Plateau: Beyond the Trees

by Tina Frisco

W’Hyani was born strong, willful, and the predestined Keeper of the Crystal Heart, the key to unlocking the mystery of the Great Mosaic of Life. Unaware of the shard’s significance, W’Hyani’s fortitude begins being tested by the cosmic forces that sculpted her destiny. She ultimately comes face-to-face with herself in a battle that would shrink the will of even the most intrepid warrior, unaware that the realization of her destiny will irrevocably impact all beings on earth and beyond. The Great Mosaic of Life holds a message of hope that would allow us to see and live beyond the year 2012.

258 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 2012

About the author

Tina Frisco is an author, singer-songwriter, RN, activist, and student of shamanism. Born in Pennsylvania USA, she attended nursing school in New York and lives in California. She began writing as a young child and received her first guitar at age 14, which launched her passion for music and songwriting. She has performed publicly in many different venues. Her publishing history includes book reviews; essays; articles in the field of medicine; her début novel, PLATEAU; her children's book, GABBY AND THE QUADS; and her latest novel, VAMPYRIE. She enjoys writing, reading, music, dancing, arts and crafts, exploring nature, and frequently getting lost in working crossword puzzles.

When all the December 21st 2012 doomsday documentaries hit the screen, Tina was compelled to write a novel of hope. Thus Plateau: Beyond the Trees, Beyond 2012 was born. The protagonist in PLATEAU is ​a 15-year-old tribal female who, through great adversity and while honoring the wisdom of her elders, discovers her strengths and destiny. Her will is ​ tested relentlessly, daring her to face her fears and trust blindly without fully knowing why she was born the Keeper of the Crystal Heart, the key to the Great Mosaic of Life. 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. Will love prevail over fear? Millions are asking this question. PLATEAU offers hope with its underlying message: 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, so that we might help elevate the human species to a higher consciousness and facilitate both personal and global peace.

Tina was inspired to write GABBY AND THE QUADS when her niece had quadruplets. A child's moral compass develops early, and she wanted to write a book that was ethically as well as traditionally educational. 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. Follow Gabby as she learns all about babies and the joy of loving.

Tina has always been fascinated by the myth of the vampire and often wondered if the phenomenon actually could exist. Her background in medicine led me to speculate about how this might have a basis in reality. If rooted in science, how might this myth come to life? The most likely answer would be as a physical disorder or disease. All this musing gave rise to her latest novel, VAMPYRIE: Origin of the Vampire. What if vampires were not the undead, but rather the dying? What if there were two factions among vampires: the sustained and the unsustainable? And what if those factions were at war with one another over the life of a young woman who promised them a future? VAMPYRIE brings the myth of the vampire into the realm of possibility. Phoebe Angelina Delaney is a reluctant genius and compassionate hothead. She finds herself in a pitch-dark underground and doesn’t remember how she got there. Did she drink too much alcohol and wander off in a stupor, or was she kidnapped by a malicious element determined to make her life a living hell? Sir Michael Alan David is a vampire – an enigma, charismatic and mysterious, who weaves in and out of Phoebe’s life. Does he intend to use his title as a ruse to draw her closer to an unearthly fate, or is he a cloak-and-dagger knight in shining armor? Too many secrets have been kept for too long. Phoebe must unravel the mystery in order to survive. Two major characters from the author’s first novel, PLATEAU, join forces with Phoebe to battle the demons in VAMPYRIE.

Reviews

[Janice Spina · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 her 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 with 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.

[Martha Jette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Native girl’s adventures hold a vital message for modern society


PLATEAU - Beyond the Trees, Beyond 2012
By Tina Frisco
Ebook ©2012
ISBN 9781770976030
Pages 69

Tina Frisco is an author who packs a book-sized message into a relatively small ebook. That message: throw away your doomsday visions and embrace the joy of life instead.

Through the eyes of a Native society that one might instinctively consider uncivilized, the wisdom of its elders – long lost to city folk – comes shining through. We read about one of the E’Ghali’s youngest members – a girl named W’Hyani. We follow her as she embarks on great adventures, stares fear in the face, and enjoys the simplicity of life and beauty of nature. Most of all, she learns about love and embraces the age-old wisdom of her tribe.

The author presents an interesting story peppered with quotes from Lynn V. Andrews’ The Power Deck. Each card in the deck focuses on the specific message she wishes to impart and provide inspiration that backs up the story line.

The message imparted is an important one especially now in the 20th century when people scurry like frantic animals trying to make a living and providing for their families. We no longer have the luxury of languid hours spent simply enjoying nature and connecting with our true selves.

The author reminds us that it is vital for us to steal those precious moments to look inward – to realize how we treat others, as well as Mother Earth. Only by extinguishing all thoughts of greed, hate and envy, as well as any desires to cause harm to others or nature can we once again return to the ideals imparted by our ancestors. By becoming enlightened with love and gratitude for life, the human race will be able to acknowledge from whence it came and where it should be going.

Plateau – Beyond the Trees, although quite short, gives the reader much to ruminate on and is best consumed in small doses at a time. The only faults one could find with this work are perhaps an over-abundance of adjectives that tend to make reading somewhat cumbersome. It also takes some time to get used to the characters’ names and positions within the tribe. Some flipping back to an index is definitely required.

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[Colleen Chesebro · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the first turn of page one in the Plateau: Beyond the Trees, the reader steps back into time, or possibly the future, to meet the E’Ghali tribe and the young, W’Hyani. The story is told through her experiences and life journey as W’Hyani embarks on a hero’s journey fraught with all the hardships and heartbreaks that life can bring. Yet, somehow the lessons she learns come across as fresh and new leading her on the path to illumination.

At the core of the story is the legend of the sacred cave of the E’Ghali where the Great Mosaic represents the Great One. W’hyani and her parents hold the key to this mystery as they grapple with their destinies. Each family member holds a special place in the fulfillment of W’Hyani’s destiny.

At times, travelers from “the city” ventured onto E’Ghali land and relationships were established. When this happened, I couldn’t quite tell if we were in the future or the past. It didn’t really matter because the tribal legends spoke of a time when humans would be able to exist in peace and love which left me with the feeling that this event would soon take place. When this event occurs is not the point. Instead, it is the fact that it will happen that captures your spirit.

Such is W’Hyani’s destiny as the Keeper of the Crystal Heart. She represents hope and the future of all mankind.

At the beginning of each chapter, the author shares a quote from Lynn V. Andrew’s, The Power Deck. Each of these quotes drove home a powerful message that was highlighted by W’Hyani’s particular journey in that chapter. I was deeply moved by many of these passages which were a great addition to the story.

Plateau was an emotional read for me. I took my time and tried to experience through my reading, the life lessons that W’Hyani and her friends undertook. Their experiences caused me to reflect upon my own life and spiritual journey. This is the kind of book that transports you to a higher plane of existence where what you thought was the ending is really only the beginning.

Tina Frisco wrote this book as an outreach of hope to the doomsday messages that swirled in the media around December 21, 2012. In reality, the book is timeless. The message of love, understanding, and compassion resonate today or any day. Respect for our mother Earth reverberates lovingly through each page.

I’ve added this book to my Me Time Category for Spirituality because of the emotional impact this book left on my heart. I’ve never read another story like it and found it to be a hidden gem in the literary world.

MY RATING:

Character Believability: 5
Flow and Pace: 5
Reader Engagement: 5
Reader Enrichment: 5
Reader Enjoyment: 5
Overall Rate: 5 out of 5 Stars

[D. Peach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an unusual and gentle book geared toward readers looking for a story that illuminates ancient and universal wisdom about love, kindness, generosity, peace, courage, life, and death. The story follows W’Hyani, a young woman who resides with her tribe on a plateau beyond the trees, separated from modern society. The youth of the tribe learn from their elders, and their lessons are derived from life close to the Earth.

Each chapter starts with a reading from Lynn V. Andrews Power Deck, a 45-card deck offering affirmations and meditations geared toward reclaiming one’s personal power. The reading sets the tone as well as indicates the lesson the character learns in the chapter’s action. In this way, each chapter is a parable in addition to part of the larger story.

Frisco provides lovely detail into the characters themselves, as well as their way of life, the nature of their relationships, their challenges, and the tribe’s rituals. The content by nature is spiritual and uplifting without being heavy-handed or religious, and the lessons along the way feel completely natural in the context, while relatable to everyday modern life.

The story is told in an omniscient point of view, pacing is steady, and the characters are well-drawn. This isn’t a long book and can easily be read in one sitting, but I savored it over a week. Either way, an enjoyable journey.

[Jan Sikes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful wisdom! If I had to describe this book in two words, that would be my choice. Author, Tina Frisco, captivated me from the very first page of the book. I loved that she shared a card from the Lynn V. Andrews Power Deck at the beginning of each chapter. It set the tone for the content of the chapter.

I loved journeying with the E'Ghali tribe as they helped their young mahino and womyn become enlightened and prepared to share their gifts and talents with the earth in the many years to come. The ceremonies performed by the people were described in vivid detail and I could easily put myself there in the middle of the DaeLunih (Full Moon Ceremony), smelling the sage, the campfire and the other herbs used by the tribe.

I was left with wanting more of the story. I hope Tina Frisco is planning a second part of this story as I need to know what happened to RoDinjah on his vision quest!

Thought provoking, spiritually enlightening and entertaining is what you'll find in the pages of Plateau: Beyond the Trees, Beyond 2012.

[Lisa Thomson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Plateau: Beyond the Trees, we follow W'Hyani's life and destiny from a young child to her mid-teens. As the story progresses we learn the way of life of her people, the E'Ghali. They are a native tribe and although the year is not stated in the book (for 'the people' do not count years) it is insinuated to take place long before white man discovered the native people. This story illuminates issues of tolerance, gratitude, simple ways of life, and love and respect for nature. These themes seen through the eyes of the main character, W'Hyani, make for a simple yet heartwarming story.

Tina Frisco has written this in such a simple yet profound manner that it would make a wonderful YA read as well. My only small complaint would be that W'Hyani's vision quest could have been included in the story and then I feel the ending would have been more complete. Still, this is a sweet read and I loved the messages and themes being put forward. In addition, the opening quotes (excerpts of Lynn V. Andrews writing) at the beginning of each chapter were enlightening.

[D.G. Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plateau is an imaginary world inhabited by a tribe called the E'ghali. This is a place where kindness prevails, where nature is honored, no technology exists, and where the people live in peace and live solely off the land. W'hyani is a young girl of 15, whose life we follow as she takes in her life lessons and demonstrates the power of love, wisdom, healing, and facing fears. As we become engrossed in W'hyani's world, we too will be reminded about the value of natural resources, the importance of compassion and gain a sense of faith that all these elements factor into a better world. In the end, after W'yhani has found the meaning of the Crystal shard she carries with her and made to understand the Great Mosaic of Life, she will set forth for the outside world. We are left with hope, and wondering if she can spread her wisdom into the outside world. This is an inspirational read, beautifully written in storyline and prose.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Nancy E. Robertson

Format: Kindle Edition

Tina Frisco has penned a riveting little book that packs a big message as it gently challenges the reader to search for answers on how to restore and sustain our Mother Earth. The author is a natural storyteller, and the action quickly flows along with a lyrical sense of optimism and wild adventure, each chapter introduced by selected The Power Deck cards from Lynn V. Andrews, shaman and author of the Medicine Woman series.

Plateau: Beyond the Trees, Beyond 2012, introduces the reader to a wonderful new young female warrior/leader who is brave and kind, humble and smart, respectful of all life. What will happen to W'Hyani when she leaves the special land of her people? What will happen to the outside world after December 21, 2012? I hope this talented writer will reveal more in the future.

[Brigid Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tina Frisco takes the reader on a journey with W'Ityani, a young woman from the E'Ghali tribe who live on the Plateau Beyond The Trees. The tribe respect all living things and share a reverance for Mother Earth, taking only that which they need to survive. W'Ityani has lost her parents at an early age and has been given the task of caring for The Crystal Shard. She falls in love with RoDinjah but they are subsequently separated as he follows his own warrior path. W'Ityani is tested on her own journey, facing fears, embracing her destiny and returning The Crystal Shard to The Great Mosaic of Life.
I loved the message of The Plateau Beyond The Trees and feel Mankind needs to address more respect for our planet and live more in tune with Nature like the E'Ghali tribe.