Introducing myself

Welcome to Amber’s Gloriette, my summer house in the garden where I write.
Gloriette is a French word meaning ‘little glory’. It is a building in a garden, usually a summerhouse that is built with respect for its surroundings.

I collect embroidered antique linens and china and use them to create relaxed but elegant settings for the ritual of tea time. I am a Tasseologist, and here is where I often read the tealeaves of friends who I have invited to tea. My grandmother taught me to read the tealeaves when I was young and made me aware of many other old rural customs.

In my twenties I became interested in the language of symbols and it has become a life long interest, along with the study of ritual and lateral thinking. Our sixth sense is now something that science has begun to recognize and emotional intelligence is one of the words they use for it. I believe we all are gifted with this sixth sense and we can all learn to us it. I teach the art of Tasseology as an introduction into the language of symbols and emotional intelligence.

Tasseology is based on interpreting universal symbols and as it is an ancient and intuitive art, it helps us to develop our individual creativity and find a balance between what we know consciously and feel subconsciously. Universal symbols are part of our subliminal makeup and we are influenced by them every day. Each time we look at a logo a form of lateral thinking takes place and we know intuitively rather than intellectually what life style or corporate endeavour that logo represents.

Zen Buddhists believe that tea is the perfect aid to meditation as it evokes wakeful tranquillity that aids the path to enlightenment. I believe that the calm open energy the ritual of tea drinking creates helps us to collate subconscious information that can give us clarity and direction on our journey through life. I find a tea break invaluable when I am writing and I often go back to my desk with fresh ideas after a relaxing cuppa.




It was over a relaxing cuppa in my Gloriette that I had the idea of taking tea with a fairy and calling her Fairy Bergamot, as I was enjoying a cup of Earl Grey tea at the time. In flower lore and aromatherapy, bergamot is know as a sociable scent and is said to create a happy atmosphere. It seemed to me that a bergamot fairy would make a perfect hostess and be comfortable in any company. I wanted to write a series of tales that would promote creativity as well as instilling a respect for the environment, encouraging the protection and enjoyment of Mother Nature’s many gifts and wonders. So ‘Fairy Teatime Tales’ was born and now every Thursday I have tea with Fairy Bergamot and her many fairyland friends.

In the language of symbols the tortoise represents the universe, as the upper half of its shell is half curved like the heavens and the lower flat part is like the earth. Romany gypsies are still versed in living side by side with nature. They can find wild food from the hedgerows and only take what they need. They know how to conserve food without the use of man-made appliances. Dockie, my gypsy tortoise seemed a perfect choice of character to be part of ‘Fairy Teatime Tales’. He is an artist with a passion for Assam tea. He has a very fragile ego which makes him very sensitive and sometimes difficult but loveable. He can be stubborn but shows great strength of character when he overcomes bad habits.


As with Fairy Bergamot and Dockie, all of the characters in ‘Fairy Teatime Tales’ came about either out of real life stories or from influence of nature's own scents and messages.
With a little imagination and the wonderful skill of my illustrator, Pamela Harden, the Land of Fairy has become a very real place.

Fairy Tales nourish us whether we are young or old. Stories shared with parent and child are the building blocks of a child’s future and influence the character of a future generation when they become part of the cultural life of that generation. The ‘Fairy Information’ at the end of each story in ‘Fairy Teatime Tales’ helps children to understand and to be empowered with the knowledge that their efforts to help our ailing planet can make a difference.

I have written the stories in letter form as this creates a forum for interaction between the adult reader and the child audience. This format also encourages new stories to develop naturally from the root story. With the inner significance of each story the child’s creative individuality is encouraged to develop. In the cosy setting of teatime, feelings are given a safe space to be expressed.



FAIRY TEATIME TALES is published by http://www.bookguild.co.uk/