Author Interview – Marti MacGibbon

Marti MacGibbon, human trafficking survivor and recovering addict, is an author, humorous inspirational speaker and standup comic who holds four professional certifications in addiction treatment, including the ACRPS, Advanced Certified Relapse Prevention Specialist. Marti is a member of the National Speakers Association and her articles have appeared in numerous trade publications and magazines. She’s been interviewed in Investors Business Daily and Entrepreneur.

Marti was one of the first women to work as a laborer in the Texas oilfield. She set off explosives for an exploration company for a brief period of time and then learned surveying skills, staking oil wells. She moved on to standup comedy and was scheduled for an appearance on The Tonight Show, but Marti became entangled in the California drug scene and plunged into the underworld and serious drug addiction. After being trafficked to Japanese organized crime and escaping, she suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and was homeless for over a year, but ultimately found true love, recovery and forgiveness. Her darkly humorous and dramatic memoir, “Never Give in to Fear,” tells the story, and the narration brings alive a host of quirky characters and bungling criminals.

“Never Give in to Fear” has received critical praise from Foreword Clarion and San Francisco Book Review. The enhanced edition, “Never Give in to Fear: Laughing All the Way Up from Rock Bottom,” received an editorial recommendation from Kirkus Reviews and an award for Best Revised Edition from Books-and-Authors.net.

What are your goals as a writer? – I want to produce a body of work that is solid, thoughtful, sometimes funny, always genuine, and never boring.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)? – I love to travel, and I love people, so I take every opportunity to reach readers or listeners. I speak to raise awareness about human trafficking, and about addiction. I also speak on overcoming adversity.

What books have most influenced your life? – Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankel, and A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah.

Have you ever considered anyone as a mentor? – My English professor, Dr. William Wallis, mentored me. And my father was the greatest mentor of my life. My mother taught me how to be a strong woman.

Who is your favorite author and why? – I have no favorite because so many authors have written terrific books.

Can we expect any more books from you in the future? – Yes.

Have you started another book yet? — I’m currently working on a new memoir, one that will focus on female empowerment, among other things.

Where do you see yourself in five years? – I see myself loved, happy, productive, and continuing my career as an author and professional speaker.

What are your current writing projects now? — I’m currently working on a new memoir, one that will focus on female empowerment, among other things. And I write a blog on my website, martimacgibbon.com. It’s full of pep talks about positive thinking, visualization and other things you can use to create positive change in life. I only blog about things that I know will work, because I’ve gotten results by doing them.

Are you reading any interesting books at the moment? — I just finished reading The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Now I’m reading The Tipping Point by the same author.