Sharon Blackie – författare

‘Fairy tales matter because at the heart of every one of them is transformation.’In a world in which all the old certainties seem to be crumbling, it's hard not to feel we have lost our way. In Ripening, Sharon Blackie insists that fairy tales are precisely the stories we need for such times.Long before they became bywords for people-pleasing princesses, these old stories – passed down to us through generations by our peasant ancestors – told us everything that women need to learn about the world. They might be set in difficult and dangerous times, but they require their heroines to face the unfaceable and dig deep for previously unimagined inner resources. They teach us to be savvy, inspire us to grow in confidence, show us how to be bold and claim the future we dream of. More than anything, fairy tales are soul-food. They show us how to take hold of our own personal narratives and transform them into stories that might begin with trauma, but end with empowerment.  They offer us images of startling resonance and beauty, while showing us how to recognise and make use of the possibilities that rise to the surface when broken systems are cracked open.

An unforgettable collection of retold myths and folk tales, celebrating the wisdom and power of women in midlife and beyond, from the award-winning author of Hagitude'An extra­ordinary selection of stories ... beautifully and vividly retold' TLS'Genius' Irish Times'Treasure it!' Shahrukh Husain'Wonderful' Victoria Smith'The book I've been longing for' Jill Dawson'Thrilling' Stella DuffyThis dazzling array of not-to-be-messed-with characters from a lost tradition of European myth and folklore - from ungainly giantesses and sequin-strewn fairy godmothers to misunderstood witches and craggy crones - provides inspiration for how women can walk boldly and live authentically in the second half of life.'Features an exuberant cast ... The collection is precious, because it's the first time that these rare, patriarchy-surviving remnants of powerful elder female folk stories have been deliberately anthologised' Irish Times'A fascinating collection of female myths and legends' Sara Sheridan'I adored Wise Women' Eleanor Mills, author of Much More to Come: Lessons on the mayhem and magnificence of midlife'Wondrously wise, clever and insightful as well as slyly funny' AG Slatter, author of The Briar Book of the Dead

A magical 48-card oracle deck from the best-selling author of If Women Rose Rooted and Hagitude, drawing on the transformative power of fairy tales to help you believe in the possibility of change.Humans are natural storytellers, making sense of the world through tales, especially those encountered in childhood. Fairy tales are the finest teaching stories, holding rich, deep lessons that show us a pathway toward change and how to live more fully in the world. At their heart is the theme of transformation.Sharon Blackie, an award-winning writer, psychologist, and internationally recognized teacher in the field of mythic imagination, has explored the power of fairy tales for over two decades. In The Fairy Tale Heroine Oracle, she distils this wisdom and knowledge into 48 cards that unlock the archetypal power of these tales. The cards are divided into four suits, each of which represents a critical aspect of the heroine’s journey, and your journey, because you are the heroine of your own life:· Tasks cards represent the work that must be undertaken by the fairy tale heroine to grow and transform, and ultimately to reach her goal.· Places cards depict the magical locations through which the heroine will have to pass—and in which she’ll be tested—during her journey.· Guides cards characterize the allies and antagonists she’ll meet along the way.· Tools cards portray the objects that empower her to fulfil her destiny.The archetypal images, characters and motifs at the heart of this deck act like keys to unlock your inner wisdom, and will offer comfort, guidance, and inspiration at every point of your long, winding journey through life.

'Engaging and inspiring, Sharon Blackie's beautiful book will empower people to find wonder in everyday life' Clover Stroud The enchanted life has nothing to do with fantasy or escapism or magical thinking: it is founded on a vivid sense of belongingness to a rich and many-layered world. It is creative, intuitive, imaginative. It thrives on work that has heart and meaning. It loves wild things, but returns to an enchanted home and garden. It respects the instinctive knowledge and playfulness of children, and relishes story, poetry and art.Taking the inspiration and wisdom that can be derived from myth, fairy tales and folk culture, this book offers a set of practical and grounded tools for enchanting our lives and the places we live in, giving us a greater sense of meaning and of belonging to the world.An inspiring, beautifully written call to re-engage with the world - giving us the tools for profound and whole-hearted participation in the adventure of life.

'A fascinating book... well researched, packed with stories and bursting with lovely descriptions of the natural world. There's plenty in it to inspire women of every age' Christina Patterson, Sunday TimesWhat is Hagitude? It means being at ease with the unique power women embody in the second half of their life. It means having a strong sense of who we are and what we have to offer the world. And a firm belief in our place in the ever-shifting web of life. For the woman who wishes to flourish without chasing eternal youth comes Hagitude.International bestselling author Sharon Blackie (If Women Rose Rooted) interweaves myth, psychology, landscape and ecofeminism, reclaiming the mid years as an alchemical moment - from which to shift into your chosen, authentic and fulfilling future - and the elder years as a path to dynamic influence.'Hagitude is already becoming a beloved cult classic, as a myth-infused manifesto for the possibilities for life from middle age onwards' Katherine May, author of Wintering

A life-changing journey from the wasteland of modern society to a place of nourishment and connection.If Women Rose Rooted has been described as both transformative and essential. Sharon Blackie leads the reader on a quest to find their place in the world, drawing inspiration from the wise and powerful women in native mythology, and guidance from contemporary role models who have re-rooted themselves in land and community and taken responsibility for shaping the future.Beautifully written, honest and moving, If Women Rose Rooted is a passionate song to a different kind of femininity, a rallying, feminist cry for the rewilding of womanhood; reclaiming our role as guardians of the land.

An unforgettable collection of retold myths and folk tales celebrating the wisdom and power of women in midlife and beyond, from the award-winning author of Hagitude'An extra­ordinary selection of stories ... beautifully and vividly retold' TLS'Features an exuberant cast ... The collection is precious ... Genius' IRISH TIMES'A fascinating collection of female myths and legends' SARA SHERIDAN, author of The Fair BotanistsFrom early childhood, we learn about the world and its possibilities through myths and fairy tales. The heroines, though, tend to be golden-haired princesses, and the evil-doers often older women. But women today are searching for positive versions of themselves from midlife onwards, and this dazzling array of not-to-be-messed-with characters - from ungainly giantesses and sequin-strewn fairy godmothers to misunderstood witches and craggy crones - provides them. They outwit monsters, test and mentor younger heroines, embody the cycles and seasons of the earth, weave the world into being - and almost always have the last laugh.These women manifest their wisdom in different ways, and so offer us inspiration for how we too can walk boldly and live authentically in the second half of life.'Read it, absorb it, treasure it!' SHAHRUKH HUSAIN, author of The Virago Book of Witches'Wonderful, both comforting and inspiring' VICTORIA SMITH, author of Hags'The book I've been longing for' JILL DAWSON, author of The Bewitching'I adored Wise Women - this is the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle when it comes to reframing the narrative in our culture about the role of older females' ELEANOR MILLS, author of Much More to Come: Lessons on the mayhem and magnificence of midlife 'Reading it quenched a thirst I didn't know I had. Oh for a world where stories of the power and joy of women's elder years are celebrated everywhere' DOREEN CUNNINGHAM, author of Soundings'Revisits our old stories, making them thrilling for us now' STELLA DUFFY OBE

An unforgettable collection of retold myths and folk tales, celebrating the wisdom and power of women in midlife and beyond, from the award-winning author of Hagitude'An extra­ordinary selection of stories ... beautifully and vividly retold' TLS'Genius' Irish Times'Treasure it!' Shahrukh Husain'Wonderful' Victoria Smith'The book I've been longing for' Jill Dawson'Thrilling' Stella DuffyThis dazzling array of not-to-be-messed-with characters from a lost tradition of European myth and folklore - from ungainly giantesses and sequin-strewn fairy godmothers to misunderstood witches and craggy crones - provides inspiration for how women can walk boldly and live authentically in the second half of life.'Features an exuberant cast ... The collection is precious, because it's the first time that these rare, patriarchy-surviving remnants of powerful elder female folk stories have been deliberately anthologised' Irish Times'A fascinating collection of female myths and legends' Sara Sheridan'I adored Wise Women' Eleanor Mills, author of Much More to Come: Lessons on the mayhem and magnificence of midlife'Wondrously wise, clever and insightful as well as slyly funny' AG Slatter, author of The Briar Book of the Dead

‘Fairy tales matter because at the heart of every one of them is transformation.’In a world in which all the old certainties seem to be crumbling, it's hard not to feel we have lost our way. In Ripening, Sharon Blackie insists that fairy tales are precisely the stories we need for such times.Long before they became bywords for people-pleasing princesses, these old stories – passed down to us through generations by our peasant ancestors – told us everything that women need to learn about the world. They might be set in difficult and dangerous times, but they require their heroines to face the unfaceable and dig deep for previously unimagined inner resources. They teach us to be savvy, inspire us to grow in confidence, show us how to be bold and claim the future we dream of. More than anything, fairy tales are soul-food. They show us how to take hold of our own personal narratives and transform them into stories that might begin with trauma, but end with empowerment.  They offer us images of startling resonance and beauty, while showing us how to recognise and make use of the possibilities that rise to the surface when broken systems are cracked open.

Discover the transformative power of the hidden feminine with this beautiful oracle, and unlock spiritual nourishment, inspiration, and a deeper connection with nature.The Rooted Woman Oracle is a mesmerizing 53-card oracle deck from Sharon Blackie, an award-winning writer and internationally recognized teacher in the field of mythic imagination.Follow the path to unlimited creativity, greater strength and endurance, and create more flow in your life with this magical oracle.Distilling decades of knowledge and wisdom, Sharon has created a unique and magical oracle that entwines three different threads: Places, Allies, and Journey.From the inspirational 'Mountain' to the flowing 'River', you'll experience the archetypal qualities of specific places and take spiritual strength from the land. You'll feel supported by women from Celtic myth and folklore—your Allies—like initiatory Ceridwen and The Cailleach, protector of the wild; and you'll find Journey cards that reflect the different stages of the Heroine's Journey and help you follow your unique mythopoetic path through life.The Rooted Woman Oracle will help you to renew your sacred connection with nature, reclaim your power, and find authentic and meaningful ways of being in this world.

'A book for all the wild women... Foxfire, Wolfskin is simply the most perfect thing. I love each and every placement of each word. Love the wildness, the shapeshifting, the fearsomeness of it' Jackie Morris, co-author of The Lost Words Charged with drama and beauty, this memorable collection by a master storyteller weaves a magical world of possibility and power from female myths of physical renewal, creation and change. It is an extraordinary immersion into the bodies and voices, mindscapes and landscapes, of the shapeshifting women of our native folklore.Drawing on myth and fairy tales found across Europe, from Croatia to Sweden, Ireland to Russia, these stories are about coming to terms with our animal natures, exploring the ways in which we might renegotiate our fractured relationship with the natural world, and uncovering the wildness and wilderness within.Beautifully illustrated by Helen Nicholson, Foxfire, Wolfskin and Other Stories of Shapeshifting Women is Blackie's first collection of short stories.

'Engaging and inspiring, Sharon Blackie's beautiful book will empower people to find wonder in everyday life' Clover Stroud The enchanted life has nothing to do with fantasy or escapism or magical thinking: it is founded on a vivid sense of belongingness to a rich and many-layered world. It is creative, intuitive, imaginative. It thrives on work that has heart and meaning. It loves wild things, but returns to an enchanted home and garden. It respects the instinctive knowledge and playfulness of children, and relishes story, poetry and art.Taking the inspiration and wisdom that can be derived from myth, fairy tales and folk culture, this book offers a set of practical and grounded tools for enchanting our lives and the places we live in, giving us a greater sense of meaning and of belonging to the world.An inspiring, beautifully written call to re-engage with the world - giving us the tools for profound and whole-hearted participation in the adventure of life.

'A book for all the wild women... Foxfire, Wolfskin is simply the most perfect thing. I love each and every placement of each word. Love the wildness, the shapeshifting, the fearsomeness of it' Jackie Morris, co-author of The Lost Words Charged with drama and beauty, this memorable collection by a master storyteller weaves a magical world of possibility and power from female myths of physical renewal, creation and change. It is an extraordinary immersion into the bodies and voices, mindscapes and landscapes, of the shapeshifting women of our native folklore.Drawing on myth and fairy tales found across Europe, from Croatia to Sweden, Ireland to Russia, these stories are about coming to terms with our animal natures, exploring the ways in which we might renegotiate our fractured relationship with the natural world, and uncovering the wildness and wilderness within.Beautifully illustrated by Helen Nicholson, Foxfire, Wolfskin and Other Stories of Shapeshifting Women is Blackie's first collection of short stories.

'A fascinating book... well researched, packed with stories and bursting with lovely descriptions of the natural world. There's plenty in it to inspire women of every age' Christina Patterson, Sunday TimesWhat is Hagitude? It means being at ease with the unique power women embody in the second half of their life. It means having a strong sense of who we are and what we have to offer the world. And a firm belief in our place in the ever-shifting web of life. For the woman who wishes to flourish without chasing eternal youth comes Hagitude.International bestselling author Sharon Blackie (If Women Rose Rooted) interweaves myth, psychology, landscape and ecofeminism, reclaiming the mid years as an alchemical moment - from which to shift into your chosen, authentic and fulfilling future - and the elder years as a path to dynamic influence.'Hagitude is already becoming a beloved cult classic, as a myth-infused manifesto for the possibilities for life from middle age onwards' Katherine May, author of Wintering