Conjuring the Witch

There are witches in the woods. These are the words the reverend of the Lilin Assembly of Our Lord repeats to his parishioners each week. Steve and Nicole Warby think it’s just a metaphor, until Nicole takes a walk in those woods and comes back changed. Something came out of them with her, and the simple small-town life they’ve always known is forever altered when they discover the dark secrets buried deep and those intent on keeping them there. Fearing for his wife’s sanity, and his own comfortable status in the church, Steve is unsure if he wants to help or ignore the problems. The reverend believes there are witches in the woods, and he thinks Nicole is only the most recent.

Conjuring the Witch is a dark, haunted story about what those in power are willing to do to stay in power, and the sins we convince ourselves are forgivable.

Watch Jessica Leonard read an early excerpt from Conjuring the Witch from the 2022 Ghoulish Book Festival.

Jessica Leonard is a horror author who loves creating ghosts and that feeling you get when you think someone is watching you. She was born in a small town that may or may not exist and still lives there to this day. She lives with her husband, son, and two dogs. She has two novels, Antioch and Conjuring the Witch.