Please welcome, Tina Frisco, the talented author, singer-songwriter, RN among other occupations she has. It is a pleasure to have you here, Tina.

• Please tell us a little about yourself and how you first became interested in writing?

Thank you for hosting me on your blog, Janice.  Aside from being an author, I’m also a singer-songwriter, RN, activist, and shaman apprentice.   Like many authors, I began writing at an early age.  My sister and I composed little ditties that we sang to our parents.  I received my first guitar at age 14 and began performing publicly in high school.  As an RN I’ve worked in the areas of med-surg, hemodialysis, psychiatry, geriatrics, clinics, and with the California State Dept. of Health Services.  I did stints with Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth, which ushered me into activism for those less fortunate.  I began working with a medicine woman in the early 1980s and maintain a solid spiritual practice.

• What inspires you to write?

I’m most inspired by my desire to help make the world a better place.  I wrote my novel, Plateau: Beyond the Trees, Beyond 2012, after watching one too many “doomsday” documentaries regarding the supposed end of the Mayan calendar on 21 December 2012.  I was determined to put forth a message of hope into the world.  My children’s book, Gabby and the Quads, was inspired by my niece having quadruplets.  A child’s moral compass develops early in life, and I wanted to write a book that was ethically as well as traditionally educational.

• Please share your book/books with us and a synopsis of one or more.

Plateau: Beyond the Trees, Beyond 2012:  While honoring the wisdom of her elders, a 15-year-old tribal female learns to face her fear, trust blindly, and overcome adversity.  Her will is relentlessly tested as she discovers her strengths and destiny.  She ultimately comes face-to-face with herself in a battle that would shrink the will of the most intrepid warrior, unaware that realizing her destiny will irrevocably impact all beings on earth and beyond.  Her people inject humor and wisdom throughout this tale of mystery and adventure.  The underlying message is that we must keep our hearts open and act from love instead of reacting from fear; we must practice gratitude and compassion within every moment and with every breath.  And in so doing, we’ll help elevate the human species to a higher consciousness, facilitating both personal and global peace. 

Gabby and the Quads:  Gabby is an only child who is about to become big sister to quadruplets!  How will she handle this?  Her parents decide on a unique approach to introduce her to and help her accept this awesome experience. 

• Which one is your favorite and why?

I don’t have a favorite.  Each was written for a specific reason, and both are dear to my heart.

• Where do you prefer to write? With music or without?

I write at my desk on my laptop, and I prefer quiet so I can hear myself think.  I frequently read out loud what I’ve written, especially if I’m having difficulty with a phrase or sentence.  And even though I’m a musician and love music, it hijacks my thinking.  When I’m writing a song, however, my guitar is an integral part of the process.

• What do you like to do in your spare time, when you have it?

I love walking in nature.  I do so every day.  Nature inspires me and nourishes my spirit.  I also enjoy reading, playing my guitar, singing, listening to music, dancing, arts and crafts, camping, and working crossword puzzles.

• What is your favorite genre? Do you write in multiple genres?

I have a special fondness for mysteries, metaphysics, spirituality, and natural health books.  My novel is mystery/adventure, and Gabby and the Quads is a children’s book.  I’ve also written articles in the fields of medicine and spirituality, and many book reviews.

• What is your target audience?

My novel’s target audience is young adult to adult, and my children’s book is enjoyed by people of all ages.

• Please share your latest project or next one?

Like most authors, I’d like to make money from my writing.  So I thought I would try my hand at writing in a genre that sells well.  I’m now several chapters into a new novel, the genre of which I’m not currently revealing.  Sometimes you have to keep your cards close to your chest in order to finish a project in a timely fashion.

• Can you give new writers/authors any advice?

Listen to your inner voice!  Your intuition is your best guide.  Don’t be disheartened if you encounter writer’s block.  Just put down your pen for a period of time.  Take a walk.  Listen to music.  Visit with friends.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you return to your writing.  Sometimes we have to take a step back in order to gain momentum to move forward.  And whatever you do, don’t listen to critics unless their criticism is constructive.  If it is, learn from it.  If it isn’t, turn a deaf ear and continue writing.  Above all, follow your passion.  It will lead you to your heart’s desire.

• Is there anything else you would like to share?

Authors need to support each other.  I’ve met many wonderful authors who have become friends.  We share each other’s work on our blogs and social network pages.  I’ve also met a few authors who ask for promotional support but give little if any in return.  I don’t harbor ill feelings toward them; I don’t like to internalize negativity.  I’m content in knowing that what goes around comes around.  We can’t give anything away; it’s always returned threefold.

• Please share your links to purchase and social links to contact you.

Links:  Website   FB Author Page   FB Book Page   Twitter   LinkedIn   Goodreads   Google+   About Me   Ask David   AUTHORSdB   Author’s Info   Radio Interview

Purchase:  Amazon   Amazon UK   FriesenPress   Barnes & Noble   Chapters Indigo   Smashwords   EBook Universe   Spangaloo   iTunes   Google Books

Thank you, Tina, it has been a sincere pleasure to get to know you better and learn about the commendable work you do for others. I read your wonderful book, Plateau: Beyond the Trees, Beyond 2012, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I listed my review from Amazon below.

 A Powerful Book!, December 14, 2014

By

Jjspina “Award-winning author with children’s… (New Hampshire) – See all my reviews

This review is from: Plateau: Beyond the Trees, Beyond 2012 (Kindle Edition)

This book, Plateau: Beyond the Trees, is a book like no other I have ever read. It tells a story about a native society of folk who live life in a simplistic way off of the earth. They treat each other and all creatures as precious commodities and don’t understand any other way of life. The story centers around a brave, resilient and exceptional young girl who learns about life in her coming of age. She is destined to be the keeper of the crystal which will change all mankind. W’Hyani doesn’t realize her importance until she is gravely tested during one of sojourns beyond her village where she encounters a strange creature. The verse intermittently dispersed between chapters by Lynn V. Andrews from The Power Deck Cards is eloquent and mixes well with the story leaving the reader wih a feeling of hope and promise of a better future. This is a powerful book that swept me away to another land and time and made me appreciate the power of positive thinking and the power of the Almighty. Tina Frisco is a tremendously talented author with great promise who is destined to become a powerful influence in the literary world.

Thank you, readers, for stopping by to read about this talented author. Please stop by her links and take a look at her books. You will not be disappointed.

Please leave a review when you purchased an author’s book. It means the world to them.

REMEMBER: READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY!

Blessings!

-Janice-