Francesca's Thoughts

Let's go old-school internet and hold a conversation.

The Raven’s Prophecy tarot deck by Maggie Stiefvater

13/08/2026

Pulling Tarot Cards for My Characters | Rotting Trees, Book 1 in the Bezzina’s Emporium Trilogy

So over on Patreon I’m hosting a book club to discuss Rotting Trees. It’s been huge fun revisiting the novel and coming up with conversation points and while I was thinking about the novel’s themes, vibes and many unanswered questions, I got wondering about which cards in the Major Arcana best represent the characters in… Continue reading

Bezzina’s Emporium of Magical Artefacts and Antiquities, Books, The No. 1 Readers' Club

behind the scenes books, Bezzina’s Emporium of Magical Artefacts and Antiquities, book blog, book club for YA book, bookish blog, Dead Ends by Francesca Astraea, Major Arcana series, Major Arcana tarot cards, rarot reading, Rotting Trees, Rotting Trees by Francesca Astraea, tarot reading for characters, The Raven’s Prophecy tarot deck by Maggie Stiefvater, YA books, YA series
31/10/2021

Reflections on this blog and where it’s going (with a little bit of tarot, it is Halloween)

A few moments ago I pulled a tarot card for this blog. It’s Halloween, it’s the site’s spiritual birthday, it’s a good way to start a post. I thought about the last twelve years as I shuffled, and I was expecting to feel a little melancholy as I did so. It’s Halloween, after all, which… Continue reading

brain chat, Internet

being a full time creative, blogging, cancel culture, cancelling authors, Halloween, Indifferent Ignorance, My Chemical Romance renunion, tarot card, The Raven’s Prophecy tarot deck by Maggie Stiefvater, Three of Wands, YA book community
27/10/2019

Halloween 2019 ft. Raven’s Prophecy Tarot and Quite a Lot of Lace

The other day I wrote about finding tarot cards for my Halloween costume and promised pictures. I forgot to take any photos (always the sign of a good party) but I’m aware that many of you will have been waiting for pictures with BAITED BREATH… so I put some of my jewellery back on this… Continue reading

Art, Halloween

‘The Raven Cycle’, Halloween costume, Indifferent Ignorance, Maggie Stiefvater, Peaky Blinders costume, The Raven’s Prophecy tarot deck by Maggie Stiefvater

Let’s close the door on the rest of the internet.

Francesca Astraea here.

When I began this blog in 2009, I was a teenager. That’s why you’ll find some posts have been hidden behind a paywall. I was an incredibly different, less eloquent person when I was a teen, so if you want to read the thoughts of that teenager, you can join the No. 1 Readers’ Club for access.

What will you find here now?

This blog continues to evolve with me. My favourite topics are books and reading, travel adventures, the extensive works of up and coming rock band My Chemical Romance and the occasional update about my life and work as an author and scriptwriter. I’m also interested in digital minimalism, how we can solve environmental issues and why it’s probably a better idea to make a cup of tea than it is to shout at people you disagree with.

Speaking of tea… Make a cup and settle in.

Leave a comment on posts to continue the conversation and tell me your favourite MCR song! Oh, and while you’re here: this is a no-gen-AI household. You may not put any of my posts through an LLM. If you’re going to email me or write a comment, do it yourself.

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The Raven’s Prophecy tarot deck by Maggie Stiefvater

Pulling Tarot Cards for My Characters | Rotting Trees, Book 1 in the Bezzina’s Emporium Trilogy

Reflections on this blog and where it’s going (with a little bit of tarot, it is Halloween)

Halloween 2019 ft. Raven’s Prophecy Tarot and Quite a Lot of Lace