Laura Perry is a Pagan author and artist. She is the creator of The Minoan Tarot and The Minoan Coloring Book as well as magical-themed novels and Pagan nonfiction. Laura’s work has appeared in Spiral Nature, The Magical Times, and Pagan Dawn magazines. When she’s not busy in her studio, she can be found digging in the garden and doing living history demonstrations at local historic sites.
| Tell me about your background Laura? | I’m a Pagan with a background in both Wicca and Shamanic methods. These days my focus is mainly on Modern Minoan Paganism for which I run on-line courses. I also devote a fair amount of my personal spiritual practice to my ancestors. Over the years I’ve been in a number of groups, run a few of my own, taught workshops, and led community rituals. |
| There appears to be threads of history and spirituality running through your work? |  I’ve been fascinated by ancient cultures and spirituality for as long as I can remember. I have a special fondness for the Minoans of ancient Crete and the Maya of Central America. My first book, the non-fiction title Ancient Spellcraft, was published in 2001. I’m currently working on a revised and updated second edition of that one. I’ve been writing both fiction and non-fiction ever since then, as well as blog posts and magazine articles. |
| Tell me more about what you did before becoming a writer? |  Before I began my writing career, I was an herbalist and naturopath (I have an N.D. degree) so I’m also into natural health and wellness. That interest prompted me to write The Wiccan Wellness Book, which was published in 2003. I also became a Reiki master as a way to expand my healing modalities. I still keep up with the Reiki and my family consults me for herbal and homeopathic help, but I no longer practice professionally. I prefer to devote my time to writing and art these days. |
| Like many writers, you seem to have an abundance of creative talents? | In addition to writing, I love to create art of all sorts. My most recent project is The Minoan Coloring Book a set of four dozen line drawings to colour based on the art and artefacts of ancient Crete. I’m also working on a series of larger pieces based on the seal rings and seal stones from the archaeological finds on Crete. |
| In what way does travel inspire you? | I love to travel, especially to sacred sites around the world. These special places that have been honoured since ancient times inspire both my spiritual practice and my writing. |
| Can you give an example? |  A trip to visit the Maya temples and other sacred sites in Belize inspired my first novel, Jaguar Sky about a college student who discovers far more than just stones and ruins when she goes on an archaeological dig in Central America.
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| What do you have bubbling away in the background just now? | I’m currently working on two novels with very different focuses. The first is a murder mystery set in the north Georgia Mountains full of Hoodoo and folk magic. The second is a historical fiction work that takes place at the end of Minoan civilization in ancient Crete. I’m also writing a set of myths and tales based on the Minoan pantheon, which I plan to publish in a fully-colour-illustrated “all ages” book. |
| Which of your current books would you say falls most comfortably into the genre “Witch Lit” and Why? | The Bed is definitely Witch Lit – a strong female protagonist who ends up tangled up in magic (which she didn’t believe in at first) while doing her best to sort out her romantic and professional lives. I suppose Jaguar Sky also counts as Witch Lit, since there’s magic of a certain kind that pervades the main character’s experiences at the archaeological dig and causes more than a little trouble for her until she learns to understand it. |
| Do you have a favourite saying, quote or motto that you would like to share? |  |
| What words of wisdom can you offer to some-one just starting on their writing journey? | Don’t give up. There’s a learning curve (several, actually, because there’s more to writing than just writing, if you see what I mean). Stick with it and believe in yourself, and you’ll get to where you want to go.
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Cathie Devitt - Writer 