Our Team
Blake Malliway
President
Blake Malliway (he/him) has been passionate about collecting and reading books since a young age. This quality combined with his deep interest in the magical arts have no doubt contributed to the manifestation of Crossed Crow Books. When he's not neck-deep in work, he can usually be found getting lost in his personal book collection, wandering through the woods, strolling through a cemetery at midnight, or running off to Cornwall to recharge his magical batteries. He lives in Highland Park, Illinois, just north of Chicago, with Feens, his spoiled black cat.
Wycke Malliway
Vice President
Wycke Malliway (he/him) is a full time Witch and a part time person. He has been practicing Witchcraft in one way or another since a very early age. Concocting spells, potions, and talking to trees was practiced right alongside learning his ABCs. As he grew in his Craft, he gained special interest in folk magic, traditional Witchcraft, herblore, and crossroads pacts. When not spending time on Witchcraft, he is often sharpening his skills in nerdcraft through illustration, watching cartoons and movies, or reading comics.
Francesca Vitali
Marketing & Publicity Manager
Francesca Vitali (she/her) is a Chicago-based Witch with Michigan roots, and growing up around the flora and fauna of her small rural town set her on her magical path at a young age. Francesca has been practicing Witchcraft officially since she was 13 years old, but figures she’s probably been doing magic her entire life and comes from a long line of Italian Catholic Stregas. A professional actress and singer in a former life, she now spends her days as the marketing and publicity manager for Crossed Crow Books. When not working alongside our Crossed Crow authors, she can be found reading three books at once, foraging for herbs with her Irish Wolfhound, and cultivating a handmade army of long Furbies.
Gianna Rini
Senior Designer
Gianna Rini (she/they) is an award-winning photographer and practicing Witch. She is thrilled to be bringing her designs to print with the wonderful team at Crossed Crow Books. As an avid reader and researcher, Gianna’s goal is to bring alive the essence of a book through art as well as text. When not at work, she is often known to be hiding under a pile of blankets, in the dark corners of a candlelit room, or surrounded in foliage. Check out more of her work on her Instagram, @DarkFoldeArt, and keep an eye peeled for The Avian Oracle, featuring a 45-card deck illustrated by Gianna and a stunningly insightful guidebook by author Sandra Kynes.
Gabriella De La Hoya
Designer
Gabriella De La Hoya (she/they) is a graphic designer and illustrator from California. She moved to Chicago in 2022 to pursue her bachelor's degree in studio fine arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Now, she is thrilled to bring her design knowledge to the team at Crossed Crow Books. When she isn't surrounded by her design work, Gabriella enjoys reading in bed with her cat, Jasper.
Lucas Lona
Sales Manager
Lucas Lona (he/him) is a Chicago based occultist, primarily focused on the practice of Infernal and Angelic magic, coupled with an intense study of Western ceremonial magic systems and various forms of Witchcraft. He is constantly developing new theories and diving into experiments focused on finding methods of expressing magic in new ways in the current era. Outside of occultism, Lucas is still a man of many magics: he's been a performance magician since the age of five (primarily with playing cards), is a writer and actor, and is always down for a good game night!
Lee Anderson
Senior Editor
Lee Anderson (they/them) was raised in the Pacific Northwest, where they grew up running through forests and reading everything they could get their hands on. Now, they have an MFA in Creative Writing and live in Chicago but have retained a deep curiosity and excitement about the world. They are particularly interested in divination (having learned about the subject from their grandmother at a young age), folklore, and animism. When they're not tinkering with words, you can find them tending to their houseplants, making fancy coffee drinks, and caring for their cat named Pretzel.
Angelique Marchese
Project Coordinator
Angelique Marchese (she/they) is our Projects & Operations Coordinator, jumping in wherever she is needed. She hails from the mystical streets of New Orleans, where the veil between worlds is whisper-thin. Born into a lineage of practicing oneiromancers, Angelique’s dreams have always held deeper meanings. She learned more about her lineage and cultivated her talents by recounting her dreams to her grandmother each morning. Now living in Chicago, Angelique can be found in Rogers Park, wandering around on the beach or pondering the universe in a local cafe. In her free time, she enjoys playing board games, Magic: The Gathering, and watching Star Trek.
Gianluca Pelagatti
Production Manager
Gianluca (he/him) is our Production Manager, keeping our projects on track with his literal magic touch. With his background in business and start-ups, Gianluca combines his love for numbers and timelines with his knack for divination to predict any hiccups (see what we did there?). He’s got an unhealthy obsession with productivity methods, always finding clever ways to streamline processes. Outside work, Gianluca is an initiated witch, obsessed with his cat and dog, planners, and dancing under the full moon.