Interview with Jo Patti Munisteri
Author of Traveling Off the X
Jo has been described as a unique individual who has lived a different life than most. She is an expert in education & training, an analyst, a published writer, a health practitioner in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and a mother. She has survived years of working in remote locations and conflict zones including in: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel, Siberia-Russia, Iraq and Ukraine. Jo was invited to work and live with Indigenous communities in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and most recently in Alaska.
She is a mother to a son and daughter, former wife of the late USAF PJ and International Mountain Guide and climber Marty Schmidt. Both her son and ex-husband perished on K2 in Pakistan in July 2013. Her daughter is a world class adventure sports person, writer, publisher and entrepreneur.
Jo's personal path involves adaptation, resilience and courage.
She is a graduate of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Massey University in New Zealand and New Zealand School of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in Wellington.
Her website is: jopattix.com
Her two non-fiction books, "Traveler Between Worlds" and "Traveling Off the X" give accounts of her work and life in a number of different countries.
Her two poetry books, "Kismet" and "CLASH-Poems from Conflict Zones" are published under her creative writing name, Jo Patti.
Buy this book
Quick description of the book for a new reader - what should they expect?
- Traveling Off the X" is more than just a travelogue; it's an exploration of the human spirit, resilience, and the enduring connection between people and the places they call home. Jo writes about people and places few will ever get the chance to see.
Embark on a globe-trotting adventure like no other with Jo Patti Munisteri's riveting non-fiction debut, "Traveling Off the X."
What was your inspiration for this book?
- I wanted to recount what it was like living day to day in challenging circumstances in exotic places and pass on some of th wisdom passed to me especially by Indigenous elders who have since passed on from this Earth.
Which authors do you admire? How have they influenced your writing style?
- Gabriel García Márquez, Richard Marcinko, Shakespeare, Doris Lessing-so many
Can you tell us a little about the locations in your book?
- I lived and worked in all of the locations in my books including: Australia, Russia, Israel, Armenia, Pakistan, Ascension Island, Morocco, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Malaysia, Belize, Guatemala, Romania and New Zealand.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
- Don't use AI for your creative writing. Work on refining your own, authentic style.
Could you talk a little about your writing process?
- Often certain ideas/memories come in my dreams. I keep journals and transcribe them in certain chapters. I write with music, too.
Which character has had the greatest impact on readers?
- Hopefully mine (me) and some of those actual people I describe from encounters.
If the book were to be adapted for TV or film, who would you see in the lead role? Who did you have in your mind’s eye ?
- I wouldn't mind Angelina Jolie playing the lead....
How have readers responded ?
- They encouraged me to keep writing so I followed on with a second non-fiction in this series "Traveler Between Worlds".
Where next? What are you working on now?
- My articles on Substack and other online journals and possibly a different kind of children's book.
