Marti MacGibbon

 

Marti MacGibbon, CADAC-II, I-CADC, is a veteran standup comic, inspirational motivational speaker, author, and substance abuse counselor who inspires, entertains, and moves listeners to overcome fears, create possibilities, and make real changes in their lives and the lives of others. Marti is a member of the National Speakers Association. She is also a member of the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC), and the Indiana Counselors Association on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (ICAADA). Marti’s personal story is powerful and uplifting. She is a survivor of human trafficking, addiction and homelessness who rebounded to live an exultant and prosperous life. Her knack for storytelling and humor makes her a favorite with audiences as she recounts the negative beliefs and poor choices that led into her downward spiral, then changes tack and relates specific principles and techniques she used to turn her life around and succeed in fulfilling her dreams. Marti’s warmth and high energy onstage is contagious, and audiences come away feeling that anything is possible, and armed with simple techniques they can use to transform their lives.  http://www.martimacgibbon.com

 

 “…Her narration is funny — she can laugh at her old self, even as she shows the reader the terror and loss she felt in the past…MacGibbon is self-aware, and is able to show the humor of the moment without losing the tense pacing of the story. The memoir whips along, hardly taking a breath…an excellent story, both inspiring and entertaining." Foreword Reviews:

 

 

 

 

 

PageOneLit.com:  Where did you grow up and was reading and writing a part of your life? Who were your earliest influences and why?

Marti MacGibbon: I grew up in a small college town in Indiana -- my father was an English professor at the university there. My parents, especially my father, read aloud to us every day when we were small. From my parents, I learned to love literature, language, and mythology. I always had a book going, even when I was strung out! My very earliest influence was my father. He quoted whole passages from Shakespeare and the classics -- he was amazing. He taught me to appreciate the spoken word as well as the written word. I always loved John Steinbeck. He was one of my earliest influences. And maybe this sounds weird, but I really loved Homer -- not Simpson, but the one who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey.

 

 

PageOneLit.com: Why do you write? 

Marti MacGibbon: I write because I have stories to tell which are too long to tell on a stage. I’ve experienced things in life and seen things and known people. I want to share those experiences with others. 

 

 

PageoneLit.com: Briefly discuss your new book Never Give in to Fear: A Memoir.

Marti MacGibbon: Here’s the short description of the book on Amazon.com: 

Never Give in to Fear: A Memoir is a raw, unflinching account of an emerging standup comic’s struggle with addiction ignited by maternal despair. In 1984, despite a scheduled appearance on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Marti MacGibbon begins a drug-fueled descent into the underworld. With brutal honesty, humor, and clarity, Marti vividly describes her experiences as she rides her downward spiral: a near-miss with a notorious serial killer, a series of tragically hilarious misadventures in the California drug world, and a terrifying account of imprisonment at the hands of Japanese organized crime, to name a few. A thrilling story of hope and redemption, Never Give in to Fear: A Memoir introduces readers to a remarkable woman who triumphs over addiction, learning how to give, and to accept, love and forgiveness.

 

 

 

PageoneLit.com: Explain your title "Never Give in to Fear: A Memoir" as it relates to the story.  What is your personal definition of Fear?  

Marti MacGibbon: The title is an excerpt from some dialogue in the text -- advice from an unexpected -- and qualified -- source. But it is also a clear message which is repeated throughout the story. I learned  to Never Give in to Fear: A Memoir, and that’s how I stayed alive, kept my soul alive, through all of it. Addiction is a fear-based disease; it’s a shame-based disease. Love conquers fear. I learned how to give, and accept, love and forgiveness.  I’ve heard fear described as, “False Evidence Appearing Real.” 

 

 

PageoneLit.com:  Briefly discuss your life now as a substance abuse counselor while looking back at the old Marti -- If "New Marti" could have had a conversation with "Old Marti" how would that go? What would you say to "Old Marti"?  

Marti MacGibbon: I became a substance abuse counselor with the intention of helping those who are where I was years ago.  If I can help even one single person to heal and recover from addiction; to avoid paying the terrible price I paid, then I haven’t lived in vain.  Looking back at my former self, I see a woman with a lot of life, love, and courage who suffered from self-loathing, shame, and rage fueled by the disease of addiction. If my present self could go back in time and talk to my former self, I would tell her, “It’s okay if you made wrong choices -- forgive yourself and start over. Begin a program of recovery and make a spiritual connection. Learn to love yourself and find your inner healing force.

 

 

PageOneLit.com:  Where and what was your ‘Bottom’? 

Marti MacGibbon: I’ve never tried to define where I hit bottom.  I think I skidded along the bottom for years before reaching the jumping off point: the place where I had to quit using or die.

 

 

PageOneLit.com: Briefly tell us about your stand up - When did you first know you were funny and could make a living at it? Do you still do stand up? In Never Give in to Fear: A Memoir you talk about being booked on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson - Discuss. 

Marti MacGibbon: I knew I was funny when I was a little kid. I used to watch comics and practice jokes on my parents’ friends and people around the neighborhood. I was always joking around at school. As far as knowing I could make a living at it -- depends on what you call a living. I started doing standup in 1983, at the Comedy Workshop in Austin, Texas, and at the Comedy Annex in Houston. I still do standup, but only in benefits and fundraisers for recovery homes, shelters, things like that.  

The story of how I got offered the audition for Carson, and got the booking, is a very funny one. I won’t tell it now because I am going to include it in my next book, which will be the prequel to this one. It’s going to have a lot of kickass stories in it about the years I worked in the Texas oilfield, then switched to standup.

 

 

PageOneLit.com:  There are going to be a lot of folks reading this that may have some kind of addiction - As a substance abuse counselor - What do you want to say to these people? 

Marti MacGibbon: As a counselor, let me say that addiction is a primary disease. It is not a moral weakness. There’s no shame in seeking treatment, any more than there is shame for sufferers of other disease such as diabetes or cancer. Like diabetes or cancer, there is not yet a cure for addiction, but treatment is available, and there is a lot of new, cutting edge information about the disease of addiction. 

 

 

PageOneLit.com:  What are you grateful for today? 

Marti MacGibbon: I’m grateful for my recovery.  I’m grateful to my husband, Chris, for loving me, and to my daughter Anne for giving me a second chance. Oh yeah -- and of course I’m grateful to Yuji.

 

PageOneLit.com: You are a survivor of human trafficking. Explain. 

Marti MacGibbon: I think my book explains what it means to be a survivor of human trafficking.

 

 

PageOneLit.com: What do you hope to achieve with Never Give in to Fear: A Memoir? 

Marti MacGibbon: In writing this book, I hope to entertain, amuse, caution, inspire, and motivate my readers, because my story is a comeback story.  As a recovering addict, I also hope that it may help alcoholics and addicts who still suffer from the disease, recovering addicts and alcoholics, and anyone who is involved with an addict or alcoholic to understand that even the seemingly hopeless cases can and do recover.

 

 

PageOneLit.com: What was the last book you read? 

Marti MacGibbon: The last book I read was “The Road of Lost Innocence,” by Somaly Mam.  

 

PageOneLit.com: What's next? 

Marti MacGibbon: My goal is to bring the message of recovery to as many people on this planet as I can, and to raise awareness about human trafficking, which is an awful violation of human rights -- an ongoing global crime.  I will begin writing my second book, another memoir, sort of a prequel to "Never Give in to Fear: A Memoir."  I've been writing articles about living in a state of gratitude and wellness, and I'm currently being published in corporate publications.  

 

 

PageOneLit.com: Do you have any hobbies? What are they? How do they enhance your writing? 

Marti MacGibbon: Hobbies? I do storytelling and standup on stage, and these activities have helped me to establish my voice and set a rhythm to my writing. I also love to hike in the forest, a park, on the beach -- any place where I can be outdoors and close to nature. I believe that if I stay in touch with the earth, sea, and sky, and I am touch with myself and eternity. And that's an ideal launching pad for any creative venture, especially writing!