BOOK NOOK; The Wise Woman by Philippa Gregory

I have just finished re-reading Philippa Gregory's book The Wise Woman.  This is one of my favorite novels by Gregory and if you enjoyed reading the Wideacre trilogy or The Other Boleyn Girl then you will love The Wise Woman.

The novel is set in Tudor England during the Reformation.  The protagonist is a young woman called Alys; a runaway nun, escaping her burning convent and fleeing to her old mentor Morach, the wise woman on the moor.  With her knowledge as a herbalist Alys is summoned to the castle to care for the ailing old Lord Hugh.  There she meets the young Lord Hugo and her vows are truly tested as she finds herself sexually attracted to a man for the very first time.  Will she hold true to her vows, or will Lord Hugo trick her into seduction and sin?

While the story is set within the confines of a Northern castle, the happenings at Court provide the backdrop for the story and The Wise Woman is set within the same time frame as The Other Boleyn Girl.  As first Anne Boleyn and then Jane Seymour rise from lady's maid to  be Queens of England, Alys determines to emulate their success and to use all her powers to make herself the first lady of Castleton castle - no matter what the cost.  But every day she walks in danger as discovery of her convent days or her magical mentor means that Alys might well be burned as a heretic or hanged as a witch. She must tread a careful line of pushing for her ambitions, without overstepping the mark with the old Lord.  Alys is nothing if not resourceful - she will do anything to save her own skin - this novel is an education in betrayal, deceit and hypocrisy! Just how far will Alys go to ensure that she is the last one standing?

One of the things I really like about this book are the descriptions of castle life; it is as if you are climbing the turret steps feeling the fresh breeze from the arrow slits;  sitting before a great log fire hearing it spit and crackle; reading and writing in the glow of flickering candles; hiding herbs and oils away in a great oak chest; stitching away at a great colourful tapestry in the ladies gallery... its just so atmospheric!  And for a girl who has always wanted to live in a castle, its just perfect for me :)  Of the whole book, my favorite part has to be when the wax poppets take on a life of their own, betray their mistress and run amok - for some reason, this part always reminds me of the fairy-tale of the little gingerbread man as the sinister little poppets begin to act on their own will.  It is a great novel which foreshadows the wonderful Tudor series of books Gregory is now most famous for.  Spell-binding escapism for a cold, frosty winter's weekend.

MUSICAL DOLL; Moon Chants

I just found this cool video on You Tube! It features beautiful pagan artwork which perfectly illustrates the lyrics from the title track of my album Moon Chants which can be purchased from  www.paradisemusic.co.uk and www.amazon.co.uk   Enjoy!:)

ONCE UPON A DREAM; Key to the Kingdom

Can you imagine what treasures these beautiful keys might unlock...  a pirates chest; a dresser drawer filled with love letters; an attic which holds family secrets?   I get excited when I see pretty keys; especially when they fit no lock I know of...perhaps they are magic keys which can unlock the door to an enchanted land; or maybe they are the keys to a ladies jewel box and diamonds and pearls lie upon a velvet bed, waiting for their finest state moment.

Even more romantic is the thought that these are the keys to a ladies boudoir; a place of rest and retreat when life gets too much; or a gilded box containing a princess tiara, or a queen's crown.  They might be the keys to a secret passage leading discreetly up to my lady's chamber...and during a dance at a masked ball she slips them into the pocket of her lover...but two of the guests are wearing the same mask! Did she give her keys to the right man?!

Keys hold a very special place in British folklore; people once believed that to hide a key in a baby's cradle would prevent the child from being snatched away by fairies and a changeling left in its place. As the fairy folk cannot abide iron the key was a form of protection.  We see echoes of this tradition in the key shaped rattles and teething toys sold in baby stores; and in the tradition of giving a young adult a decorative Key to the Door on a special birthday such as their 18th or 21st - again this is a gift of protection.  To hang a key which fits no lock in your home by the main door to your house is also a protection ritual, said to keep the house safe... house number plates often feature a key design, keeping this old magical tradition alive.

Keys can unlock mysteries, hearts, kingdoms and magical realms. Skeleton keys unlock everything. The humble key is often taken for granted, thrown quickly into a handbag or pocket, with little thought for the fact that it is upholding the security of your home while you go about your day. Car keys unlock freedom and independence. While modern keys might not be as pretty as those pictured here, they are just as magical. Next time you find an orphan key at the back of a drawer which fits no lock that you know of, instead of throwing it away, thread it on a pretty ribbon and hang it up as a decorative item of magic and mystery...or hunt through antique stores to find a special decorative key. Maybe you've found the key to the kingdom of a magical land...maybe one day you will also find the door to this enchanted realm...and then you will be glad you kept that useless old key!

SHIMMER SPELL; Madame Endora's Fortune Cards

One of the nicest things about being a writer is that companies send me their products for review purposes.  Sometimes these people even become my email buddies which was the case with Joseph Vargo of Monolith Graphics in the USA. Joseph is a very talented artist, writer and musician - I am a huge fan of his Gothic band Nox Arcana so I was delighted when he sent me a pack of divination cards which feature the artwork of Christine Filipak.

This beautiful oracle deck of 48 cards draws on world mythology and heraldic beasts. The artwork is presented in a romantic Art Nouveau style reminiscent of Mucha, which flows across the cards and brings a touch of feminine sophistication to readings. The set includes a 32 page booklet which explains how to use the cards, suggestions for different spreads and offers detailed definitions for interpretation. Even better, each card has a basic meaning printed at the foot of the picture ideal for quick readings or for drawing a single card each day.

For a girl who loves romantic art, as I do, these cards are ideal.  They are not at all scary - each of the pictures is a beautifully crafted piece of artwork, which gives a nod to the Romanticism of the 18th  and 19th centuries.  My favorite cards are the Harlequin, the Siren, the Unicorn, the Knight and the Minstrel.  I have used these cards regularly for over a year now and it has become my favorite deck. As the cards are easy to understand and interpret  this is great tool for beginners and those who are new to cardomancy.  You can buy them from  www.monolithgraphics.com

Disclaimer; these cards were gifted to me for review purposes well over a year ago but this is not a sponsored post.

Ivory Tower

I am a woman who loves fairy tales!  My house is a realm of romantic enchantment and pagan magic.  From the outside it looks just like any other house; but inside it is a pop-up picture book of delights.  Step inside...let me show you around, but first know this - all I say is truth, not fantasy...and it has taken a long time and lots of hard work for me to create the ivory tower in which I live.  In this tour I hope to inspire you to begin creating your own enchanted realm...my book How to Create a Magical Home available on Amazon Kindle, can help you achieve this. In brackets are the fairy-tales I associate with each piece I am going to show you.

All my rooms have subtle themes, with a fairy tale magic running throughout.  The hallway and staircase is Gothic - at the foot of the stairs stands a large wood carving of a howling wolf and a berry red velvet cloak hangs nearby (Red Riding Hood).  At the top of the stairs the head of a fire-breathing dragon hangs from the wall, guarding the sleeping chambers beyond (Dragon Heart).

My kitchen/dining area is pure Celtic magic with knot work carvings and lanterns, Celtic crosses, royal lions of Scotland and thistle design crockery.  I have lots of Gothic arch shaped mirrors dotted around my home - they remind me of castle windows/arrow slits! - with the biggest one being hung by the dining table.  The table itself is round, of course (Camelot) and standing in a crystal bud vase in the center is a long-stemmed full blown rose of pure silver (Beauty & the Beast).

The lounge is a cozy haven of Victoriana - here you will find the rainbow glow of Tiffany style lamps gently illuminating the sheet music set out on the piano.  A chaise lounge of deep red wine with matching velvet throws and cousins invites you to rest a while; or perhaps you prefer to dream in the rocking chair carved with  oak leaves, putting your feet up before the glowing coals of the fireplace.  Dotted around this room are oak leaf men candle holders, bowls and wind-chimes (Sherwood Forest) and beautiful pagan stags which remind me of Scotland, Herne the Hunter and Cernnunos. A pair of red ballet slippers sits by the hearth (The Red Shoes/Wizard of Oz), while a 5 foot tall three-fold tea-light screen of silver leaves and two 6 foot tall pewter trees designed to hold pillar candles cast a spooky forest filigree upon the walls (Hansel & Gretel/ Sleepy Hollow).

As I work from home as a writer I have a small study, complete with an escritoire writing desk that has pigeon holes.  I am a bibliophile and my childhood dream was to own a room full of books - I have achieved that dream in my study which houses more than 2000 books, carefully collected over many years.  This is the quietest room in the house, so I have my microphone/studio etc set up in a corner and I record vocals for my albums here. My love of horses is plain in the books, statues and wall tapestry. I wish my study had a secret door/passage hidden behind wooden paneling, but alas it is not to be! 

My bedroom is a box of feminine delights! French furniture, gold scroll work, the frothy cream lace canopy of my four poster bed which is my pride and joy..  it's quite a high bed and it reminds me of the Princess & the Pea! I adore my bed, it brings me the sweetest dreams (Sleeping Beauty). In this room knights in armor look down from the walls (Camelot again!) - my favorite art prints in this room are Sir Frank Dicksee's La Belle Dame Sans Merci and I'm hoping to get Frederick Burton's The Meeting on the Turret Stairs. Figures of Lancelot and Guinevere are displayed in this room too.


On the dressing table sits a crystal glass slipper (Cinderella) and a red apple perfume bottle (Snow White).  Pink wrought iron roses, designed to hold tea-light candles, 'grow' up the side of the door (Rapunzel) while my pagan tools and Book of Shadows sit upon a mermaid lamp table in the corner(The Little Mermaid) .

Beneath a full length French magical mirror (Snow White)  are a pair of sparkling silver ballet slippers (Cinderella), while a snowy white tutu hangs close by, and make-up items are kept in little swan planters (Swan Lake).  A collection of ice and snow fairies stand on the window sill (Snow Queen) along with a turreted pink castle that lights up and flickers with fiber optics (Disney!)

The bathroom is so tiny, but even here magic happens! Sea shell light shades and mobiles hang from the ceiling, fine art prints of mermaids and sirens hang on the walls and lovely bath and body products are kept in a carved wooden pirate's chest (Treasure Island)!  I have a large collection of Lord of the Rings goblets, which are dotted all around my home - every room has at least two, with the exception of the bathroom, which has one - the City of Tirion goblet holds my toothbrush!

As I said - this really is my home, but it has taken many years to put together and to build up such a collection of fairy tale items. I had a very clear image of what I wanted my house to look and feel like, and the magical atmosphere I wanted to create. People who visit always say the same thing "It's like stepping into another world!"  Mission accomplished then :)  I hope this post has inspired you to bring some magic into your own home. It is almost the witching hour and I am going to climb into my four poster bed with a book, so from the enchanted realm of my Ivory Tower I bid you goodnight and the sweetest of dreams. Blessed be x

BOOK NOOK: The Star Qualities by Caroline Goyder

Confession... I am quite a shy girl which is why you will never see me at MBS fairs touting my work or giving workshops - its just not me. I prefer to let my work speak for itself. However, I am open to the idea that one can boost one's confidence and that shyness does not have to be a disability so it was with great interest that I bought a copy of Caroline Goyder's The Star Qualities. 


This book was actually recommended to me in person by the actress Sophia Myles whom I met at St Mary's church, by Whitby Abbey when she was filming Dracula, along with Marc Warren who took the title role.  Sophia was very gracious and just as pretty in person as she appears on camera in films like Underworld and Tristan and Isolde.  We got chatting about her work as an actor, mine as a writer and the similarities between the two worlds. Writers are frequently expected to put in a star turn on TV and in radio and media interviews and I don't mind admitting that this is an aspect of my job which I do not like one little bit.  I am not a celebrity and I don't have a team of people behind me making sure I  don't put a foot wrong.  I find  radio and media interviews to be high pressure situations; to this day I have always refused to appear on TV, though there have been offers, but its my worst nightmare! Sophia explained that celebrities are actually trained  to be able to handle their public with grace and ease; while they might be as nervous as you or I would be, they have the training tools in place to enable them to keep cool and dignified in difficult situations, such as an intrusive interview or a paparazzi chase.

The Star Qualities is basically a text book which gives the everyday Jane Doe those very same tools which celebrities use, thereby enabling you to shine like a star in your own life.  It includes top tips from high profile celebrities such as Sophia Myles, Kate Winslet, Sarah Jessica Parker and Ewan McGregor, so its like having a team of mentors to hand who really do know what they are talking about.  The author Caroline Goyder is an acting coach, but she has also trained politicians and broadcasters and her advice works in the real world - in her book, she passes on her knowledge and experience, giving readers the tools celebrities use to shine in areas of public speaking, interviews, parties, social events; as well as detailing how your appearance and ambitions can help boost your personal confidence.  It really is an invaluable tome to have on hand and I often dip into this book for a quick boost and pep talk.

I highly recommend that you use The Star Qualities in conjunction with Paul McKenna's Instant Confidence book and hypnosis CD, as together they will help you to reprogram your mind at a conscious and subliminal level. I read the books by day and fall asleep to the CD at night time; I have found this yields the quickest, most effective results for personal confidence.  Together these two books will help you start the new year with a boost, a tool kit and a plan of action... for whatever your personal ambitions might be, confidence in yourself is always the key.

WRITER'S DREAM; Become a Diarist

I have kept a diary since I was 16 years old.  My very first diary was small and decorated with a balloon design...it details how I felt about everything that was going on at that time in my life, from my very first crush, my parents divorce,  GCSE's and my first job in an equestrian centre.   These days my diary is filled with hopes, ambitions, dreams, thoughts, spells, manifestations, writing ideas and the occasional PMS strop!  If I did not have a diary in which to place my worries, anxieties and personal triumphs I think I would go nuts as I could never carry all that stuff around in my head day after day.

Starting a new diary is like the first day of term when new exercise books were handed out by the teacher. All those blank sheets to fill - 365 pages of possibility!  I find this most exciting, and I always make a little note at the beginning of the diary about what I plan to achieve during the coming year. I tick off and date each goal as I achieve it, and transfer those that remain at the end of the year into the next diary. I keep my old diaries in a decorative storage box and I enjoy reading through them now and again - its good to see how far I've come and to see when my current reality began as the seed of a dream; in 2003 I wrote how nice it would be to have my poems set to music so I could sing them - by 2009 my debut album Moon Chants was being released.  I have always found that a diary is something of a self-fulfilling prophecy; what you write you can become.  There is magic in journal keeping!

I always pick the same style of diary each year; it has to be A5 hard cover and a full page for each day. I find this is just enough space to free up my head space each evening before I sleep.  I usually decorate the cover in some way to make it personal - or to act as a Treasure Map of something I want to manifest in my life.  This year my diary already has a lovely cover, with a beautiful deep red rose in full bloom and a coordinating bookmark inside so there is no need for me to break out the glue-stick.  But adding pictures and symbols to a diary can increase the chances of your goals coming to fruition as the subconscious works to magnetise what you see each day. So diary keeping can be viewed as a magical tool of manifestation.

For me a diary is a very personal thing - I would never let anyone else read them.  Partly because I am a private person, but also because if someone vexes me, I take my temper to the page and say what I think in my diary!  This makes for harsh reading - but it also prevents me from hurting those I love by saying things I don't really mean in the heat of the moment.  A diary is also a great form of daily writing - it frees the creative mind and gets the Muse on side.  Personally I like my diary, and indeed my blog and Twitter account, which is a more public online diary, to be very relaxed writing.  I am not too concerned with grammar and spelling here...I just need to write.  For anyone wanting to become a published writer I urge you to keep a diary as it will get you into the habit of daily writing, which is essential for a professional approach to the craft of authorship. It is a great way to incorporate your 10 minutes a day of writing time into a busy life...and you may well become tomorrow what you write today, so pick up a diary in the sales and use your diary time to create the life you want to live!