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?
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.
