This month marks the first anniversary of the Mark Steele Archive. I have been humbled and wowed by the sheer number of you that have shown your continual support to my writings past, present, and future by subscribing here. In honor of the anniversary, I am posting the first half of my very first (and many reader’s favorite) published work: 2004’s “Flashbang: How I Got Over Myself.”
“Flashbang” is not only a collection of some of my most popular stand-up comedy stories. It is also a deep dive into my world view and spiritual life. It certainly reads now like a capsule to a simpler time when only the church was jading America.
Some of my best stories are captured here, including the tale of the parakeets, facial paralysis, performing for an Inauguration, gallstones, giving blood in Mexico, and of course: destroying Romania. But, before we get into the book itself, a little history about it. It has, after all, been two decades.
As was true of all my books, readers either loved it or hated it. Here are some of the reviews from my friends in the industry:
“Mark’s words will set people free - and free people change the world.” —Charlie Peacock, musician, songwriter, and producer “Engaging and compelling. Flashbang has a very clever way of putting your defenses down and communicating truth.”
—Ralph Winter, producer of X-Men, X2, and Fantastic Four
“I have known Mark Steele as a talented multimedia entrepreneur. Flashbang will bring his wit and wisdom to a whole new audience.”
—Mark Joseph, author of Faith, God & Rock ‘n’ Roll“Somewhere, there’s a list of books that artfully combine good writing, laugh-out-loud humor, and cheese-free spiritual content. This list is embarrassingly short. But thanks to Mark Steele and Flashbang, it just got a little longer.”
—Jason Boyett, author of Pocket Guide to the Apocalypse“Read this book carefully, or it’ll explode in your hands. Mark Steele has written a book that reads in much the same way that God works in our lives. We don’t learn in linear fashion; we learn in hindsight, as memories percolate and themes emerge across disparate events. Don’t be fooled by the crazy formatting and hilarious stories—something very serious is going on here.”
—Patton Dodd, author of My Faith So Far: A Story of Conversion and Confusion“Highly creative yet profound. I wish Mark the very best in his book sales and career. To the moon, Alice.”
—Margaret Feinberg, author of Twentysomething: Surviving and Thriving in the Real World“I laughed out loud ... and I’ve been spiritually fed.”
—Victoria Jackson, actress, former cast member on Saturday Night Live"Mark Steele has a great book inside of him - but Flashbang is not it."
-Donald Miller, best-selling author, curmudgeonThat last one was not on the book jacket or publicity material, but Don actually said it to Relevant CEO Cameron Strang after “reading” my book - and I mean no offense or insult in suggesting that I doubt Donald Miller (at the buzzy height of Blue Like Jazz) had time or desire to actually read the entire book. That’s okay. I appreciate the sentiment that my best work is ahead of me. But, he could have said an extra sentence, something nice. His blurb did not make the cover.
Of course, very few of the blurbs above actually read the entire book. I know that Patton Dodd did. Victoria Jackson did. I’m guessing Jason Boyett did. Charlie Peacock (sadly) most certainly did not, but I still love him for the kindness of the front page blurb.
My greatest reviews, other than readers and fans themselves, were the Relevant staff. I was extremely fortunate to have them champion this book so much that it flew off the shelves. It was Cameron’s own passion for the book that prompted Borders bookstore to consider it, and then name it the Official Borders Bookstore Original Voices Selection for the month of August of that year. 75% of reviewers gave it a full five stars. Those that didn’t were fairly perplexed by its confusing approach to delivering the truth.
But, the readers? The readers were amazing. Especially the spectrum, dyslexic, ADD-riddled pantheon of young modern readers who had never before seen anything literary delivered in the way their brains actually worked:
“It's been a long time since I read something that made me laugh out loud like this book did. The word choices, writing style and phrases just cracked me up....hilarious. The stories Mark Steele writes just pull you in to these funny experiences he's had. He then amidst these random, wild events creates such meaning and honest points about growing in the Christian life. His style paves the way for insights and truths that make an authentic impact. I read it in just two days, with a very busy schedule of work and family because I couldn't wait to read the next story he would tell and could never quite put it down in the middle of one. I am sharing it with my two sons and a bunch of friends. As a marriage and family therapist I highly recommend this book for the sheer fun of reading it as well as the impact it makes. Looking forward to the next book Mark Steele writes.”"This book was incredible. I can be quite picky about some of these new Christian autobiographies that are just "this is why Christianity is hard for me...I'm being real and vulnerable...I am lion...hear me roar." This book however, was real in content, lasting in impression, and fully captivating. The way Mark pulls his story lines together to create the point and thought process that he wants to stick with the reader is unlike anything I have ever read. His writing method definitely breaks the mold and maybe I just have an odd sense of humor, but I can honestly say that while reading it on an airplane in between two business men reading The DaVinci Code and Business Weekly, I had to physically close the book at page five due to uncontrolled bodily sounds as I was shaking violently. I had the church giggles, no doubt about it. Read this book. Be entertained, and be challenged.""Once you stop laughing the weight and gravity of what you just read begins to settle on you. God wants to work in/ with who you truly are, not who you pretend to be for the approval of others. I've bought and given away copies of this book for years.""The first thing you need to realize about this book is that it is completely different from anything you've read before. Mark Steele is flat-out funny. Guy can tell a story -- most of which involve personal humiliation (in the first chapter, he hilariously discovers he is a "vomit savant," puking with remarkable distance and accuracy) -- with the same self-deprecation and easy humor as any of today's great comic memoirists, including Eggers, Sedaris, and the like. This isn't the kind of book you want to read in public, simply because its unintentional laugh/snort/cringe potential is so high. I don't know anyone who has had so many weird, painful, debasing things happen to him.
But unlike other members of the pomo memoir brat pack, Steele uses these crazy stories as fodder for bigger spiritual truths, like how the flashy stuff we try to be on the outside (the "flashbang") is usually just a bunch of sound and fury signifying nothing. It gets in the way of real, authentic faith -- the kind of spiritual life that actually DOES make a mark on the world around us. Flashbang, as a memoir, is immensely entertaining, but there's a point to the entertainment. There's a spine to the humor, and what you take away from it is infinitely more meaningful than the few enjoyable hours you'll spend reading it. And I'd much rather learn these truths vicariously through Mark Steele, because experiencing this stuff myself? Sheesh. I'd never leave the house again.""If C.S. Lewis had been a standup comedian, I think he would have written a book like this.
It's easy to read, yes, because it's ridiculously funny. I've never laughed out loud so much during a book. But that is no indication of its depth and rest assured, it gets deep.
Steele writes in a way that reminds me of a good sermon. His anecdotes and musings keep you entertained and interested, but then he brings it all together to show you the point he's making...and it's a wakeup call. One minute you're doubled over in laughter and the next minute you're in deep conviction.
Perhaps the most endearing quality the author possesses is his ability to be real. Steele shares his thoughts with no hint of finger-pointing, high-and-mighty theology. He simply bares his soul and tells his story, and he tells it in such a way that makes it easy for the reader to relate.
If you're looking for literary fluff, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a refreshingly humorous book with true Christian roots, get Flashbang.""When I first read the opening chapter online prior to the release, I stayed up late reading it to my wife as she tried to sleep. We both laughed until we cried and couldn't wait until the real copy came out. It was definitely worth it.
Very few times do you find a book like this!! 1. It is funny. - I laughed out loud numerous times and depending on the place... oh the looks I got. 2. It is poignant. It has opened deep discussions on what it means to be a believer in this generation and how to be a greater person. 3. It is real. It addresses real issues with deliberate candor. I appreciate the way Mark takes long hard looks at himself and encourages us to do the same. That's rare in this world, but so is the author. 4. It's an enjoyable read. His writing style is easy and enjoyable to follow. It's like he is just sitting around telling stories.
It's like a conversation with good friends. It makes you think and question what you do and why you do it, but always with a smile on your face because you know they love you.""This book came highly recommended to me and it has exceeded my skeptical expectations. I love how Steele takes the lion share of the beginning of each chapter to recount hilarious personal stories and then takes the last few pages of each chapter to make challenging applications that I did NOT see coming. I have been so entertained and challenged- an unusual combination- by this book. The result is that I am now more challenged to live a life that will leave a lasting effect and NOT just a life that makes me FEEL like I am doing things that matter. Read it, you will love it!""Some books I wade through over a painful span of time (Anna Karenina, Valis, Foucalt's Pendulum, Goeddel Escher Bach), while others I (ahem) compulsively chew through (Heartbreaking Work, Running with Scissors, Time Travelers Wife and Sunshine come immediately to mind) only coming up for air after finishing the book in a sitting or so; Flashbang inhabits the latter category in my personal lexicon. Amazon lists it under: religion & spirituality - christianity - christian living - general... my category headings would look something like: memoirish - ascerbic, self reflective style with charming verbal construction - possible groundbreaker for communication within certain circles - highly thought provoking with applicable spiritual conclusions.
I simply loved it. I laughed lots. I read huge chunks of it aloud to family and friends over dinner. In fact, I feel a need to go fetch it off my shelf right now and re-read the part about the family birds."This book will make you laugh so hard you'll feel like you're going to die, and then Mark hits you hard with the truth of what God can do in us if we'll be real. This is a must read for anyone serious about making a lasting impact on the world in which we live!!!"Now, don’t get me wrong. I also got zero-star reviews. MANY of them. As with all the rest of my writings, critics and readers either absolutely love my work - or they loathe it, detest it with a need to come find me and break me down by the atoms. Many of these reviews are easy to find on Amazon and Goodreads - and they are HILARIOUS.
I place these positive reviews here to remind any writers who are reading this that there is always an audience out there who needs - and will love - your unique and particular voice. You just have to be okay to write for them and not let it get to you that your style isn’t for everyone. Some readers will love you and some will hate you. It is you who make the choice which of those readers you will expend energy toward.
When Flashbang was released (or its official title: “Flashbang: How I Got Over Myself”), the marketing push was that comedian Mark Steele was releasing a witty memoir of the most ridiculous of his adventures in the vein of popular writers of the time (most similarly, David Barry) - but that these comic adventures each had a spiritual point. The train-of-thought, double-storied chapters with a tie-together point approach was not mentioned and thus, either seized the reader with apprehension (Baptist) or glee (ADHD).
I argued against the title. I loved “Flashbang.” I knew that would be the title when I was first asked to write my first memoir. But, I wanted the second part of the title to be “How to Get Over Yourself” as I felt personalizing the title made it look like I think I have arrived and that I have no work to do in my spiritual life. Cameron especially argued that personalizing made it feel true to its memoir approach instead of seeming like a “how to” book - and that most readers would pick up easily on the reality that I am - and am aware I am - a work in progress. I think this was the right call.
The book was especially effective as a companion to the many churches that were launching Celebrate Recovery campaigns and groups in their cities. It served as a low-pain entry point for addiction recovery.
The book sold somewhere between 40,000-50,000 that first year - enough to make a splash, but not enough to make the writing of books my full-time career. These days, you’re lucky to sell that many physical copies at the top of the NYT List.
Twenty years later, the book mostly holds. I feel I focused on the right dynamics of growth because, for the most part, they are still the vital ones in my life this many years later. I dissect this thought in detail in the brand new 20th Anniversary Audio Version of Flashbang that is only available HERE.
If you’ve never read it, I highly recommend you do so in the order of the chapters as laid out below. If you have read it before, the following are HYPERLINKS to all of your favorite stories.
The memoir is broken up into six segments that reveal nineteen chapters. They are a bit of a time loop, so reading them in order is not actually in order, therefore you had better read them in order:
(Every segment of the book that is underlined is a hyperlink to that chapter in the Archive. If there is no underline, the chapter is COMING SOON TO THE ARCHIVE.)
flashBANG
teethMARKS
dumbSHOW
spitTAKE
(4x): losing face
(4xi): chorophobia
(4xii): shocking the fool
bloodLETTING
(5xiii): the negative
(5xiv): five folded fingers
(5xv): remov ls
slapHAPPY
(6xvi): braving the fall
(6xvii): free throws of a clown
flashBANG
(just after 6xvii): full circle
NEXT: Begin the Flashbang journey with “PRELUDE TO A CONCUSSION,” the forward to Mark Steele’s first best-seller.
Originally Published by Relevant Books - a division of Relevant Media Group, Inc.
©2020 Mark Steele Creative
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Cover design by Mark Arnold
Interior design by Jeremy Kennedy
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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission.
Scripture quotations marked “NLT” are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2005902183
International Standard Book Number: 0-9760357-2-3
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