TarotTools.com

The Best Little Deck They've Never Heard Of

No, this isn't the story of that elusive, archetypal, original Tarot, designed by some mysterious magician centuries ago. Instead, it's the story of my own Bright Idea Deck -- and it's a cautionary tale, especially for those of you who are interested in designing and publishing your own decks someday.

Here are some insights into the little deck that could have -- and should have -- found a larger audience than it ever did.

Preview: Tarot of the Elves

Exciting news! Yesterday, I received a ZIP file containing the final artwork for my upcoming deck, the Lo Scarabeo Tarot of the Elves.

Back when Riccardo first invited me to script the deck, I admit I hesitated. In the end, though, he overcame my resistance by asking, "What kind of elves deck would you design if you had the freedom to do something really different and really exciting? How can you 'push the envelope' of the elves?"

So: I set myself some ground rules.

Ebay Auctions Underway Again

After taking a short break from the auction business, my eBay auction of more than 200 decks is underway again. I'll be posting between five and ten decks for sale per day, many of which are rare, out of print, and hard to find anywhere else.

Keep your eyes peeled -- and don't forget you can track all my auctions on the auctions page of TarotTools.com.

Tarot Card Widget for Apple Computers

If you're an Apple computer user interested in a card-of-the-day approach to Tarot, you might be interested in Jeffrey Coggins' Tarot widget.

The widget, made to reside on the Apple OS X dashboard, adds the "day, month, and year together" (how?), and uses that number to pull one of twenty-one Majors from the Rider-Waite deck. (The Fool, number zero, "cannot be chosen, since whole numbers greater than zero cannot add up to zero.")

I'm always on the prowl for great Tarot software. If you know of any -- especially titles for Apple computers -- please leave a comment or drop me a link via email.

Mona Lisa Tarot

Not long ago, the folks at Lo Scarabeo approached me with an idea: would I be willing to help develop a Mona Lisa Tarot?

"Hmmm," I thought. "An entire deck, based on a single painting?" My main fear was that the deck would be too repetitive, or that, after hours and hours of research, we would discover the background material wasn't rich enough to support the development of an entire deck. I was also having a great deal of trouble grasping the concept: what, exactly, did my Italian friends want to see in a Mona Lisa Tarot?

Working with Lo Scarabeo

Have I mentioned how much I love writing for the team at Lo Scarabeo?

Riccardo, my primary contact there, and the other folks at Lo Scarabeo work very differently from their U.S. counterparts. More and more, deck publishers here in the States focus on decks tied to market trends. (To be fair, they have to take this approach. The American Tarot community is very small, and publishing funds are tight.) The Italians, on the other hand, will actually publish decks just because they "think this kind of deck ought to be out there."

Coincidence, Synchronicity, and the Brain

One morning, your order at Starbucks comes to $4.45. Then, you notice that your next appointment happens to be at 445 Oswald Street. There, your client tells you there's been a 44.5% increase in web traffic since last year. Later, you get a cell phone call -- from area code 445. It's actually your partner, who tells you to remember to pick up the kids at ... 4:45 PM.

What's up with all those 4-4-5's? To find out more, read on!

Record-Setting Auction Win is Great News for TarotTools.com Readers!

Recently, Tarot collectors watched breathlessly as a record-setting auction of more than 200 Tarot decks closed for $3555.00. I'm delighted to announce that my partner, Clyde, and I were the winners!

So ... what do you do with more than 200 decks, some of which are extremely rare? I'm adding five of them to my personal collection ... but I'm also happy to announce that Clyde and I will sell the rest at Amazon.com (for fixed prices) and eBay (via auctions).

Soon, I'll post a comprehensive list of the decks -- and where you can go to browse and buy them -- right here on TarotTools.com. Until then, I invite you to read the "Big Pile o Decks" FAQ, provided, for your convenience, at the end of this post. Enjoy!

ATA, Aeclectic Tarot Highly Recommend Absolute Beginner's Guide to Tarot

Two great reviews of The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Tarot just came out!

In Reflections, the official newsletter of the American Tarot Association, Sandra Thomson says, "If you are a beginner in the Tarot world, this is a book that is so clearly written you probably cannot live without it ... If you are somewhere beyond being a beginner, you likely will want to own this book as a reference or a reminder ... McElroy is one of the most creative and versatile of contemporary writers on the Tarot." (See the full review here.)

At Aeclectic Tarot, Solandia writes, "The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Tarot is the ultimate guide for the newcomer to Tarot ... [This book is] extremely straightforward and approachable, clear, logical, and inclusive. Regardless of whether you’re a complete skeptic, or naturally intuitive and spiritually inclined, this is the perfect step-by-step introductory guide and reference manual for literally anyone." (See the full review here.)

I worked very hard to make The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Tarot as approachable, even-handed, and complete as possible. If you've picked up a copy from Amazon.com or your local bookstore, I'd love to hear what you think!

Is Tarot Certification for You?

At first, the idea of certifying Tarot readers sounds like a good idea. In theory:

- certification should help clients distinguish professional practitioners from gifted amateurs, dedicated hobbyists, and scam artists.

- certified Tarot readers should possess a level of knowledge, experience, or skill unmatched by the uncertified masses.

- certification should offer Tarot readers a degree of professional legitimacy at least equal to that possessed by massage therapists or clinical hypnotists.

Are any of the Tarot certification programs now accepting fees and awarding titles worth your consideration? With this article in hand, you can decide for yourself whether Tarot certification is right for you -- by asking the Top Ten Questions you should ask before pursuing Tarot certification.