Interview with Jo Patti Munisteri
Author of Traveler Between Worlds
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.
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Quick description of the book for a new reader - what should they expect?
- Real life accounts of living and working in remote locations, conflict zones and exotic landscapes. Encounters with people who suffered hardship and demonstrated courage in the most challenging environments. A personal description of working through significant losses and grief. Training up in the Yun Tai mountains with the Shaolin of China as a way to restore body, mind and spirit. Integrating and healing from past traumas with VETS *(Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions) in Mexico and beyond.
What was your inspiration for this book?
- Remarkable people and events I experienced.
Which authors do you admire? How have they influenced your writing style?
- Joy Harjo,
Can you tell us a little about the locations in your book?
- They are from first hand experience from my posts in six continents over a number of decades. These include Siberia, remote Borneo, rural Alaska, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel, Ukraine, Belize, Armenia, Morocco, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Ascension Island, Guatemala, Malta, the UAE, Romania, China, Nepal, Italy and the USA.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
- Focus on what you want to write and be diligent about writing every day.
Could you talk a little about your writing process?
- I like to write while having music in the background-sometimes I put on music from the country I'm writing about or from different times in my life which elicits memories of people, experiences and places.
Which character has had the greatest impact on readers?
- I write non-fiction so I hope the real people I describe-especially those who are dead now-reach my readers and my writing brings them back to life.
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 me...
How have readers responded ?
- Enthusiastically for the most part, some couldn't believe some of the information or situations I describe but were curious.
Where next? What are you working on now?
- I write on Substack to keep my writing sharp and I'm thinking of writing a children's book based on the perspective of a feral cat in Kabul-with illustrations.
