Interview with author Sheena Cundy
What authors/ books influenced you in your early days of being a Pagan/following your spiritual path?
As a child, I devoured stories about magic and animals, especially horses... but as a teenager the first book to really wake me up to the magical arts was Linda Goodman's Sun Signs.
I would study all my friend's personality traits by their star sign and that fascination with astrology soon led me to the Tarot...
And anything by Kate West and Marian Green in the early days but Dion Fortune has been the biggest influence in my life as a Witch. I love all her books.
What drew you to your path?
Love of animals, nature and magic. I was horse mad as a kid and that grew into a lifetime career as a teacher. Running alongside has always been the Tarot which I now teach also. The magical and the earthy were always going to combine one day plus I've always loved churches and chapels and sacred places...although I've never felt religious or wanted to be. My path is Old Craft, where magic and Nature are one and the same to me and always have been.
Where do you find inspiration for your books?
Life experience, people, the spirit realms and in those two words...what if?!
How did you become an author? Was it something you intended to do or was it by accident?
I've always written. Poems, stories, letters, songs... But it wasn't until I did a creative writing course four years ago - which gave me confidence and direction - that pushed my writing forwards. Now I have the bug and don't think one lifetime will ever be enough...
What do you feel makes a book worth reading?
Good writing. If a book is poorly written, it could be on my favourite subject, I wouldn't want to read it. However, if the writing is good, the subject matter is secondary to me... What compels me to read mostly, is to learn and enjoy myself. I can do neither if I don't respect what's on the page.
Are you working on a new book right now and if so what is it?
I've working on the sequel to my debut novel (The Madness & the Magic) which I'm managing to do daily. And I've started a non-fiction book on the psychic development of the Witch, but that's happening at a slower pace... I try not to give in to any other ideas for books until I've at least got these two done, but that doesn't seem to stop them coming!
Do you write part or full time?
I write pretty much all the time now. It's how I want to earn a living and I am determined to make it happen.
What's the hardest thing about writing?
For me it's the discipline and coping with distraction. But I'm getting better, you have to focus on what you want and be prepared to do what it takes.
How can other readers discover more about you (website/facebook links etc)?
www.sheenacundy.com
www.witch-lit.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/treehousemagic/
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Keep at it. Be selective... read and write only what inspires and gives you pleasure. Live as fully as possible and focus on good health. Maintain a good sense of humour, it's always good fuel for writing and it will keep you sane when the going gets tough. Work hard for your writing, know you can do it and if you're a Witch, use magic as often as possible. And that... will work for you.
There are tons of pagan books on the market, what do you think makes you stand out from the crowd?
I have no idea but I hope it's got something to do with being original. I wrote my novel to cheer myself up, keep myself out of prison and the divorce courts while suffering from all kinds of hormonal horrors... If the mad musings of a menopausal Witch can make it into print with a publisher like Moon Books – dealing mainly in Pagan non-fiction - then surely it's worth a read.
There are enough serious books in the field and hopefully a story about a crazy Witch and her ridiculous attempts to snare the Johnny Depp look-a-like guitar playing vicar will throw something a bit different into the cauldron - just for a change. Witch Lit has arrived!
Which one of your books are you most proud of?
I self-published The Magic Of Nature Oracle with my sister who's an artist, four years ago and I'm proud of the guidebook I wrote with that. It was all spiritually inspired writing and I felt an incredible connection to the Ancestors and their timeless wisdom as I worked on it. We've had good feedback and people are enjoying using the cards which gives me great pleasure.
But, I'm proud of the novel too. When you invest so much time and energy into writing to the best of your ability, how can you feel otherwise when it makes it into print?
And anything by Kate West and Marian Green in the early days but Dion Fortune has been the biggest influence in my life as a Witch. I love all her books.
What drew you to your path?
Love of animals, nature and magic. I was horse mad as a kid and that grew into a lifetime career as a teacher. Running alongside has always been the Tarot which I now teach also. The magical and the earthy were always going to combine one day plus I've always loved churches and chapels and sacred places...although I've never felt religious or wanted to be. My path is Old Craft, where magic and Nature are one and the same to me and always have been.
Where do you find inspiration for your books?
Life experience, people, the spirit realms and in those two words...what if?!
How did you become an author? Was it something you intended to do or was it by accident?
I've always written. Poems, stories, letters, songs... But it wasn't until I did a creative writing course four years ago - which gave me confidence and direction - that pushed my writing forwards. Now I have the bug and don't think one lifetime will ever be enough...
What do you feel makes a book worth reading?
Good writing. If a book is poorly written, it could be on my favourite subject, I wouldn't want to read it. However, if the writing is good, the subject matter is secondary to me... What compels me to read mostly, is to learn and enjoy myself. I can do neither if I don't respect what's on the page.
Are you working on a new book right now and if so what is it?
I've working on the sequel to my debut novel (The Madness & the Magic) which I'm managing to do daily. And I've started a non-fiction book on the psychic development of the Witch, but that's happening at a slower pace... I try not to give in to any other ideas for books until I've at least got these two done, but that doesn't seem to stop them coming!
Do you write part or full time?
I write pretty much all the time now. It's how I want to earn a living and I am determined to make it happen.
What's the hardest thing about writing?
For me it's the discipline and coping with distraction. But I'm getting better, you have to focus on what you want and be prepared to do what it takes.
How can other readers discover more about you (website/facebook links etc)?
www.sheenacundy.com
www.witch-lit.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/treehousemagic/
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Keep at it. Be selective... read and write only what inspires and gives you pleasure. Live as fully as possible and focus on good health. Maintain a good sense of humour, it's always good fuel for writing and it will keep you sane when the going gets tough. Work hard for your writing, know you can do it and if you're a Witch, use magic as often as possible. And that... will work for you.
There are tons of pagan books on the market, what do you think makes you stand out from the crowd?
I have no idea but I hope it's got something to do with being original. I wrote my novel to cheer myself up, keep myself out of prison and the divorce courts while suffering from all kinds of hormonal horrors... If the mad musings of a menopausal Witch can make it into print with a publisher like Moon Books – dealing mainly in Pagan non-fiction - then surely it's worth a read.
There are enough serious books in the field and hopefully a story about a crazy Witch and her ridiculous attempts to snare the Johnny Depp look-a-like guitar playing vicar will throw something a bit different into the cauldron - just for a change. Witch Lit has arrived!
Which one of your books are you most proud of?
I self-published The Magic Of Nature Oracle with my sister who's an artist, four years ago and I'm proud of the guidebook I wrote with that. It was all spiritually inspired writing and I felt an incredible connection to the Ancestors and their timeless wisdom as I worked on it. We've had good feedback and people are enjoying using the cards which gives me great pleasure.
But, I'm proud of the novel too. When you invest so much time and energy into writing to the best of your ability, how can you feel otherwise when it makes it into print?
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