledge about this elegant spiritual tradition.

Meets Tuesday evenings 6 – 8 pm, September 7 – October 26

8 weeks for $230
A $75 deposit holds your spot. The remaining $155 due at the first meeting
Class size is limited to 15, so please register early.
Register & Pay deposit:

I figure if I’m in Santa Fe, I might as well learn to cook.

Started with some road-opening blue corn cakes with green chili chutney & they turned out pretty well…

I made the chutney the night before. The recipe is very liberally adapted from The Santa Fe School of Cooking Cookbook.

Just combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 50 minutes or until it looks like the thick relish it’s supposed to be:

New Mexico Chile Chutney

1/2 C. Salsa Verde (I used Trader Joe’s instead of homemade since I’m lazy like that)

3/4 C. diced onion

1/4 C. roasted, peeled, seeded & chopped green chile

3/4 C. turbinado sugar

1 C. apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons good salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin & 1/4 teaspoon coriander (You’d be fine with 1/2 teaspoon Garam masala instead)

1 tablespoon rum (optional, rum is sacred to eleggua, god of the crossroads, so it’s added here primarily for its magical quality)

1 teaspoon ground Chimayo red chile

If you want to serve your chutney right away, just let it cool a little. If you’re storing it in the fridge overnight, warm it a little before serving.

Road-Opening Blue Corn Cakes

We had it for breakfast, but I guess these blue corn cakes are supposed to be served as an appetizer. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

4 eggs (vegans can use two bananas blended until smooth)

2 cups of buttermilk (to make vegan buttermilk, combine 2 cups soy or almond milk with 4 Tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar)

1 C. spelt flour (our original recipe called for all-purpose flour, but we’d long-since abandoned the recipe!)

1 Tablespoon baking soda

2 teaspoons sugar

The kernels cut from one cob of corn

1/2 a red bell pepper, diced

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 C. cilantro, chopped

1/2 teaspoon good salt

2 Tablespoons Earth Balance, melted

OK, so, in a big bowl you want to combine your eggs and buttermilk, or your vegan substitutes, and whisk those together. In a separate bowl you’ll combine your dry ingredients–the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. You slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet and whisk until there aren’t any lumps. Now you stir in your vegetables–your peppers and your chili and your onions and your garlic and your cilantro. Finally, whisk in your butter.

Heat your griddle or frying pan.

Keep the griddle lightly oiled with cooking spray as you pour your batter, about an ounce or two per cake, and cook for a minute or two on each side, or until the cakes are a little bit brown.

I served the blue corn cake with the yummy chutney and plain yogurt, but they probably would have been better with the chutney and sour cream (or Tofutti sour cream…)

* * *

I have a writing workshop starting tomorrow, so I am going to use the left-over ingredients to make some chile-cheese blue corn muffins. I’ll post recipe if folks like them…

THE LANGUAGE OF YOUR LIFE: True Tales & Likely Stories

July Morning Intensive meets July 19 – 23, 10 a.m. to Noon – ONLY ONE SPOT LEFT

August Evening Intensive meets August 9 – 13, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.- SIX SPOTS OPEN – Sign up for this one!

Second St. Studios, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Ignite your creative life, find your voice as a writer, create fresh material…even get started on a book project.

An intense, week-long writing workshop for beginning and advanced writers interested in fashioning stories from their own lives.

We will meet each day at a small writing studio in Santa Fe to write together and critique each other’s work (stories offered for critique may be written earlier or generated during this intensive).

This supportive and inspiring group is appropriate for writers at all levels–limited to 10, so please register early.

email arielgore at earthlink dot net with any questions.

* The writing studio is located at The Second Street Studios — 1807 Second St., #32. If you are coming from out of town, note that the studio is walking distance (about a half mile) from Santa Fe’s International Hostel on Cerrillos Rd. (http://hostelsantafe.com) and several funny little motels.

$200 ($50 deposit is nonrefundable. Remaining $150 is due at the first meeting.)

Sign up for the July morning intensive:

Sign up for the August evening intensive:

CLASS FULL WAIT-LIST ONLY

A new session of Lit Star Training, the online writing workshop, starts August 1st. The session runs 8 weeks — August 1st to September 26th — and costs the usual $275.

Scroll down for writers’ comments about the workshop. And feel free to email me with questions.

A $90 deposit saves your spot (register early, because it often fills up):

Ariel Gore is a fabulous workshop facilitator; I’ve been taking classes from her since 2001. In each of the workshops, she brings together a diverse group of writers with varying degrees of competency; and, whether the writer is seasoned or a beginner, she understands exactly where each person is coming from and she meets them there. Not only did I find my unique voice, I learned how to be a thoughtful listener and how to provide insightful critique. I would recommend her workshops to anyone interested in memoir and the art of a good story.

—Lani Jo Leigh

Ariel’s workshops jumpstarted my psyche. I’m back into looking at the world as a writer instead of as a would-be writer. I have her to thank for that. Workshops are almost at your own pace. Always encouraging. She has a knack for assembling a great group of writers together every time.

—Margaret Elysia Garcia

Ariel Gore’s writing workshop pushed me past the borders of my creativity and into an exciting unknown place of writing within myself. If you’ve ever put to pen to paper and wondered what you were really capable of Ariel’s workshop will take you there.

—Gabriel Rivera

I throughly enjoy Ariel’s workshops. Writers from a variety of backgrounds gather together, bringing in work with all kinds of themes, and as each piece is workshopped, Ariel’s ear for the crucial aspects of great storytelling kicks right in. Her feedback is thoughtful, insightful, precise, and multilayered.

—Bonnie Ditlevsen

When I started writing with Ariel I had zero idea how to write for audience. In work shopping with her, I have found my voice and with practice have found different ways to formulate story. I have learned how to incorporate dialogue and am so much more confident with my work. I recommend this work shop to all aspiring, practicing, and practiced writers.

—Krystee Sidwell

More cool stuff–including chakra-opening body sprays–just up at my new magic shop website…

New blog at Psychology Today…

So – yes! – In Santa Fe with the magic candle shop.

Gallina Magica original spiritual supplies are now available online exclusively from Seven Sisters Candle Shop. Our products are handmade in Santa Fe, New Mexico from organic and wildcrafted herbs and essential oils.

Spiritual Baths

Draw yourself a bath and pour in a dash or a half bottle…

Erzili Freda’s Visionary Love Bath – Baño de Amor Visionario de Erzli Freda
Made with spring water, rose water, pure castile soap, roses, lavender, damiana leaf, and rose and orange essential oils. 8 oz.
$7 + shipping

“Money flows naturally and easily into my life” Prosperity Bath

“El dinero fluye naturalmente en mi vida” Baño de Prosperidad

Made with spring water, pure castile soap, fresh basil, and sweet basil and tangerine essential oils. 8 oz. bath.
$7 + shipping

New Life Cleansing Bath

Baño de Limpia y Despojo

Made with spring water, Pacific sea salt, fresh sage, and essential oils. 8 oz. bath.
$7 + shipping

Mother Courage & Court Case Victory Bath

Corage de Madre Baño de Victoria en las Cortes
Made with spring water, pure castile soap, John the Conqueror, sage, red raspberry leaf, and essential oils. 8 oz. bath.
$7 + shipping

Road Opener – Abre Camino
Made with fresh ginger, lemon balm oil, and pure coconut butter.

Road Opener – Abre Camino – 1/2 oz. anointing oil
$8 +  shipping

Road Opener – Abre Camino – 4 oz. spritzer mist
$7 +  shipping

Prosperity – Prosperidad
Made with Bergamot and Ylang Ylang essential oils

Prosperity – Prosperidad – 1/2 oz. anointing oil
$8 + shipping

Prosperity – Prosperidad – 4 oz. mist
$7 + shipping

Cleo May’s Attraction Oil – Atraccion Cleo May
Made according to Cleo May’s traditional recipe with rose, orange, and cinnamon

Cleo May’s Attraction – 1/2 oz. anointing oil

$8 + shipping

Cleo May’s Attraction – 4 oz. spritzer mist
$7 + shipping

Double Action Protection – Proteccion Doble Accion
Made with traditional protection oils – rosemary and sage – and additional herbs to reverse the effects of the Evil Eye or hexes already sent.

Double Action Protection – 1/2 oz. anointing oil
$8 + shipping

Proteccion Doble Accion – 4 oz. spritzer mist
$8 + shipping

Seven Sisters: Escape Danger to Bring Light
In honor of the seven sisters of Loretto who made the rugged journey to Santa Fe to open the state’s first schools and build the Our Lady of Light cathedral – with the help of a mysterious builder — some say St. Joseph himself – and in honor of the Native American and Greek sisters who escaped danger to become the Pleadies, and in honor of the Seven Voodoo Sister of New Orleans, light this candle when you need to accelerate through danger to bring light to the world.

$4.95 + shipping

Love Drawing / Atrae Amor
Light this candle in honor of Erzili Freda and to open your heart and draw love.
$4.95 + shipping

Marie Laveau
Turn to Marie Laveau for courage, healing, and spiritual power.
$4.95 + shipping

Road Opener – Abre Camino
Open the ROAD, yo!
$4.95 + shipping