MARC LAWRENCE was born in Columbus, Ohio, and grew up in the country near Grove City. At the age of nine, his family moved to Gainesville, Florida, and then to Lake Santa Fe, near Melrose. He and his dog, Tawny, explored the swamps and marshes for miles all around. He entered the University of Florida in 1964, but after struggling academically for two and a half years, he dropped out and joined the US Army for a three-year study break. He became an artillery officer, serving in Vietnam from 1968-69. He is the recipient of the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, and several other medals of lesser consequence.
He reentered the University of Florida upon his return to the real world, discovering the science of geology and diving into it headlong. He graduated with both BS and MS degrees and began his career immediately, working with three different engineering companies over four years. In 1977, he joined Fairfield Industries, beginning a long career in the applied science of geophysics. He rose to senior vice president and became a member of the board of directors. He retired from Fairfield in 2010 and immediately joined Global Geophysical. In 2014, he formed his own company, RosettaStone Exploration Consulting. During his career, he was highly involved with industry trade groups such as the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) and the International Association of Geophysical Contractors (IAGC), where he served as chairman of the board for two years. He continues to be on the board of directors for In-Depth Geophysical. His work has taken him to over forty countries across the globe.
He is married to his wife, Karen, who has been his support during the five years it took to write this book.
Q: What motivated you to tell your story, and why now?
A: As I went through life, I would tell stories to people who would invariably say, “You should write a book!” So I did.
Q: What was the most challenging part of writing your book?
A: Getting memories from my head into digital form on a computer. I am computer illiterate—can’t type and don’t know Word or any other programs—and tried dictation, but I spent more time correcting what it typed than it was worth. So I wrote by hand. The outline alone was fifty handwritten pages. A friend (Ken Dropek) had similar afflictions and showed me his simple setup to hunt-and-peck my way through fifty thousand words. My neighbor Wes set me up in Google Docs, as Word was too complicated, and helped me through the inevitable computer glitches. Everything was typed hunt-and-peck on my iPad with an attached keypad.
Q: How did your military training or mindset influence how you approached your writing?
A: Military experience had no bearing on getting my story onto paper. It was a frustrating experience dealing with numerous computer errors, and then, after writing for hours, it would all disappear somewhere, never to be found again. I have NO patience, and shouting numerous expletives at the keyboard didn’t seem to help. Resilience in not giving up was probably the military-related strength that helped. It was a total struggle just answering these questions. I have the questions on my iPhone and am typing this on my iPad, and each time, something invariably screws up and I have to start over!!
Q: Who do you hope finds strength or comfort in this book, and what do you want them to take away from it?
A: I didn’t write this book as something to help anyone but to get my experiences down on paper at the urging of friends and strangers. I just thought my life was uninteresting and completely normal. As I relived these experiences while writing, it began to dawn on me that maybe someone could benefit from hearing what I went through and knowing that I NEVER QUIT! And maybe there was only entertainment value in some stories, so everything was not so heavy. There are other veterans suffering from PTSD who are burdened by their experiences and need to know there are ways to relieve that burden. Maybe they can’t do it like I have, but the simple step of telling your story out loud can be a catharsis in itself. I didn’t tell some of my really dark moments and may write about them in a future book. It was a real roadblock, as I could not bring myself to write about them. I told a friend (Ron Neal) about this, and he said something to the effect that it was my story, and I didn’t have to write about all the “scabs” in my life. From that point on, I wrote until completion as it sits today. The other thing I found difficult was finding which life experiences in the military provided me with certain characteristics such as leadership and resilience.
Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking about writing a book based on their real-life experiences?
A: Learn how to type and operate word processing. The younger generation is well-versed in this, whereas I was not. I took typing in high school to meet girls and got a D. Never advanced beyond eighteen words per minute. Dropped typing, took chemistry, and made an A. Write an outline in whatever sequence you want—I chose chronological—and then expand each of those elements as you remember them. You may go back and forth many times.
Q: What’s one thing readers might be surprised to learn about your journey, whether in life or in writing?
A: I don’t know, and nothing comes to mind. One friend asked if there was sex in the book. Upon my negative reply, he said, “It’ll never sell!” Maybe I should consider that in the next book.
Q: Do you have a writing routine or ritual that helps keep you focused?
A: Never write drunk.
Q: Is there a particular quote, motto, or piece of wisdom that guided you through the writing process?
A: I used my favorite quotes throughout the book. I omitted Willie Nelson’s “The Penis Poem”!
“God fights on the side with the best artillery” from Napoleon was another omission.
Q: Would you write another book (or are you already writing another book)?
A: Yes, and I have alluded to it in the final paragraph of my book. It has not risen to the outline stage yet, as the elements are still rolling around in my head.
Q: Is there an author you look up to, and why?
A: No one I haven’t already mentioned. Cannot recall any influential books or sayings other than what I have already mentioned. While a lot of folks would say the Bible, I cannot. Marcus Luttrell is a hero, but I’ll never tell him that! The guys who fought alongside me were all heroes in my mind. Every one of them! So were the heroes flying above us.
Marc Lawrence's new book, Still Standing, is coming soon November 10, 2026!