Dr Helen Farley has been writing since she was a girl, crafting poems about the stars, handsome princes and cricket (an interest she no longer favours!) Recognising her marked lack of talent for verse, she soon moved from poetry to prose, writing monographs on New Age subjects before pursuing a career as an academic.

Working at the University of Queensland and the University of Southern Queensland, she researched and wrote about Eastern religions and the New Age. She convened a number of conferences about witchcraft and magic, and was the founding editor of Khthónios: A Journal for the Study of Religion. Later in her career, she also researched education in virtual worlds and then education in prison. Helen has garnered a number of prestigious awards for her work with incarcerated learners. She is in demand as a keynote speaker at international conferences and as a podcast guest.

Throughout her life, Helen has maintained a passion for music. She has written hundreds of recorded music and live performance reviews for various publications, as well as conducting interviews with musicians including B.B. King, George Thorogood and even Billy Ray Cyrus.

Her work has received (mostly) good reviews. Here are a few of her favourites from Amazon:

Deeply researched, erudite, and highly useful
Reviewed in the United States on 1 April 2016

‘A Cultural History of Tarot is deeply researched, erudite, and highly useful to those interested in the history of tarot.’

A well-researched history for experts and novices alike
Reviewed in the United States on 22 August 2014

‘I am far from being an expert on tarot. I have a few decks and I enjoy reading about their history and cultural development. In her book, Farley deals with these aspects of tarot in a scholarly yet very readable way.’

The bestest book in the world on reading tea leaves
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 21, 2010

‘… I am fortunate that I brought it a few years ago and I use it all the time. I read my tea leaves frequently as for me it is the most accurate way of divination, and this is the first book I turn to. It is the bestest book I have ever read on this topic. It is truly invaluable …’

Having survived the cut and thrust of academic publishing, Helen is an experienced editor, indexer, proofreader, illustrator and writer. She writes about what she knows, but she also ensures she knows what she’s writing about! She’s written from the heart, to fill a gap in the market, and as a pen-for-hire. She can use ‘groovy’ convincingly in a sentence, as well as ‘post-industrial malaise.’

Helen lives in Diamond Harbour with her partner, James. She is slowly driving her Facebook friends mad with pictures of the sunrise across Lyttelton Harbour. Only her mother ever referred to her as ‘Dr.’