Which Witch Are You?
Tonight, I was futzing around on the Internet when I stumbled on a quiz tied to the television show, CHARMED.
Not surprisingly, I came up as Prue Halliwell, played by Shannen Doherty in the first few seasons before Shannen pissed off Aaron Spelling again, got booted and her character killed off. Funny part was, Prue was never my favorite sister, even if the character (not the actress!) is more like me than the others. Responsible. Loyal. Bossy. A little bit wicked. Still, my affinity was for Phoebe. Not only do I adore Alyssa Milano and have since her days on Who’s The Boss, but I liked the free-spirited, semi-irresponsible baby sister. She always provided great comic relief and great romance. 
(Cole anyone? Chris? Even Leo. Hot, hot, hot!)
Why all the witch talk? Yes, I do realize that Halloween is over. However, we have another Halloween coming up next year and I have two books coming out around that time with heroines who are witches. They are also sisters. No, I’m not stealing ideas from Charmed, but I am borrowing those aspects I love and working them into my own world. A world I’ve been building for a very long time. I’m writing the books now. Yes, both of them. Ooooh, I love deadlines!
Now, I know that some people are uncomfortable with discussions of witchcraft. I’m talking the fictional kind, here, people. I’ve studied enough about Wicca (the pagan religion where practioners call themselves witches) to write books that hopefully will not bother anyone who follows this spiritual path. I do have a secondary character in the Blaze who is Wiccan and I’m trying to be true to her. But my heroines aren’t “real” witches…they’re the fictional kind. The cool kind with powers. The kind I think every little girl hoped she could be, if not for just a moment after watching Bewitched.
My fascination with witches clearly started with Samantha Stevens. While the show debuted before I was born, ABC aired Saturday morning episodes through the later part of the show’s run, in the early 70’s. I simply adored Elizabeth Montgomery and thought she was the coolest. I loved Endora. And Serena! 
And of course, Aunt Clara. Who didn’t want an Aunt Clara. For the record, I cannot twitch my nose, something that vexes me to this day. (According to my research, Elizabeth Montgomery did not twitch her nose, but her upper lip…I still can’t do it. All Jeannie had to do was blink!)
I loved the series so much, I payed homage to them in my books PURE CHANCE and INSATIABLE, which were re-released last year as NEW ORLEANS NIGHTS. Samantha and Serena were my heroines. Their mother was Endora. The cat was Tabitha II and the dog was Maurice. In my current series, the aunt’s character is named Marion–after the Emmy-winning actress who played Aunt Clara.
While I loved that Samantha’s powers pretty much spanned all possibilities, I was fascinated then by the fictional witch who came next in my life…Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Willow was a witch who had to work at her craft, literally. More in line with the Wiccan tradition but bolstered by the fantasy magic that drove the series, Willow wasn’t a perfect witch. She made mistakes. She was tempted by evil. She was tempted by love. She was a combination of Samantha and Serena, but without the perfect magic.
Then came Charmed. The world building in this show always fascinated me (though watching it in reruns or on DVD has caused me to catch all sorts of plot inconsistencies I’d rather not have known about!) Each sister had one or two powers. They had to learn how to be witches and in the first season at least, never scry (using magic to find a missing person) or make potions. I loved their journey. And let’s face it–they got the hottest guys!
My most recent favorite witch is Hermoine Granger from the Harry Potter series, mainly because I know that Hermoine has so much more up her sleeve than she lets on. She’s a brilliant witch, but an even more amazing young woman. The world JK Rowling created for her witches and wizards is completely original and gives a whole new layer with the magical living in the same world as muggles, and yet completely apart. But the basics of life as a magical creature or as a normal person are the same. Anyone who thinks the Harry Potter series is about witchcraft really hasn’t read them. It’s about the power of friendship and love.
I think at the most basic level, so was Charmed. It was the Power of Three–the connection between the three sisters–that bolstered the entire series. Even Buffy was more about friendship and loyalty and love than magic and demons and evil. I think it can be argued that in many ways, Bewitched also had love at its core. Sure, Sam could do all kinds of cool things by wriggling her nose, but in the end, all that mattered was her love for Darrin (either Dick York or Dick Sargeant…I preferred the original. He was bumbling and cute and meant well. Sargeant always seemed to me to have something shoved up his…well, you get the idea.)
So as I create my world for my witches, which borrows a little from all these influences, though it is entirely my own (with help from authors Rhonda Nelson and Mia Zachary, who are writing novellas with me set in this world), I have to remember that love and loyalty and the great responsibility of power are the foundation of my stories. I hope that comes across once they are published. I know that paranormal is “hot” right now…but I always worry about the readers who simply don’t like the woo-woo. I’ve always loved the woo-woo! I can’t imagine a fantasy world without the woo-woo!
Anyway, that’s my witch blog. Now, back to the magic…
I LOVE WITCH SHOWS … I came up as: You are most like prue Halliwell from Charmed!
You are a strong and caring witch.
You look after the people you love, even if that means you’ll have to sacrifice your own life in order to save theirs.
********
But I didn’t watch Charmed (will order DVD’s!) … someone tell me which actress/more on who I am!
Comment by Carly — November 22, 2006 @ 7:34 am
Hey I think witches are cool, and I’ve always wished I had powers *g* I’m Paige btw - is that Rose McGowan? Interesting.
I really liked Willow from BtVS. She was a great witch, even when she was tempted by the dark side. There was just so much depth to the character. But then again, I loved the show too. Miss it like crazy.
Comment by Stacy ~ — November 22, 2006 @ 8:58 am
Oh Julie I forgot to mention I finished “Making Waves”, and I loved Tessa. Of course Colton was pretty hot, too - I actually pictured him as the guy on the cover. Great book. I’d love to have Tessa’s house, and hero
Comment by Stacy ~ — November 22, 2006 @ 9:00 am
I like the woo-woo, it is what makes it fun. I love Hermione, she is a loyal brainiac, so I like her a lot. I used to devour books with witch characters in them when I was in grade school, if it was about witches I had to have it.
Comment by Kris — November 22, 2006 @ 9:15 am
I came up as Prue also, but I have to confess I’ve never watched an entire episode. My husband and kids used to, and I’ve been in the room while it was on, but never paid much attention. It seems I just never have time to really watch anything.
However, I love witch shows. “Bewitched” was my absolute favorite and I don’t think there’s an episode that I haven’t seen. I practiced and practiced, but was never able to get the nose twitch down either. I also watched “I Dream of Jeannie” and even though I don’t think I’ve seen every episode, I’m sure there aren’t a lot I missed.
And I love Harry Potter books. I enjoy being swept away in the magical mystical worlds and the kid in me refuses to believe that it’s not real somewhere, somehow. And don’t tell me there’s no Santa or Easter Bunny or I’ll cry.
I always heard “if you stop believing, he stops coming,” so I still believe in the magic of the morning and am never dissapointed.
Comment by Jodie — November 22, 2006 @ 9:38 am
It’s says I’m most like Paige. I really like witch stories and I’m glad more people are writing them. My family has accused me of being a witch for years and honestly I don’t know why.
Comment by Theresa N. — November 22, 2006 @ 10:11 am
I also took the quiz…. You are most like Paige Matthews/Halliwell from Charmed!
You’ve always known you were different. You just never knew why.
Now you’ve started with magic you’re becoming very good at it.
That must be the older sister syndrome coming out of me. Being the oldest of 5 kids will do that to you. LOL!!
Julie, I live not far from Salem, Massachusetts which is also known as witch city. They put a statue in the commons not too long ago of Elizabeth Montgomery sitting on the moon from Bewitched.
http://www.bewitched.net/statue6.htm
Comment by Kelly — November 22, 2006 @ 10:19 am
I’m a Phoebe! (Which is so funny because I’m the oldest of 5 “witches”, hee hee.) I love reading paranormal - but the only witch books I have read are Harry Potter. Most of the romance books seem to run with the fairy or vampire themes, so I will be looking forward to your books! In my spare time I have been researching/writing my own witch book, LOL. I’m not very far!
Comment by SHERRY — November 22, 2006 @ 11:25 am
I’m most like Piper, too funny. Which seems about right, because I think she was the most neurotic/control freak of them all.
It says: Eventhough you never asked for it, magic has become a vital part of your life. And life without magic just wouldn’t be the same.
Can’t wait for the witch story, Julie.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Comment by Kelly R. — November 22, 2006 @ 11:31 am
I can’t wait for the books, Julie!!! Happy Thanksgiving!
Comment by Kimberly Raye — November 22, 2006 @ 11:48 am
My favorite fictional witch is Elpheba from Wicked! Loves that strong, sassy, vibrant, green woman!
Comment by Leslie — November 22, 2006 @ 11:52 am
Julie, your books sounds very interesting, something to look forward to for next Halloween. I loved Bewitched & I Dream of Jeannie such good entertaining TV. I’ve never seen Charmed or read any of the Harry Potter books or seen any of the Harry Potter movies I do like stories about witches! Sorry to mention another author here but Nora Roberts does a great job with witches. Nora’s books on the Donovan’s hooked me on “good” witches. I love those books. Since those she has written several others with witches as characters & it seems so believable. I’m sure yours will hook me also.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL! Enjoy your day tomorrow however you spend it.
Comment by Donna M — November 22, 2006 @ 1:46 pm
Julie — I’m excited about these books.
I also love witches, and I know you’ll do a marvelous job with them. I also enjoyed reading your blog and got a giggle out of all the things you said about “Samantha” LOL
I also could not live without the woo-woo. Magic is the spice of life.
I’m also writing a paranormal right now, not witches, but with high hopes for it… we’ll see. Either way, I was comforted to hear the market is “hot” — of course, tomorrow we could hear just the opposite, but I think I’ll just take your word for it.
Happy Thanksgiving — Sam
Comment by Sam Hunter — November 22, 2006 @ 2:05 pm
i am prue and do like witch shows. happy thanksgiving to u ladies
Comment by kim H — November 22, 2006 @ 3:31 pm
woo hoo! I did the quiz and I’m Willow!
Now if I could just be that skinny…
Fun…
Sam
Comment by Sam Hunter — November 22, 2006 @ 4:25 pm
Love the woo-woo!
Comment by Estella — November 22, 2006 @ 9:52 pm
I’m a Piper the quiz said!
Comment by Rachael — November 23, 2006 @ 12:54 am
As a fellow witch lover, this was a great post!
Comment by jill — November 27, 2006 @ 1:04 pm
Julie,
Hi *waves*. I’m new to your blog, but I had to comment on this post (as I’m going back and reading through in my spare time). But I LOVE this topic as it is near and dear to my heart. I haven’t written in years and then after I had my last child I found my way to a fanfiction site and had found a story that I absolutely adored about Harry Potter. (I still adore the story…I printed out a copy and have it in a binder at home) But it got me back into the realm of writing and the Harry Potter ‘verse is a wonderful wonderful home…and has been so to me for over two years now.
But I just wanted you to know that there’s other fans out there of the world that holds ‘all things fantastical’. I look forward to your witch stories!
~Heather
Comment by Heather — November 30, 2006 @ 5:48 pm
Heather, welcome to Plotmonkeys! It’s great to know there are other fantasy-loving readers and writers out there. I’m getting near to the end of my book…so I feel a Harry Potter glom coming on. It’s such a comfort read.
Comment by Julie Leto — November 30, 2006 @ 9:42 pm