SHELLEY VON STRUNCKEL was standing in a shop in London when a woman looked at her. AAI recognise you - you're the South China Morning Post astrologer.'' Such is the global fame of a woman whose devotees hang on her every word and never miss her daily columns. Many even get AAScope'' faxed to them when travelling.
Von Strunckel's mother thought her mad when, at 29 and working as a successful buyer for upmarket American department store Bullocks, she announced she wanted to become an astrologer.
AAMy poor Taurus mother,'' says Von Strunckel, 54, wistfully. AAFor the next few months she called me every time she spotted an ad for a Areal job' in the paper.''
Hardly surprisingly, Von Strunckel's path to becoming the world's best-known and most-widely syndicated horoscope queen owes a great deal to the planets, Saturn in particular, and her upbringing.
AAA childhood in Los Angeles is by its nature mystical,'' she says. The west coast of the US was a haven for an inquisitive teenager interested in Eastern and Western philosophies, yoga and meditation. Von Strunckel studied widely. But lest a mental image of a Mystic Meg draped in love beads, flowing robes and crystals springs to mind, think again. For all her metaphysical leanings, Von Strunckel was always, at heart, a material girl.
AAI was a commercial kind of girl too,'' she admits. AABut eventually the appeal of flogging frocks wore off. It's very repetitious.''
She's in Hong Kong this week to give a talk and check on production of a line of watches that will bear her name.