Meet Shellie Enteen
Shellie Enteen is an Author, Astrologer, Interfaith Reverend, Aromatherapist, Educator, Reiki Master, and Public Speaker. She posts daily astrology forecasts on Facebook and weekly forecasts on her Blog at ShellieEnteen.com.
After moving to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in South Carolina in 2005, Shellie began leading and participating in ceremonial circles for the eight Celtic cycles of the year. This inspired her to continue writing and publishing a trilogy, Revealing the Druid Legacy, the inspired memoir of a Druid Priestess. These and other books by Shellie can be found on her Author Page on Amazon. Shellie continues to teach professional level classes in Aromatherapy and Mentorship classes in Astrology.
Congratulations on the publication of your fantasy reimagined trilogy about the Druid legacy which is a deep retelling of the Arthur Legend. What inspired you to tell the tale of the last priestess of the Dark Ages?
It was never on my mind to write this story until a woman across from me on a train back to London from Glastonbury engaged me in a conversation that led to her surprising assertion that Arthur’s Camelot was in Wales. But she mentioned she was the head of the Arthurian Society in Cambridge, so her thoughts seemed credible. She felt a book with the truth about one of the famous Arthur legend Priestesses needed to be written and her pointing finger told me she was giving me that task. When she saw my reluctance, she encouraged me to go to a pub in Caerleon, where Lord Tennyson wrote The Lady of Shallot, a favorite of mine. She had no idea that 6 months later, I would be coming back to London for part two of the workshop I had attended and would visit the friend in Glastonbury again…but I was intrigued, and my friend and I visited Caerleon. Shortly after I was home, the inspired writing began.
Your adult fiction fantasy books contain Celtic history, romance, and magical realism. Did you have difficulty narrowing the scope of the genre for your books? How did you ultimately categorize your trilogy?
It was difficult to find any of the categories I saw on Amazon that completely fit the scope of the novels. The contents you mention are there, as well as profound teachings in all three books. While it will appeal to Arthurian Legend readers, it would also appeal to those interested in Ancestral Wisdom, Ancient Druids, and the Priestess Path. Those aren’t Amazon Categories. I used a program called KDP Rocket to narrow it down when I got to Book Three.
The Celtic past is a fascinating and unique time in history, dating back to the first century B.C. It’s filled with mystery, magic, and secrets. Please share a synopsis of your reimagined Druid trilogy and a short summary of each book in the series.
Revealing the Druid Legacy series tells the story of Anwen, a Druid Priestess in late 5th Century Wales. All three books dive deep into the Celtic Dark Age, portraying the period including Anwen’s training on the Priestess Isle and how she, together with Merlin, Arthur ,and her Lady Sister Priestesses put the final pieces in place for the Druid’s secret plan to preserve their wisdom for future generations. Anwen’s story empowers us as individuals and aids in the much-needed return to honoring the Divine.
Book 1 -The Last Priestess
In this unique retelling of the Arthur Legend, we explore the life of Anwen; the last priestess called to serve the Goddess on the Priestess Isle. The time of the Druids fades as the new faith takes hold at the end of the fifth century in Celtic Wales. The Druids have a secret plan to preserve their knowledge for future times and Anwen is destined to play a crucial role. First, she must reawaken her knowledge from other lifetimes. This process ignites her powerful bond with wise Merlin. And it seems young prince Arthur will have a part in her own mission.
We learn why she has remained silent until now, what life was like in the Vale of Glamorgan, her first initiations with Lady Gwendolen and Merlin, and her preparation before going to the Priestess Isle for her training. We travel to stone circles, healing wells, and meet the young Arthur, who will play a part in her unknown mission.
Book 2 – Priestess of the Realms
Follow Anwen to the Priestess Isle off the west coast of Wales where she begins her new life as an initiate Priestess in the Circle of Nine. Her first lesson will take her deep into the Realm of Water, where she meets the first otherworldly Guide.
As her training unfolds, Anwen’s life and those of her Lady Sisters give her the experiences needed to deepen her mastery of the powerful information and techniques received from Lady Gwendolen, elemental Guides, and beloved Merlin. We follow her though the life experiences that ground and empower her in this knowledge and practice. Ceremonial festivals and journeys back to her home in the Vale of Glamorgan bring important new characters and visits to sacred ancient sites. We visit sacred groves, the Bluestones, and a waterfall sacred to the Goddess.
On the brink of completing her full training, Anwen knows she will soon learn what her crucial part in the Druid’s ingenious plan to keep their knowledge pure for those born far in the future will be. Maybe this will help her understand why the powerful dreams of Arthur persist.
Book 3 – Priestess of the Prophecy
In Priestess of the Prophecy, we join Anwen on many journeys and experiences undertaken to master her newfound wisdom and gain the courage to explore the depths of love. We learn how the Circle of Nine and Druid Priests ensured the safety of their knowledge and their land. We witness the beginning of the great legend of King Arthur and why he remains a compelling mystery to this day. And we learn the choice Anwen must make between the great loves of her life.
When you decided to tell this historic tale, did you look for comp titles to see what was out there already?
I did not know I was writing to publish when I began in 2000. I had read MZ Bradley’s Mists of Avalon and Mary Stewart novels, so I knew different ‘tellings’ were out there and that many women were devoted followers of Mists of Avalon. In 2021, I had an Agent who asked me to look at similar books in the bestseller category on Amazon. There weren’t many that were a match, just a few that came close.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication of Book 1, The Last Priestess, and what was the timeframe to produce and publish Books 2 and 3?
It was 23 years from the first chapters I wrote to the publication of Book One in January of 2023. I had the whole of the story written and had engaged in the process of Beta Readers, editing, and formatting. Readers were clamoring for the next book, so I published Book Two in July of 2023 and Book Three in February of 2024.
How did you keep your writing momentum going for each book?
This series is what I call “Muse-driven” and not a storyline I thought up with a flow chart. I had no idea it would become three books. My curiosity kept me writing her story till it was done. Like many readers who can’t put the book down, I wanted to know what was coming next, what the Druid Secret was, and discover her role in this plan.
The names Merlin and Arthur are well-known and immediately conjure images of magic and the Knights of the Round Table. Anwen, though distinct and beautiful, does not invoke the same familiarity. Why did you choose this unique and lovely name for the character of the last priestess?
I had a good reason not to give her a name from those tales. The narrator tells us right away that she has never been portrayed the way she truly was or with her true name. When I began, I had no connection to Wales, the Welsh language, or names, and had called her Anna. Eventually, it felt wrong, so I engaged the help of a professor of Welsh History and Mythology to discover which names would be in alignment with the 5th Century timeframe. When I saw Anwen on the list and read its meaning (“great beauty”) I realized this was right, and it was exactly what Merlin says about her the first time he sees her as an infant.
The covers of all three books are vibrant and artistically executed down to the symbolic Celtic knot borders. Who designed your covers and how much input did you have in their rendering?
I had a lot more input than I imagined I would. 100 Covers was reasonable and recommended by other Indie Authors and I found them willing to receive my ideas and make any needed changes. I knew each book would have her face, but with different backgrounds and an appropriate color theme for the stages of her life. I sent them color samples, images, and for book two, I abandoned the natural world background you see in book one and three, because it was too hard for them to deliver this in a way I liked. My Beta readers were also giving input on the covers that I considered.
Your descriptions of the characters and world transported me directly into the story. I was able to visualize the surroundings, the time period, and even the spells. Your prose and dialogue are consistent throughout and made me feel as if I was in that era reading the tales. It was almost as if you were there and tasked to share the story. What research did you conduct in order to authentically portray this retelling? Did you keep a list of words to include that were popular in that region of the world during that era, or notes concerning locations, dress, food, and setting descriptions?
It is true that I was tasked to tell the story. I did not research in advance as I wrote what I was inspired to say and did the research later. Remarkably, it always received validation. It may be that being able to bring a Dark Age culture alive is due to a Welsh ancestral line I didn’t know I had until 2011. As Anwen says, her story empowers a memory awakening in the crystals of your bones. It certainly did this for me. I am grateful to hear that many readers feel their presence in her world the same way you did.
Besides magic, there is romance in this story. Anwen is caught in a love triangle, specifically torn between two lovers, Merlin, and Arthur. Was this in the original Druid Legacy or did you include this to add another layer to the story?
I was as surprised as anyone by her involvement with Merlin and Arthur. It came organically in the storyline of The Last Priestess. I didn’t know she would have to choose between them until it became clear she had feelings for both and that there was some purpose to this. I didn’t know what choice she would make or why until I wrote the scene. In the end, all that happens makes complete sense. Rereading after knowing all, you can see the preparations and reasons for things. I think the same can be true for us when we get further along in our own lives.
Sometimes authors draft a story that ends up being a very long book. Did you experience this with your original draft and decide then to break it up into three books? If so, what was the process like? Did you need to rewrite parts to have it all make sense or did you need to delete parts of the story?
Yes, that is what happened with my writing. A Beta reader who was a participant in writing programs and well-versed in crafting asked if we were almost halfway through when the story took us past Anwen’s arrival on the Priestess Isle. I laughed and said, not even close. She then told me how many words were on a published page and how many words she had already read. That was a big awakening! The Agent told me to leave out all the training and just have one book with a focus on the love triangle. I couldn’t and wouldn’t do that. I understood that I had an unusual message I was committed to delivering, so I would need to go the Indie route. Then I discovered how the number of words in the book and her life story created a perfect division into three segments, though each is slightly longer than the one before.
When did you realize you wanted to be an author and what initial steps did you take to make your dream a reality?
I started writing when I was in Elementary School and was an English Literature major in college. My initial steps were simply writing. I published a lot of nonfiction articles, then a few volumes of poetry, and a Fairy Tale novella were written while I was occasionally adding some writing to the trilogy. Self-publishing a volume of poetry and the novella, I gained confidence, but also learned how NOT to Indie publish. For the trilogy, I took a lot of webinars on Indie publishing and all relevant facets. I already knew and engaged the perfect person to format for uploading to Amazon and creating other necessary technical pages and emails.
Are you working on any other book projects? If so, can you share a tidbit?
I have been starting to receive some ideas about the life of Anwen’s teacher, the head Priestess on the Priestess Isle, and realize seeds of her backstory have been sown in the trilogy. I will begin writing her story this year.
What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
Find out which of the two types of authors you are. One is the Creator: Has the idea of the story and the characters, knows the ending, and uses flow charts. Does necessary research before beginning. The other is the Receiver: Gets inspiration for a poem or story to tell, then follows it with devotion to completion.
Study the craft needs for your writing style. Engage and follow ideas that spark your enthusiasm. Get feedback from BETA readers. If motivation is low, try picking a specific time of day to write and stick to it. Don’t push yourself to achieve a certain number of words or chapters but work until you come to a natural break and that leaves you wanting to know more. A group study of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron can help remove blocks and build confidence.
*** To learn more about Shellie or to purchase her books click the links:
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