We asked Tonia “How did your book The Ancients come to life?” And this is what she had to say.

It was early in the year of 2020 when myself and four friends were holding space on a regular basis to help with what was going on worldwide. We all shared our healing powers to collectively send out healing and peace. It was during this time we found incredible power in sharing our stories and what felt like a way to share these with the world. Thus our idea for a collaborative book came about.

We really all jumped in put our hands up and had not a set idea on the book but more a rough draft of what we felt it would be. We all collectively collaborated and it really organically grew into what the book us today. We also infused our collective power into it and it brings us great joy to hear the incredible feedback that we get to hear from those who have read it.

During a time of uncertainty we held faith in one certainty and that was to get the book done and be ready for Christmas 2020. It worked in well because we were all based in Victoria, so the lockdowns allowed us the time and commitment to complete the deadline. 

The book has become an identity of its own. We had no real idea on its impact except to know our stories needed to be shared. We were wrapped to have Animal Dreaming as our Publishers as they held our hands and really supported our dream of creating a legacy. 

We feel the book is sacred. Those that connect to the energy of it just know they are drawn, sometimes not knowing why, and we love that.

I was shown by my spirit team I needed to create a card deck and again in 2020 I felt that I wanted to make this year count (rather than being the year we were confined to our homes).

So I had collated the messages prior and used to use them on a radio show I did for American Radio (they were just written on notes and I selected them prior to my readings and they always were absolutely relevant, so I knew they would work). I then fine tuned them and was shown I needed 55 cards in my deck not the standard 44. Being a numbers gal I always utilise the power of numbers and 5 being my life path number has been hugely significant throughout my life and I was rolling with that.

When it came to the art work I enquired into getting an artist but because of lockdowns and restrictions it let me to sit with how to go about it. I got the nudge from spirit, “you can do it”. To which I first thought no way. I had actually done really well in art at school and whilst doing my hairdressing apprenticeship I was in classes with a lovely local lady for fun on my day off each week. I went on to win an award for my art and sold many paintings. But my style was country impressionism which is a far cry from small detailed pictures. So I researched and took a class on how to create art for cards and the lady sold timbered card blanks that you could buy so i jumped on these as I felt drawn that they needed to be gathered and done together so they were congruent.

My first thoughts were let’s do colourful and bright but my spirit team had other ideas. Due to no one visiting at that time I was able to take over the dining room table and I set myself the goal of 8 cards a week being completed. I did have a deadline and this worked out great some weeks I got four done some fourteen but they all got done in the time frame.

In amongst creating them I wanted a point of difference from other cards and this came to me that I would have ten main cards. These cards would allow the user to directly set the intention of connecting to a specific loved one in spirit. Grandmother and Grandfather, Mum, Dad, Son, Daughter, Bother, Sister, Soulmate and of course Pets who have passed. 

To this day the feedback has been really special on how this deck has not only helped those going through grief and loss but also budding Mediums with their gifts. The card deck carry’s the mediumship veil and attract those that are ready to connect and get the validation of their own innate gifts.