Hawke, Elen 1947-

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Hawke, Elen 1947-

PERSONAL:

Born 1947; married; children: one.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Oxford, England.

CAREER:

Professional photographer, illustrator, astrologer, and tarot card reader; also teaches witchcraft.

MEMBER:

Pagan Federation.

WRITINGS:

In the Circle: Crafting the Witches' Path, Llewellyn Publications (St. Paul, MN), 2001.

The Sacred Round: A Witch's Guide to Magical Practice, Llewellyn Publications (St. Paul, MN), 2002.

Praise to the Moon: Magic and Myth of the Lunar Cycle, Llewellyn Publications (St. Paul, MN), 2002.

An Alphabet of Spells, Llewellyn Publications (St. Paul, MN), 2003.

(Editor, with Martin White) Spellcaster: Seven Ways to Effective Magic, Llewellyn Publications (St. Paul, MN), 2005.

SIDELIGHTS:

As a practicing witch in Oxford, England, Elen Hawke is involved in activities that vary between running a coven, creating art as a professional photographer and illustrator, teaching witchcraft, and running an e-mail discussion group on various topics related to witchcraft. She is also a professional astrologer and tarot reader, and a Craft Elder. Hawke had explored numerous religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Druidry, and Wicca, before ultimately defining her beliefs as witchcraft. She was inspired to write her first book, the novice guide In the Circle: Crafting the Witches' Path, by the numerous questions about witchcraft that she would field from her online discussion group.

Hawke's second book, The Sacred Round: A Witch's Guide to Magical Practice, goes into further detail about magical rituals, lunar cycles, meditation, and other topics. A contributor to Publishers Weekly called the book "easy-to-use," adding: "This well-written manual is poised for modest success, and could be a strong backlist title." Hawke's next book, Praise to the Moon: Magic and Myth of the Lunar Cycle, focuses on subjects related to the moon's cycle, including lunar mythology and magical practices.

In contrast to her prose-based earlier books, Hawke developed a list-based, detailed guide to spells titled An Alphabet of Spells. A Publishers Weekly reviewer described it as a "charming" and "practical" guide.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Publishers Weekly, November 26, 2001, review of The Sacred Round: A Witch's Guide to Magical Practice, p. 57; September 1, 2003, review of An Alphabet of Spells, p. 1.