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TWPT:
Tell me about where you are in your spiritual life and how you came
to be there?
PT: Wow... talk about an odd road. Grew up Lutheran,
spent five years as a Pentecostal missionary and singing on gospel
tours in Quebec, went to college and became an agnostic, and then
ended up in Boston MA having psychic experiences. Those scared me
half to death... I thought someone had slipped me odd drugs in a
drink (no kidding, I was that naive). Fortunately I met a shaman and
a cabalist who recognized the symptoms of magick knocking at my
doorstep. They explained energy to me and gently helped me find my
way "home" to what I call folk magick.
TWPT:
If I might what kinds of experiences were you having that were
psychic in nature? How did you happen to meet the shaman and the
cabalist at just the right time? Exactly what is folk magic and how
does it differ from what others classify as magic?
PT: Object reading. I'd touch people's jewelry and see
images. Pretty scarry when you have no clue what's going on. The
shaman was a guy who became my husband and I met both him and the
cabalist in the SCA (a historical group). I can only define folk
magick in my terms but to me it is the blending of superstition and
lore - the place where magickal traditions found a safe haven for
many years of political correctness - into a functional system of
magick. For example. one bit of lore says red is scarry to certain
mischievous fairies, so if I were being bothered by that kind of Fey,
I would use a red amulet.
TWPT:
Was there a turning point in your life when it became crystal clear
that this was the path for you or is it something that you have
always felt inside you?
PT: You know, I once thought there would be a
definitive moment for that, but now I see those moments are on-going.
There are so many times I find myself saying, "wow" I'm so
glad I'm here. It happens every time a spell works beautifully, or
when I travel and meet the other wonderful people in our community
who are truly "family" -- or when I watch our children
dance the ritual fires. Each of those moments tells me one more time
that this is my Path, for now and always.
TWPT:
What kinds of paths have you incorporated into your eclectic view of
spirituality? Would you go so far as to classify yourself with a
particular name or is that something you'd rather not do?
PT: Oh, I'm a tossed salad magician to be sure ! Since
I've studied global traditions, there are very few cultural paths
that haven't sneaked in somewhere. That's how I like it. The more I
study, the more I see how various magickal systems have a core of
truths around which that special energy revolves. So long as I gently
and respectfully use traditions, I'm open to new things and new ideas.
TWPT:
What kinds of truths do you see as being prevalent in many of the
magickal systems that you have studied? Are there any that are
absolutely essential or are they all interchangeable depending on
your point of view and preference? Out of curiosity what are some of
the paths that you have incorporated that play a major role in your
belief system?
PT: There's some Celtic, lots of core shamanism, some
Eastern philosophies, some Anglo Saxon, and a little modern Wicca
tossed in for dressing (smile). As for core beliefs - (A) personal
responsibility seems to be one. Life is truly what YOU
make it. (B) power in all things - nature, the stars, and ourselves.
We need to truly recognize ourselves for the powerful, and really
sacred things that we are (and believe it), but we also need to honor
the sacredness of others and the earth (e.g. not try to have dominion
over it). (C) being good people and making life better - the core of
most religions is to do just that and magic is no exception, except
in this case you're an active participant in the process of
transforming outlooks and actions. (D) Honoring some vision of the
Sacred Parent - you see it in Egypt, China, Scotland, small unnamed
islands, and right in our own back yard. . (E) living proactively - a
lot of magick was designed to stop problems BEFORE they happened, and
if that didn't work, then turn away the unwanted energy afterward.
TWPT:
When was it that the desire to become an author first hit you? Was it
something you had thought about as a career option at some point in
your life?
PT: Oh, that's a great story. I have my entire career
thanks to a case of the chicken pox (guess I was itching to write).
Really! I got stuck at home for a week. For a type A personality,
work-a-holic, that's torture. So, not knowing what else to do I
cleaned out my filing cabinet and tried to write a book.
TWPT:
That seems awfully simple, how in the world did you decide what it
was that you wanted to write about considering the endless supply of
topics that would confront the average writer?
PT: Quite literally I took everything out of my notes
and scribbles in my filing cabinet and cut and pasted to death.
Funny, as I look back, that first process did seem awfully easy. It
was afterward (when things got serious with the publisher) that the
real work started.
TWPT:
What was the first book that you wrote specifically for the
Wiccan/Pagan market? Were you pleased with the outcome of that
initial entry into publishing?
PT: Victorian Grimoire was the end result of what began
with the chicken pox and a year of working closely with Llewellyn.
They took a poet and taught me to be a book writer. From there,
things kind of snowballed. Before I wholly realized what was
happening it was 8 years and 30 books later! I find writing very
addicting. One idea/topic leads to ten more you want to explore and
writing has always been a passion of mine. To be able to live my
passion is amazing -- if that's not magick I don't know what is.
TWPT:
You said that Llewellyn taught you to be a writer, could you
elaborate on the relationship that you have (had) with Llewellyn and
how they were able to help you with your writing? What is the typical
process for you to write a book and see it published, I'm sure it
isn't as easy as it sounds?
PT: Llewellyn had some editors and an acquisition
manager who were very patient. They saw something they liked in my
work and walked me through the changes I needed to make to create a
functional book. That taught me a lot from a hands on standpoint.
Every edit (and there were several from cover to cover) showed me new
things I needed to learn. I still have two books in print with
Llewellyn and am hoping to do a new one as soon as we can have a
meeting of the minds about what best to write.
The typical process depends on which publisher you deal with. Some
only accept whole book submissions with a proposal, while others will
accept a 10-20 page proposal and work from there. After one of these
goes to acquisitions, they decide if they want it or not. Presuming
they do, you get a contract (sometimes an advance on royalties), and
you get busy providing a disk, marketing information, etc. Then you
do an author proof of their edit, and another after that. You may
have to at some juncture provide art or find artists (again depending
on the publisher) and the book goes to press. Then the real work
begins -- supporting your title in the public eye.
TWPT:
Were there any concrete goals you had in mind for that first book?
PT: None at all. I never expected to see a contract let
alone a book. It came as a complete surprise.
TWPT:
What do you want a reader to take away with them after they have
finished one of your books? Some facts and information or something more?
PT: I want the reader to feel like they're in my living
room talking to me -- no pretense, no facades, and no guru syndrome.
I know that my form of magick won't work for everyone, but if it
sparks ideas of their own that WILL work, that's the key. When you
write in the New Age sector you have to get away from the numbers
game and realize that if you help one person then the book has done
its job.
TWPT:
You have been quite prolific as an author to this point, do you see
this as a continuing trend for the near future? Do you have some
favorites that still make you feel that writing is worth all the
effort it takes?
PT: I'm going to slow down my book production somewhat.
I'd like more time with my children and to travel and speak to the
community so I know what people want/need in future books.
My favorites so far? That's tough. Books are like children, you love
them all differently. I love Goddess in my Pocket because it was the
first time a publisher let me really play and have fun with my
writing. 9-5 Shaman (coming out later this year) changed me
spiritually on very deep levels that are hard to express. Cat Magic
was fun because I LOVE my kitties. See, when you're writing your
entire life becomes a microcosm of that topic for 3-6 months because
you're focusing 40 hours a week on it. Putting out all that energy
manifests in some interesting ways. You wouldn't believe the chaos
when I was working on Dancing with Devas... three months of fairy mischief.
TWPT:
Could you give us a sneak preview as to what the 9-5 Shaman will
cover as far as subject matter goes? Just a general look would be nice.
PT: It looks at core shamanism (the ideals and
practices common to global shamanic practices) and how to effectively
apply them in our concrete jungle -- something shamanism isn't always
suited for ! Nonetheless shamanism teaches us a lot of valuable
things that do translate into our world like living prayerfully and
thankfully, the necessity of silence, and the importance of our
tribes (family, friends, extended family, etc.)
TWPT:
What kind of advice might you have for someone considering this
particular field as a career?
PT: Don't quit your day job. I'm serious. It can take
years to establish yourself and be making enough money to support
your lifestyle, whatever that may be. Also seriously consider how
much time you can devote to your art. I give at least 25 hours a
week, and most weeks much more than that. Additionally I travel once
a month, help other writers with their books, etc. etc. This can put
tremendous strain on any other responsibilities you have -- family,
jobs, etc. Be prepared for those changes, and the ones you will
experience in yourself. There's a lot of struggle with your vision of
spirituality and who you are when you first start working on these
kinds of books (and it usually doesn't stop)
TWPT:
What kinds of changes have you seen in yourself as a direct result of
your writing and the books that you have turned out? How is it that
close examination of what one believes tends to create a struggle
within your vision of spirituality?
PT: Consider for a moment that I've invested 30,000
hours since 1991 in histo-cultural, religious research alone (this is
not writing time, nor promotion). There is no way you can read all
those ideologies, and ponder them for what you're writing, without
coming face to face with hidden doubts, things that challenge your
current ways of perception, etc.
TWPT:
Are there any particular character traits that make a person more
suitable for being a spiritual author as opposed to writing fiction?
PT: Tenacity, realness, warmth, approachability,
walking the walk (not just talking the talk). People don't want to be
preached to. They want choices, good insights, hints that come out of
what you LIVE everyday. They also want a sense that you truly
understand of what you write, and haven't just recreated other books
you find on that topic.
TWPT:
Do you find that there are authors jumping on the spiritual band
wagon to write their books who don't have the needed experience to
speak to their audiences with first hand knowledge?
PT: Of course, but that's true with a lot of things
where people perceive there's a profit to be made. Magick isn't
immune to money changers, profit seekers, egotists, control freaks,
etc... just like any group we need to be wary and aware that there
will be those looking to take advantage of our spiritual hunger. |
