Meet the author is a series of articles intended to introduce you to our wonderful authors. Learn about the books they’ve written, the spiritual pathways they’ve traversed and some fun little tidbits… introducing Laura Perry!

Tell us about yourself….

Laura Perry is the founder and Temple Mom of Ariadne’s Tribe, a worldwide inclusive Minoan spiritual tradition. In this role, she also leans on her experience as a Wiccan priestess, a Reiki Master, an artist, and a longtime herbalist and fiber artist. She has been writing all her life, but her first book was published in 2001. She writes pagan and magical-themed fiction and non-fiction and has also created a Minoan Tarot deck and coloring book. Her articles have appeared in The Magical Times, Indie Shaman, SageWoman and Pagan Dawn magazines, among others. When she’s not busy writing, painting, or leading rituals, you can probably find her digging in the garden or giving a living history demonstration at a local historic site.

What books have you written?

I write pagan and magical fiction and non-fiction. My first book was published in 2001. My Moon Books titles include Pantheon: The Minoans and Deathwalking: Helping Them Cross the Bridge, as well as contributions to a number of Moon Books anthologies.

How would you describe your spiritual pathway?

The short version: I’m a lifelong polytheist and animist. The longer version: These days, I focus a lot of my time on inclusive Minoan spirituality as practised in Ariadne’s Tribe. I also have relationships with deities from a number of other pantheons, including Norse, Irish, and Mesopotamian. I have a daily ancestral reverence practice, and I do psychopomp spirit work on a regular basis. I also spend some of my time doing healing work with the land spirits where I live.

What tips do you have for folk beginning their spiritual journey?

Trust your intuition and listen carefully to that inner voice, but also be willing to step outside your comfort zone. Don’t limit yourself to the subjects and practices that you feel you “ought to” connect with. Give yourself the gift of exploration. You never know where you might end up, that’s magical and fulfilling!

What is something quirky about yourself?

Ever since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by the way people lived their daily lives in the ancient world and in more recent pre-modern times as well. So over the years I’ve learned spinning, weaving, hearth cooking, herbalism, and a number of other pre-industrial skills. When I have the time, I enjoy doing living history (heritage interpretation) demonstrations at historic sites. You’ll find me in full costume, using a spinning wheel or churning butter or even doing washpot laundry!

What Deity(ies) would you love to have dinner with?

Funny you should ask that, because one of the types of rituals we actually perform in Ariadne’s Tribe is dining with the spirits of the dead and the deities. The Minoans had entire dining shrines dedicated to this activity. As you might imagine, Dionysus is quite a convivial dining companion, bringing a sense of wild joy to the table. Arachne’s presence can turn the conversation to really deep (and sometimes disturbing) subjects. And Rhea always makes everyone feel grounded, connected, and loved.

What magical items would you take with you if you had to live on an island for a year?

Honestly, rather than taking items with me, I think I’d prefer to see what the island itself has to offer. While I enjoy all the trappings – all the figurines and other fun stuff that I collect on my altars and use in my spiritual and magical practice – to me, the strongest magic is in the Earth itself (herself). So if I were stuck on the proverbial deserted island, I’d listen to the land spirits there, and to the spirit of the ocean that surrounded it, and follow their lead. I suspect I’d discover something new and beautiful – and magical!

Where can people find you?

My website is LauraPerryAuthor.com – from there, you can find my social media, my books, and all the other things I do.

Laura Perry is the founder and Temple Mom of Ariadne’s Tribe, a worldwide inclusive Minoan spiritual tradition. In this role, she also leans on her experience as a Wiccan priestess, a Reiki Master, an artist, and a longtime herbalist and fiber artist. She has been writing all her life, but her first book was published in 2001. She writes pagan and magical-themed fiction and non-fiction and has also created a Minoan Tarot deck and coloring book. Her articles have appeared in The Magical Times, Indie Shaman, SageWoman and Pagan Dawn magazines, among others. When she’s not busy writing, painting, or leading rituals, you can probably find her digging in the garden or giving a living history demonstration at a local historic site.

For more details: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/authors/laura-perry