{"id":17399,"date":"2018-07-01T01:10:15","date_gmt":"2018-07-01T06:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=18361"},"modified":"2018-07-01T09:53:57","modified_gmt":"2018-07-01T14:53:57","slug":"interview-with-astrid-brown-a-psychic-affair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2018\/07\/01\/interview-with-astrid-brown-a-psychic-affair\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Astrid Brown: A Psychic Affair"},"content":{"rendered":"

Astrid Brown: A Psychic Affair<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Astrid Brown is a medium, a psychic, and an incredibly prolific author. Her most recent offering, A Psychic Affair<\/a><\/i>, blends the mysteries of psychic development with the romance genre, exploring how long-distance relationships can develop not only through the words and messages we send, but through a true, psychic connection. The story is interwoven with poetry and descriptions of how certain aspects of psychic development work, creating something Astrid describes as a \u2018hybrid\u2019; a cross-genre concept that will appeal to romance fans and students of the psychic world alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Astrid was kind enough to give us some of her time, and here\u2019s what she had to say to PaganPagesOrg.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mabh Savage: What was the inspiration for the book, A Psychic Affair?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Astrid Brown:<\/b><\/i><\/span> I was writing a psychic development book at the time, and I created a website to explain psychic phenomena as I found myself having to explain how we work, and how clients can help themselves. I still add to this site\/blog: http:\/\/www.astridestella.info<\/a> . So I thought, \u2018Wouldn\u2019t it be an idea to write a novel about a medium, and explain psychic phenomena at the same time?\u2019<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

I had endless problems with publishers as they don\u2019t like hybrids, but want one genre, and not a cross genre as this one is.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

MS: What led this decision to craft the book as a hybrid between an educational volume on psychic development, and a romance?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AB:<\/b> I wanted to write a novel but felt I had to explain how mediums work, and explain the phenomena; after all, \u2018Maryann\u2019 and \u2018Annie\u2019 are mediums<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

MS: Was the book based on events in your own life at all?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AB:<\/b> I have used my life experiences to write the book. I was a lecturer (I no longer do this) focusing on writing and doing readings. Of course I am a medium, so I made \u2018Maryann\u2019 one. Some of the characters are based on people I\u2019ve met in my life.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

MS: Who would you say the book is aimed at?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AB:<\/b> I would say its aimed at people who are interested in the paranormal and psychics, and readers who are open minded.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

MS: You\u2019ve written thirty books or so in the last ten years. How do you find the time, and how do you balance writing with your day to day life?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AB:<\/b> I make the time for I love writing. Often the best time for me to write is the early hours of the morning. I get tremendous links with spirit at this time, and they encourage and influence my work. It\u2019s not a job to me; it\u2019s a pleasure. for there is no point in writing if you don\u2019t enjoy it. Lastly, I want to let people know how amazing the Universe and spirit are.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

MS: What advice would you give to other aspiring writers?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AB:<\/b> Don\u2019t give up. You will get many rejections; JK Rowling had 20 rejections from publishers before she had Harry Potter accepted. Your first books may not be that good but keep at it and you will improve. What is important though is spelling and grammar and don\u2019t rely on Spell Check it makes mistakes. Everything happens at the right time and no experience is ever wasted.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

MS: How long have you worked with developing your psychic abilities?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AB:<\/b> All of my life.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

MS: When did you first discover your psychic abilities, or your ability to work with spirit?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AB:<\/b> From birth. I think my earliest memories of psychic phenomena were when I was a baby, and as I was growing up, I played with spirit children, so it developed from then. I was giving readings when I was school age. I might also say my grandmother who lived with us was a medium in the Spiritualist Church.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

MS: What\u2019s the most beneficial thing you find about your psychic talents and awareness?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AB:<\/b> Helping others and bringing them comfort and reassurance, especially if they are bereaved.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

MS: And what\u2019s the most challenging?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AB:<\/b><\/i> Explaining to people I am not a fortune teller but a Medium. I cannot<\/i> conjure up specific loved ones from the other side. If they have a message they will come forward. I am also restricted by divine timing in that there is no concept of time in the spirit realms, so I don\u2019t always get specific dates. Sometimes it\u2019s not possible to do a reading on someone; they maybe inadvertently blocking me and they need to be relaxed. Sometimes spirit will come forward and they will not recognise who it is and for to continue the reading I need them to accept, or be open minded so I can continue the link.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

MS: Was it a natural development to move from nursing into holistic therapies? <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AB:<\/b> I began moving to holistic therapies when I had my own children. They were my guinea pigs, but it was actually a very small homeopathic book I came across in the supermarket one day. I bought it, I don\u2019t know why, I guess I was directed by spirit and I was fascinated by it, I wanted to know more and more. This led onto other energy systems of healing such as Bach Flower Remedies and Aromatherapy, so I studied and trained in aromatherapy and reflexology, therapeutic massage, Indian head massage, and crystal therapy. When I attended parapsychology college to improve my mediumship I studied spiritual healing. Then I decided to train as a beauty therapist to gain more clients, eventually becoming a college lecturer, teaching anatomy and physiology, and beauty therapy. I also introduced holistic therapies to the college and trained many students who now work in spas around the world.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

MS: Without spoiling the story for prospective readers, the way it ends suggests there may be more to come. Will there be another book for Maryann and John?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AB:<\/b> This was my intention, to write another, as I left an opening at the end of the book. If the book sells, well I will write another about Maryann and John.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

MS: And are you working on any other novels at the moment?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AB:<\/b> I\u2019m always writing something, I am currently writing something completely different from my normal genre at the moment and a collection of short stories. I write poetry all the time, much of which is channelled from spirit, so it comes in very fast to me, often writing a poem in 2 minutes. Whilst I am writing I am not aware of what my fingers are typing. I do my best psychic readings this way either on messenger or emails.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks for talking to us! Astrid can be found at her website:<\/b><\/span> http:\/\/www.astridestella.info<\/a> <\/span>where there is a wealth of information about holistic wellbeing and mediumship. <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

She is also on Facebook:<\/b><\/span> https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Author.Astrid.Brown\/<\/a> <\/span>and Amazon:<\/b><\/span> https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/author\/astrid_brown<\/a> <\/span> (U.S.A.)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a> https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/-\/e\/B00AIOQR2I<\/a> <\/span>(UK)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A Psychic Affair<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

About the Author:<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Mabh Savage<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0is a Pagan author, poet and musician, as well as a freelance journalist.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

She is the author of\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>A Modern Celt: Seeking the Ancestors<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>Pagan Portals \u2013 Celtic Witchcraft: Modern Witchcraft Meets Celtic Ways<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Astrid Brown: A Psychic Affair Astrid Brown is a medium, a psychic, and an incredibly prolific author. Her most recent offering, A Psychic Affair, blends the mysteries of psychic development with the romance genre, exploring how long-distance relationships can develop not only through the words and messages we send, but through a true, psychic connection. The story is interwoven with poetry and descriptions of how certain aspects of psychic development work, creating something Astrid describes as a \u2018hybrid\u2019; a cross-genre concept that will appeal to romance fans and students of the psychic world alike. Astrid was kind enough to give us some of her time, and here\u2019s what she had to say to PaganPagesOrg. Mabh Savage: What was the inspiration for the book, A Psychic Affair? Astrid Brown: I was writing a psychic development book at the time, and I created a website to explain psychic phenomena as I found myself having to explain how we work, and how clients can help themselves. I still add to this site\/blog: http:\/\/www.astridestella.info . So I thought, \u2018Wouldn\u2019t it be an idea to write a novel about a medium, and explain psychic phenomena at the same time?\u2019 I had endless problems with publishers as they don\u2019t like hybrids, but want one genre, and not a cross genre as this one is. MS: What led this decision to craft the book as a hybrid between an educational volume on psychic development, and a romance? AB: I wanted to write a novel but felt I had to explain how mediums work, and explain the phenomena; after all, \u2018Maryann\u2019 and \u2018Annie\u2019 are mediums MS: Was the book based on events in your own life at all? AB: I have used my life experiences to write the book. I was a lecturer (I no longer do this) focusing on writing and doing readings. Of course I am a medium, so I made \u2018Maryann\u2019 one. Some of the characters are based on people I\u2019ve met in my life. MS: Who would you say the book is aimed at? AB: I would say its aimed at people who are interested in the paranormal and psychics, and readers who are open minded. MS: You\u2019ve written thirty books or so in the last ten years. How do you find the time, and how do you balance writing with your day to day life? AB: I make the time for I love writing. Often the best time for me to write is the early hours of the morning. I get tremendous links with spirit at this time, and they encourage and influence my work. It\u2019s not a job to me; it\u2019s a pleasure. for there is no point in writing if you don\u2019t enjoy it. Lastly, I want to let people know how amazing the Universe and spirit are. MS: What advice would you give to other aspiring writers? AB: Don\u2019t give up. You will get many rejections; JK Rowling had 20 rejections from publishers before she had Harry Potter accepted. Your first books may not be that good but keep at it and you will improve. What is important though is spelling and grammar and don\u2019t rely on Spell Check it makes mistakes. Everything happens at the right time and no experience is ever wasted. MS: How long have you worked with developing your psychic abilities? AB: All of my life. MS: When did you first discover your psychic abilities, or your ability to work with spirit? AB: From birth. I think my earliest memories of psychic phenomena were when I was a baby, and as I was growing up, I played with spirit children, so it developed from then. I was giving readings when I was school age. I might also say my grandmother who lived with us was a medium in the Spiritualist Church. MS: What\u2019s the most beneficial thing you find about your psychic talents and awareness? AB: Helping others and bringing them comfort and reassurance, especially if they are bereaved. MS: And what\u2019s the most challenging? AB: Explaining to people I am not a fortune teller but a Medium. I cannot conjure up specific loved ones from the other side. If they have a message they will come forward. I am also restricted by divine timing in that there is no concept of time in the spirit realms, so I don\u2019t always get specific dates. Sometimes it\u2019s not possible to do a reading on someone; they maybe inadvertently blocking me and they need to be relaxed. Sometimes spirit will come forward and they will not recognise who it is and for to continue the reading I need them to accept, or be open minded so I can continue the link. MS: Was it a natural development to move from nursing into holistic therapies? AB: I began moving to holistic therapies when I had my own children. They were my guinea pigs, but it was actually a very small homeopathic book I came across in the supermarket one day. I bought it, I don\u2019t know why, I guess I was directed by spirit and I was fascinated by it, I wanted to know more and more. This led onto other energy systems of healing such as Bach Flower Remedies and Aromatherapy, so I studied and trained in aromatherapy and reflexology, therapeutic massage, Indian head massage, and crystal therapy. When I attended parapsychology college to improve my mediumship I studied spiritual healing. Then I decided to train as a beauty therapist to gain more clients, eventually becoming a college lecturer, teaching anatomy and physiology, and beauty therapy. I also introduced holistic therapies to the college and trained many students who now work in spas around the world. MS: Without spoiling the story for prospective readers, the way it ends suggests there may be more to come. Will there be another book for Maryann and John? AB: This was my intention, to write another, as I left an opening at the end of the book. If the book sells, well I will write another about Maryann and John. MS: And are you working on any other novels at the moment? AB: I\u2019m always writing something, I am currently writing something completely different from my normal genre at the moment and a collection of short stories. I write poetry all the time, much of which is channelled from spirit, so it comes in very fast to me, often writing a poem in 2 minutes. Whilst I am writing I am not aware of what my fingers are typing. I do my best psychic readings this way either on messenger or emails. Thanks for talking to us! Astrid can be found at her website: http:\/\/www.astridestella.info where there is a wealth of information about holistic wellbeing and mediumship. She is also on Facebook: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Author.Astrid.Brown\/ and Amazon: https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/author\/astrid_brown (U.S.A.) https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/-\/e\/B00AIOQR2I (UK) \u00a0 A Psychic Affair   *** About the Author: Mabh Savage\u00a0is a Pagan author, poet and musician, as well as a freelance journalist. She is the author of\u00a0A Modern Celt: Seeking the Ancestors and\u00a0Pagan Portals \u2013 Celtic Witchcraft: Modern Witchcraft Meets Celtic Ways.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":206,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/206"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17399"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17399\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}