November 2008
February 2009
Welcome to Booktalk's monthly horoscope column. This column is different from newspaper horoscopes because it's tailored specifically for writers, editors, agents, and anyone else involved in publishing. Here, you'll find astrological insights on the best times to court your muse or to sign contracts, to start your book or revise it, to go on tour or postpone it. You'll be able to plan for the times your creative flow may be blocked or when that flow is racing so fast there's hardly time to sleep. You'll discover the most propitious times in a given month to negotiate with agents and editors or with your clients. Here, your creativity is celebrated and applauded and there's no such thing as "I give up."
Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra
Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | PiscesAries, March 21 - April 19:Your best writing time this month falls between February 2 and March 6, when Venus is moving direct in your sign. Venus symbolizes your muse, Aries, and she’s at your beck and call 24/7. This period should be one of the most creative for you all year, so take full advantage of it. The lunar eclipse in Leo on the 9th falls in the creativity sector of your chart and it’s likely that emotions will surface around your current project. You may find, for instance, that you have to make some sort of adjustment in your plot or in a character’s motives. You shouldn’t have any problem doing this since Mercury is moving direct again. On the 4th and 14th, Mars and Mercury respectively enter compatible air-sign Aquarius, so much of the month also favors any publicity and promotion that you do. The gift of gab will be yours and your fans will be enthralled. On the 18th, the sun enters Pisces and there’s a new moon in that sign on the 24th. The sun’s transit and the new moon will enable you to dive deeply into your characters’ lives and motives. The lunar eclipse in fellow fire sign Leo, on the 9th, stirs emotions related to your wishes and dreams. You may have to fine-tune the details.
Taurus, April 20- May 20: Best news? Mercury turns direct on February 1, so it’s time to wind up your rewrites and push forward again. Last month’s solar eclipse in the career sector of your chart should be producing positive results – new professional opportunities. This month’s lunar eclipse in Leo on the 9th initiates insights into the fundamentals of your current writing project. It may be that the structure of your book needs fine-tuning, an adjustment here and there, so that the story flows more smoothly. Your ruler, Venus, enters Aries and your solar twelfth house on the 2nd and due to a retrograde, doesn’t leave that house until June. So, from Feb 2 to March 6, when it turns retrograde, you have an opportunity to delve into your characters’ motives and inner lives. Your own unconscious will be more accessible to you during this time and you’ll be able to use your insights to deepen your writing. On the 14th, Mercury enters Aquarius and your career sector again, where it will be until March 9, making this period ideal for submissions, pitching ideas, and well, just writing! The new moon in Pisces on February 24 brings new opportunities for publicity and promotion and to fine-tune a wish or dream that you have.
Gemini, May 21- June 20On the 1st, your ruler, Mercury, turns direct again, and your relief is palpable. You move forward with your current project and once Mars enters fellow air sign Aquarius on the 4th, you’re rushing full steam ahead. The Mars transit galvanizes the publishing area of your chart, so you may be working frantically to meet a deadline or complete the project you rewrote during Mercury’s retrograde. Circle the 9th, when there’s a lunar eclipse in Leo that falls in your third house of communication. Emotions surface concerning a writing project, a manuscript you’ve submitted or are about to submit. Neptune forms a challenging angle to this eclipse, suggesting that you may not have full information about this matter. Mercury enters Aquarius again on the 14th, where it will be until March 9. Submit manuscripts at any point during this period, but preferably after the new moon in Pisces on February 24. This new moon should usher in new career opportunities, Gemini, and in a major way. The planets are heavily tilted in your favor and will urge you to create out of the box. As if this isn’t enough, Venus enters compatible fire sign Aries on the 2nd, so any promotion and publicity you can do between then and March 6, when Venus turns retrograde, will be time well spent.
Cancer, June 21 - July 22. Mercury turns direct again on February 1, in Capricorn, your opposite sign, then enters Aquarius again on the 14th. You’re done with revisions and can now move forward again with your writing. Contract negotiations are a possibility between February 1-14. You can now move forward in your writing and in any contract negotiations. Between February 2 and March 6, Venus is moving direct in the career sector of your chart, presenting you with a terrific opportunity to make professional strides. There should be a lot of career activity, anything from promotion and publicity to a sale to a new editor and publishing house. On the 9th, the lunar eclipse in Leo, in the financial sector of your chart, suggests that emotions surface about finances. Since the sign of the eclipse forms a beneficial angle to Venus and the career area of your chart, it looks as if your emotions are jubilant! The new moon on February 24, in fellow water sign Pisces, should attract new publishing opportunities – a new editor, house, or project.
Leo, July 23 - August 23: On February 1, Mercury turns direct again, always cause for celebration! It will be in Capricorn until the 14th, when it moves into Aquarius, your opposite sign, Mars enters that sign and house on the 4th, and the combination brings about discussions and negotiations with editors and agents. A contract is possible. The Mercury transit lasts until March 9, so if you’re working with a writing partner, things should hum along quite nicely. The Mars transit lasts until March 15. Jupiter is also in Aquarius now, suggesting that any projects and contracts that come your way until early 2011 will expand your creative venue in major ways. On the 2nd, Venus enters fellow fire sign Aries, which should galvanize your publishing endeavors and bring welcome new and a smoothness to any deals that are negotiated. This trend lasts until March 6, when Venus turns retrograde. The lunar eclipse in your sign on the 9th may trigger your emotional buttons in ways that indicate an adjustment in attitude may be called for. An example? Perhaps your agent or editor wants changes in a manuscript that you are reluctant to make. The new moon in Pisces on the 24th may bring about opportunities to explore your creativity and your writing in new ways.
Virgo, August 24 - September 22. Your ruler, Mercury, turns direct on the 1st, in fellow earth sign Capricorn, in the creativity section of your chart. So now you can rush forward again with your writing again, Virgo, and build on any rewrites and revisions you did when it was retrograde. On the 4th, Mars enters Aquarius and your sixth house and on the 14th, Mercury follows. These two transits last until the 15th and 9th respectively and rev up your daily work. You may be working longer hours, perhaps to meet a deadline, and there could be discussions about a contract and sale. The lunar eclipse in Leo on the 9th highlights the most secretive part of your chart, and could bring up issues that have been buried for some time. It’s all fodder for your writing, though, and as a result, you’re able to move more deeply into your characters’ lives and motives. The new moon on the 24th falls in Pisces, your opposite sign, and could bring about opportunities to co-author a book or brings a new business partner into your life – editor, agent, publicist or anyone else involved in the business side of your career. Venus enters Aries on the 2nd and for the next month or so, people are willing to share their resources with you – expertise, time, money! This transit forms a beneficial angle to your career area, suggesting an ease with professional matters. Venus turns retrograde on March 6, though, and basically goes to sleep until mid-April.
Libra, September 23 - October 22. It looks as if February will be a very good for you, and it begins on the 1st, when Mercury turns direct again. On the 4th, Mars enters fellow air sign Aquarius, and the creativity section of your chart, followed by Mercury on the 14th. Jupiter is also in Aquarius and the combination certainly fires up your adrenaline and you have so many out of the box ideas that you may not know where to begin. Just choose one idea and run with it, see where it takes you. Chances are strong that it will lead you to expand the kind of writing you do. The lunar eclipse on the 9th falls in Leo, a fire sign compatible with your air-sign sun. This eclipse may bring up emotional issues related to any publicity and promotion you do. Overall, the emotions are positive, but you may have to fine-tune your schedule. Your ruler, Venus, enters Aries, your opposite sign on the 2nd, and promises a productive period in your business partnerships. Venus turns retrograde on March 6, so take advantage of this transit while Venus is moving direct. On the 24th, the new moon in Pisces brings opportunities to your daily work routine – new projects, perhaps, new contacts.
Scorpio, October 23 - November 21: When Mercury turns direct on February 1, it will be in Capricorn, an earth sign compatible with your sun sign, in the communication section of your chart. So for the next two weeks, your writing will be moving at full tilt, and you’ll be building on your revisions. On the 9th, the lunar eclipse in Leo occurs in your career area. Expect emotions to surge about professional matters around the time of the eclipse. You may have to make some minor adjustments in the way you think about a particular writing project or someone associated with your career. Your absolute best times this month for writing begin on the 18th, when the sun enters Pisces and the creativity section of your chart. Then on the 24th, a new moon in Pisces brings opportunities to stretch your creativity in new ways. You could decide to write in a different genre or perhaps try a different sort of book altogether. On the 2nd, Venus enters Aries and forms a beneficial angle to your career sector until March 6. Use this time to pitch ideas, make submissions, and generally push ahead with new projects. From March 6 to mid-April, Venus will be moving retrograde and won’t be of much help to you. Your co-ruler, Mars, enters Aquarius on the 4th, so you may be working exceptionally hard to find the right balance between home and career demands. On the 14th, Mercury joins Mars and you’re in synch again.
Sagittarius, November 22 - December 21: When Mercury turns direct on the 1st, it will be in Capricorn, in your financial sector. So if you’re owed money, it could arrive any time between February 1-14, when Mercury moves on into compatible air-sign Aquarius and your third house. Mars enters Aquarius on the 4th and once it’s joined by Mercury, you’re a torpedo of creative energy. These two planets galvanize your writing, leave you breathless, but you’re loving it. The process is nearly as much fun as traveling, right, Sadge? The lunar eclipse in Leo on the 9th brings up emotional issues centered around publishing. Jubilation? Possibly. The eclipse is in a fellow fire sign, forms a harmonious angle to your sun and to Venus, which enters fire-sign Aries on the 2nd. So, one possible scenario could be a contract for a book near and dear to your heart. The sun enters Pisces and your fourth house on the 18th and is followed by a new moon in that sign on the fourth. The combination suggests that you’re happy with the bottom line of your current project and will have new opportunities to do more of the same!
Capricorn, December 22 - January 19. On February 1, Mercury turns direct in your sign, which gives you a two-week window to move forward with your writing and to build on the revisions you made during Mercury’s retrograde. On the 4th, Mars enters Aquarius and your second house of finances, suggesting that you’ll be working harder to make ends meet or to integrate your values and vision into your writing. On the 14th, Mercury joins Mars and until March 9 (Mercury) and the 15th (Mars) these two planets combine so that you’re driven to get your particular vision down. On the 9th, the lunar eclipse in Leo brings about insights and emotions related to how and where you shine. Is your career going the way you want it to? Are you in a fine-tuning stage? On the 2nd, Venus enters Aries, your solar fourth house, and you’re feeling pretty confident about the progression of your current project. This trend lasts until March 6, when Venus turns retrograde, so take advantage of the opportunity. Ride the wave. On the 18th, the sun enters Pisces, and on the 24th, there’s a new moon in that sign. Results? New writing opportunities flow into your life. New opportunities to use your imagination take you into unchartered waters.
Aquarius, January 20 - February 18. It certainly looks like a good month for you, Aquarius. Not only is lucky Jupiter in your sign, expanding your opportunities and creative venues, but on the 4th, Mars enters your sign and on the 14th, Mercury follows. This trio of planets acts as a booster rocket, propelling you to write with boldness and certainty, to try the new and untried, and to think very far outside the box. On the 9th, there’s a lunar eclipse in Leo, your opposite sign, so emotions could be stirred up as a result of something an editor, agent, or other business partner says. Don’t worry about it too much. Venus enters compatible fire sign Aries and the communication sector of your chart on the 2nd, suggesting a rather smooth writing period until March 6, when Venus turns retrograde. So use this period productively. Write to your heart’s content, pitch ideas, make submissions. The universe is stacked in your favor. On the 18th, the sun enters Pisces and your financial sector and on the 24th, there’s a new moon in Pisces. The combination suggests that money will be rolling in, Aquarius, and new financial opportunities are headed your way!
Pisces, February 19 - March 20. Between February 1, when Mercury turns direct in Capricorn, and the 14th, when it enters Aquarius, get out and publicize and promote your work. Start a blog. Your fans will be receptive! The lunar eclipse on the 9th falls in Leo, your solar sixth house, so any emotions that surface around the time of the eclipse will be related to your daily work routine. You may have to make mental or emotional adjustments about an issue or project. Between February 2 and March 6, Venus will be moving in direct motion through Aries, in the financial area of your chart. This transit should bring in any money you’re owed and could indicate that other checks arrive as well – royalties, an advance. Mars enters Aquarius on the 4th, followed by Mercury on the 14th, both of them joining Jupiter. The combination that suggests a lot of activity and discussions behind the scenes that somehow expand your creative venues. Tie up loose ends in your writing, clear the decks, Pisces. Next month, Mercury and Mars enters your sign! The sun enters Pisces on the 18th, followed by a new moon in your sign on the 24th. New opportunities surface and the only thing required is that you be ready and available to seize them! The period from February 18 to March 20 is the absolute best time for your writing. Be as imaginative as you dare!
Trish MacGregor is the author of 25 novels and 7 astrology books. The most recent, "The Complete Dream Dictionary: A Bedside Guide to Knowing What Your Dreams Mean," was published in November 2004 and co-written with Rob MacGregor. See left column for more information about Trish.
