Hello, I'm Elen

I write mystery/romance with a supernatural bent, currently working on a story based in our local 6th century hero, Dyfrig. I also write shamanic how-to books and am just doing the final edit on "Gardening with the Moon & Stars" - biodynamics for gardeners. I love writing, stories are always happening inside my head and then banging away to be let out. And I love to make what I know and love accessible to others, hence the how-to stuff.

I'm a practising shaman - figured if I keep practising I'll get it right sometime LOL. I come from a background of British shamans - Dad, uncles, aunts, mother, grandmother. A favourite uncle used to take me out in the woods when I was a kid, we'd sit all night watching badgers, foxes, mices, bats, moths ... and owls. He could talk to them and showed me how. I had an adder twined round my wrist once after she had first gone to him ... the most beautiful thing. And I've seen him call a wild hawk, a merlin, down to his wirst. I've called owls myself. I teach the shamanism now, workshops and a 3yr training for those who want more. I will do soul and power retrievals on occasion, and other healing stuff.

I'm a cat-worshipper - currently have 2 familliars living with me, Isolde & Olwen. And I'm married to another nutter who does all sorts of magical things and is a compost master to boot *g*. We live in the back of beyond, 3/4 of a mile from any road but only 6 miles from Hereford, with a long view of Hay Bluff out the windows. We're surrounded by wildlife - and some industrial farming! The wildlife comes to explore the garden and gives us loads of pleasure.

I'm also an artist. I like using watercolours in a chinese manner and drawing, in my own version of Zen. I used to teach photography at the Camera Club of London when it was still off Leicester Sq. I learned masses from my colleaugues there too, including a love of Ansell Adams and Bill Brandt. I now do lots of digital art using Photoshop and am trying to hoard pennies for the latest upgrade which looks mouthwateringly yummy !!!

We garden madly, grow most of our own veg - organic & biodynamic. I love it, getting my hands in the soil is magic to me. The garden is also a pleasure garden, wildlife pond, small wood, fantastic hedge, and lots of gorgeous colour in the flowers, foliage and trees. It gives us a lot of peace and the Spirit of Place likes what we do *g*.

We're pretty green, as far as we can be not owning our own property. Downsizing's not a problem as we don't have any money anyway LOL, although I still have JK Rowling in my sights !!! We love what we do, have to do it ... it does us really.

For extra fun, I spin, knit and tapestry-weave from friends fleeces - am looking for mohair too. and I do tapestry embroidery, making my own pictures. I love this stuff, spinning especially is like journeying, the rhythms take me off. And the results are such fun to use and wear ... if often unusual!

I read - whenever I can find good stuff. Unfortuantely accountants seem to have taken over the publishing industry so there's a lot of crap out there. Careful looking through self published authors has got me some good stuff, and cheaply downloadable as e-books too. I like good films too, rent dvds usually, then you can turn them off if you don't like! and music, very eclectict tastes from Captain Beefheart and Mark Knopfler to Moart, Satie, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, mediaeval, Beethoven quartets ...

Oh, and I've also got rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and diabetes ... just for fun !!! I recently had 2 knew knees which have made a wonderful difference, now I need a new right shoulder and my left foot rebuilt ... I'll be bionic soon

Am really glad you have joined the forum Elen, I knew you would like it here.
And am so pleased the bionic-ness has made such a difference to you. I now have visions of you doing a "Bionic Woman" style leap through the air!

But I have learned at least one new thing about you, I didn't know you were a spinster!

Tell OH I prefer "Compost Master" as a title as well, it makes us sound like tea masters or such like! Zen and the art of Compost Making, now there's a good title for a book. Hmm.

LOL, not up to leaping! Yes, I'm a spinster, love it

Zen and the art of Compost Making is a great title ... damnit, now you've given me summat else to write!

Looking fwd to meeting folk at CW's next Sat.

I thought of it first! MY BOOK!

Go for it!

Sheesh !!! thank the gods !!! Been let off something at last

Hi there Elen - great to hear more about you and looking forward to meeting you at CW's on Saturday.

Mrs C x