Teetering on Disaster

by Dr. Michaela Renee Johnson

My parents argue to this day that the few years we spent living without any electricity or running water and without a toilet to flush, did not have a profound affect on my being or my life. But let me assure you, at my adolescent age, when most girls had a Gillete Venus razor, apple smelling shave cream made with Vitamin E and warm running water, it did.



If I’d been a bit younger, like my brothers, then perhaps I would have seen the value of the way of life my parents chose for us. The quote goes something like, “You can’t choose your family.” Good thing too, because I’m pretty certain that given a choice between the one I was born into and the picturesque normal American family I would have opted for the latter and then I never would have become the completely nutty, naïve, intelligent, Mercedes-driving hillbilly, small town girl living in a big city that I am today.



The elements that define me began with the inheritance of a dangerous combination of genes from my Mom and Dad, and so I’m pretty sure I’ve been teetering on disaster since birth. But the moment which began to invent my character began the summer of 1992.

Genres: Nonfiction

326 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2009

About the author

Dr. Michaela Renee Johnson (@skytalkdoc) is an Amazon best-selling author in self-help and relationships, commercial seaplane and vintage warbird pilot, and unapologetic truth-teller helping people break free from the beliefs that sabotage their lives. With over 15 years of experience as a couples therapist, Michaela specializes in decoding the hidden patterns—what she calls Primal Wounds—that drive our deepest relationship struggles.

She’s read over 500 self-help books so you don’t have to, distilling timeless wisdom and cutting-edge neuroscience into a powerful framework for relational transformation. Her unique blend of clinical expertise, spiritual depth, and no-fluff storytelling has helped hundreds of individuals and couples find clarity, connection, and confidence—in love and in life. Her top iTunes podcast SkyTalkDoc inspires listeners to embrace authenticity, navigate relationships with clarity, and live boldly.

Michaela’s own story is anything but linear. A former overachiever turned grounded rebel, she’s navigated everything from emergency landings to psychological warfare. Raised in a 27-foot trailer with no running water or electricity, she went on to run multimillion-dollar businesses and fly vintage warbirds (yes, for real). She now uses her lived experience to connect with readers and clients who are ready to get real—and soar.

When she’s not writing or coaching, you’ll find Michaela (and Commander) flying float planes from Central America to Alaska, watercoloring, geeking out on health hacks, hiking with her dog Walter, and navigating life’s turbulence with humor and heart. But what she enjoys most is spending time with her house full of boys (fave title: mom).

Michaela believes thriving relationships begin with the idea that you’re not broken—you’re actually working very well. And she’s here to hand you the permission slip to get naked (metaphorically, but hey—your call).

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Non-Fiction Memoir. I have to say I loved this book I could not put it down, but the cover of the book makes no sense. I think a different cover would change what you think the book is about (maybe a little trailer on the cover). The part about the Christmas tree had me laughing so hard. Also the part about them getting a new toilet was to funny. The first part of the book had me laughing so many time, and then the second half of the book was more about a strong woman figuring out she is strong. A great book. I won a kindle edition of this book from a goodreads giveaways, but this review is 100% my opinion. (*)

[Cookie M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another(!) DNF. I have a lot of really bad books in my ARC stack right now.
This one is a tale of a woman whose family did a really good job of teaching her how to f#$% up her life and to be proud of it!
The first part is about how her parents went broke after living the good life in So Cal with no thought for the future, and then had to live in a camper in the boonies of northern Ca during her middle school and high school years. Part of those years with no running water.
She rewarded them and punished herself by bouncing from Mr. Wrong to Mr. Rebound to Mr. Happens To Be Standing There to.... Well, you get the idea.
Ms. Johnson belongs to the Any Man is Better Than Being Alone School. I am from the other school. The best man is worth the wait, and once you've had him, no one else can take his place.
I was almost 3/4 of the way through, and I got tired of it, so I bailed. She may have turned out okay, but I don't really care.
Plenty of grammatical and spelling errors to entertain the grammar police.
Free book for review yada yada. I gotta be more discriminating in what I sign up for.

[Teddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think I've ever read a memoir quite like this one. Never have I laughed and cried and held my breath quite so much while reading about the life of someone that I didn't know. What a life the author has had!

Michaela Renee Johnson experienced her first major upheaval in 1992 when her parents decided to sell their house to cover the expenses for their fledgling construction business. After this, Johnson's parents moved their entire 5-person family into a 27-foot trailer with no running water or electricity in Northern California. At 11 years old, Michaela was perfectly poised to be the most uncomfortable of her siblings with the new living situation.

The book actually starts with a story about her shaving her legs for the first time in an irrigation ditch. A shift of the familiar rite of passage that I think most of us are happy we cannot relate to. Michaela turns many of her semi-horrifying childhood moments into funny stories and it's clear she has found a way to look at it through rose-colored glasses.

The second portion of the book is more focused on stories from Michaela's adult life, and these were a bit more emotional and heartbreaking. At times, this part was hard to follow as it just didn’t have the flow of the first part. However, it was still worth reading.

Leading such an unsettled childhood certainly affected her emotionally as an adult and lead her to do some interesting things. I definitely felt for her with what she dealt with during her marriage and it's clear by the end of the book that she has worked a lot on herself and her own personal growth.

I admire her a lot and found myself rooting for her. Johnson writes beautifully, with just enough wit and humor to make most of the book sing. The detail and atmosphere she added to her stories were well-executed. The heights that she achieves in her career after such a challenging childhood are inspirational.

[Stephanie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming from the same small town that Michaela writes about, I feel a certain connection to the story that probably has an effect on my opinion of this book. I remember exactly where the 27 ft 5th wheel was on the property and I remember Buddy and Max. I remember Papa's Pizza, which has long since changed ownership and become something different entirely. Her brother, Robert, is my brother's best friend, and I remember the Go Kart they made out of framing material for the house. I know about the irrigation ditch and reading about it conjures up memories of my own childhood experiences in "the ditch."

But even being able to picture exact locations and faces in my head, Michaela's writing brings you into her life, plops you right down in the middle of it. After reading "Teetering on Disaster," I feel like Michaela is my best friend, like I was there with her through her first shaving experiences, her breakups, her triumphs, the tears and the laughter. I felt the struggle she went through when debating whether or not to tell her parents about her brother's new canine friend. I felt proud of her when she got into college and I wanted to rip her ex-husband's head off when she describes the physical and emotional pain he put her through.

I laughed; I cried. I got angry and sad and overjoyed and spent countless moments ponding my own direction in life. This book was a refreshing experience, unique in a sea of same ol', same ol' memoirs. I truly enjoyed every sentence.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not What I Was Expecting But in a Good Way

First I should say the I won this book on Goodreads. It was a treat to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the first part about her growing up in a camper with her parents and two brothers. It was actually so funny. Then the book changed in her adult years. As someone who is married to her Prince Charming for 32 years, I never had the experience s she had, th is have me insight.into what it could be like for someone. Great book.

[Gud Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet Michaela Johnson an ordinary girl growing up in a complex childhood filled with emotional life drama and economic hardship. Unlike the classic tale of rising from poverty into fabulous success, the memoir is a good example of a transition from privilege to suffering. The first half of the memoir starts with the author’s family moving from an upscale neighborhood in Sacramento to a trailer in the mountains. But equal to the author’s power of her circumstances is her fortitude. The stories shared by the author during this part of her life are a pure blend of humor, sadness, creativity as well as normal female teenage feeling, all filled with clever insights that may prove true to the reader.
The second part of the book introduces us to an already grown-up Michaela with tribulations much darker than the previous ones. We find her running from an abusive husband, with the help of a friend. Her weakness maybe that she falls in love too quickly, however, her noble qualities including her positive attitude, her frankness and her humor helps her discover her true self which has been long overshadowed by her past tribulations.
The author’s brilliant writing commands attention while also offering entertainment at the same time. The memoir is an excellent example of how great storytelling through blending humor and emotional scenarios can turn an otherwise heartbreaking story into a compelling read.

[Bookgirl86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good memoir. I believe that truth can often times be stranger than fiction and that hearing people's real stories is fascinating. When I finish a good memoir I get this feeling of having made a new friend in the author. 'Teetering on Disaster' by Michaela Renee Johnson gave me that feeling and more.
This memoir was at times funny, heartbreaking, mind-blowing and life-affirming in so many little ways. From Johnson's childhood riches-to-rags story to her adulthood with an emotionally abusive ex-husband, the reader is taken on an exploration of a woman's mind and heart that is unforgettable. It would be hard to count out all of the ways that I found myself identifying with Johnson throughout this book. I saw myself in her in so many ways and it touched my heart to read her story.
I particularly loved the stories about her childhood in the trailer. Though, at times her experiences of growing up in such a cramped space (with no electricity or running water) were somewhat dark, they were also often quirky and funny. The parts about her family receiving the Port-A-Potty were outrageous. I was laughing very hard at her thinking she was getting a regular toilet only to find the “Wee Chateau” being delivered one day. Like I said, at times the book was darker and it was those moments that truly gave the story its heart. J
ohnson's toxic relationship with her ex-husband was so difficult to read about because it was written so well. She truly takes you through all of the moments that made for such a terrible environment and shows you what it's like to live in that type of situation. Those were the moments in the book I found myself feeling for her most and desperately wanting her to escape. What a clever, heartfelt memoir and what an ingenious writer. This one has it all!

[Marcy Lundy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really did laugh, and cry, while reading this. I was able to relate to the experiences of the author, even though we are twenty years apart in age; the early years... amazing experience that family went through, creating a precious, ever-lasting bond between a young woman, her parents, and her two younger brothers.
The second half of the book concentrates on the trials and tribulations in her love life, and how her childhood (we were made privy to, character-building for sure!) both caused her to make the decisions she made and enabled her to deal & heal with the consequences. Her humor and positive attitude, her extreme frankness and humility (touched with a bit of narcissism) draw one to her.
She falls in love a bit too easily, over-analyzes herself and others a bit too much (for her own health), and seems like a cute little Alaskan Malamute... just forging through with the greatest of energy and enthusiasm, even though some times the conditions are icy and even dangerous. She, like the sweet doggies of the Great North, she is ever pleasing, forgiving, hard-working and never tiring. She relates to the dog world so much, calling herself Rio's mom, that she probably won't mind being compared to a canine. :) Being a dog lover myself, I think of it as the highest compliment!
I wish I had her strength, her sense of humor and wit, her looks, her intelligence, her resilience and determination; I wish I had her ability to seems so Angie-Jolie-transcendent, and yet admit to being a little Grace-Adler-(Debra Messing)-ordinary ... striking and competent, clumsy and insecure... God bless her!!
I wanna go through struggles and come out looking like Michaela Renee! One you just can't help admiring.
Very inspiring. You just know she is going to be JUST FINE! She has spirit! She has spunk! And she IS LOVED... she will never be alone ;) When she least expects it her true love will curl up next to her, and he won't have four legs!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to send my thanks to Michaela Renee Johnson, author and Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for the eBook Kindle copy of Teetering on Disaster that I won in the Giveaway.

You wouldn't think a novel with the title Teetering on Disaster would be humorous but that is what you get from this one. Michaela, her two younger brothers and parents faced financial disaster and sold everything, paid their debts and ended up in the mountains with a fifth wheel trailer, no running water, no electricity and no facilities and no money. They lived on their three acres for four years during Michaela' early teens. It is easy to relate to the family, the situation and how they survived if you have ever been in really hard times with little resources. The close bonds between family members as they stuck together, helped one another and solved problems with off-beat ideas made Teetering on Disaster a very enjoyable novel.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A joyful, thought-provoking and uproariously funny good read. I love when I find a book that just makes me feel like I am having a great time reading. Michaela Renee Johnson wrote a memoir here that, in a different author’s hands, might have come across as kind of sad and maudlin but she made it fun and life-affirming. With the talent that she has for picking out the silver-lining in every situation, I can only imagine that she is really great to have around in real life.

Here’s what happened, Johnson’s family owned a small construction business that made them comfortably middle class in early 90’s southern California. Until the stock market collapsed on Black Monday. Suddenly Johnson’s parents were selling everything (including their house) in order to avoid filing for bankruptcy. One day, Johnson arrives home to find a “27-foot Terry trailer” waiting in the driveway. Her parents had bought it with the intention that their whole 5-person family would live inside it for the foreseeable future. Of course, Johnson is horrified by the idea of living full-time in what is, essentially an RV.

What follows are faithful re-tellings of her strange and unique childhood and how it affected her adult life in unexpected ways. There was no part of this memoir that I did not love but I especially loved Johnson’s absolutely crazy childhood stories. At one point, her family lived without water or electricity in the trailer which meant that she had to do things like going to the bathroom in the woods and learning to shave her legs in an irrigation ditch. I couldn’t believe how her family managed to survive during such hard times and not kill each other. I can’t even imagine going through something like that with my own family. Yikes! I highly recommend this book if you like a good, funny, crazy memoir!

[M.M. Hudson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a fan of memoirs so, this book interested me from the start. I was intrigued to read about a family that went from wealth to virtually nothing and survived to tell the tale. This is how the first half of the book surely was.



The tale she tells is heart-breaking at best and yet inspiring at the same time. Even though today, in the new millineum, her brothers and herself would have found themselves in foster care, her parents did what they had to do. When it came down to it, the fact that they were a close knit family is truly what allowed them to survive.



Overall, the first half of the book is what I expected to read and yes, she made it out as did the rest of her family, this is not a spoiler but, the truth.



Then came the second half of the book. This section see the author as grown up and wading through the aftermath of growing up poor. She managed it and we are told so but then, the book takes a turn to tell of her love life. A life rot with ugliness and mistakes. A life of confusion and ultimately, what?



I did not like this section and was disappointed in the reading of it. I found it to be like a second memoir, it did not seem to match with the first half, although, I understood. My heart ached for her at every telling of the lovers in her life that simply did not fit.



I read on though and finished it but in the end, I was left with...nothing. The book seemed to drop off at the end. I wondered who her new husband ultimately was, even though, I could guess. I wondered how she finally ended up with a son. Again, not spoilers but information about her on the back of the book.





I wish I could give the book more than 3 stars because I would like to but this time, I really can't.

The book was just okay for me.



I ultimately wonder...is life now okay for her?

[Maria Nemelivsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt like the beginning of the book was very strong and interesting. I wish there was more about the years in college.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book lifes hard at time but we get up and keep going. Very good .

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good novel. Well written, good plot and good characters

[Becky Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Disclosure: I received a copy of Teetering on Disaster in order to properly facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

From the moment I started reading, I was hooked. The book is based in 1992 when 12-year-old Michaela’s parents made a huge move from their comfortable home to a makeshift home outside of town. I constantly found myself thinking how would we have managed if we were in their shoes?

There were parts of this transition time that I could have handled if it was just a simple camping trip. But no running water or flushing facilities for months might have just sent me over the edge. Michaela and her 2 brothers seem to most of the time make the best of what they have and it brings them closer as a family.

Mom and Dad still carry on with their jobs and although money is still tight it makes everything even more special whether it is a special pizza from the local pizzeria or a toast. This story definitely shows just how hard it can be to rough it while trying to financially put your family’s life back together after losing everything.

Teetering on Disaster is just that and yet so much more. You can’t help but feel bad for Michaela and her family in some parts, yet rejoice in other parts. You will definitely see how one person can focus on the good in her life when there is so much more she could be struggling with.

Join Michaela in this memoir non-fiction masterpiece.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out strong. Got worse as I went along though. 😒

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Teetering on Disaster: A Memoir by Michaela Renee Johnson to be a fun and entertaining read. I honestly did not know if I was going to enjoy this book at first but that quickly changed within the first few minutes while listening to the audio version of it. I loved Luanne Martucci’s performance. She really made the memoir come to life. I found myself laughing so hard at some scenes. I definitely understood what was going through. At times it was like it was written about me.
I am giving Teetering on Disaster four and a half stars.
I received the audio version of this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

[Lavender]

Placeholder

I won this book via Goodreads Giveaways.

[Serena Soape · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an emotional journey !!!

Michaela Renee Johnson has written a powerful page-turning memoir with “Teetering on Disaster”.

Kayla had such a rough complex start to life with so many turns along her heart wrenching journey. I wondered what else could possibly happen and then something else always did!

There were so many inspirational quotes that we should remember as we travel through our lives.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and definitely recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Sherry Schwabacher · Rating 1 out of 5]

Certainly an interesting story, but needed a better writer

[A. Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man. I was so intimidated when I first got this book. I’ve not read a good novel, for leisure, in a long time. I really wasn’t sure if I would finish.

But once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. I laughed, I cried, I yelled at crappy boyfriends and I learned to NEVER drink the water in Mexico. Haha

This coming of age story will keep you hungry for more and you won’t want to put it down.

[Firetruckmama · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a free Kindle edition of this book via a Goodreads giveaway, for which I'd like to thank the publisher and author.

I loved the first part of this book. It reminded me of a more sane and stable The Glass Castle - a bit of an adventure, making do with what you have, but without (thank goodness) the crazy family aspect. I found the writing, excusing some grammatical and formatting errors, to be engaging and humourous. I loved the family dynamics. I loved the garage sale scene and the realization that all was not going to be the same as before, but we'll have to make do. I enjoyed the pleasure in the little things - an outhouse, piped water, and getting a first car. I liked the inclusion of her sibling's stories and how the parents appeared to be a united front. The second part of this book, I didn't like as much - the flow wasn't as smooth and the stories were out of chronological order, making it difficult at times to keep track of what happened when. While the author was going through a rough emotional time, even the parts about returning to her parents weren't as smoothly written as in part one. Also, as others have mentioned, the front cover image has nothing (maybe little?) to do with the book, so I found that misleading.

If I could, I've give five solid stars to the first part of the book. But the second part really rates as a 3.5 in the good parts, thus a rating of a rounded down 4, as Goodreads doesn't give partial stars.

[Mitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book for many reasons. I married my high school sweetheart who turned abusive and it took me 15 years to finally walk away for good. He and I moved to Georgetown from Placerville in 1996 with our then, 11 year old son. My ex still has the house and married one of my dear friend's. I hear he's still the abusive a&$!. My rebound guy was actually Smelly Mel who I still love dearly even though it didn't work out for us as a married couple. I know of the places in which she writes of as well as the wonderful people she's added to her family after releasing this book. I've never met Michaela but I feel like I'd fall in love with her the moment I did. I've lived a lot of her life. I had a lot of insecurities before, during and after my divorce as well as feeling like something was more than wrong with me. Her final email conversation with "Mr. Disappointment" hit home because I had heard that from one or two guys after my divorce. I read this book 17 years post divorce and I learned new things about myself. Good job, Michaela.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad I won this book! I did notice a lot of typos and grammatical errors, but I've heard that's normal for goodreads wins, so I overlooked it. On the other hand, the author wrote a personal note in the book which was a nice touch. This is a very new/current book, and I will definitely recommend it.
I used this book to fufill the "IHO Women’s equality day (August 26th) read a book with a woman as the main character or about a woman you admire" category of my summer reading challenge - and it fit the category perfectly. I found the main character to be strong, witty, and easy to relate to.
I identified with all of the references in the book, and was laughing along in all the right places. I could easily see this book made into a movie, and I know I would love the soundtrack!

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teetering on Disaster: A Memoir by Michaela Renee is a memoir that takes the reader from the author's interesting tween/teen years of living in a small trailer with her family, through a rough marriage and finally to some bit of clarity when it comes to life and love. Throughout the book, the author not only recounts the funny, sad and truly scary moments in her life, but also makes a point to show what she's learned from these events and the process she used to come to these conclusions. It is a fantastic read for anyone who loves to read memoir's that are not only a retelling of one's life, but offers truth and pure honest along with it.

*Reviewer received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads

[Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

First off. Didn't understand the cover. The first part of the book about her childhood was crazy funny
I, too, had a self-honking car! I woke up my husband laughing at that scene. Then the book switched to blog posts and it kind of got bogged down. It could have been pared down and still conveyed the long, long list of poor decisions this girl made. But I gave it 3 stars because the first part was great and I loved the parents.

[Julie]

I completely agree with Carmen's review. I want to meet Michaela's family and visit Georgetown after reading this! Part 1 was extremely heartfelt and full of love. Part 2 I found confusing because it skipped around time wise making it a little difficult to follow.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five stars for the first half--unbelievable, the kind of story that must be true because it is so unbelievable, and unbelievably hilarious!! I found parts of the second half to be incredibly moving, but it was a bit confusing. Overall, "good read", indeed!

[Marvin Barruga · Rating 4 out of 5]

great read, totally entertained! author's got talent!

[Mitzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a must read! I'm so glad I won this in the giveaway! I connected with this book so much. Truly amazing.. Giving us hope.. You have to keep on keeping on!