That’s me on the left receiving my reading from Jan Thomas. She jokingly laughed at the idea of putting a “Tarot Reader In” sign in her living room window. Strange how that lighting turned out in this photo. – Photo by Karen Rankin

BOO! In honor of Halloween, a very tiny glimpse into Tarot cards. I was recently at a book club, and a few of us unexpectedly received a reading by the host, Jan Thomas. My first ever. She asked me to provide a specific topic or concern, and she dealt the cards and told the tale she saw. Two things have haunted me most.

First, the artistry. Tarot cards date back to the fifteenth century, and many decks are stunning. Imagery is often filled with old world or art nouveau styling, and for illustrators of sci-fi or fantasy, I imagine they’ll be charmed. (That’s not to say there aren’t modern versions, like these featuring the Simpsons.) Jan’s cards are a Rider Waite Smith deck. “First published in 1908… there are several editions and I was using the one call Universal (has to do with the re-coloring of the deck).”

Secondly, a couple of the cards she pulled were a relief. One was The Knight of Pentacles (see image below). This card has layered meanings, but she described it as a knight who is serious, on solid ground, and holding a coin, so the dreams he looks out over, although a bit away, will be a fruitful reality. The last card she revealed, on the bottom of the deck, was death. That’s good news because it’s the furthest away from my dream, and me personally. Whew!

So will my reading turn out to be a trick, or a treat? I guess I shall have to “stay tuned” to find out. Muwahahaha.

Click here to download Jan’s reading of my cards corresponding to the picture below.

A shot of the cards that were pulled for me with the two cards I mentioned circled. Go ahead, Tarot readers, tell me what else yee kin see in ’em….. – Photo by Kelly Fitzgerald