Heart Mind Body Soul began as a family idea, dreamed up by Tempest and her mother. They wanted to set up a bookshop originally, then include a tea shop and finally a complementary therapy suite was added to the map of the premises that Tempest designed which was called Rainbow’s End.
Though none of this manifested in her mother’s lifetime, Tempest revisited the dream when she created a complementary therapy business with her husband who designed the original logo. She qualified to teach Reiki and provided a Monday evening class in mindfulness among other courses.
With a passion for sparking joy and curiosity in young minds, Tempest aims to self-publish her series, initially targeting local sales to family and friends. However, she also plans to establish an online presence through a dedicated website, expanding her reach to a broader audience. Her ambitious vision doesn’t stop with the first book as she plans to release more titles.
Tempest has always been fascinated with libraries. As a child, she enjoyed visiting the library every week to listen to a story told by the librarian. Even better, she was allowed to borrow a storybook to take home, initially for her mother to read to her and, later, for her to read on her own.
Little Elephant Lost, the first storybook that she shared with a wider audience, illustrated by Hetty Turnbull, is available to order now. Her second storybook which begins the Grannie Annie series, Taking in the Laundry, is about a storyteller who tells stories to children at the village library on a Saturday morning. More Read Aloud Storybooks are planned for release including a special Christmas story or two.
Stories are one way that children come to understand life and are considered to be vital to wellbeing.
Tempest writes other stories also. She set herself a challenge to submit fifty-two stories to the international Reedsy short story competition within a year.
During this time, Breaking the Rules was longlisted in Reedsy Contest #298 and succeeded in writing fifty-four stories plus a few chapters inspired by the Reedsy prompts. (If you would like to read this longlisted story, please sign up to the Reading Circle with your email address.)
Several of her regular readers and listeners have suggested that she make a collection of short stories available. This is an idea she has welcomed, though not carried forward as yet. She has always enjoyed and found inspiration from Ray Bradbury’s collections of short stories which she highly recommends.
Tempest began to learn mindfulness at a young age because her mother was interested in metaphysics. They studied spiritual law and healing together when she turned sixteen and joined a meditation group based on A Search for God by Edgar Cayce. Later, following the path of Reiki, Tempest received the necessary attunements to be a Reiki Master. She has taught mindfulness to individuals and groups as well as an introductory course on Health and Wellbeing.
Tempest is working on a mindfulness book and planning to make audio recordings available when she completes her Voiceover Training. She has written several mindful relaxation stories which have been enjoyed at Wellbeing Wednesday, a regular Zoom session for Exclusively Inclusive which is hosted by Katie Peacock.
This following poem is one of the Mindful Moments which Tempest has written.
Breathe in the scent
of the rain-fresh garden
as the sun emerges
from behind the clouds.
Butterflies dance – ballerinas of the air.
Bees bumble from flower to flower
then buzz back to their hive.
Birds sing and flutter, their music fills your heart.
Feeling the warmth of the sun on your face,
you look up with gratitude and find a rainbow.
Tempest has been writing poetry since she first discovered how to do this in childhood and had her first poem published as a teenager. Topics for her various chapbooks in progress include friendship, insights into everyday life, and explorations of Shakespeare’s Tempest.
More recently, she completed a challenge to compose a haiku every day to help her be more mindful and aware of nature on her daily walk. She did not use pen or paper or her mobile, so it is also good exercise for her brain to remember the poem by the time she returns home. (A haiku is a poem of 17 syllables which ideally requires a reference to nature.)
Her published poems include the following haiku which was published in October 2024 in the Craven Gazette.
Birds upheld by wind they trust
for if it abandons them,
they can fly.
Tempest Phoenix Smith
As far as music goes, Tempest originally learned to play folk and classical guitar, then alto recorder, then piano, soon beginning to compose music and write songs.
Her song Strong as a Mountain which connects positive affirmations with a mindful breathing and movement sequence has been accepted by the Harmony Vibes choir.
Please email Tempest on tempest@heartmindbodysoul.co.uk if you would like to receive the song.
Tempest wrote her first book during her high school years, submitting a chapter each week along with her assignments for English class in Room 307. Though surprised initially, her teacher encouraged her to continue writing.
Inspired by Ray Bradbury and Andre Norton especially, Tempest wrote dozens of short stories and attempted a few novels though not completing another until studying Creative Writing at university.
Tempest has written several novels during the intervening years and plans to make one of her novels available to readers soon, so join the Reading Circle to be the first to know.