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Scott Cunningham | |
|---|---|
 Undated photo of Cunningham | |
| Born | June 27, 1956 Royal Oak, Michigan, United States |
| Died | March 28, 1993(1993-03-28) (aged 36) |
| Alma mater | San Diego State University |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Years active | 1980-1993 |
| Known for | Books onWicca |
Scott Douglas Cunningham (June 27, 1956 – March 28, 1993) was an American writer. Cunningham is the author of several books onWicca and various other alternative religious subjects.
His workWicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, is one of the most successful books on Wicca ever published;[1] he was a friend of notable occultists and Wiccans such asRaymond Buckland, and was a member of the Serpent Stone Family, and received his Third Degree Initiation as a member of that coven.[citation needed]
Scott Cunningham was born at the William Beaumont Hospital inRoyal Oak, Michigan, USA, the second son of prolific author Chester Grant "Chet" Cunningham[2] and Rose Marie Wilhoit Cunningham.[3] The family moved to San Diego, California in the fall of 1959 due to Rose Marie's health problems. The doctors in Royal Oak declared the mild climate in San Diego ideal for her. Outside of many trips to Hawaii, Cunningham lived in San Diego all his life.
Cunningham had one older brother, Greg, and a younger sister, Christine. Scott was openly gay for much of his life.
He studied creative writing atSan Diego State University, where he enrolled in 1978. After two years in the program, however, he had more published works than several of his professors and dropped out of the university to write full-time. In the early 1980s Cunningham wrote "more than a dozen novels in various genres from adventure to horror",[4] using pseudonyms, such as "Cathy Cunningham" or "Dirk Fletcher", for his novels.[5] During this period he had as a roommate, magical writerDonald Michael Kraig and often socialized withNeopagan witchcraft writerRaymond Buckland, who was also living in San Diego at the time.
In 1980, Cunningham began initiate training underRaven Grimassi and remained as a first-degree initiate until 1982 when he left the tradition to pursue a solo practice of witchcraft.[6]
In 1983, Scott Cunningham was diagnosed withlymphoma, which he successfully overcame. In 1990, while on a speaking tour inMassachusetts, he suddenly fell ill and was diagnosed withAIDS-related[7]cryptococcal meningitis. He suffered from several infections and died in March 1993. He was 36.[3]
Several of Scott's books include black and white drawings and (in some editions) cover art by the Wiccan artistRobin Wood. Among these books areMagical Herbalism,Earth Power, andEarth, Air, Fire, Water.
Never Say Macbeth, a 2007 film, is based around a group of actors who battle the curse ofMacbeth by using Scott's book,Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. This film was released on DVD by Vanguard Cinema in August 2008.[11]
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