Sandra Carrington-Smith

I was born and raised in Italy, in a very eclectic spiritual environment.
As far back as I can remember, I have always seen my mother and my grandmother lighting candles and bestowing blessings of all sorts on the many people who just came along looking for a kind word, a prayer, or a binding.
All the while, I still went to church every Sunday with my father, who is a devout Catholic.
In my younger years I followed closely in my maternal grandmother�s path as a Strega, and it wasn�t until I became an adult that I began to trace my mother�s footsteps into voodoo and hoodoo.
Soon, Spirituality became the focus of my life; I became very passionate in applying the voodoo religion�s principles to everyday life, and never turned down any chance to help others through it.
About two years ago, I began to wonder if there was any way to spread my messages of healing and self empowerment even further, and I decided that the best way to do so was through my other life passion: writing.
I began writing as a young child, and I successfully published a few poems under the caring and scrutinizing eye of an Italian writer, Renata Giambene Minghetti.
She coached my writing, and introduced me to the literary world by inviting me to functions and workshops.
Carla Tarlazzi, a stage actress who worked closely with Vittorio Gassman, also had a tremendous impact on my literary growth, and stressed the importance of bringing characters to life. Her coaching included, but was not limited to, introduction to the wonderful masterpieces of classical Italian literature.
When I moved to the States, almost twenty years ago, I became so enthralled in my new role of wife and mother that writing was slightly pushed to the back burner; I continued writing for my own pleasure, but my work remained tucked in the proverbial drawer.
When I began to write �The Book of Obeah� I knew that I wanted it to get published, but alas, I never realized the staggering amount of obstacles standing in my way as a new, unknown author.
Thanks to the feedback of a kind literary agent, I hired a professional editor and began a new journey; together, Dena and I painstakingly worked on the manuscript until we felt it was polished enough for a major publisher to take an interest.
Fortunately for me, the editor I hired had a hidden passion herself: marketing and publicity, and we are currently in the process of developing an appetite whetting marketing strategy.
We have posted a video trailer of the novel on www.youtube.com, created a website for the book, and numerous profiles on different sites.
I have no qualms about public speaking and have, in the past, held classes for self improvement and magickal practice.
I began this journey as a na�ve author, but I am quickly catching up and learning. My goal is to continue writing for many years to come. I am currently writing a NF book titled �Housekeeping for the Soul�, and am strenuously working on networking with other professionals. I currently live in NC with my husband, three children, one oversized cat and two goldfish.
For more information, please contact my agent, Krista Goering, at www.kristagoering.com