FIRE IN THE HOLE a year in the life of the World’s Sorriest Stuntwoman
Colleen Kelli
iUniverse

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Colleen Kelli’s FIRE IN THE HOLE a year in the life of the World’s Sorriest Stuntwoman is a highly entertaining, easy reading narrative detailing ‘events described happening as related; others were changed. Some of the individual portrayed are composites of more than one person and many names and identifying characteristics have also been changed.’

The narrative opens as the writer and her soon to be ex-partner drive toward New Mexico. Two days prior; the author had injured her knee walking the dog and now, in the midst of a break up, the partner is driving the car while the writer rests her leg out the passenger side window of the Honda Civic. Not the conventional method for dissolving a relationship.

Within the first few lines readers understand this is not a conventional gal, her life is not formula and the reader is in for a roaring good read filled with humor, self awareness and more than a little poignancy.

FIRE IN THE HOLE a year in the life of the World’s Sorriest Stuntwoman is an introspective year long journey filled with ups and downs as Kelli learns to understand how to accept herself, her fellow actors and life in general.

Moving from a gravely dysfunctional family situation into a society which is none to forgiving, accepting or patient with anything deemed off the norm, bringing with her predictable baggage caused by, left over, and exacerbated by upbringing, lack of self awareness and societal mores which tend to pound down and not uplift, Kelli is an accomplished TV actress, has forged a life which while not perfect has been satisfying, but something is lacking.

Not understanding that the healing, including dealing with and ridding herself of much of that predictable baggage, she needs must begin from within; Kelli physically moves to begin anew.

The year ahead is one during which life really begins dealing Kelli a hand she had not wanted to play. Parting from any partner after nearly a decade is not an easy thing to do, if that were not enough distress, Kelli’s angst ridden, younger sister commits suicide. Kelli finds initially; that while moving from the turbulent urban chaos known as Los Angeles to the soothing desert of Albuquerque actually does little to uplift her spirits, it does permit her to continue the acting career she does enjoy.

The tale of a lesbian woman embarking on a journey of self realization plunked into the center of strait laced America, finding work at a minor western theme park filled with colorful, often riotously unconventional, also dysfunctional folk cannot help but bring a smile, a chuckle and even a guffaw or two during the reading.

Interposed with flashes of delight and contentment, Kelli is on a trek that is, at times, demanding, onerous and out-and-out physically uncomfortable. Kelli does learn to twirl guns, make bombs, climb great heights, all from buildings and survive during one of the most trauma filled, emotional years of her life.

Kelli pens her account in a charming manner filled with a deadpan self deprecating, unique style which draws the reader into the narrative and keeps the pages turning. Kelli’s descriptions of her sluggish and at times downright pain filled changeover from awkward 2 left feet to capable stunt-woman are set down in highly readable, at times laugh out loud, hilarious detail.

I have found that too often we humans find it so difficult to laugh at ourselves, Kelli has learned to do just that and has improved, perfected and improved her life in the doing. I like Kelli’s easy reading writing style, interspersing bits and pieces concerning the folks she meets during her year in New Mexico serve to hold reader interest from the opening paragraphs right down to the last lines of the book.

Enjoyed the read, happy to recommend Colleen Kelli’s FIRE IN THE HOLE a year in the life of the World’s Sorriest Stuntwoman.