Spellbinding author summons Bendigo gathering

INTERNATIONALLY renowned witch, bestselling author and the former lead singer of 90s dance-rock innovators Def FX Fiona Horne will appear at Bendigo Library later this month to promote her new book Coven – Where Witches Gather and its matching oracle deck.

With 15 books and four oracle decks published over nearly 30 years, the commercially trained pilot is one of the world’s most recognised modern witches and is seen as a trailblazer of the 1990s witchcraft movement.

Ms Horne said growing up in Sydney-fringe bushland she always felt a great sense of belonging and comfort in the natural world.

“I think that laid the foundations for my witchcraft, because I honestly think I was a witch before I even knew the word,” she revealed.

“Modern witches honour nature as sacred, it’s a fundamental part of our practice and that ability to feel very connected to it, I believe I had a co-creative role.

“I used to say little spells to make the trees move or the wind come and I was convinced I made it happen.

“Nothing was by chance and everything felt magical to me.”

She said she didn’t “come out of the broom closet” until she wrote her first book on witchcraft when Def FX parted ways.

“My first publisher met me and said a rock star writing a book about witchcraft might sell a few copies because it hadn’t been done before.

“It was a bestseller and it started my publishing career.”

She said Where Witches Gather is not only for witches, but also the “witch curious”.

“It felt like the right time to put a book together like this,” she said.

“We spend so much time behind our screens and I think the side effects of COVID meant that we all became quite insular.

“People are wanting to get out more and there’s something really beautiful and healthy about people gathering together in person, especially if they’re magically minded.”

Speaking of witch, Fiona Horne: Coven takes place at Bendigo Library on Friday 27 March from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

Book sales and signings will be available.