Astrology, Divine, little infinite voices

Interview with Kerry Ward AKA ‘Tarotbella’

By Kelly Holt

10 minute read

Talking Tarot and More With Tarotbella

Get to know Cosmopolitan’s first resident tarot columnist, Kerry Ward.

little infinite: Tell us about yourself.

Kerry Ward: I am a tarot reader, creator, and columnist and I make my living from selling readings, writing articles / forecasts, and creating decks and books. I started reading tarot over 25 years ago, as an eager teenager who was already obsessed with astrology and star signs. My mum says I was ‘born weird’, and I am a big believer that you often return to the things you loved when you were younger.

Passions can be born early. Especially the weird ones!

I am Cosmopolitan US and UK’s first resident tarot columnist, and my purpose is always to make tarot easy, accessible, and fun. I am not a gatekeeper. I want everyone to have access to this wonderful life tool- it has changed my life for the better and I know it can do the same for others (providing objective truth, comfort, hope, and wisdom).

I am the creator of 3 tarot decks – ‘The Good Karma Tarot’, ‘The Crystal Magic Tarot’ (co-created with my friend @bonearrow_), and ‘Taroscopes’. My next deck ‘The Light In The Dark Tarot’ (title tbc) is a work in progress, out in 2025. I’ve JUST finished the copy.

I am the author or 2 books- ‘Power, Purpose, Practice’ and ‘Card Of The Day Tarot’. My next book ‘Cardless Tarot’ is out September 2024.

I have just, almost as a lil’ experiment in between writing other books, self published a manifesting journal via Amazon ‘The Guided Magic Manifesting Journal’. Thishas been a learning curve! I like trying new things and, as a freelancer, no role or work is ever guaranteed, I have to keep adding new strings to the old bow!

I am a Gemini, we get such a bad rep, but I promise I am adorable! (ish)

little infinite: What are you currently reading?

Kerry Ward: Well. Reading is my passion, I’m a total bookworm, I read more than just about any other activity apart from sleeping, and I often go up to bed at 4pm just to read. I go to my local library twice a week, am friends with all of the staff, and have earned the title of ‘no1 borrower’! Books are my best friend in life. My current fayre is ‘The Wager’ by David Grann. This author is superb, I am working my way through all of his books. Non fiction true stories written like fiction, in that they’re pacey, action-packed, and full of suspense. This follows the unlucky and doomed crew of the 1700s ship ‘The Wager’ subject to shipwrecks and mutineering. Fascinating.

little infinite: Who or what got you into this line of work?

Kerry Ward: James Bond, specifically ‘Live And Let Die’ which was my favourite film- aged 9. I was OBSESSED with Solitaire (the tarot reader, in fact her deck in the film was my first deck too). I wanted to be Solitaire. Turns out I am nothing like Solitaire but thank you anyway Jane Seymour!
As an adult, I made the leap to being a full-time tarot reader, creator, and columnist in 2016. I had hit 40, been working in a corporate role for 18 years, and hated it. I was stressed, burnt out, and felt I couldn’t carry on in that kind of job.

I quit work and was going to actually run an antique and vintage website and do clinical trials to make money. Somehow I landed a freelance PR role working from home (before it was the norm) and I needed a ‘beta project’ to practice online sales on before launching my vintage website (it was going to be called ‘The Duchess of Flea’…). I used tarot readings as my practice website and I also, on the off-chance, pitched the idea of ‘taroscopes’ to lots of lifestyle editors… and Cosmopolitan bit! And that was the start of this whole endeavour. Random. Lucky. Serendipitous.

little infinite: If you could share the tea on the most unique part of your creative process, what would it be?

Kerry Ward: Stimulus. I am a big believer in consciously absorbing as much weird and wonderful content from the world as possible, and nothing is wasted. TV, films, books, music, podcasts, conversations, outings, tours, historical venues, practices, rituals, life stories… it all goes into the melting pot. When I feel I don’t have any new ideas brewing then I consciously go out seeking interesting bits and bobs (NOT related to the esoteric) because then my sub conscious has got new things to mix and match and put together to invent something unique. I am very big on bringing NEW ideas to the tarot realm and that doesn’t come from living in an echo chamber. Get out and about. Seek. Learn. Be nosey.

My other top tip (sorry, you only asked for one) is that being creative, IMHO, actually starts with a strict brief. You need an objective, like ‘a tarot product for gen Z that will address anxiety’ vs just ‘tarot’. Start lean and mean. Then expand and seek stimulus, think laterally, mix and match, and then bring the ideas back to the brief and measure them there.

little infinite: What is your astrology sign and how do you interpret that?

Kerry Ward: I am a Gemini (Sagittarius rising, Pisces moon). I LOVE being a Gemini because we get permission to be whatever we want, even a lil’ shady, and I do like to stir the pot and be naughty sometimes. Geminis are ruled by Mercury and therefore drawn to words, writing, communication, and I really believe in that cosmic power. I feel compelled to write and share my ideas.

little infinite: What are you most excited about these days?

Kerry Ward: We laugh about this at home a lot because my partner and I were both party people once-upon-a-time and now we like nothing more than being homebodies, with our cats, cooking, watching Youtube, having early nights, cleaning etc. ”We’re old now!” we tease each other. Even travel has lost some of its allure when you think about the stress of the journey, potential disruption, cost etc. In some ways, I think the more humdrum and daily life moments gain excitement and ‘weight’ as you get older. Pottering is under-rated.

That said. I LOVE having a new book, reading, or idea to play with and develop. I see my decks and books as like my own private ‘army’, my soldiers out there in the world spreading the word and creating income for me. I love being IN the act of creation- from research to forming a pitch, getting it approved, finding an illustrator, writing the words, seeing the pictures, pondering the marketing. All of it is fun.

little infinite: What did you want to be when you grew up when you were 12?

Kerry Ward: A parapsychologist (thank you ‘Ghostbusters’) OR an archaeologist (thank you ‘Indiana Jones’). I was serious. I really wanted to do these jobs. I even wrote to the Society of Parapsychologists to ask what GCSEs I needed to take, and they replied (this was pre-internet so letter-writing was the way) to say ‘science’. I hated science (still do) so that was that.

little infinite: How do you start your day?

Kerry Ward:I really want to say with reflection, crystals, incense, and gratitude… but that would be bullshit! My partner brings me a coffee at 5am (he starts work at 6am) and I switch on my heated back pad, and scroll my social media, then read ‘The Guardian’ to catch up on the world, then the ‘Daily Mail’ to see how they spin it. This is totally the wrong way to start and I usually feel a bit depressed at this point. But then… onwards! I stretch, go make a smoothie, clean up cat poop, put my ‘face’ on, and head out to the gym.

Rapid Fire Questions for Kerry Ward

little infinite: Paperback, hardcover, ebook, or audiobook?

Kerry Ward: Paperback

little infinite: What’s your favorite – pen or pencil?

Kerry Ward: Legami pens with rubbers on the lid – my god, I have about 30 of them all over the place!

little infinite: What is your favorite genre to read?

Kerry Ward: Horror, hands down.

little infinite: What’s one trend you’d like to see disappear forever?

Kerry Ward: Influencers on social media.

little infinite: What’s your favorite form of meditation?

Kerry Ward: ASMR videos (namely Gentle Whispering). I also spend a LONG time in the jacuzzi at my gym. I zone out. A lot of good ideas come in that jacuzzi.

Tarotbella’s Writing Advice

little infinite: What advice do you have for our little infinite audience?

tarot card of the day ritual speak to the dead tarotbella — Illustration from ‘Card of the Day Tarot’

Kerry Ward: For becoming a writer? It’s not as hard or out-of-reach as you might think. I did it from a standing start, no training, no connections. I used Linkedin and sought publishers there, then reached out to a few, checked submission guidelines and created pitches to match their requirements. You only need ONE bite! I use Canva to make my pitches, so they look professional. I’ve found publishers are always VERY interested in your ‘platform’ i.e. social media (they seem to want 5k+) or your ability to create web links to your books basically. So, writing for titles for free (for a weblink), forming reciprocal alliances with other authors, and keeping a tidy, friendly social media presence are important. Be persistent. Don’t be fragile about rejections. Keep on pitching. You can do this.

Tarot Easter Eggs a la Stephen King

cardless tarot illustration of kerry ward tarotbella the magician — Illustration from ‘Cardless Tarot’

little infinite: Any sneak peaks or additional exclusive content you are willing to share?

Kerry Ward: Yes! I have gone a little ‘Stephen King’ or ‘M. Night Shyamalan’ and started putting myself into my own books- like a little hidden Easter Egg.

Here are two pictures. The first is from ‘Card Of The Day Tarot’ and illustrates the ritual about using tarot to speak to the dead. It shows me with my father (who died in 2020, just before I got published though he knew it was coming…) and my cat Chief Brodie. My two angels. The second picture is me in my upcoming book ‘Cardless Tarot’, here I am The Magician (my favourite card and also a card linked to Gemini). I have been so lucky to work with such talented illustrators (Adam Oehlers and Magdalena Kaczan respectively here).