Hits, Heathens, and Hippos: Stories from an Agent, Activist, and Adventurer received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Marty Essen.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Hits, Heathens, and Hippos: Stories from an Agent, Activist, and Adventurer; Published in February, 2021
What’s the book’s first line?
“I loved going to church as a child.”
That first line sets up a joke about me thinking that whenever the minister preached about the Apostle Paul that he was actually preaching about my father, who shared the name Paul.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Hits, Heathens, and Hippos is a humorous and inspirational memoir that explores relationships and careers and how seemingly minor events can lead to life-changing results. Compelling stories have filled my life, and I tell those stories in a conversational style that combines my talents as an award-winning author with my talents as the creator of a one-man stage show that I have performed at hundreds of colleges across the United States.
This is a must-read for anyone faced with an unexpected career change, worried about finding and keeping the partner of their dreams, forced to take on bullies (whether individual, political, or corporate), eager for ideas to make life more satisfying, or just in search of a fun-filled adventure.
Stories include growing up with an over-the-top born-again-Christian father, becoming Minnesota’s youngest disc jockey, running multiple talent agencies, traveling to all seven continents, backpacking with a tribe known for headhunting, and surviving a vicious hippo attack.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
My first two books were nonfiction adventure-travel; my next three books were science-fiction political-comedies; it was time to return to nonfiction again. Also, I’ve always been an “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade” kind of guy. So when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the time was right to socially distance in my writing room and create the book I had been thinking about writing for a long time.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
The book is a lot of fun, with both jaw-dropping and inspirational moments.
When did you first decide to become an author?
In 2001, after traveling to the Amazon Rainforest and Australia, I wrote stories about my adventures that were picked up as features by two newspapers. Once those stories ran, whenever I would go out in public, people would recognize me from the author photo and tell me how much they enjoyed what I wrote. Schools also invited me to come and speak about my adventures. At that point I started thinking, “What if my wife and I traveled to all seven continents, and I wrote a book about it?” I did some research and learned that at that moment fewer than one hundred thousand people in the history of the world had ever stepped onto Antarctica. That meant that far fewer than one hundred thousand had traveled to all seven continents. Next, I looked for books written by people who had traveled to all the continents. When I found a couple of those, I narrowed the subject to travel to every continent in search of rare and interesting wildlife. There was nothing. That gave me the topic for my first book, Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Hits, Heathens, and Hippos: Stories from an Agent, Activist, and Adventurer is my sixth book.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I am a college speaker that performs the stage-show version of my first book. I have been speaking at colleges for 14 years and have performed on hundreds of campuses in 45 states. I am also a talent agent, who started in the music business and now books other nationally-known college speakers.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
There is a story in Hits, Heathens, and Hippos about me writing my first book, sixteen-hours-a-day, and staying alert by swallowing caffeine pills with my coffee. That schedule eventually sent me to the hospital emergency room, with blood-pressure at near-stroke levels. I have since moderated my work schedule, but when I’m “in the zone” I will still write up to 12 hours a day.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part is being able to call my own shots and to react quickly when new opportunities arise. The hardest part is not getting the same respect that indie filmmakers or indie bands get. I work with professional book designers and editors and put out a product that is better than much of what the major publishers produce. Even so, I still have to deal with publications and reviewers who are bigoted against what I do, because I didn’t get “corporate approval.”
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Don’t put out crap—it hurts us all. Keep a copy of the Chicago Manual of Style next to you as you write, and make sure your book is professionally designed and professionally edited.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
I have had opportunities to go with traditional publishers in the past, but each time it would have required me to sell out and cut photos, politics, or other content. I refuse to sell out. Should a company come along that gave me more control and a decent promotional budget, of course I would consider them.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
All six of my books (three fiction and three nonfiction) have the liberal political theme of protecting the environment and human rights. I couldn’t write unless I felt I was doing my part to make the world a better place—and encouraging others to do so as well.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
For fiction, it’s Audrey Niffenegger. Her novel, The Time Traveler’s Wife, was brilliant. I especially enjoyed how she integrated music into her story, creating a virtual soundtrack. I try to do the same in my writing.
For nonfiction, it’s Bill Bryson. His adept use of self-depreciating humor makes even mundane situations funny.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
The Bible, because I’d make it shorter, more accurate, and much less subject to misinterpretation by people who use it to support their prejudices and to control or harm others.