You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up: Stories of a Badass Life

by Stephanie Geller (Author), Tim Kummerow (Illustrator)

Publisher: Precocity Press

“Credit goes to Sara Volle, my writing coach and editor. You are the person who made my stories better than I could have imagined. You talked me off the ledge when I wanted to throw in the towel and quit. You are so gifted and such a joy to work with.

To Susan Shankin, my publisher. You had the vision of what and who I am. And what this book could be. You made it beautiful and fun. I do not know how in the world you manage people like me every day and stay sane.

To Tim Kummerow, my illustrator. I could not have imagined working with someone so talented. You understood my crazy vision for these stories. Your illustrations are amazing and have added so much to this book.

To Julie Simpson, my copy editor. There were a couple of times I dreaded having you read my stories. I was scared, but you were positive with your feedback. You gave me hope. I am in awe of your attention to detail and the work you did on this book.”

It’s Never Too Late to Ignite Your Inner Badass

Stephanie Geller never thought of herself as a badass. She just knew she had some badass stories to share with the world. From growing up as an Air Force brat to training for the Olympics, from waitressing at Waffle House to succeeding as a top executive, her life stories hilariously illustrate the magic that can happen when you fearlessly and relentlessly believe in yourself. Above all, this book is a brave and exuberant ode to carrying your heart with you wherever you go.

It is true that by age forty Stephanie’s bank account had grown from two figures to seven. But this is far from your typical story of upward mobility dwelling on hardship, isolation, and struggle. Rather, this book is an honest and entertaining celebration of the joy and pure fun to be had at each and every wrong turn, dead end, and golden opportunity. It is an enthusiastic tribute to kindness, laughter, friendship, hard work, and hard play.

Spanning over five decades of simply rocking it every day, these vibrant stories are bound to stick with you long after you’ve put them down. Whether it’s Six Teenagers and an El Camino, where Stephanie uses shoelaces to MacGyver the broken windshield wipers on her friend’s car in the middle of a rainstorm, or I’ll Take His Name to the Grave, concerning a fling with a celebrity she meets at an underground club in LA, or The Class They’ll Never Forget, where she convinces her fellow financial advisor trainees to wear togas made from hotel bed sheets to the President’s Reception, the pure zest for life to be found on every page is nothing short of contagious.

However, like most good humorists, Stephanie is never too sentimental. Reading this book is not going to change your life, she warns readers in her punchy introduction. That’s bullshit. That may be true, but “You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up” will undoubtedly compel you to see your own life in a new light. Maybe you want to dream bigger, let go of some past regrets, or just know when to say no. Wherever you may be in your journey on this wild and precious planet, be prepared for this book to uncover your own inner badass along the way.

You Can't Make This Sh!t Up: Stories of a Badass Life