Trina Boice

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

Dr. Trina Boice is a #1 best-selling author of 35 books and an author coach at From Book 2 Business. She was named the California Young Mother of the Year in 2004, an award which completely amuses her 4 sons. She’s a university professor and lifelong learner. She has created online courses for professional development and personal enrichment at LifelongLearningEducation.com. She’s a film critic at Movie Review Mom.com and has a daily podcast called “Daily Inspirational Quote Hosted by Trina Boice.” She worked as a Legislative Assistant for a Congressman in Washington, D.C., and was given the “Points of Light” Award and Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her domestic and international community service. She was selected by KPBS in San Diego to be a political correspondent. She taught classes at the famous Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College and says she has the weight gain to prove it. She has an identical twin sister and a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. If she told you what she really did she’d have to kill you.

When and why did you start writing books?

I always knew I’d be a writer when I was a little girl. I just didn’t know exactly what I’d be writing about! I started collecting inspiring quotes and ideas for my books when I was only 6 years old. I kept them in a little box, which grew into dozens of filing cabinets full of content. My husband said I would be buried in a filing cabinet. Thank goodness we can now scan documents into our computer! I've always loved clever wordplay, foreign languages, and different ways of communicating. Would you believe I actually liked diagramming sentences in my middle school English class? My kids think I'm such a nerd. They’re right. When I was a little girl, I won a contest in my 2nd-grade class for reading more books than any other kid in the class, more than triple! My first book came out in 2004.

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

As I mentioned, I always knew I was going to be a published author. It was on my Bucket List for years until I finally decided to make it happen! I've been published traditionally, worked with a hybrid publisher with episodic features, and even done some self-publishing. I'm a university professor, but also a professional author coach for my career at www.FromBook2Business.com I love it!

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

I wrote a dating book with my oldest son who was single at the time. It was fun working with him on it. It's called "Base Hits and Home Run Relationships: What Women Wish Guys Knew". After the book, he went on to create a multi-million dollar dating app that has been super successful! He's now married with 2 adorable little ones!

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

My most recent one is about the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem. I've been there before, but I did a ton of research to ensure I got all of the facts, history, and details correct. I absolutely loved researching it, even though the topic of Jesus' crucifixion is rough!

Who is your favourite author and book?

I'm going to have to think about that one...hmmm...too many to list!

What book are you reading right now?

When I was a little girl, I won awards in elementary school for reading the most books. One that sticks out to me is a biography about Abraham Lincoln. I earned an extra big star on the wall for reading such a gigantic book. It was the longest book I had ever read and I simply inhaled it. That may have been what started me on my love affair with nonfiction books. I currently teach politics, religion, communications, and English at a university! I just started reading a book a friend of mine wrote about tips for renting properties through Airbnb. My siblings and I own several luxury properties we rent out on Airbnb & VRBO, so I'm always looking for helpful advice!

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

Yes ago, I told my husband that my dream job would be getting paid to spend other people's money. That led to my discovery of mystery shopping for 30 years! I wrote "The Ultimate Guide to Mystery Shopping: How To Get Paid To Eat, Shop, & Play". I've been doing mystery shopping for many years in three different states where I've lived and I still get a kick out of it! Companies pay me to pretend to be a "real" customer while I'm evaluating a restaurant, store, theme park, hotel, or some other venue. I make money and get free merchandise. What's not to love? People ask me about it all of the time, so I finally wrote a guidebook and an online course to show others how to get paid to eat, shop, and play! I’m always working on a few books at any moment! I teach at a couple of universities, have a daily podcast, and 4 YouTube channels. I’m obsessed with movies and share my reviews on my Movie Review Mom YouTube channel. I will also continue to create online courses at Lifelong Learning Education. I’m always open for new opportunities and an adventure!

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I've been traveling all over the world, someplace awesome almost every month. I just finished writing a book about the Via Dolorosa, and will be leading a tour group through Israel in 2025. Follow me on Instagram for more details! I adore watching movies, so I post my movie reviews on www.MovieReviewMom.com

Do you have any new books in the works?

Always! I have over a dozen books I've started writing. Whichever one my publishers want next is the one I focus on next! They're all nonfiction, although I'm trying to interest one of my sons in writing a fiction with him...