Total Eclipse of the Storyteller

MST Cards Spotlight: The Moon and The Sun

Just in time for today’s eclipse, I’m excited to share with you the Mystic Storyteller Tarot Moon and Sun cards! From a writer’s lens, these cards are packed with symbolism to inspire epic adventures, and from a personal perspective, the imagery of the cards designed for my new book and companion tarot deck fill me with joy. But first…

But first, a little about eclipse symbolism in the tarot

In the tarot, an eclipse symbolizes an awakening, a shift in energy, and a transition. They inform change that is instinctual, subconscious, or lingering just beneath the surface. If you pull The Moon or the Eight of Cups in a reading—these are the two cards that feature an eclipse—and the eclipse stands out to you, it could mean an initiation into a major or minor transition, respectively. And now for our Mystic Storyteller card reveals…

The Moon

The Moon card is just as mysterious and wondrous as the mystic storyteller’s mind, and its components align perfectly to the trinity of the conscious, subconscious, and the shadow. The Moon reflects the sun, offering a light in the dark, a beacon for moving through the night.

The Moon Card Muses

In the upcoming Mystic Storyteller Tarot, the companion deck to the book, Mystic Storyteller: A Writer’s Guide to Using the Tarot for Creative Inspiration, our muses for The Moon card are my sweet pups, Indigo and Kirby. What a pet owner’s delight to see my fur-babies on their own tarot card. Like the dog and wolf in Pamela Colman Smith’s illustration, Indy and Kirby couldn’t be more opposite. And what about that gorgeous moon? Here’s my interpretation from a storyteller’s lens.

What The Moon means to me as a storyteller...

When The Moon shines on your writer’s desk, you can bet that self-reflection and/or subconscious decision-making are on the rise. Whether The Moon’s energy represents you, the storyteller, or your characters, someone is on the brink of internal revelation or struggle. Considering the latter, The Moon can illuminate misperceptions, veiling the truth and obscuring understanding. Similar to how The Hermit’s lantern lights his path of wisdom and knowledge, the light of The Moon illuminates what I like to call the writer’s triad of inner consciousness: the conscious, the subconscious, and the shadow.

From a writer’s perspective, The Moon card implies the need to pay attention to the distinct voices at work as you venture along your path: your conscious voice, represented by the dog, your subconscious voice, represented by the wolf, and your shadow voice, represented by the crayfish. Whichever rises, you are encouraged to listen to it. However, which one will you allow the most space? Which voice is the most practical? Which is guiding you in the direction of what’s best for you and your craft? Which is misleading you? Which is provoking fear? Additionally, is your intuition telling you to be on alert? Is it warning of vanity presses? An aloof editor? Being ill-prepared to format your book for a specific self-publishing platform? As you move forward on your writer’s journey, take a mental inventory of your intuitive concerns and fears, but also look outwardly. Glance around, to the left and right, yes, but also behind you. What needs your attention along your way?

The Sun

The moon can’t shine without the sun, and in the tarot, The Sun card illuminates our actions, dreams, reactions, and how we outwardly express our desires and urges, whether conscious or subconscious.

The Sun Card Muse

Illustration by Roz Kazaz

In the upcoming Mystic Storyteller Tarot, the companion deck to the book, Mystic Storyteller: A Writer’s Guide to Using the Tarot for Creative Inspiration, The Sun card is illustrator Roz Kazaz’s very favorite, and she featured a special muse for the child in the imagery. Meet Aubergine, a children’s book character designed by Roz who is near and dear to her heart.

What The Sun means to me as a storyteller...

In the recent past, I was listening to an episode of one of my favorite podcasts, The Tarot Diagnosis, when Shannon, podcast host and my dear friend, said, and I paraphrase, “Never forget about the time when you dreamed of having the things you have right now.”

As a storyteller, I can relate profoundly to this message, because at the time of sharing details about my new book happiness doesn’t look the same as it did when I first started writing. Years ago, simply finishing the first draft of my very first novel was the goal I dreamed of most. Once that accomplishment was made, the goal post moved, and writerly happiness moved with it; I found excitement and joy (initially) in seeking literary agent representation. After the newness of that process faded and the struggle of rejection wore me down, I changed course and endeavored to self-publish. That process brought so much fulfillment to my craft! From cover to cover, I was able to design every aspect of my work, an undertaking that was incredibly rewarding.

Today, as I look forward to my new book’s release, while I’m still not a world-renowned novelist and my work hasn’t yet won an Oscar or a Pulitzer, I haven’t forgotten all the blood, sweat, and tears that brought me to where I am right at this very moment. I appreciate every experience, every lesson learned, and my writerly happiness has shifted to sharing the new book and tarot deck, researching for a Southern Gothic, magical realism series of novels, and dreaming of the moment when the accolades and honors start galloping into my life.

As I venture through the next phase of my storytelling journey, I’m choosing to keep The Sun card in my pocket, a reminder that I have achieved everything I once dreamed of accomplishing.

Stay tuned for the next card(s) reveal!

Keep an eye on your inbox Wednesday, because it’s National Siblings Day and I can’t wait to introduce you to two special pairs of siblings featured in my new book and deck!

Release Date and Other Details

The Mystic Storyteller book and tarot deck is being launched on BackerKit this August. That means YOU will have the chance to demonstrate your Magician skills by helping manifest this endeavor. Stay tuned for a release date and other details! As a subscriber, you’re on the fast track to staying updated on this magickal project.

I cannot say it enough: THANK YOU for your interest, your kind words of encouragement, and your celebration of Mystic Storyteller! If you are not already following @MysticStorytellerTarot on Instagram, please click the image below!

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In her more than thirty years as a storyteller and visual designer, Amanda “Mandy” Hughes has written and designed over a dozen works of literary, Southern Gothic, and women’s fiction under pen names A. Lee Hughes and Mandy Lee.

Mandy is the founder of Haint Blue Creative^®, a space for readers and storytellers to explore, learn, and create. She holds a Bachelor and Master of Science in Psychology, and she has worked as an instructional designer for nearly twenty years.

When she’s not writing, Mandy enjoys the movies, theater, music, traveling, nature walks, birdwatching, and binging The Office. She is a tarot enthusiast who uses the cards to enhance creativity and foster wellness. Her book Mystic Storyteller: A Writer’s Guide to Using the Tarot for Creative Inspiration and companion tarot deck are coming to La Panthère Studio in 2024.

Mandy lives in Georgia with her husband and four sons, two of whom are furrier than the others (but not by much). Visit her website at haintbluecreative.com and follow her on Instagram @HaintBlueCreative and @MysticStorytellerTarot.