Author Interview: Tricia Stewart Shiu

Interview for “Statue of Ku” 

Tricia Stewart Shiu is an award-winning, screenwriter, author and playwright, but her passion lies in creating mystical stories. Her latest series, The Moa Books, which includes "Moa," "The Statue of Ku" and "The Iron Shinto," were, by far her favorite to write.

On your nightstand now:

Amazonite, a beautiful, iridescent healing stone in a wood stand. various tinctures and remedies. I’ve also got a Valentine’s Day card with a frog on it from my daughter, the illustrious illustrator of the Moa Series.

Favorite book when you were a child:

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg. I loved imagining what it would be like if I spent the night in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. How exciting to bathe in the fountain and dodge security guards!

Book you're an evangelist for:

It doesn’t happen very often, but the most recent book I evangelized was “Journey of Souls” by Dr. Michael Newton. Anyone who asked me how I was, got an earful about this incredibly insightful book.

WRITING:

Based on the description of your book, I know there may be some touching family scenes as well as a little drama and comedy. But can you tell us what more to expect?

Woven into the engaging stories in “Statue of KU,” are powerful rituals. Although these rituals are deceptively simple, they are deeply transformative and enriching. They also serve as signposts, leading the reader through the story and creating another layer of connection.

What made you decide to write this book in the first place?

“Statue of Ku” is the second book in the Moa Series. After I finished, “Moa,” the first book, I immediately felt compelled to write “Statue of Ku.” The natural progression of the story pulled at me, even when I wasn’t writing, and I write it very quickly (in about three months.) Looking back, my decision to write was more of a compulsion, or need to release the information out into the world. The stories and rituals still tug at me when I read them.

What do you hope readers will take from your writing?

Each of us has at least one divine gift to remember. The moment we wake up and retrieve the memory of who we are and what we are here—on earth—to do, the adventure begins.

Where can people learn more about you and your work?

www.humanbeingcompany.com

What is the tone of the book? Satire? Humor? Informative?

The tone of “Statue of Ku” is, at times, light and at other times, heartbreaking. Ku’s story is one of resilience and rebirth and it is intertwined with Hillary, Heidi, Molly and Moa’s journey to uncover the mystery of Ku and discover their own connection to his story.

Where can the book be bought?

“Statue of Ku” is on Kindle

Amazon

as well as Barnes and Noble and bookstores everywhere!

When did you first meet Moa? Did her words come true?

I first met Moa while I was on vacation in Honolulu, Hawaii. My family and I had spent the morning at the beach and afterward, we headed back to our condominium, ate a light lunch, and took a luxurious siesta. Although I’m not usually a mid-day napper, the fresh sea air and sun lulled me into a light sleep—the kind where I felt like I was awake, but I was actually deeply asleep.

I heard a voice say my name and a part of me awoke. I use the word “part” because I could definitely feel my body touching the soft material on the couch. And yet, another part was keenly aware of a young woman with dark hair standing over me. It felt real, but dream-like, so I decided to go with it and ask her her name.

She pronounced a long Hawaiian string of letters, which seemed to go on for minutes. After repeating the name three or four times, she told me to call her “Moa.” Through my exhausted, sleepy haze, I remember being skeptical. If this was, indeed, a dream, I would ask as many questions as possible. So I did.

Why was she here? Where did she come from? How could I be sure she was who she claimed to be?

Instead of any answers, she flashed a mental picture of a woman and said that she was a long lost friend of my mother-in-law’s. She told me the woman’s name (Sharon) and explained that my mother-in-law and she had lost touch 15 years before and had been orbiting around one another trying to reconnect.

I awoke from that nap, slightly groggy. That was an indication that I was definitely asleep. Perhaps it was just my creativity kicking into overdrive, I reasoned, and decided to go on with my day.

My mother-in-law and I walked to a park with my daughter and began playing. Suddenly, there was a squeal and we turned to see the woman from my dream charging toward us with her arms stretched out wide. As my mother-in-law introduced me to her long-lost friend, Sharon, I tried to gather my wits. Here was the same woman from my dream, someone I’d only seen a mental picture of, and she was standing on the grass right in front of me.

She and my mother-in-law exchanged numbers and promised to keep in touch. For the next few hours, I tried to make sense of what happened. I had never had an experience like this before, but there was no denying that I saw a picture in a dream before I met someone and then they showed up in real life.

When I went to sleep that evening, Moa visited again. She answered the other questions I’d asked earlier that afternoon and wanted me to know that I was protected and should share my experience with the world. Since this was definitely my first metaphysical encounter, I had no idea how to form the correct words to share what had happened. How on earth, I asked Moa, am I supposed to convey such undocumented, unsubstantiated, unusual information?

She said that our world exists on many levels which all play simultaneously. Her analogy was of a DVR. Several shows can be playing at the same time but are on different tuners. That, she said, is where she existed.

When I awoke, I began writing and continued to do so. The story evolved into “Moa,” then the following two sequels, “Statue of Ku” and “Iron Shinto.” My daughter, now nine, took the cover photos and illustrated all three books, as well.

Since my visit with Moa, I began an extensive and sometimes circuitous search to explain my metaphysical experience. I took classes on mediumship, Huna, energy work and through my education, I learned to create healing essential oils and elixir sprays and incorporated that information in the book. Not only did my experience with Moa inspire me and guide me through four-and-a-half of the most challenging years of my life, I also believe that writing about those events and including information I received about that inspiration and guidance, brought my own deep physical, mental, emotional and spiritual transformation and healing. Writing, editing and publishing Moa has opened doors to a new way of understanding myself, those around me and the energy we share.

What would you say to those who are skeptical of the healing activities mentioned in your book?

Whatever your belief or understanding of the metaphysical world, I believe that if one person is transformed through learning, then we are all transformed. I truly believe the Moa I met, came through in this work and, just as I connected with her as I wrote, those who read the book will experience her as well.