Pump Up Your Book Chats with New Age Author Stephanie Rose Bird

Stephanie Rose Bird graduated with honors from Temple University, Tyler School of Art and received her MFA from the University of California at San Diego, where she was a San Diego Opportunity Fellow. She was Assistant Professor at the School of the Art Institute in painting and drawing; a Fulbright Senior Scholar to Australia in the field of anthropology, and she has taught at the Chicago Botanic Garden as well as the Garfield Conservatory. Bird is a professional member of the International Center for Traditional Childbearing (Black Midwives and Healers) and the Herb Research Society of the American Botanical Council. She is also a member of Author’s Guild. Bird is author of Sticks, Stones, Roots and Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo and Conjuring with Herbs, Four Seasons of Mojo: an Herbal Guide to Natural Living, and A Healing Grove: African Tree Remedies and Rituals for Body and Spirit. She has been published in the magazines, Sage Woman, the Beltane Papers, WitchVox, PanGaia, Aromatherapy Journal, Aromatherapy Today, Herb Quarterly, Llewellyn Herbal Almanac naturallycurly.com and others. Bird is a practicing magical herbalist and aromatherapist who lives with her husband, family and animal friends in the Chicago area. You can visit her website at www.stephanierosebird.com.

Thank you for this interview, Stephanie.  Do you remember writing stories as a child or did the writing bug come later?  Do you remember your first published piece?

I remember writing poetry.  Yes, I vividly remember my first published poem, it won third prize in a literary competition.

What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?

The most frustrating part is finding the right publisher to work with.  The most rewarding part is being able to be creative every day of your life and calling that work.

Are you married or single and how do you combine the writing life with home life?  Do you have support?

I am married and have 4 children.  I typically write in the day when I’m home just with my animals. I get 6 solid hours in that way.

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing?  Where do you like to vacation?  Can you tell us briefly about this?

For fun I like baking, gardening, doing rituals, making concoctions, potions and brews, painting, reading and swimming.  I like to vacation down south the weather is warm and the people are warmer.

The Big Book of Soul by Stephanie Rose Bird (click on cover to purchase at Amazon)

If you could be anywhere in the world for one hour right now, where would that place be and why?

I would return to Arnhemland and be with my adopted Yolngu (Aboriginal Australian) family.  I have a very warm place in my heart for the Aboriginal Australian people and land of Arnhemland.

Who is your biggest fan?

I’m afraid I’ll have to go plural on this and say my children, husband and family.  They are always so enthusiastic and excited about my writing and public appearances.

Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

I like to write in my front yard, overlooking my garden, listening to and watching the birds.

Do you have any pets?

Yes.  I companion a boerbel dog named Ursula.  An ocicat named Kiki. An African Grey called Zazu and a Nanday Conure bird named by the pet store Cha Chi.

Tell us a secret no one else knows.

I’d rather eat dessert than dinner.

What’s on your to do list today?

I need to do laundry and prepare for a radio interview tomorrow.  Then too there is always the drive to promote my new book, so I squeeze that in as well.

Now I’ve got a couple of fun questions for you.  If Tom Hanks, in the movie Cast Away, unearthed a copy of your book, how would that help him find a way off the island?

He would get in touch with his spiritual self, his spirit guides, nature spirits and ancestors who would guide him, helping him safely leave the island.

You have a chance to appear on the hit talent show for authors, American Book Idol, with judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara Dioguardi and the newest addition, Ellen DeGeneres, to determine whether your book will make it to Hollywood and become a big screenplay where you’d make millions of dollars.  What would impress them more – your book cover, an excerpt or your author photo – and why?

While I’d hope it would be an excerpt I must admit the book cover is very compelling and powerful.  It is vibrant and pulsating with life.  I think Jonathan Green’s illustration would grab them the quickest.

You just got word that your book has received the 2010 NY Times Bestselling Book Award and you have to attend the ceremony to give an acceptance speech.  Anyone who’s anyone will be there and it’s your shot for stardom.  What would you say and who would you thank?

I would say this is absolutely unbelievable, I must be dreaming.  I would thank my spirit guides, nature spirits, the ancestors, my extended family, friends, agent, publisher, publicist, editors and so on until they cut me off.

I understand that you are touring with Pump Up Your Book Promotion in March via a virtual book tour.  Can you tell us all why you chose a virtual book tour to promote your book online?

I chose a virtual book tour because the internet is one of the most powerful tools of promotion available to writers and artists today.

Thank you for this interview, Stephanie. Good luck on your virtual book tour!

It’s been my pleasure, so thank you!

To follow Stephanie’s tour in March, click here to check out her official tour page!

No related posts.