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...STEVE ANDREWS (aka The Bard of Ely)
Website: https://www.bardofely.org/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheBardofEly/
1. What or who inspires you the most and why?
The natural world is what inspires me the most because of all its amazing complexities and incredibly beautiful forms. I connected with nature when I was a little boy and consider myself very lucky that I did.
2. Do you have any set daily spiritual practices?
Not that I think of in that way, but I could view my daily walks in the countryside as ‘spiritual.’
3. What is your favourite subject to write about and why?
Probably butterflies, and I write about them so much because they play such a big part in my life. I live in Portugal and rear Swallowtails and Monarchs, and I like to try and inspire other people to help the butterflies too.
4. Do you have a sacred or spiritual place/area (anywhere in the world) that you feel connected to?
I will answer Avebury because I have missed it a lot since I have been living abroad, since the end of 2004. Before that I used to attend the Gorsedds on every one of the eight seasonal festival dates on the Pagan and Druid calendar. I try to visit Avebury whenever I come back to the UK and last year was very pleased to do a book-signing session at The Henge Shop. Fellow author Kit Berry was also there at the time, and I was accompanied by my friend, the poet Mab Jones from Cardiff. It was the weekend of the Beltane gorsedd and I managed to play a few songs in the gathering in the Stones too. It was great to be back. My Druid friend and fellow Bard, Cliff Carr, kindly loaned me his guitar and I sang my song Kingfisher, which has the line:”Queen of the Summer, Queen of the May, be my queen of every day, I’ll be your Kingfisher.”
5. Where do you work your magic/practice your faith? Do you have a special room or area set aside?
My connection is with nature and it is in the natural world that I see magic. This means I can find that connection and magic wherever I happen to be.
6. What book/talk/article of yours are you most proud of and why?
I am most proud of my Pagan Portals book Herbs of the Sun, Moon and Planets, because I give a unique look at herbalism and astrology and explain how the herbalists of old, like Nicolas Culpeper, had a system with which they could assign a herb to be ruled by a specific planetary ruler and deity. For example, Mars, the god of war, ruled over the Dragon Tree, with its sword-shaped leaves and blood red resin. Venus, the goddess of love, ruled over the Rose.
List of books published, so far:
Herbs of the Northern Shaman
Pagan Portals: Herbs of the Sun, Moon and Planets
Herbs of the Southern Shaman
(all published by Moon Books)
