Marty Essen

Marty Essen began writing professionally in the 1990s as a features writer for Gig Magazine. His first book, Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents, won six national awards, and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune named it a “Top Ten Green Book.” His second book, Endangered Edens: Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico, won four national awards. His novels, Time Is Irreverent, Time Is Irreverent 2: Jesus Christ, Not Again! and Time Is Irreverent 3: Gone for 16 Seconds, all became Amazon #1 Best-Sellers in multiple categories. Hits, Heathens, and Hippos: Stories from an Agent, Activist, and Adventurer is Marty’s inspirational and entertaining memoir, and like all his books, it reflects his values of protecting human rights and the environment—and does so with a wry sense of humor. Doctor Refurb is Marty’s seventh—and most controversial—book. Marty is also a popular college speaker, who has performed the stage-show version of Cool Creatures, Hot Planet on hundreds of campuses in forty-five states. Marty Essen's book awards: Winner: Best Books 2006 Book Award for Travel/Essay Bronze: 2006 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award for Travel/Essay Winner: 2007 Benjamin Franklin Award for Travel/Essay Winner: 2007 National Indie Excellence Book Award for Travel/Essay Bronze: 2007 IPPY Award for Travel/Essay Winner: 2009 Green Book Festival Award for Animals Winner: 2016 National Indie Excellence Award in Nature Winner: 2016 Readers’ Favorite Book Award in Environment Silver: 2016 Nautilus Award for Animals & Nature Silver: 2016 Nautilus Award for Middle Grades Non-Fiction