I asked a bunch, or should that perhaps be a 'bibliography' of authors...whatever the collective noun for a group of authors is...a few quick snapshot questions.
This week is...ELLEN EVERT HOPMAN
Website: www.elleneverthopman.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EllenEvertHopmanAuthor/
What or who inspires you the most and why?
I am inspired most by nature. I go outside each and every day to check on what the plants are doing and I go outside every night to look at the stars. My favorite place to be is by a stream where I can listen to the voice of the waters. Secondly, I am inspired by the members of my Druid Order, Tribe of the Oak www.tribeoftheoak.com They surprise me every day with their wit, humor and dedication to the Druid path.
Do you have any set daily spiritual practices?
I am in communion with nature every day. I also belong to a Brighidine Flame Tenders group called “Tribe of the Oak - Tuatha na Dara – Garrán na Brighid – Cill na Teine”. I hold a vigil every 19 days by keeping a candle lit and reciting prayers to the Goddess Brighid.
What is your favourite subject to write about and why?
My books – both fiction and non-fiction - are all devoted to the Druids and the ancient Celts. My work in this lifetime seems to be about keeping the old traditions, beliefs and rituals alive in the modern age.
Do you have a sacred or spiritual place/area (anywhere in the world) that you feel connected to?
I am drawn to the ancient sites in Ireland, Scotland and Britain. I have done ceremony inside of Stonehenge four times and I feel very relaxed and at home there. There is an ancient tomb in Ireland called Labbacallee (The Hag’s Bed) in County Cork. When I visited that site I began to cry and kept crying for four days. It felt like I knew someone who was buried there. It was intensely personal.
Where do you work your magic/practice your faith? Do you have a special room or area set aside?
I have several altars in the house. One in my bedroom and one in the living room. I use those for contemplation and prayer. But when I do group rituals its always outside in nature. I have a natural stone circle in the woods behind the house. It sits on a mound by a stream, surrounded by Oak forest.
What book/talk/article of yours are you most proud of and why?
Not a fair question! That’s like asking which is your favorite child or your favorite cat. I think I am always most pleased with the book I am working on in the moment. Right now I am working on a children’s book about Pagan festivals from different cultures.
List of books published, so far:
The Sacred Herbs of Spring – Magical, Healing and Edible Plants to Celebrate Beltaine
The Sacred Herbs of Samhain – Plants to Contact the Spirits of the Dead
The Real Witches of New England – History, Lore and Modern Practice
Tree Medicine Tree Magic – a revised and updated version of the old classic with full color botanical prints
Secret Medicines from Your Garden – Plants for Healing, Spirituality, and Magic
A Legacy of Druids - Conversations with Druid leaders of Britain, the USA and Canada, past and present
Priestess of the Forest: A Druid Journey romance with practical Druid rites and rituals.
The Druid Isle
Priestess of the Fire Temple: A Druid’s Tale
Scottish Herbs and Fairy Lore
The Secret Medicines Of Your Kitchen
A Druid's Herbal of Sacred Tree Medicine
Being a Pagan: Druids, Wiccans, and Witches Today
Walking the World in Wonder - A Children's Herbal
A Druid's Herbal for the Sacred Earth Year
Videos and DVDs
Pagans – The Wheel of the Year http://vimeo.com/8412120
Gifts from the Healing Earth Vol 1 http://vimeo.com/8428993
