FIERCE, FUNNY,
AND FEMALE
A Journey Through Middle America,
the Texas Oil Field, and Standup Comedy
by
MARTI MacGIBBON
Genre: Memoir / Drama / Humor
Publisher: Stay Strong Publishing Publication
Date: March 20, 2017
Publisher: Stay Strong Publishing Publication
Date: March 20, 2017
Number of Pages: 412 pages
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This book is the celebrated prequel to the critically acclaimed, nationally award-winning and bestselling memoir, Never Give in to Fear. In her raw, vivid, and unabashed style, author Marti MacGibbon delivers a sometimes heartbreaking, often hilarious, always engaging account of her passage through trauma, betrayal, and loss in adolescence and young adulthood to discover her inner badass self. As one of the first women to work as a laborer in the Texas oil field, she set off explosives and staked oil wells before realizing her childhood dream of becoming a successful standup comic. Marti introduces readers to a wide range of characters in her life: from sleazy authority figures, wannabe Sixties musicians and crazed Corn Belt cult leaders, to Texas oil billionaires and wildcatters, to wild-eyed redneck coworkers who robbed banks on their lunch hour―in the company truck. The book includes scenes with iconic comedians, Hollywood entertainment industry moguls, and a legendary bluesman, and offers insights into resiliency, courage, and self-empowerment.
WINNER, 2017 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards in Humor
WINNER, 2017 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards in Women’s Studies
WINNER, 2017 National Indie Excellence Awards in Women’s Health
WINNER, 2017 Beverly Hills Book Awards in Women’s Issues
WINNER, 2018 Independent Press Award in Humor
WINNER, 2018 Independent Press Award in Women’s Studies
WINNER, 2018 New York City Book Book Award, Women’s Studies
FINALIST, 2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Memoir (Overcoming Adversity)
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INTERVIEW WITH MARTI
MACGIBBON
What cultural value
do you see in storytelling?
Culture
is an accumulation of stories told through literature, speech, music, visual art,
dance, sports, film, science, religion, and politics. Storytelling is an art
form that’s carried humanity forward through the ages. How we tell stories
develops along with our technology. In the beginning, we gathered around a fire¾breakthrough
technology at the time¾and as we gazed into the flickering,
mysterious flames, storytellers inspired, informed, cautioned, and entertained.
Heroic tales, adventure stories, and love stories lift our spirits and point us
toward the brightest and highest aspirations. Stone Age tech and Digital Age
tech differ wildly, but storytelling remains. At its heart, storytelling is the
conduit for human connection, empathy, and inspiration. We tell ourselves
moment-to-moment stories all day long. Awareness is the key because our stories
propel us forward; they morph into attitudes and actions. In this way, our
individual stories directly contribute to the collective story¾the
world we live in.
What was the hardest
part of writing this book?
When you’re writing, you’re communicating
your innermost feelings and ideas on the page. You want it to sizzle and
reverberate with passion and authenticity. A writing project is intimate; it’s
your partner. Choose to write about something you can live with. When I wrote Fierce,
Funny, and Female, I had to wake up with it in the morning and go to sleep
with it at night. Some of the things I described in this memoir were painful to
recount, but I’d remind myself I was writing a comeback story…and I love
comeback stories. The telling required me revisiting some traumatic experiences
from long ago, but I knew it was necessary to revisit those things in order for
the description to hit the page, genuine and raw. I lived in peace with
those parts of the book because I’d previously gone through a process of
forgiving both myself and others. And, I worked with a trauma therapist, so I
felt safe while writing, even in the deeply emotional moments.
What did you enjoy
most about writing this book?
The Texas part of this book was and is my favorite part. Telling
the crazy, outlandish and wild stories from my oil field days turned out to be
the most fun. Back then, working in the Austin Chalk felt like the Wild West to
me. I visited Texas twice on research trips, and whenever possible, drove to
the scene of past adventures. I contacted and met with former colleagues and
supervisors from those days, to make sure my memories were accurate, and we
shared a lot of laughs. My colleagues, engineers and surveyors, assured me the
Austin Chalk boom not only felt like the Wild West, it lived like the Wild
West. I also delved into the archives of the Bastrop Advertiser, Texas’s oldest
newspaper, to confirm the details of one particular story, (about some
gargantuan marijuana plants) and in the process talked with local citizens who
remember it happening. The very dignified and genteel members of the Bastrop
Historical Society assisted me and never once raised an eyebrow when I asked to
research a story about the discovery of giant marijuana “trees” in the pine
woods and the kerfuffle that followed.
If you could speak
with any accent from anywhere in the world, what would you choose and why?
I’d
want to speak with a Texas accent because it sounds like music to me¾always
did, and I’m not kissing up because this is a Texas blog tour. Maybe it’s the rhythm
and pace of the words. When I hear a genuine Texas accent, I tend to feel more
relaxed and optimistic, and it reminds me not to take myself too seriously.
Do you have a mantra
for writing and/or for life?
Look
back, learn, and whenever possible, laugh.
What is your favorite
quote?
Can
I share two?
Here’s
one of my faves, from Ursula K. Le Guin, about storytelling:
“There have been great societies that did not use the wheel,
but there have been no societies that did not tell stories.”
Here’s
another, from acclaimed sci-fi
author Frank Herbert:
“I must
not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total
obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through
me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where
the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”
PRAISE FOR FIERCE, FUNNY, AND FEMALE:
“Being funny is a survival skill. Fierce, Funny, and Female is not only a survivor’s tale but an inspirational story of overcoming the unthinkable, again and again…Her courage and comedy make Fierce, Funny, and Female a winner.” — Foreword Clarion Reviews “An effervescently witty…chronicle of perseverance and the power to overcome the darkest of days…Perhaps the most rewarding chapter in this chatty, affecting book is the concluding one, where MacGibbon lists the tried-and-true pearls of wisdom that continue to sustain her…” — Kirkus Reviews
“Fierce, Funny, and Female is a thoroughly engaging memoir packed with witty observations, high adventure, and a glimpse of behind-the-scenes Hollywood. Highly recommended!” — Midwest Book Review
“MacGibbon is a natural storyteller, and her life story is a most interesting one. The characters she has run across during her life journey are well-drawn and absolutely fascinating, particularly the good ol’ boys in the Texas oilfields.” — San Francisco Book Review
A compelling speaker and storyteller, Marti MacGibbon delivers high-energy presentations and writes books on overcoming adversity, addiction and recovery, and inspiration, with humor and a genuine, down-to-earth style. She’s experienced critical situations that no human being should have to face. In the past, she hit rock bottom in every possible way as a hard-core drug addict, was homeless, and was trafficked to Tokyo and held prisoner by Japanese organized crime. Her story of triumph is testimony to the power of the human spirit. Marti lives her message. She reveals simple, effective strategies that anyone can use to get back on track, build resiliency, reduce stress, and cultivate a sense of humor.
Marti is a bestselling author, inspirational speaker, certified addiction treatment professional, Gorski certified relapse-prevention specialist, and member of the National Speakers Association. She’s been interviewed in Entrepreneur, Investor’s Business Daily, on ABC-TV, CBS-TV, and numerous radio shows. And she’s funny: Marti traveled all over the U.S. as a professional standup comic and performed at the Hollywood Improv and Comedy Store. She is founder, producer and host of Laff-aholics Comedy Benefit for Recovery, an annual charity fundraiser in Indianapolis featuring nationally headlining comedians. She also serves on the outreach committee of IPATH, Indiana Protection for Abused and Trafficked Humans Task Force.
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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
Each of Three Winners Gets a Signed Copy of the Book PLUS:
FIRST PRIZE:
THIRD PRIZE:
FIRST PRIZE:
$100 Spa Finder gift card + $25 Starbucks gift card + Moroccan oil sample collection
SECOND PRIZE:
SECOND PRIZE:
Estee Lauder Limited Edition Gift Set + $25 Starbucks gift card
THIRD PRIZE:
$25 Starbucks gift card.
DECEMBER 12-21, 2018
(U.S. Only)
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