The year is sliding toward its seasonal finale, Reader.

The nights are darker. The wind is louder. Every grocery store smells like cinnamon even though nobody asked for that. And somewhere in the distance you can hear the slow, ominous drumbeat of Black Friday approaching like a mythic beast emerging from the underworld.

It is November 18th, which means it is time for another week of Unverified. Today’s topic is that strange pocket of the year where the world feels a little witchy, a little wild, and capitalism decides to cosplay as a portal to “great deals.”

And honestly, who am I to resist the theatrics.

This is the part of November where reality feels thin around the edges. Not in a spooky way exactly, but in that “I could absolutely slip into another timeline right now and nobody would question it” way.

Cultures all over the world recognized this time of year as transitional. The Celts believed the liminal days before winter were filled with wandering spirits. The Greeks believed this was Persephone’s descent season. Even the Norse imagined the Wild Hunt beginning its long, cold sweep across the sky.

In short, November has always been weird.

So if the universe feels slightly off-kilter and you find yourself thinking, “Yes, I should absolutely buy a guide about mythic portals or witchy walking routes,” it is not your fault. You are simply responding to ancient seasonal programming.

And I support you.

This week is when the emails start. The countdowns. The early access teasers. The cheerful “just letting you know” reminders. You cannot open your phone without waking up to twelve new messages all insisting that if you do not buy something right this second your life will collapse into dust.

Meanwhile, here I am. A humble, unverified storyteller. Sitting in the chaos of myth, memory, and mild entrepreneurship. Wondering how to join the Black Friday fray without turning into a walking coupon code.

So instead of shouting “SALE SALE SALE,” I am choosing a different route.

I’m simply opening the portal.

If you have been enjoying this little empire of chaos I’m building, this is the part where I quietly, gently, theatrically invite you to wander deeper into the labyrinth.

Three of my creations are living over in the Stan Store right now. Think of them as magical artifacts you can pick up if you want to explore further:

1. Portals to the Underworld and Beyond A mythic travel guide for those who enjoy their landscapes with a side of cosmic doorways and questionable decisions.
2. Witch Walks and Sorceress Sites Perfect for anyone who wants their next stroll to feel like a ritual, a rebellion, or a chapter of a forgotten myth.
3. A Guide to Writing Honest, Raw, and Complete Stories Your companion for telling the kind of stories that bruise, heal, and transform.

They all live here, waiting on the other side of the digital veil:

👉 https://stan.store/tabithabear​

No pressure. No chants. No flashing graphics shaped like shopping carts.

Just a storyteller offering you a map, a torch, and a doorway.

Here’s the real thing about Black Friday.

It is not actually about shopping.

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It is about desire.

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For change. For tools. For magic. For clarity. For the next version of yourself.

Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa once said, “My soul is a hidden orchestra.” November is the month when the orchestra tunes itself. Loudly. Badly. With squeaking violins and coughing brass sections.

But eventually, it finds harmony.

So if you feel the urge to shift something in your life, carve out a new path, or explore the shadows and stories that call your name, consider this your nudge. Whether you buy something or not, the season itself is asking you to step through a portal.

You get to choose which one.

Stay Curious,
Tabitha

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