Louise Heyden

Louise Heyden is a writer, artist, sound technician and former school Library Manager.

Louise is a published author with her brand new guide for school librarians, Booked In: How to Run a Successful School Library and LRC, available now. She has also had work printed in various publications including Forbidden Planet International Magazine, and is currently working on a novel. As well as writing for suite101, she is a Squidoo lensmaster, a contributing writer for the brand new online Faerie publication Faezine, and a Content Producer for Associated Content.

Louise is also a self-taught artist and this year launched Realm of MerFaery, selling her handmade arts and crafts. Passionate about creating unique, enchanted items, Louise makes everything from OOAK sculptures and dolls to handmade sacred altar shrines, original art and ACEOs to unique magical curiosities. She also makes a range called FaeryCats, magical winged cats from the realms of Faerie! Realm of MerFaery currently has eBay, Etsy, Zazzle and CafePress stores, with an official website coming soon. Louise works with numerous arts and crafts mediums including acrylics, watercolour pencils, polymer clay, mixed media, collage, paper-crafting, book-making and more.

Louise spent over two years successfully running two libraries at a split-site secondary school, and is passionate about promoting the importance of literacy skills and enthusiasm for reading in young people. She is also keen to share her library experience to encourage more libraries to become exciting learning areas, through engaging activities, out-of-hours learning and stimulating displays.

Prior to this she worked as a sound engineer for six years, producing radio commercials and video post production, as well as scriptwriting for radio. She initially trained in media, achieving a BTEC National Diploma in Media with Distinction.

Louise now lives in Cheshire, UK with her fiance and is expecting their first child in November. She divides her time between writing, working as a sound technician at corporate conferences, crafting, and tending the garden. As a keen organic gardener, her focus particularly lies in wildlife gardening, wildflower meadows, cottage gardens, biodynamic methods and growing vegetables, culinary and medicinal herbs, and fruit.

Louise is a practicing kitchen witch with particular focus in magical cooking, craft and Faerie. She also weaves Celtic Christianity into her spirituality and has been working with Spirit for many years now, primarily the Angelic and Faerie realms. She has trained in crystal healing, energy anatomy, herbalism and holistic massage and is currently training to become a certified Angel Reader.

Other interests include cookery, arts and crafts, interiors, collectibles, fantasy, literature, ghost-hunting, nature, environmental and conservation issues, travel, mythology and folklore.

Her plans for the coming year include the completion of her first fantasy novel.