About Me: I am more than a reflection of what you see. I am complicated yet plain, insecure yet vein. I am fractious and composed, loved, and loathed. I am bitter also sweet, outlandish also discrete. You’ll find me candid and forward, however, silent and reserved, trusting, or doubting whichever is deserved.

My biography must begin with admitting that my personality mimics that of the eccentric Doc Brown from Back to the Future, with better hair. I am an inventor with one approved patent and am constantly driving my family crazy with new ideas. From creating and directing fundraising events such as Halloween and Cinco de Mayo road-races and princess tea parties to Sanitizing Cell Phone Wipes and Dog Scratch Bumper Guards, I keep them quite busy. Beyond that, I am a warrior of surmounting hardship, a YouTuber, and a best friend. On the academic side of life, I graduated cum laude with an associate’s degree in Science of Dental Hygiene in 1993. I became Mrs. Maine America in the year 2011. Now, into my ninth year of managing a large dental practice, I have come to terms that the real Tina Hendricks wants to live life outside of a dental office. Great Scott! I’m much too creative to spend another thirty-one years tending to manifestations of oral diseases. Until that day comes my creative outlets keep me sane to a socially acceptable degree. I maintain an online platform sharing my experience and coping mechanisms with oppression, neglect, poverty, and abuse.

I have a second completed novel—YA fantasy, detailed blueprints for two more of WIDOW’S STONE, a memoir—The Collector, and pages of poetry. For the last five years, I have been involved with writing groups and classes offered through Writer’s Digest and Maine Writer’s & Publisher’s Alliance I have learned, and am still learning, how to perfect my craft which I have adored my entire life. My love of telling a tragic story with an uplifting outcome is a testament to my perseverance as a human being.

My writing style is visceral. I strive to excel in vivid descriptions of emotions and sensational aspects of experience drawn from my own past.

Born in Bar Harbor, Maine, to my sixteen-year-old mother, I grew up in extreme poverty. I visited the ocean often, played in the woods daily, embraced the fog, and counted the shooting stars—I’m up to thirty-three. In 1996 I married my first husband—the epitome of an abusive narcissist. We had a baby girl then soon divorced. I became Mrs. Maine in 2011 and attended the national Mrs. America competition held at the Greenbriar in West Virginia. I am a mother of one, wife to my wonderful second-husband and older sister to five siblings. 

I have worn many hats in my lifetime. Proud, angry, happy, sad. I’ve worn judgment, shame, hate, and sorrow too. Love is the hat I choose to wear most, and I embrace the others as alter egos lacking the love they deserve but could never host.

Introducing, Tina L. Hendricks the author and…

Mother

My love for Shea Lynn is immeasurable. Motherhood has been a gift which I have devoted myself to with the most serious of intentions. The fear it awoke honed me into the best-perfectly-imperfect-self possible. I trusted my panic as a lesson from my gut and grabbed my insecurities by their devilish horns and kicked their asses. I promise to be present, accountable and loving, trustworthy and trusting.

Wife

Marriage is one of the hardest jobs on earth. Two different people merge together yet remain independent while cohesive. Not having an example to follow has made navigating this wonderful aspect of my life extremely challenging, with many rewards. What has worked for us has been supporting each other’s dreams and differences. I’m, we’re, still learning.

Feminist

Believing all humans deserve equal civil rights is not really feminist. However, I do believe women have become complacent and unknowingly have enabled bad behavior at times and have allowed a certain level of oppression. How has our mothering become an enabling of such immoral behavior? The world needs the constructive nature of female fury.

Warrior

I have fought for the life I have. Happiness, health and who I surround myself with. Every single choice, every single day can come with difficulty, stigma and regret. I choose wisely–unconditional love.

Mrs. Maine America

Pageant girl? Hell no. I took a chance in 2011–the beginning of proving to myself I could make a difference and that I was good enough.

Dreamer

I will not be happy until I am famous for something. I’ve tried modeling, started a non-profit company called Lipgloss4lives, YouTubing, 5k Race directing and now I’m sharing my writing with the world. Good Lord I wish I had started with writing.

Continue to dream, reach and redirect.

Sister

We all impact each other’s lives, and I hope I have been a force of positivity for all five of my younger siblings.