An Interview With Soul Rocks Author Helen Noble

What is your book(s) about in thirty words!

Scorpio Moons is an insight into the secret worlds of passionate, driven women who summon the physical and spiritual and strength to face their demons and forge their own destinies.

What inspired you to write it?

I wanted to explore and illustrate, in an entertaining way, the operation of the psychological concept of resilience in the lives and experiences of women; to shed some light on our inner strength and celebrate our vitality.

What inspires you in your daily life?

Compassion, beauty, trust and fresh sea air!

Where would you most love to travel and why?

So many places! In Europe I feel equally at home in the mountains of Ireland and the islands of Greece and would love to travel further afield in North America. However in Africa I swear I could feel the heartbeat of the world.

What or who is the greatest love of your life and why?

The ‘what’ must be the act of writing. I am happiest when I am formulating, researching and writing the ideas and notions that morph into books, yet which seem to come out of nowhere, often starting out as a single image or a random concept.

The ‘who’ is an array of the people in my life at the present, and some from the past. There is however still plenty of room for those of the future.

When did your interest in all things spiritual and soulful begin?

As a child I was aware of otherworldly ‘things’ but it crystallised during my rehabilitation work with offenders. I became aware of the spaces between people and of ‘stuff’ happening, the activation of energy of those spaces. In a cathartic sense I wrote about my experiences. This was my way of making sense of them, finally publishing a fictional account in the form of my debut novel Tears of a Phoenix, published by Soul Rocks in 2012.

When things got dark in your life (as they tend to do in all our lives) how did you cope?

I wrote about it. To close friends and confidantes, in journals, in blogs, in poetry; I incorporated my experiences and understanding into novels and short stories.

What has been the most spiritual / soulful moment of your life thus far?

The unique moment that someone very close to me survived, against the odds. It made me appreciate the endurance of the human spirit as well as the strength of the body.

What advice would you give to readers of the next generation on finding their soul in this often corporate / consumer driven world?

Be discerning.

Feel for the truth.

Images are illusory and transient.

The only constant in life is change.

Listen to your feelings – if it feels wrong, it probably is, for you, at least.

Be true to yourself as others will inevitable let you down (even if not intentionally)

Learn from your fear and challenge your anxieties.

Trust that things will always work out,

A negative outlook is a sure-fire way to fail.

Be kind.

Be warm.

Be loving.

Be loved.

What's your spin on God? Is he real? Is he a woman? Is God a big giant fluffball of a kitten in the sky? Your call...

I think God is consciousness, a state of mind and heart and therefore a state of human being.

Where do you call home? What's so great about it?

Home is currently by the sea in Wales…I love its solitude, its rugged beauty and the fresh, expansive atmosphere.

Nature or Nurture?

Nature is nurturing!

But seriously, I think elements of both are evident throughout life. We all have our default settings, courtesy of our genes and circumstances of birth. However we also have ever-connecting brains and choices. I think that nurturing ourselves and others is one of our greatest human gifts and the platform on which to build happy, successful and satisfying lives.

Favourite ever soulful book?

There are so many….I love books that make me think, that challenge my existing perceptions. Yet I also love books that illustrate the beauty, strength and compassion of humanity. The late, great Doris Lessing’s book of short stories titled ‘Winter in July’ tuned my adolescent mind into higher planes.

What has changed in your life over the last ten years?

My home, my family, my occupation, my body, my mind! Change is the only constant in my life, and I’m looking forwards to finding out what changes the next ten years will bring…

What else do you do - besides writing?

I mother, take photographs, read books, and walk dogs. I love also to encourage other writers to find their voice and love their craft.

Are you working on another book?