Rissa Miller is a folklorist, author, herbalist, and public speaker specializing in esoteric history, the paranormal, and regional legends. She presents engaging, research-based conversations on monsters, ghosts, witchcraft, divination, death culture, superstition, and lore for libraries, museums, conferences, and media audiences.

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Bridging folklore scholarship and lived practice, Rissa brings clarity and cultural context to subjects often misunderstood or sensationalized. Her work explores why these traditions endure, and what they reveal about belief, fear, identity, and the human search for meaning. Her approach is grounded, articulate, and accessible to both skeptical and spiritually curious audiences.

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Her smoke divination practice was featured in DK’s 2025 A History of Astrology, Divination and Prophecy.

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Possible Interview Topics

 

• Why Humans Have Always Practiced Divination
• The Real History of Tarot (and the Myths We Keep Repeating)
• America’s Ghost Obsession

• Victorian Death Culture
• Why Certain Places “Feel” Haunted
• Mid-Atlantic Cryptid Lore
• The Enduring Power of Superstition
• Herbal Medicine Traditions

• Cleansing Beyond White Sage
• Why We Still Love Legends & Lore in a Digital Age

Additional topics and custom research programs available upon request.

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Credentials

 

• Studied writing at NYU Tisch School of the Arts
• Studied photojournalism at Western Kentucky University
• Worked for multiple publications, including a national magazine
• Experienced presenter (online & in-person).

• Published author. 

• Featured in regional and national media. ​​