You've Got Decisions: Mandii B on No Holes Barred (Ft. Tempest X)

Summary

Decisions, Decisions - Episode Summary

Episode Title: You've Got Decisions: Mandii B on No Holes Barred (Ft. Tempest X)
Release Date: March 19, 2025
Hosts: Mandii B and WeezyWTF
Featured Guest: Tempest X

---

1. Introduction to the Episode

In this episode of "Decisions, Decisions," hosts Mandii B and WeezyWTF engage in a candid conversation with Tempest X about Mandii’s latest book, "No Holes Barred: A Dual Manifesto on Sexual Exploration and Power." The discussion delves into Mandii’s journey as an author, her personal growth, and the profound themes explored in her book.

---

2. Mandii B’s Writing Journey

Mandii begins by reflecting on her first foray into writing with her self-published book, "Up on Game," released in 2013 when she was just 22 years old.

Mandii B [04:19]: "I was 22 years old. But I sold it to like Twitter and all the things. It was great, but I never wanted to return. I thought it was difficult, it was hard."

She shares the challenges of self-publishing and her initial reluctance to continue writing due to the complexities and demands of the process.

---

3. Insights into "No Holes Barred"

Transitioning to her current project, Mandii discusses the evolution of her writing approach. Unlike her previous work, "No Holes Barred" is a collaborative effort with Weezy and Tempest X, focused on deeper personal exploration and societal critique.

Mandii B [04:53]: "This was a book wholly on, I would say, my growth, my journey, my stories."

The book aims to serve as a manifesto for sexual exploration and empowerment, moving beyond mere narratives to encapsulate Mandii's transformation.

---

4. Themes and Relevance

The conversation highlights the book’s relevance in contemporary society, addressing pivotal issues such as the reversal of Roe v. Wade and societal pressures on women regarding motherhood.

Mandii B [16:14]: "I literally discussed the reversal of Roe v. Wade in my abortion chapter."

She emphasizes the importance of incorporating pop culture and historical elements to illustrate how generational influences shape women’s perceptions and experiences.

---

5. Personal Growth and Therapeutic Process

A significant portion of the episode focuses on Mandii’s personal growth through therapy and self-reflection. She candidly shares her struggles with insecurity and the journey towards self-love.

Mandii B [10:32]: "There's so many moments of the book where I'm like, yes, I was an insecure ass bitch."

This vulnerability not only enriches the narrative of her book but also resonates with listeners who navigate similar challenges.

---

6. Challenges and Editing Process

Mandii provides an inside look into the rigorous editing process of her book, particularly the inclusion of pop culture references and the need for precise citations.

Mandii B [26:34]: "We had to go in and fucking at the end. We had to change so much, so many things because we had to be able to cite everything. It was for legal reason."

She recounts the difficulties of maintaining the book’s integrity while adhering to legal and editorial standards, highlighting the collaborative efforts with Tempest X and the support they received.

---

7. Book Formats and Accessibility

Discussing the accessibility of her book, Mandii outlines the various formats available, including Kindle and a potential Audible version.

Mandii B [31:09]: "You can make the words big. Get it? We will also have an audible version of this as well."

She expresses her desire for an engaging audiobook experience, complete with sound design to enhance the storytelling.

---

8. Conclusion and Takeaways

As the episode wraps up, Mandii reflects on what readers can expect from "No Holes Barred." She underscores the book’s central message of self-love and empowerment, aiming to inspire women to overcome trauma and societal pressures.

Mandy B [32:28]: "The most important lesson to me in this book is self love, self love. And if you don't love yourself, no one else can love you."

Mandii invites listeners to pre-order the book, emphasizing its significance in fostering authentic connections and personal growth.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Mandii B [05:48]: "Amalgamation of stories with me and my friends, with athletes."
• Mandii B [09:50]: "That's what the journey that I got while writing this book."
• Mandii B [10:05]: "I want y'all to know now if y'all believe that I am just the one dimensional Raspy voice..."
• Mandii B [16:22]: "For legal reasons, we had to cite to the T of where the fuck this was."
• Mandii B [27:50]: "That was a pain in the ass. I ain't even going to hold you."

---

Final Thoughts

This episode of "Decisions, Decisions" offers an in-depth exploration of Mandii B’s personal and professional growth through her latest literary work. By sharing her vulnerabilities and triumphs, Mandii provides listeners with a relatable and inspiring narrative that challenges traditional norms and encourages self-empowerment.

For those interested in delving deeper into Mandii’s perspectives on relationships, sexual exploration, and personal empowerment, "No Holes Barred" comes highly recommended.

---

Note: To gain further insights and hear the full conversation, tune into the episode on your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

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[Unknown]

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[Mandy B]

You mean the beanbag chair?

[Unknown]

Aren't we getting a mini fridge?

[Mandy B]

Can we create a pool on PayPal?

[Weezy]

It lets us collect the money before we buy.

[Unknown]

Ooh, yes, that's smart.

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[Weezy]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

Peace to the planet. I go by the name of Charlamagne Tha God. And guess what? I can't wait to see y'all at the third annual Black Effect Podcast Festival.

[Mandy B]

That's right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We're coming Back to Atlanta, Georgia Saturday, April 26th at Pullman Yards. And it's hosted by none other than Decisions Decisions, Mandy B. And Weezy. Okay, we got the R&B money podcast with Tank and Jay Valentine. We got the Woman of All podcast with Sarah Jake Roberts. We got Good Moms, Bad Choices. Carrie Champion will be there with her neck in sports podc. And the Trap Nerds podcast with more to be announced. And of course, it's bigger than podcast. We're bringing the Black Effect Marketplace with black owned businesses, plus the food truck court to keep you fed while you visit us. All right, listen, you don't want to miss this. Tap in and grab your Tickets [e-mail] podcast festival.

[Mandy B]

If you would like to have us answer your questions. If you have a terrible job, a terrible boyfriend, or a terrible thruffle, guess what? You've got decisions. It's another hump day. It's another. You've got decisions. And the decision you need to make is to purchase, pre order our book, no Holds Barred, a dual manifesto of sexual exploration. Sorry, y'all mad. Spit in my mouth. And power. I'm gonna say that again. No Holds Barred. A dual manifesto on sexual exploration and power with myself, Mandy V. Weezy, and our co author. We could say co author. Right? You know our writer, Tempest X, who's here for this very special edition of you've Got Decisions to talk about the book and writing process.

[Unknown]

I want to say it's not a decision you don't need. Don't just buy it.

[Mandy B]

No, it's the decision you need to make.

[Unknown]

You need to buy it.

[Mandy B]

Like, that's the decision.

[Unknown]

Buy it now.

[Mandy B]

Buy it now. Get it wherever you can get books, please support us, because, of course, we are trying to make the New York Times bestseller list, and we cannot do that, first and foremost, without the whore hive.

[Unknown]

So definitely not.

[Mandy B]

Go ahead and get your books. It is in the description of this episode and probably everywhere else. Instagram, Patreon, all the things.

[Unknown]

Everywhere.

[Mandy B]

All the things.

[Unknown]

Okay, so let's start. I want to ask you a couple of questions about the process.

[Mandy B]

Yes.

[Unknown]

So let's start with. Have you always wanted to write a book?

[Mandy B]

So I wrote a book before.

[Unknown]

What?

[Mandy B]

In 2013. I actually was like, let me pull it up so I could show you. It was called up on Game.

[Unknown]

I love it.

[Mandy B]

Up on Game by Mandy V. Literally self written, self published, self edited. So it probably sounds a fucking Mess. This was 2013, so I was 22 years old.

[Unknown]

So then you really have a perspective on how different it is.

[Mandy B]

Oh, that was way different, girl. I was an executive assistant at an ad firm, so I literally wrote it while I was at work. Like, I would just be on my desk. Be at my desk writing. I am in fear of going back to read it now. But yeah, I literally went on fiverr and had someone turn it into what it needed to be for an ebook.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Mandy B]

And literally uploaded it to Amazon. Yeah. So I self sold it, like, and all the things. I think when it first dropped, it was like, I don't know, 9.99. Then I dropped it to 499. But I remember a big deal. I made like $8,000. And this was me at 22 years old. But I sold it to like Twitter and all the things. It was great, but never wanted to return. I thought it was difficult, it was hard. And basically it was an agamalation. I don't know. When you put all this.

[Unknown]

An amalgamation.

[Mandy B]

Amalgamation of stories with me and my friends, with athletes.

[Unknown]

Yeah, I mean, I want to read that.

[Mandy B]

There was no names shared, but there was enough detail where actually you could figure out which person it was. Right. So it made the blogs. At the time I had a blog, I had Full Court Pumps. So it's literally Full Court Pumps presents up on game. And it's. Yeah. A whole bunch of short stories on women with athletes. And of course, I just got all the stories from my homegirls.

[Unknown]

So it wasn't like when we did this book with Simon and Schuster and they were.

[Mandy B]

No, this is a real publisher.

[Unknown]

No, no. I wanted to say like when they were like, can we recognize any of the people in this book?

[Mandy B]

Because, you know, so it was intentional for this not to be a book that could just be sold based off of any of our relations with someone that may have a name or may be famous. I think what's great about even what we built as a brand is that we didn't come out as celebrities. We navigated the podcast space as just being ourselves. And we've never had to lean into a shock factor of who we were dealing with. And I didn't want to do that for this book.

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

Also Night and Day. Night and Day. This is a book wholly on, I would say, my growth, my journey, my stories. This was just a retelling of other people's stories that was just like, I want to write a book. Mind you, after this process of writing it with you, I'm like, okay, I'm ready to write another book.

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

So I loved this process. Writing it with you being more intentional.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

And diving into the shit that I really think would leave a very good mark on what I believe my legacy to be.

[Unknown]

I think the thing for me about Working on this book with Hugh that was so interesting was the amount of growth that you've had from the beginning of us. Even conceptualizing what the book would be to what the book actually is and how much you have matured and grown and learned to love yourself as a woman has been one of the most beautiful experiences I've ever had.

[Mandy B]

I'm like. I'm, like, loving this person that I've become.

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

But also, I think what also took this book so long and Weezy's leaned into it, she wanted this book to be sex, sex, sex.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

I said, bitch, I'm not writing an erotica. Leave that to Zayn. Leave it to Sister Soulja.

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

I didn't want my name and still don't. I think even with the rebrand, I don't want all of what I have to offer to the world just being my sex.

[Tempest X]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

It's not just that. And what I've had to really navigate in therapy over the last four years and what my relationships have looked like over the last decade have so much nuance to it that I literally. Y'all don't even know. We sat on this book. Charlamagne came to us in 2021 about the book. We couldn't agree what the book wanted to be. I said, I'm putting therapy in the shame that I have. There's a lot of shame. If y'all go listen Back to episode one, April of 2017 to now. I cringe at some of the stories I shared it. Some of the disrespect I allowed it. Some of the relationships that were so empty that I literally put on a pedestal because. And y'all have heard me use this analogy before, I literally, at one point, thought I was only good enough for the bare minimum.

[Tempest X]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

I was only good enough to accept crumbs. I wasn't good enough to be selected or to be chosen or to be someone's number one. I was fine with sharing. I didn't want the responsibility because I didn't feel capable of being able to be that person for someone.

[Unknown]

I think the fact that you go through the psychological aspect of that, of thinking.

[Mandy B]

Oh. In this book.

[Unknown]

In this book of thinking that it was fine to be a side chick and why that has changed and why, you know, you deserve so much more.

[Mandy B]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

Even just that chapter alone.

[Mandy B]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

So much fun to work on with.

[Mandy B]

Oh, y'all gonna call me a hypocrite. I want y'all to know now if y'all believe that I am just the one dimensional Raspy voice, aggressive.

[Unknown]

Nope.

[Mandy B]

Ho ass bitch that be sitting here on the podcast. When you read this book, you'll get to see a lot of elements of my childhood, my upbringing, why I think the way I do, and why my mind has changed. I told y'all, the person I am right now, when you listen to this podcast, it ain't the same bitch. Okay. I change every day. But, no, I think that was important for me to show in this book.

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

To include what my mindset was before. Before. Yep. And bring you to the journey of why it's not that anymore. And to be able to admit that I was insecure.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

There's so many moments of the book where I'm like, yes, I was an insecure ass bitch. I thought I was fat, thought these niggas. Like, I literally. I literally admit to needing validation from men because I was so insecure.

[Unknown]

You're very open with.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

How I felt about myself.

[Unknown]

It was all about you and you not loving you yet.

[Mandy B]

That's what the. So that's the journey that I got while writing this book.

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

It's literally a mirror of me going from genuinely not being as confident or not being happy with who I am to reaching a part of my life where it's like, damn, bitch, you did that.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

And you are so dope. You are so great. You look bomb. You could pay your own bills, and you literally are living a way in which you never thought you could before.

[Tempest X]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Like, literally. I start off in my introduction talking about how I used to want to be one of the girls in the Big Pimpin video.

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

And now I'm friends with these n. Like, I'm literally friends with the people that I grew up watching. And, like, I have the money to go to the south of France. And, like, St. Tropez is one of my favorite songs by J. Cole. And I could be like, I was there. Like, if y'all go to my St. Tropez post, it's that. And so this book narrates an insecure, broken woman trying to find herself and stepping into her power, which is how we end the book.

[Unknown]

That's exactly the journey that we go on.

[Mandy B]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

And it was really. I don't get to do that in real time with a lot of people. So being able to do that with you was absolutely incredible.

[Mandy B]

Yeah. So we did pay you. So we. I double paid for therapy, y'all, over the last two years of writing this book. There's Tempest that got paid, and my therapist, which I really. So of course, got permission, ended up recording and Tempest, actually, through certain chapters, got to hear me work through things with my therapist.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

So she got to hear me break down and literally find clarity in my childhood trauma, in my sexual assault traumas, in my relationship.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

And I was like, okay, girl, here go my therapy session. I mean, enjoy.

[Unknown]

That was such a. I mean, I don't.

[Mandy B]

Norm.

[Unknown]

I don't. I've never gotten that before. But, like, that was just such a gift. And the fact that you trusted me enough to listen to those sessions and then to be able to work through those things together and put them in this book was amazing to me.

[Mandy B]

I don't think this book comes out at all if we weren't able to make it Prescriptive.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

Like, to me, this is. This book is the type of book I wanted to write.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

And I'm glad that Weezy agreed to come on this journey. We still both have sex in it.

[Tempest X]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

But it's not the sex and the jokes that you get from the podcast. You'll get some of the narratives. But again, the way we retell them is completely different.

[Unknown]

It is different.

[Mandy B]

And I am just like, I'm really glad and proud of this book.

[Unknown]

I am, too.

[Mandy B]

It's what I would have wanted to write if horrible. Decisions, decisions, decisions had to be on paper.

[Unknown]

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[Weezy]

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[Unknown]

You pay all your pals like your graduation gifters. Who's paying for the mattress topper?

[Mandy B]

You mean the beanbag chair?

[Unknown]

Aren't we getting a mini fridge?

[Weezy]

Can we create a pool on PayPal? It lets us collect the money before we buy.

[Unknown]

Ooh, yes, that's smart.

Glad we can agree on something easily.

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Okay, so can you tell us why is this book relevant now to you?

[Mandy B]

First off, they're taking away our rights, I think with. And I think also it includes that historical element.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

So for me, it was important for me to add so many elements of pop culture and today in the book. So I literally discussed the reversal of Roe v. Wade in my abortion chapter. Again, I mention the big pimping video to express what that time looked like. I have another chapter where I blame Boosie, Destiny's Child, and Neo for wanting to be an independent woman and why I felt pride in being that. And mind y'all, funny note backside. The editors did not know this fucking reference and they tried to cut it out. And I said, let me put the name of the songs in here so that you understand. But this is a part of my upbringing, like at a very pivotal age.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

2008, 2009 is when those songs dropped. I'm 18, I'm about to leave my nest and mis independent. That's why I love her. And then fucking all my latest win dependent and then I N D E P Like I can sing those songs. That's what was being fed to me.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

That I had to go and have multiple jobs, that I shouldn't have to ask a man for anything. And I think it literally impacted my view on how I had to show up, how a man had to show up, or if he did. Like, it was just my relationship to love, relationships and money was fucking skewed, of course. And so those elements of pop culture had to be in there for me.

[Unknown]

It had to be in there.

[Mandy B]

But so if you're a millennial Even if you're a little older than me. Even if you're a little younger than me. This book allows you to see how generationally you're impacted by what you're being fed.

[Unknown]

Were you shocked by the fact that we had so many notes that would come back to us? Okay, that's the end of that question.

[Mandy B]

I can't. I can't. I can't remember if it made it in because I know we just did the edits again. Were we able to keep all of the. The narrations with the Disney princesses?

[Unknown]

I don't think that we.

[Mandy B]

I think maybe that was.

[Unknown]

I think that got.

[Mandy B]

So that was another element. Right. Like, I went through this. I went through, like, wanting to include how we're like, even growing up watching Disney movies, there's a savior complex that a man will always be the one to come and save you and come and get you. Or you're willing to fucking give your voice away just to be with a nigga and get legs. Like, what the fuck? Everything is for these men's. And yeah, I think that those narratives being given to me and fed to me early on is why this is important. But kind of like what Weezy said as well, like us leaning into non monogamy so much and me expressing why I don't want to be a mother, and the pressures that society gives you to, literally, your value is placed on your womb. Like, I feel like it's great to have me share and Weezy share our non traditional scope of life.

[Tempest X]

Yes, yes.

[Mandy B]

Because you're gonna get that in this book. And I think that that's what right now we're in the ethical non monogamy women, either sharing their, you know, fertility battles and journeys, maybe not being able to have a kid. Like, to me, it's literally inappropriate now to ask a woman why she doesn't have kids.

[Unknown]

I agree.

[Mandy B]

Because we're able to share the struggle that so many women have with infertility.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

And so I love that we're stepping away from that. While also the government is trying to take our rights away. So.

[Unknown]

While the government is trying to force us.

[Mandy B]

Well, literally. Literally, it's. So that's why this book is reveling. Reveling now. Relevant. God damn it. God damn it.

[Unknown]

It's relevant, it's revelant, it's revelatory. It's all the things. Okay, so don't worry about it.

[Mandy B]

God damn it. This is why we needed a writer, y'all.

[Unknown]

I love words.

[Mandy B]

Y'all would have got words. Y'all would have been reading shit like, now, what the fuck am I saying?

[Unknown]

Can I say something that did happen in this book? Sometimes I would read words and be.

[Mandy B]

Like, is this a word? What?

[Unknown]

And I'd be like, I think that they mean this. So I'm gonna put that in there and hope so that I'm correct.

[Mandy B]

I ain't gonna hold you. There was so many times like, she was like, yeah, so I think we wanna use this word.

[Unknown]

I'm pretty sure this.

[Mandy B]

I'm pretty sure you mean this.

[Unknown]

I don't think this word exists yet.

[Mandy B]

I'm like, yeah, that's the word that.

[Tempest X]

Did happen quite a bit.

[Mandy B]

Florida education system. What do you want from me? Okay.

[Unknown]

I'm from Reading, Pennsylvania. I didn't have no.

[Mandy B]

Listen. And now I just talk for a living. And y'all know every week y'all go get made up words for me.

[Unknown]

I had nothing. I had nothing that good.

[Mandy B]

Sorry, Reddick.

[Unknown]

No offense, but. Okay. So the next question I wanted to ask you was, what was the most unexpected thing about the process of writing this book?

[Mandy B]

First off, the fact that our proposal is nothing like the ending book.

[Tempest X]

Nothing.

[Mandy B]

So when we started the book process, I was still in love in the most toxic way with my ex. And Weezy was newly single, having a fucking blast.

[Tempest X]

Yep.

[Mandy B]

And during the year or so of writing this book, I became single and literally dealing with my first heartbreak. I was.

[Unknown]

No, literally. You guys got the publishing deal.

[Mandy B]

We got the publishing deal. And Weezy got in a relationship, and.

[Unknown]

I'm single, and you had to tell me you're.

[Mandy B]

Like I said, I hate.

[Unknown]

Like, I don't know if you know, but I don't have a man anymore. I was like, oh, well, that changes everything.

[Mandy B]

That changes because I think we had decided to end this proposal with. And now I finally found love.

[Unknown]

Now I'm in love and I'm happy, and I'm floating through the air with happiness.

[Mandy B]

Like, I went through all this shit, and now I got my person, bitch. We got the deal. The proposal gets approved, and I gotta go to her like, Ay. Yes. So I know we, like, wrote what these chapters would look like. Hey, bitch, they change it.

[Unknown]

I thought we were ending on a happy note, but we're not.

[Mandy B]

We're not. Like, I literally.

[Unknown]

It is happy, though. It is actually the happiest note.

[Mandy B]

So it ended up being happy because. So during the process, y'all, I'm healing. And I know y'all got sick of hearing this nigga. So I found it difficult for any Chapter that I thought he would be in, I literally couldn't write because I was so angry.

[Tempest X]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

I was so angry that I was like, bitch, how am I supposed to write that? I'm happy in this moment with a nigga that I know betrayed me, that hurt me. And I'm literally like, hey, we gonna leave them chapters for the end. So I think there were, like, three or four chapters that were literally all about him and what we'd experienced during our relationship. And as we started writing, there started becoming epiphanies and other things. I was like, we can cut that chapter out of that, nigga. We could cut that one, too.

[Unknown]

This chapter is not about him.

[Mandy B]

And there's a whole chapter that was supposed to be about him in the dungeon.

[Tempest X]

No.

[Unknown]

And it's not.

[Mandy B]

And it wasn't at all.

[Unknown]

It's about you.

[Mandy B]

It's about me. And so I was really glad that therapy was present because I was so angry with how that relationship ended that I had a block up on how to present him as a good, loving person, which was needed. Which was needed for what the themes would be of those chapters.

[Tempest X]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

And so through the process, we got away from that motherfucker. But, yeah, I think that. That during the process, I was surprised at how much you don't realize your life literally changes by the week.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

So from friends that are no longer around, business partners that are no longer around, your mental health that fucking goes up and down like a motherfucker. I went from writing her and her coming to my apartment to her knowing that these were my last couple weeks in this apartment because I was relocating to another state. And so the process of really being able to be like, damn, bitch, a lot can happen in a year.

[Unknown]

This year has been.

[Mandy B]

A lot can happen in a year.

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

So, yeah.

[Unknown]

So then the next question is, what is your favorite chapter that you wrote?

[Mandy B]

Favorite chapter that I wrote, I would say, is my abortion chapter.

[Unknown]

It's really good.

[Mandy B]

My abortion chapter. You didn't have very many edits. The editor didn't have very many edits.

[Unknown]

No, it's just over.

[Mandy B]

I did all of my own research and plugged in the stats that I wanted. Again, the Roe v. Wade reference, being able to include my mom's feelings, being able to include Keita's feelings, being able to go back to that day. I was proud that I fucking wrote that chapter.

[Unknown]

You wrote that.

[Mandy B]

I wrote the hell out of that chapter.

[Unknown]

Yeah, you did.

[Mandy B]

That was my favorite chapter to write.

[Unknown]

It was really good.

[Mandy B]

And I do like that the chapter That I think got better with edits would be the unicorn chapter, because I think they tried to get rid of it because it seemed like it was the same thing as Weezy.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

And I was like, no, the fuck it ain't. So I just had to do it through a different lens, which it made it better. Yeah.

[Unknown]

Like, that's the thing that I think a lot of people don't know. Like, you go through so many edits in a book because it keeps getting better and better and better the more you work on it.

[Mandy B]

I do want to share with y'all bts moment of transparency, because I thought I had a fucking genius idea, and it ended up being the fucking death of us.

[Unknown]

What was it?

[Mandy B]

So y'all within this book again? Because it was important for me to tie pop culture. We do this thing where, as women, the patriarch is our fucking.

[Unknown]

The patriarchy keeps us down.

[Mandy B]

The patriarchy keeps us down. And as a matriarch, we will overcome it. Yes. So my ass. Before every chapter, we have a patriarchal bullshit and a matriarchal and a matriarchal reply.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

From celebrities and philosophers and politicians throughout history. Yes, y'all. For legal reasons, we had to cite to the T of where the fuck this was. We couldn't use tweets because of some other shit. We had to go in and fucking at the end. We had to change so much, so many things because we had to be able to cite everything. It was for legal reason.

[Tempest X]

Painful.

[Unknown]

I was on vacation, mind you.

[Mandy B]

It was so painful. And I'm like, well, bitch, we got to do it. Because I want to say I want this in the book.

[Unknown]

I was literally in my hotel room. My husband was livid, and we were looking up quotes.

[Mandy B]

And mind you, the quotes relate to the chapters.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Unknown]

So I'm literally tied in.

[Mandy B]

I'm googling celebrities that don't believe women should have autonomy of their body. And look at our quotes. Celebrities that are pro abortion, politicians that put bills like. And I'm literally spending. I'm going.

[Unknown]

We spent hours.

[Mandy B]

We quote bell hooks, I quote Cher. We quote Tracee Ellis Ross. And then we have to send them literal, like, transcriptions and YouTube videos and cite everywhere. These people actually said this shit. And I was like, bitch, this is work. But I want to keep this shit in the books so good.

[Unknown]

It ends up being so good. But it was such a pain in the.

[Mandy B]

It was a pain in the ass. I ain't even going to hold you. It was a whole pain in the ass.

[Unknown]

And then the last question I want to ask you, what do you think is the most surprising thing that readers will learn about you in no holes barred.

[Mandy B]

That I have a heart. God damn it.

[Unknown]

You have a huge.

[Mandy B]

Not just a black hole there. I know you guys think that I am, you know, this. This villainous bitch. No, I think it's going to be. I think. I think a lot of people believe I'm stuck in my ways. And I think what's going to be amazing and incredible to read is how much you actually get to see my growth.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

I know the actual members of the Whore Hive who have been tuning in. It's visible to them. Maybe not the every week listener will know or be able to actually pick that out and how I've changed from the start of this podcast to now. But when you read the book, I think my ability to hold myself accountable.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

My ability to hold up a mirror and be like you was a raggedy bitch. My ability to know my decisions were poor.

[Tempest X]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

And came from not knowing.

[Tempest X]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Came from me being selectively ignorant. See what I did there?

[Unknown]

I think I heard that's a really good podcast. I heard it's great.

[Mandy B]

I'm enjoying the hell out of it. And I think for anyone that listens to that pod, you'll be able to hear just more of me. Like, because I do look at this, the world and life as it is from, like, such a different scope that I think people do.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

I do think the government is. Is fucking putting us in a bubble. Like, I believe all those things, but I. I believe I have one life to live, and I'm just fucking trying to figure it out. I don't think I know everything. And I think some people may think I believe that I know everything and that I'm always right. You will read in the book that a bitch been wrong about relationships, how I've navigated things, and that I've also come in that I've also needed to unlearn a lot.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

And my willingness to do so, I think, has gotten me here. And I'm like, I'm so proud of this book. I think.

[Unknown]

Me too.

[Mandy B]

This book, if you hate me, you gonna like me after you read it. You're gonna love her after me. But, yeah. No, I'm just so proud that I laid everything out on paper in a way that I'm proud of.

[Unknown]

You really did.

[Mandy B]

In a way that I'm so proud of. And I'm so glad that you were able to do this with us and that you were able to have us on our separate journeys, but then also make our voices come together for the bigger picture, which is that as women, we are all on these journeys. We have to overcome the trauma.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

We can't. We can't allow this world to make us victims.

[Tempest X]

And. Yes.

[Mandy B]

And keep us hidden by our fears. That we have to overcome it with power. And that's what this book, I think, will do to any and everyone. Literally, when they're like, who's the demo? Women from the ages of 18 to 45. I'll go to 55.

[Tempest X]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

I ain't going to hold you. My mama said, I'm jealous. Y'all get to do my mama doing some of these things now. And she just reminded me she's over 55.

[Tempest X]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

So 18 to 60.

[Tempest X]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Because I don't think the font's big enough for everyone over 60. But no, I'm just on Kindle.

[Unknown]

We can make that on Kindle. You can make it.

[Mandy B]

That's right. Kindle. You can make the words big. Get it? We will also have an audible version of this as well, where we get to read it. I don't know the budget, but I just listen. I told you, Will. Packers. Sounds like a movie. I want y'all to hear it. When I say I'm splashing, I need y'all to hear splash. Like, I want sound design for our audiobook. I don't know if Simon and Schuster's gonna do that. I don't know. Like, when I say I'm getting hit from the back, I want music. I need you to hear my ass getting hit from the back. You feel me?

[Unknown]

I don't know if they're gonna. Simon and Schuster.

[Mandy B]

I don't know. You don't think they're gonna lie? Charlamagne. I need my ass getting clapped for the audiobook.

[Unknown]

I don't see the team we're working with over there saying, let's get the ass clapping going.

[Mandy B]

But no, this book is literally for women of all ages and colors.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

Like our relationships with men and women, us navigating sex, it's the same. It's the same ups and downs that you have, whether you're monogamous, non monogamous, whether you like women, whether you like men, whether you like it from the back, whether you like it from the front, whether you like or whether you don't. It's all there for.

[Unknown]

The most important lesson to me in this book is self love, self love. And if you don't love yourself, no one else can love you.

[Mandy B]

Which can I tell you through line. This is how this book happened. First chapter of mine is Self Pleasure. Last book is Admitting I love myself. Yeah, so literally self love is how I navigate with pleasure and in progression. And what I learned about myself is to love myself.

[Tempest X]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

So it's a full journey that I'm still on. By the way, we don't have all the answers and you'll see that in the book because we're not experts on life. But it's a great book and I'm so glad that we get to share it with you guys. So make sure you order your book now. Pre order will help us get to our New York Times best sellers goal. And we can't do it without you guys. So go to any of your independent booksellers, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles. No holes barred. Make sure you cop that. And thank you guys. Make sure you subscribe. Follow us all the things if you want to watch this, you can always join our Patreon patreon.com backslash Horrible decisions. It's another hump day. You've got decisions. And the decision you got to make is to buy Noah's guard. Now. Now. Thank you guys. Until next week by.

[Unknown]

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