Interview with Sandra Kynes
The chances are that you have a Sandra Kynes title somewhere on your bookshelf. For us, it’s Llewelyn’s Complete Book of Correspondences. This huge tome is an invaluable resource for any witch and we use ours all of the time. In fact, we love this book so much that Christie recently reviewed it on Episode 12 of the Witchology Podcast.
Author of more than 18 books, Sandra Kynes is an absolute powerhouse in the spiritual community, so it’s fair to say that we were thrilled to be given the chance to speak with her about her upcoming book releases. Sandra recently started working with the wonderful folks over at Crossed Crow Books, so we spent some time finding out more about her writing process and which of her many titles is her favourite…
Hi Sandra, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. We are big fans of your work - we use Llewelyn’s Complete Book of Correspondences all the time! Aside from being an amazing author, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Oh gosh, thank you for the compliments and interview. I usually describe myself as an explorer of history, myth, and magic. I do a great deal of reading and seemed to have developed a different way of looking at the world, which usually forms the basis for my books.
I grew up in Pennsylvania but lived the longest in New York City. Later I lived in Germany and England, where I lived in the Bedfordshire countryside. Now I live in the wilds of Mid-coast Maine. Connecting with nature has been an important part of my life since I was a child. I had many seaside adventures and loved exploring my grandmother’s vast gardens and meeting the fae that lived there. When I was older and lived in New York, I found that birds provided a simple yet powerful way to stay in tune with the natural world and feel the magic.
When I use the word magic, I don’t mean the sort of Harry Potter wizardry, although that’s fun to think about. To me, magic is the interconnected energy that creates a web of life from the smallest thing on Earth to the stars and beyond. Connections are everywhere and are like living threads of a tapestry. We can use our individual energy to sense and work with this web of universal energy and that’s what I believe is the essence of magic. I think I have always believed in magic because I felt connected with this web of energy. As a child, I felt in awe of nature because that’s where the magic felt strongest.
We're so excited about your books Star Magic and Witches’ Esbats and Sabbats coming out this spring through Crossed Crow Books. What was the inspiration behind writing these?
I’m excited, too, and I love working with the people at Crossed Crow Books. All my life I’ve been a science/history nerd and I was watching a program about constellations, which was presented season by season. I thought, “Wow, how wonderfully Pagan.” The more I thought about it, the more I realized that we Pagans don’t generally look beyond the moon. Yes, we may follow an earth-centred spirituality, but the night sky is amazing and the constellations have so much mythology and there are so many of them that are not used in astrology. At any rate, because various ancient cultures often had different interpretations of the constellations/star figures, I thought it was time to put a twenty-first-century Pagan spin on them. For example, Orion the hunter could easily be Artemis the goddess of hunting.
Witches’ Sabbats & Esbats was originally called A Year of Ritual. For a time, I was leading a Pagan group that met for ritual and discussion and I discovered that a number of people had difficulty putting a ritual together. So, the book was intended to be a guide and learning tool with ready-made rituals.
You’ve written many books over the years, which one(s) hold a special place in your heart?
Yikes, that’s like picking a favourite child! I would have to say Bird Magic is the nearest and dearest to me because it goes to the core of my spiritual beliefs. Despite the title, it’s a book on Goddess spirituality. Since the 1990s I have studied the work of Marija Gimbutas and Riane Eisler about ancient Goddess worship. It was in the form of a bird/woman, the Bird Goddess that she was worshipped for the longest period of time and in many cultures. It’s why birds have been associated with divinity ever since. Birds are everywhere and so is the Goddess.
What is the process like in writing your books and do you ever find that you come across difficulties?
Once I get an idea, I like to mull it over and jot down related thoughts. I check to see if someone has already written a book on what I’m thinking and if so, how can I approach the subject from a different angle so it’s not the same-old, same-old. I especially love the research process and finding something new to bring to light and share. I like to keep learning and research lets me do that. The only difficulty is that my muses are taskmasters that seem to like functioning at three or four in the morning. I often wake up thinking about certain sentences I’ve written and changes I should make, or things to add or further research.
Are there any specific places or experiences that inspire your writing?
Being in nature and observing are great inspirations and you don’t necessarily have to go to isolated places. New York’s Central Park has some amazing little remote areas and there are even things to observe in Bryant Park. When I was living in suburban New Jersey (yes, New Jersey but only for a short time) I was about fifteen minutes from woods on one of the Rutgers University campuses that seemed to have everything from four-hundred-year-old oaks to a bamboo grove. It definitely inspired some of my work. That said, I’m very spoiled living in the countryside again where I can step out the door into nature. Like the phrase we were taught as children about railway crossings, we need to stop, look, and listen. Observe and absorb.
You have a strong interest in gardening and bird watching. How do you feel this has impacted your practice?
Both, immensely. I know it’s cliché to say that gardening keeps me grounded but it’s a way to intimately work and stay in tune with the seasons. It’s also a great way to connect with the fae and nature spirits. And bird watching keeps me in tune with the Goddess. It’s not just the rare or spectacular birds, even the small ordinary sparrow has its place and a lot to teach us.
Do you have a favourite subject to write about, one where you get completely lost in the process because it’s so enjoyable?
Two actually, plants and faeries. Following folklore or a botanical trail with its twists and turns can feel as challenging as untangling the canes of a blackberry bush. Sometimes when it seems as though I’ve gone down a rabbit hole to a dead end, a little gem of information emerges and gives me another trail to follow. Yes, I get completely lost in it and love every minute.
It has been an absolute pleasure being able to interview you about Star Magic and Witches’ Esbats and Sabbats, they look incredible and we cannot wait to read them! If others want to get a copy, where can they pre-order?
Just go to Crossed Crow Books. And thank you, it’s been a pleasure. Cheers.
