aceofcupstarot

[aceofcupstarot]

The new edition of my gothic-eldritch novel, HILLAM HALL, is now avaliable in paperback, hardcover, ebook and audiobook. The cover art is by the incredible Aritz Palacin Albeniz (@haticaughtthemoon). Here is a synopsis.

Somewhere on the desolate moors of Victorian England sits a monolithic black house. It is not merely a haunted mansion, but a yawning gateway unto the chaotic evil of the cosmos. Emmaline Heath, a dark-haired young woman fleeing a tortured past, is sent to live in its monstrous wings under the care of her godfather Carax Hillam. But it is not only the sinister Hillam Hall and its guardian that await her there on the blasted heath: with them are a horde of Lovecraftian Elder gods, tortured ghosts, a familiar and fair stranger, and her own immense destiny.

With the help of the souls of two damned lovers, Red Eyre and Black Tom, a strange hare-like familiar called Hum, and her fated and melancholy love from beyond time, Hyland, Emmaline will come to know her own true nature–as a witch, and a being far greater than humankind–and with this knowledge accept her destiny as the one who will close the cosmic gateway the dreaded Hillam Hall sits upon, before the hellish armies of eldritch night can pour forth upon the world.

HILLAM HALL is an epic dark tale that integrates several gothic traditions (classic horror, Lovecraftian cosmic/eldritch, and romance) into an amalgamation of the best elements of each, giving it a singularity that is both rooted in the best horror traditions and fresh in its tonality. This book will appeal to fans of the cosmic horror of H.P. Lovecraft (AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS), the classic gothic works of Edgar Allan Poe (THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER), Mary Shelley (FRANKENSTEIN) and Emily Brontë (WUTHERING HEIGHTS), and the dark romances of Anne Rice (THE WITCHING HOUR) while bringing a contemporary feminism and fresh voice of its own upon the trappings of the genre.

If you buy my book in any format and you like it, please, please, please leave it a review. It will help all the spooky people find it. This book is the culmination of work that encompasses almost 15 years of my life. It is my first published novel. I’m writing more, including its sequels, and a series of books about a dynasty of witches in a small, strange town in upstate New York.

My husband and I have been working non-stop on the audiobook for almost a year, and Aritz worked tirelessly on the art. It’s been a labor of love for all of us, and I’m beyond excited to show everyone what we have worked so hard to actualize. Amor est dolor aeternus. Come, enter with us, through the jaws of Hillam Hall.

Paperback.

Hardcover.

Audiobook: iTunes. Audible.

Ebook.

Message me with your questions and business inquiries. I have an Instagram where my husband and I post vintage books from my personal collection, @curiousvolumes. You can find Aritz and more of his very spooky, very beautiful art on Instagram (@blackenedworld) or Etsy (@blackenedworld).

[aceofcupstarot]

Welcome to Ace of Cups Tarot!

I’m Sandy Settle. I’m a writer and a Tarot reader. I’ve been reading cards for 10+ years, a practicing Pagan for longer. I use many Bohemian-style decks (based on the Rider-Waite-Smith deck) and oracle decks. Full list of decks I use is available upon request after you pay for a reading.

I reserve the right to deny a reading at any time for any reason. I block as I see fit. After the reading is sent, there are no refunds.

A three-card reading (Past, Present, Future) is a $30 flat fee. I transact via Venmo @sandymsettle. Money must be sent before the reading is done (labeled as a “donation”). I will process the funds after the reading is sent via messages. Beyond a basic three-card, I read intuitively, so I do not follow a pre-set “spread”/organization. All readings above three cards start at $40.

I do not do live/video readings of any kind at this point. I simply don’t have time. All readings will generally be sent to you via Ask/messaging on Tumblr or, if you prefer, via Fiverr. 

Please be warned that a Tarot reading can be an extremely personal and sometimes emotionally challenging experience. It’s important to try to ground yourself before a reading and make sure you are open to whatever Source wants to tell you. Practice measured breathing, meditate, drink liquids, and calm your mind. I am merely a conduit for whatever that information is, I do not decide what the cards say. I am a messenger. I am not personally responsible for any emotional distress the reading may cause.

Blessed be. I’m here to help you on your path forward!