Tag Archives: #Humor

SALLOWSFIELD by Cliff Hudder – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

SALLOWSFIELD

by Cliff Hudder

Literary Fiction / Humor / Saga / Texas / Yorkshire

Publisher: Texas Review Press

Pages: 390

Publication Date: October 21, 2024

SYNOPSIS

Wyatt W. Sallow, MBA—poet, business ethics professor, and coach of the 8th ranked collegiate chess team in East Texas—travels to the heart of northern England to trace his family origins in mundane Sallowsfield, only to find his supposed ancestry a mirage. He does have a real past, however: one that stalks him across the green hillsides in echoes of his catastrophic marriage, the lingering shadow of a lost child, and—there, in person, inexplicably emerging from the town’s faux-Victorian train station—“X,” the enigmatic object of his unrequited passion and a figure as perplexing as an algebraic variable.

On his eight-day tour/pilgrimage/mock epic journey, Wyatt pursues the specter of his lost love and crosses paths with the citizens of this down-at-its-heels market town as they struggle to grasp the all-consuming obsessions, ghosts, and X-factors that confound their days.

Thought-provoking yet dryly humorous, Sallowsfield weaves diverse elements into a story both light-hearted and philosophical, exploring along the way universal human touchstones of obsession, ruined love, and the inexplicable mysteries that shape our lives.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cliff Hudder received an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Houston in 1995 and a PhD in American Literature from Texas A&M in 2017. He has been an archaeological laborer, a film and video editor, photographer, air compressor mechanic, electrical lineman, and educator. His fiction has appeared in Alaska Quarterly Review, The Kenyon Review, The Missouri Review and other journals and his work has received the Barthelme and Michener Awards, the Peden Prize, and the Short Story Award from the Texas Institute of Letters. His novella, Splinterville, won the 2007 Texas Review Fiction Award, and his novel, Pretty Enough for You, was named a Top Ten Texas Favorite by Lone Star Literary Life in 2015. In 2017 Cliff was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters.

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REVIEW

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A departure from my usual choice in fiction, Sallowsfield turned out to be an utterly absorbing read. With its non-linear timeline, numerous locations, multitude of characters, and multiple points of view, this book demanded my attention like no other I’ve read recently. It was hilarious in parts, affecting in others, engaging all throughout. 

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I didn’t know what to make of Wyatt Sallow at the start. He was socially awkward, physically clumsy, and appeared quite hapless. But as his story unfolded, I found him sympathetic in the end. He was unintentionally funny, especially in his interactions with his taxi driver Hussein. The scenes with his son Wyn showed his loving heart. And there were flashes of intellect and competence particularly displayed in the chess game with the Professor. What eventually reached me was his earnest search for a reason to claim the town with his name as his very own.

~*~

I have the utmost admiration for the author in managing to flesh out the countless characters in this book by providing them with distinctly fascinating back stories. Also, in accomplishing such a complicated timeline that meandered all over the place only to come full circle in a logical way. He brought Sallowsfield to life. So much so that I searched online if it’s a place that actually exists in England. To have the talent required to accomplish those things deserves kudos.  

~*~

The most significant cavil I had was in the overuse of infidelity in the story and the majority of those committing such transgression being women. This is a personal bias I can’t overlook despite my overall enjoyment of the book. 

I highly recommend dedicating several days to properly relish this book. 

4 out of 5 stars

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SHAHRAZAD’S GIFT by Gretchen McCullough – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

SHAHRAZAD’S GIFT
by
Gretchen McCullough
Contemporary Fiction / Linked Short Stories / Humor
Publisher: Cune Press
Date of Publication: February 20, 2024
Number of Pages: 198 pages
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Shahrazad’s Gift is a collection of linked short stories set in contemporary Cairo—magical, absurd and humorous. The author focuses on the off-beat, little-known stories, far from CNN news: a Swedish belly dancer who taps into the Oriental fantasies of her clientele; a Japanese woman studying Arabic, driven mad by the noise and chaos of the city; a frustrated Egyptian housewife who becomes obsessed by the activities of her Western gay neighbor; an American journalist who covered the civil war in Beirut who finds friendship with her Egyptian dentist. We also meet the two protagonists of McCullough’s Confessions of a Knight Errant, before their escapades in that story.
These stories are told in the tradition of A Thousand and One Nights.
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Like The Thousand and One Nights collection from which this anthology was patterned, Shahrazad’s Gift is a highly entertaining read.
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The interconnected stories are varied. Some are funny, some are sad, and some are both in equal measure. All of them are evocative, always eliciting a reaction from me–laughter and sympathy being the most common. They feature a fascinating cast of multinational characters that are drawn so vividly, they seem like real people. And they all take me to the streets of Cairo, Egypt, fulfilling my goal of traveling through books.
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While the tone is easy and most often light, there’s an underlying depth to the themes that’ll make you think, make you reflect, and maybe want to read it all over again.
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Having read Ms. McCullough’s previous work Confessions of a Knight Errant, I was not surprised that I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. It has the same cinematic quality, sharp dialogues, irreverent situations, even more quirky characters, and utter craveability. Recommended for everyone who appreciates unique and excellent storytelling.
4 Four-half-stars
Gretchen McCullough was raised in Harlingen Texas. After graduating from Brown University in 1984, she taught in Egypt, Turkey, and Japan. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Alabama and was awarded a teaching Fulbright to Syria from 1997-1999. Her stories, essays and reviews have appeared in The Barcelona Review, Archipelago, National Public Radio, Story South, Guernica, The Common, The Millions, and the LA Review of Books. Translations in English and Arabic have been published in: Nizwa, Banipal, Brooklyn Rail in Translation, World Literature Today and Washington Square Review with Mohamed Metwalli. Her bi-lingual book of short stories in English and Arabic, Three Stories From Cairo, translated with Mohamed Metwalli, was published in July 2011 by AFAQ Publishing House, Cairo. A collection of short stories about expatriate life in Cairo, Shahrazad’s Tooth, was also published by AFAQ in 2013. Currently, she is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Rhetoric and Composition at the American University in Cairo.
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GOOD TALK … GOOD TALK by Ginny Andrews – Book Blog Tour: Author Interview and Giveaway

GOOD TALK . . . GOOD TALK
by
Ginny Andrews
Nonfiction / Humor / Comedy / Essays
Publisher: Ginny Andrews Comedy, LLC
Date of Publication: October 5, 2023
Number of Pages: 171 pages
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Raise your hand if you have ever run into a mannequin in a store and apologized. Continue to keep your hand raised if you want to pre-write thank you notes to those whom you anticipate attending your funeral because you suffer from chronic “way too nice” syndrome. Keep it up high if you have ever farted in church or yoga class. Man, my arm is getting tired!
Most people are awkward during the middle school years, grow out of it, and blossom into mature, well-functioning human beings…I’m still waiting for this to happen. Awkwardness is my hidden talent, although most who know me would tell you it isn’t hidden—it’s written on my forehead. My daily life is filled with epic failures. Sometimes I feel like I’m one big malfunction! As I have gotten older, I just try to embrace it.
After you read this collection of essays, hopefully you will be able to accept your imperfections too! Nope, probably not because I’m still not there! However, maybe my comedy will stick with you like that hemorrhoid you can’t seem to get rid of, like ever—Good Talk. . .Good Talk.

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PRAISE FOR GOOD TALK . . . GOOD TALK:

“Reading Ginny Andrews’s Good Talk. . .Good Talk is a lot like hanging out with that girlfriend that invariably makes you laugh until you cry.” —Lauren Cassel Brownell, author of Zen and the Art of Housekeeping and Dying to Donate

“Good Talk. . .Good Talk is a laugh out loud winner, filled with quirky stories reminiscent of Patrick McManus.” —J. Andersen, author of The Breeding Tree, The Gene Rift, and Legacy’s Impact

“Anyone with anxiety will totally relate to Ginny Andrews’ humorous tales of the struggle of day-to-day life in today’s world.” —John A.B., Amazon Reviewer

Ginny Andrews is a former high school teacher and coach, who is now an aspiring comedian, speaker, and writer. She would greatly appreciate it if you purchased her book! Door Dash, dog-sitting, used car sales, lawn mowing, and selling random items found in her house aren’t high-paying gigs!
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Interview with Ginny Andrews

How has being a Texan influenced your writing?

Growing up in West Texas absolutely shaped my writing. I have stories in my book about how you can’t apply lip balm and walk outside in West Texas on a dusty day!

Why did you choose to write in your field?

My life seems to be a walking comedy act, so it just seemed natural!

What kind(s) of writing do you do?

Comedy, essays, blogs, social media comedy posts. I just try to cheer people up each day because I know life can be stressful.

How does your book relate to your faith?

I am a Christian and a comedian, but I wouldn’t consider myself to be a Christian comedian. There are chapters in my book titled, “Church Camp,” and “Jesus Take the Wheel.” My faith is a big part of who I am—I try to take a comedic approach to it.

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Comedy is hard. There is a fine line between making people laugh and offending. It is hard to appeal to all ages, generations, and genders. What would make individuals in their 60s and 70s laugh might not appeal to the 20s-40s generation. What would appeal to the younger generation might offend the older. So, trying to find a comedy style that pleases all is hard. I did my best to achieve this goal with Good Talk…Good Talk and I hope to find this balance even more in my future books.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

The idea of bringing joy to people as they read. That is the goal of my comedy whether it is through books, standup, social media posts…I just want to be a bright spot in someone’s day!

Are you a full-time or part-time writer?  How does that affect your writing?

I teach high school during the day and write at night and on the weekends. My day job gives me plenty of material for my writing and comedy shows! 😊

What is something you want to accomplish before you die?

If I could have my own comedy show, or open for a big headliner, even if I only get 10-15 minutes on stage (that is golden for me), or get my books (I have three total to write) picked up by a big publishing house, or get to tour as a motivational speaker and sell my books…all of those things would be amazing. Or maybe make enough money through my writing to not have to work a second job while teaching and get a new car that isn’t ten years old with squeaky brakes!

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PRINGLE PRAWN by Michael Scott Clifton – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

PRINGLE PRAWN
by
Michael Scott Clifton
Contemporary Urban Fantasy / Fairies / Humor
Publisher: Book Liftoff
Date of Publication: September 19, 2023
Number of Pages: 310 pages
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Move over Tinker Bell. There’s a new fairy in town!
Ben’s luck is changing. He has his iconic VW bus, a hot, wealthy girlfriend, and he’s managed to buy an old fixer-upper in an upscale neighborhood—just the thing to convince his girlfriend’s influential father that he’s husband material. But his new home has a secret, and when Ben opens a mysterious grandfather clock, he finds himself dropped into a magical land. There he meets Pringle, a six-inch prawn with a supercharged attitude and a pouchful of fairy dust. She saves his life, and when Ben returns to his world, Pringle returns with him.
Pringle’s adjustment to the modern world is a hilarious series of incidents that completely disrupt Ben’s life. When Russian mobsters and a vengeful HOA president attempt to hijack Ben’s life, Pringle zooms to the rescue—a pinch here, a pinch there, nothing a little fairy dust can’t fix.
But it’s when Pringle begins to grow that things really get interesting, because as Pringle’s size increases, so do her feelings for Ben. Ultimately, Pringle must decide whether to return to her world—or follow her heart and stay with Ben.
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Dear Reader, seat yourself in a comfortable chair, grab a can of Pringles, fasten your imaginary seatbelt, and enjoy this fantastically entertaining amusement ride of a fairy tale story.
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With a cinematic flair, Michael Scott Clifton plunges Pringle Prawn‘s hero Ben Hastings (and its readers) smack in the middle of the action on the very first page. His spectacular description of Ben’s desperate plight and frantic flight engaged all my senses, making me feel as if I were part of the scene.
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The exhilaration continues throughout the book, even more so when the scenes involve the adorable title character Pringle. She brought the fun, the humor, the sweetness, the magic, and the romance to the story. Her declaration at the end legit made me tear up. So did Ben’s. The romance in this story is so significant, that I’m tempted to tag it as a romantasy.
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Whatever genre this book belongs to, it’s undoubtedly a great work of fiction. There’s a fascinating mix of secondary characters, some supporting, others villainous, all diverse. I especially adore Archie and relate well to him having also worked in insurance and dreaming of owning a bookshop someday. I also like Hank and the Enchanted Door. As for HOA President Maude, I understand her role in the story and enjoyed her over-the-top shenanigans for the comic relief they provided.
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Comedy is necessary to balance the horrific subject of human trafficking which is a major plot point in the book. While the presentation is light, the seriousness of this societal woe is communicated clearly through the descriptions of the victims’ deplorable conditions and the lack of solutions offered to combat the problem.
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Pringle Prawn is pure entertainment with depth. I give this book my highest rating and I thank Lone Star Lit for including my blog in the tour that aims to introduce it to more readers. Easily one of my top 23 books for 2023.
5 stars
Multi-award-winning author Michael Scott Clifton lives in Mount Pleasant, Texas with his wife, Melanie. An avid gardener, rapacious reader, and movie junkie, his books contain facets of all the genres he enjoys—action, adventure, magic, fantasy, and romance. His fantasy novels, The Janus Witch, and the Conquest of the Veil series, (The Open Portal, Escape from Wheel, A Witch’s Brew, and Cavern of the Veil Queen) all received 5-Stars from the prestigious Readers Favorite Book Reviews. The Open Portal has been honored with a Feathered Quill Book Finalist Award. In addition, his YA novel Edison Jones and The Anti-Grav Elevator received a Feathered Quill Book Award Bronze Medal. Two of his short stories have earned Gold Medals, with “Edges of Gray” winning the Texas Authors Contest, and “The End Game” winning the Northeast Texas Writer’s Organization Contest. Professional credits include published articles in the Texas Study of Secondary Education Magazine.

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1st Prize: An autographed copy of Pringle Prawn
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2nd & 3rd Prize: Kindle copy
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CONFESSIONS OF A KNIGHT ERRANT by Gretchen McCullough – Pop-Up Blog-Hop: Review and Giveaway

CONFESSIONS OF A KNIGHT ERRANT
by Gretchen McCullough
Humorous Fiction
Publisher: Cune Press
Page Count: 240 pages
Publication Date: October 18, 2022
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Confessions of a Knight Errant is a comedic, picaresque novel in the tradition of Don Quixote with a flamboyant cast of characters.

Dr. Gary Watson is the picaro, a radical environmentalist and wannabe novelist who has been accused of masterminding a computer hack that wiped out the files of a major publishing company. His Sancho Panza is Kharalombos, a fat, gluttonous Greek dancing teacher, who is wanted by the secret police for cavorting with the daughter of the Big Man of Egypt.

Self-preservation necessitates a hurried journey to the refuge of a girls’ camp in rural Texas. Then a body turns up nearby that is connected to Middle East antiquities, and they are on the run once more.

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With its kooky characters, zany situations, offbeat humor, and marvelous sense of place, Confessions of a Knight Errant is an immensely entertaining read. Its episodic format lends itself well to a cinematic adaptation, particularly that of a situational comedy. Hollywood, check this thing out!
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Leading the memorable cast of multicultural characters is Dr. Gary Watson/Smith/Cooper, a professor, author, environmentalist, wrongfully accused cybercriminal, and compulsive liar with Daddy issues. His wild misadventures, ridiculous conversations, and off tangent musings elicited many smiles and chuckles from me. So authentic was his male voice that I had to constantly check who the author is. I appreciate the talent it takes to do that effectively.
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I also admire Ms. McCullough’s skill in incorporating so many named characters in the story and making each distinct and recognizable. I cannot decide who is the most fascinating character after Gary — the dramatic and charismatic Kharalombos, the multi-talented Gudrun, or the efficient Mary Alice. Why choose? All of the above.
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If there’s one thing guaranteed to make me like a book, it’s that it must transport me to the setting of the story. Confessions of a Knight Errant does that and more. It flew me to Egypt during the Arab Spring in 2011. Despite the light tone, I experienced the chaos and uncertainty in Cairo through Gary’s observations and Kharalombos’s despair. This book also returned me to the German enclaves of the Texas Hill Country, an area I’m very familiar with having lived in both San Antonio and San Angelo. And the girls’ camp took me back to the time many decades ago when I was a Camp Counselor at a Girl Scouts’ summer camp. I simply love traveling through books.
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And that’s why, despite the unconventional style of storytelling, the prolonged suspension of disbelief required of the readers, and the nonsensical dialogues, I’m giving this a high rating and recommending it to everyone who needs a light distraction from everyday troubles.
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Thanks to Lone Star Lit for providing me with a copy to review and for the opportunity to join the blog-hop.
4 out of 5 stars
Gretchen McCullough was raised in Harlingen Texas. After graduating from Brown University in 1984, she taught in Egypt, Turkey, and Japan. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Alabama and was awarded a teaching Fulbright to Syria from 1997-1999.
Her stories, essays and reviews have appeared in The Barcelona Review, Archipelago, National Public Radio, Story South, Guernica, The Common, The Millions, and the LA Review of Books. Translations in English and Arabic have been published in: Nizwa, Banipal, Brooklyn Rail in Translation, World Literature Today, and Washington Square Review with Mohamed Metwalli. Her bilingual book of short stories in English and Arabic, Three Stories From Cairo, translated with Mohamed Metwalli, was published in July 2011 by AFAQ Publishing House, Cairo. A collection of short stories about expatriate life in Cairo, Shahrazad’s Tooth, was also published by AFAQ in 2013.
Currently, she is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Rhetoric and Composition at the American University in Cairo.
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In Confessions of a Knight Errant, readers get a taste of the Hill Country. One winner will, too, with a one-pound bag of pecans from Berdoll Pecan Candy & Gift Company!
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FIERCE, FUNNY, AND FEMALE by Marti MacGibbon – Book Blog Tour: Review/Giveaway

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
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 Award, Women’s Studies
FINALIST, 2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Memoir (Overcoming Adversity)

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I don’t normally read non-fiction unless it’s a craft book on writing or a cookbook and I hardly ever read memoirs, but there’s something about this book that called to me. The catchy title alone had me anticipating a good read and I wasn’t disappointed. Far from it.

The first third was quite harrowing, with Marti’s tales of abuse, drug addiction, sexual assault, hospitalization, brainwashing, and the most heart-breaking of all, her separation from her daughter. But the telling was quite fascinating in that through everything she had suffered, there was always her determination to do everything she could to get out of the bad situation. To rise and recover. To hope for a better tomorrow. 

Quotes like this had me tearing up:

“… there’s more than one way to fight. You fight by living, and working, and showing your kid how much you care, in any way possible. And you wait, and watch, and when your time comes, you’re ready.”

Marti’s storytelling is absolutely fantastic. The scenes leap out of the pages, they come alive so vividly. I especially enjoyed her adventures all over Texas, laughed at some of the  incredibly weird situations she got involved in and the colorful characters she met along the way.

She dealt with every discriminatory, sexist thing thrown at her with humor, positivity, and self-belief, proving the title of the book perfectly fitting. 

I bookmarked several pages of this book, particularly the last few chapters where Marti was receiving advice from successful humorists and the final one where she imparted some of her own. Although not a comedian, I can definitely apply some of the wisdom she shared in my writing, in my living. 

I love this advice best of all: 

“Be yourself. You are enough, right now, as you are, and if you continue the brave work, you will continue to become more, and greater, exponentially. Trust in that, build your tenacity, and continue on your path, no matter the challenges.” 

To end, I say to readers: buy this book. Read it and learn from Marti’s experiences. Be inspired. Be strong. Be Fierce, Funny, and Female. That’s what I hope to become, in my own way.

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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

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AboutTheAuthor

Marti MacGibbonA 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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Each of Three Winners Gets a Signed Copy of the Book PLUS:

FIRST PRIZE: 
$100 Spa Finder gift card + $25 Starbucks gift card + Moroccan oil sample collection
SECOND PRIZE:
Estee Lauder Limited Edition Gift Set + $25 Starbucks gift card
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