Escape room puzzles are popular everywhere; however, few of them
are quite as unique as the puzzles created by Tropical Treasure Hunt
from St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.
“Escape room puzzles are popular everywhere; however, few of them
are quite as unique as the puzzles created by Tropical Treasure Hunt
from St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Visitors are invited to take
to the seas, solving an intricate and picturesque quest that
includes a day charter around the islands.”
Read the full article in the January 2026 issue of Caribbean Compass.
More information about the Tropical Treasure Hunt and their story can be found at their website below:
If you enjoy dark aesthetics and gothic things, A Gothic Witch’s Oracle (Raven Digitalis/John Santerineross) might be the perfect item for your wish list.
If you enjoy dark aesthetics and gothic things, A Gothic Witch’s Oracle (Raven Digitalis/John Santerineross) might be the perfect item for your wish list.
Like tarot, oracle cards are “a popular tool for those seeking spiritual guidance, personal insight, and self-discovery” — and yes, many people collect oracle or tarot decks just for the art!
As an avid enthusiast of gothic, dark art: believe me, you want to add this to your collections!
More details about A Gothic Witch’s Oracle can be found at Crossed Crow Books or RavenDigitalis.com. Find artist John Santerineross at his website.
“In the spirit of his Empath’s Oracle deck, Raven Digitalis has created A Gothic Witch’s Oracle in collaboration with world-renowned photographic artist John Santerineross. Shadow work is an integral part of advancing on the path of Witchcraft. This deck is especially relevant to readers who are not afraid to dive deeper into the workings of the unconscious mind. The art of divination is, by its very nature, an act of exploring the unseen. This deck will take you on a journey to the next level.“
Some of Alex J. Coyne’s bylines for April, 2025.
April was a month for writing about languages, libraries, and podcasts. Here’s what you might’ve missed—and thanks for stopping by!
The Evolution of Libraries
“How are libraries coping in the age of instant information access, and what is there still to discover at your nearest library? Libraries are far from following the same path as Blockbuster.”
Are Podcasters Resurrecting the Satanic Panic?
“Podcasts contain interesting and useful, sometimes first-hand information about various topics. Podcasts can also contain inaccuracies and falsehoods, or outright false news that gets picked up and widely syndicated.”
The Crossroads in South Africa’s Language Gap
“Whichever language you choose to learn, you’ll find similar teachers and programmes for all 12 languages. If learning from shows and movies is your choice instead, head to a streaming platform for local series, or download subtitles for movies from websites like OpenSubtitles.com.”
Zelda Fitzgerald, TikTok, and Leaving Your X—selected articles published through March, 2025.
Here’s some of what’s been published for March, as we’re heading into April—if you’ve stopped by, thanks for reading!
Writing to Other Writers
“Writing to another author grows your connections and knowledge whether thanking them, admiring them, or just exchanging like-minded ideas.”
The Little Known Writings of Zelda Fitzgerald
“Zelda Fitzgerald was an American author, artist, and socialite. Although she is best remembered as the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, she was a talented writer and artist in her own right, which caused the couple a great deal of conflict.”
Weird and Loathing on South African TikTok
“TikTok is one of the weirdest places on the internet’s surface, yet remains one of its most popular. It’s one of the only sites where amapiano, dancing police officers, cooking videos and gossip are welcomed – but a music video featuring G-Boy smoking weed gets pulled.”
Leaving Your X: Social Media Alternatives
“I’ve learned things about myself on social media that I wasn’t aware of until someone mentioned them. Social media connects people and opinions, but it can also be a battlefield filled with fake news, political agendas, and gossip.”
Maskandi, Digital Mescaline, and Cape Town—read three recently published articles for Voertaal.
Maskandi, Digital Mescaline, and Cape Town aren’t things you’d imagine reading about in the same paragraph—but all three are recently published article topics for Voertaal.
Is Maskandi South Africa’s answer to the Delta blues?
Can AI be fed weird prompts like digital mescaline for hallucinations, inaccuracies, or lies?
How large is the divide between the world’s famous number one cities like Cape Town and everywhere else?
Follow the links to find out where the rabbit hole goes.
Maskandi: Southern Africa’s Delta Blues
“Maskandi has been around since the 1920s and 1930s, arising during a time when southern Africa was just as affected by the Great Depression as the rest of the world.”
Digital Mescaline: Exploring AI Hallucinations
“AI does not yet seem to have the ability to flag possible inaccuracies. Humans using AI without checking the answers generated by it, may end up spreading more falsehoods, allowing AI to create even more false answers.”
Number One Cities and Everywhere Else
“How large is the divide between cities? What all is being swept under the carpet while famous world cities are grabbing most of the attention?”
Check out FLASH WRLDWIDE/LIL2HOOD’s European & South American Tour from 2024 at LInktree.
Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson reportedly preferred a writing playlist that included Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit and Howlin’ Wolf’s I Smell A Rat.
Personally, I’ve gravitated to something a little different to make writing happen—and I’d say life has a much better soundtrack to it now.
Check out FLASH WRLDWIDE/LIL2HOOD’s European & South American Tour from 2024 below.
Show some support and remember to share!
😉
I’ve been assisting Raven Digitalis with some promotion for two of his latest projects. Read more here.
I’ve been assisting award-winning author Raven Digitalis with some promotion for two of his latest projects since December. Exciting stuff, and a welcome addition to the reading list!
If you’re into dark fiction, check out the Black Magick collection with 13 spectacular stories—and if your interest happens to be cards or goth aesthetic, have a look at A Gothic Witch’s Oracle Deck.
Black Magick: 13 Tales of Darkness, Horror & the Occult
(Amazon)
A Gothic Witch’s Oracle Deck
(Crossed Crow Books)
For thoughts or review requests, you can reach Raven Digitalis and his team over at RavenDigitalis.com.
Even though it’s not Halloween, stay spooky!
Here are some of last year’s headlines, including gonzo journalism, gothic South African films, and freelancing advice.
Welcome to 2025—a new year for writing, co-writing, and more developing projects! Here are some of last year’s headlines, including gonzo journalism, gothic South African films, and freelancing advice.
“Gonzo journalism is the immersive, often chaotic writing style made famous by Hunter S Thompson. However, this type of writing isn’t restricted to fit only Kentucky and Las Vegas.”
“Gonzo journalism is a writing style strongly associated with Tom Wolfe and Hunter S. Thompson. However, others have contributed their voice to immersive journalism since the genre’s earliest roots in New Journalism.”
“Horror has long been an underappreciated genre in southern Africa, perhaps owing some of its early obscurity to apartheid’s strict censorship laws.”
“Asking, pitching, and adapting is key to being a career writer. Here’s how to turn negatives into positives as you turn rejections into successful article sales.”
“The dogs have taken me on many impromptu walks with their tails wagging. They have also shown me with incredible enthusiasm how to uncover rat nests and anthills.”
“There are good and bad sides to every neighbourhood, and a tale of two cities isn’t as simple as it seems. Here’s a look behind the curtain of living in a rural South African township.”
Alex J. Coyne 