Eleanor Tomczyk is a memoirist and humorist blogger whose work features the musings of an engagingly funny African-American baby-boomer, and ex-Evangelical Conservative Christian. Not many authors can begin a book with words to the effect of “I was born in a toilet,” literally mean it, and live to tell about it with such grace and humor.
At the age of 60, the wife, mother, singer, actress, motivational speaker, and award-winning voice-over artist set out to establish a new career in retirement as a storyteller, using her life as fodder. Currently in her 70s, the mother, grandmother, and wife of 37 years has published two books with a third due out in January 2017: Monsters’ Throwdown (2013), Fleeing Oz (2015), and The Fetus Chronicles: Podcasts from My Miseducated Self (2017). She also posts a humorous weekly blog: How the Hell Did I End Up Here?
Monsters’ Throwdown (first book of the Discovery trilogy) is a rousing no-nonsense memoir and humorous tale of survival under duress. It’s about a petunia blossoming in an onion patch. The story is universally appealing, crossing the boundaries of race, gender, and age. But even after all is said and done, Monsters’ Throwdown is a beautiful love story.
“Not since ‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X’ have I been so moved and inspired by the true story of a human being overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds to pull themselves out of poverty, ignorance, and abuse.”—Amazon Review
“Eleanor Tomczyk has written a book that brings wry humor to the darkest corners of human behavior. Allowing us a glimpse into a world most of us have never experienced, then forgiving us our laughter as she knocks the blinders from our eyes. I was knocked to my knees more than once, wanting to shake the adults in her life, sometimes even wanting to do more; my tears flowed without my realizing it, and then suddenly I would find myself laughing along with her.”—Amazon Review
Fleeing Oz (second book of the Discovery trilogy) is the journey of the author from her early days as an African-American girl living on a cult-like communal farm with a bunch of white kids, to her final escape from organized religion in 2008. Fleeing Oz will cause anyone who’s ever struggled with faith, doubt, and disillusionment to stand up and shout “Amen.”
“After reading this book I have found it difficult to get to sleep the last couple of nights. This raw expose succeeds in its attempt to bring the spiritual journeys of the author and others to life—to life awakenings. She just calls it like she sees it. I love the book. I highly recommend giving it a read.”—Amazon Review
“Gutsy, funny as heck, honest, and ultimately optimistic. What an enjoyable read.”—Amazon Review
The Fetus Chronicles: Podcasts from My Miseducated Self (final book of the Discovery trilogy) has launched! The Fetus Chronicles is a fantasy based on stories from the author’s life that are presented in a weekly podcast to an audience of one—the author’s fetus-self. The imaginary serial podcast segments are essays about the gnarliness of life which prompts the reader to wrestle with the questions: is it nature or nature that forms the final outcome of our character, and is it destiny or freedom of choice that molds us into angels or demons?
“Eleanor Tomczyk has done it again! In this, the third book of her trilogy, she conveys her honest and courageous tale of the ups and downs of a life well-lived. Although some of the specifics of Ms. Tomczyk’s story are of course unique, the themes and struggles are universal, and she takes on an “every woman” quality. As with her two previous books, “Monster’s Throwdown” and “Fleeing Oz”, her humor, both at herself and at the situations she endures, allows the reader to face his or her own struggles with less fear. The concept of telling her life’s adventures (and misadventures) to her unborn fetus-self is pure inspiration. You owe it to yourself to read all three of Ms. Tomczyk’s books, and the good news is that you can start with any one of them. They are funny, profound, uplifting, and brutally honest – in short a rare literary treat!”—Amazon Review