Blog Tour: Book of Me

 

The Life and Times of Kevin Hipes, the New York Forrest Gump

Memoir

Date Published: July 24, 2025

From the streets of Queens to the deck of an oil tanker in the Caribbean—meet Kevin Hipes, the real-life New York Forrest Gump.

Book of Me is not your average memoir. It’s a laugh-out-loud, tear-in-your-eye, one-of-a-kind true story collection from a man who has lived more lives than most of us can imagine. Factory worker. Hippie. Banker. Entrepreneur. Rockstar (sort of). Preacher. Politician. Oil tanker owner. Cancer survivor. Bipolar truth-teller. Kevin Hipes has worn all these hats—and more.

Told with warmth, humor, and heart, Kevin’s stories come alive in this unconventional autobiography. Originally recorded as a series of YouTube episodes on his channel Planet Hipes, these 66 episodes have been transformed into a compelling, easy-to-read book that invites you to laugh, cry, reflect, and recognize a bit of yourself along the way.

What you’ll find inside:

✅ Hilarious tales from childhood in Queens

✅ Life lessons learned the hard way—and the funny way

✅ Private struggles and surprising triumphs

✅ A faith-driven journey of self-discovery and humility

✅ A reminder that we’re all “special” in our own unique way

Whether you're looking for a good laugh, a touch of inspiration, or a wildly entertaining ride through 70 years of true-life adventures, Book of Me will leave you smiling, thinking, and maybe even saying, “Hey, I’ve got a story like that too.”

📺 BONUS: After reading the book, head to Kevin’s YouTube channel Planet Hipes and experience the stories told by Kevin himself—animated, real, and unforgettable.

Because life’s not about the destination—it’s about the journey. And Kevin Hipes has one hell of a story to tell.

Preface

My name is Kevin Hipes, and I genuinely believe I have led a remarkably interesting

and special life. I have also been told many times that I am a good storyteller.

So, I decided to author a book about my life told in a series of funny and

challenging true stories. You see, I’m a very impatient guy, so it was impossible

for me to sit still and actually write a book. But as a storyteller, it was quite easy

for me to sit across from a few good friends over a cup of coffee and simply tell

my stories. This book is exactly that! I authored this book by telling my stories

into a camera which I had converted to a manuscript. You can see the original

episodes on my YouTube channel “Planet Hipes”. Check it out if you have some

time. I’m told I am quite an animated storyteller!

Throughout my life, I have had many ups & downs, unique and interesting

jobs, businesses and careers, situations, experiences and even a cool Christian

conversion story! I have always chosen to view these stories through the lens of

humor. Laughing is contagious and it’s also a great unifier as well as an effective

equalizer. In this crazy, divided world we are living in today, there is no better

way to get to know each other than to laugh together!

Now you will likely agree that many of my true tales are unique to me. But I

believe you will also see a lot of yourself or a loved one in your family in these

stories. Even if you don’t, I guarantee you this: You will connect with me, you

will laugh along with me, you will hear and feel my passion for life in these

words. You may even cry with me as I share some very private and tough times

that will be told in these true tales from the heart. These words are me personally

pouring out the stories of my life over the many decades that I have lived so

far…. I’m hoping you will enjoy them.

Also, I want you to know something right up front before you read this book.

As special as I think I am, the truth is that I’m no more special than you are.

That’s the moral of this life story. God made us all uniquely different and yet

with a lot in common. I think that’s actually the definition of “Special”! Here’s another moral of this story. It took me a long time to realize that I actually was

special. Yeah, through most of my life, I thought I was just different, kind of

“not as good” and in many ways “disappointing’ to those around me. Well, let

me save you some time and anxiety. I’ve learned over the years that by understanding

that God loves me unconditionally and made me exactly who I am,

that by simply applying a little self-depreciating humor…… all of a sudden, I

became very special! And get this, so are you!

So, in closing, let me give you some insight and understanding of how this book

came about. You see, I believe life’s about the journey. I used to be kind of shy. I

didn’t like trying new things. To be honest, I was afraid to fail. I didn’t want to

embarrass myself or be humiliated. However, as you will see, when I was about

30 years old, I found Christ and started to read the scriptures. One day, I read

a passage that said, “God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.” All

of a sudden, it hit me. I realized that it’s impossible to be humiliated if you’re

humble! You can only be humiliated if you’re proud. Wow, this was a revelation

to me! So, I said to myself, “Wait a minute, what am I afraid of? I’m going to

Heaven, so I shouldn’t be afraid of anything.” Now I’m not saying I have mastered

humility, but from that day forward, whatever I was afraid of, I did it first.

If I failed, I tried it again. And I kept doing anything and everything I was afraid

of until I conquered all my fears! This new scripturally inspired approach to life

led me to have a lot of interesting and challenging experiences, many of which

turned into great stories and exciting successes! I now have a ton of unique and

remarkable tales to share. Yes, in climbing the mountain of life, for most, it’s

all about working hard to get to the top. But I discovered that to have a fully

rewarding life, it’s actually better if you never get there and you have to keep

climbing! As I said, “LIFE IS ABOUT THE JOURNEY” and I hope you enjoy

reading about mine!

About the Author

 

 Kevin Hipes is a born storyteller, lifelong entrepreneur, and proud New Yorker with a personality as big as the adventures he's lived. Often called “the New York Forrest Gump,” Kevin’s life has taken him from the streets of Queens to the pulpit, to business boardrooms, and even to the deck of his very own oil tanker in the Caribbean. As Kevin often says “Forrest owned a shrimp boat, but I owned an Oil Tanker and my story is true!”

With no formal writing background, Kevin still managed to turn a lifetime of unbelievable experiences into a heartfelt, hilarious, and deeply human book—Book of Me. Rather than writing in the traditional sense, Kevin recorded over 100 personal episodes for his YouTube channel, Planet Hipes, then compiled them into a unique memoir filled with wit, wisdom,determination, and raw truth.

As an uneducated street kid from Queens, Kevin has lived many lives from factory worker to Hippie, to rockstar (almost), banker, preacher, restaurateur, politician and more. He shares not just the ups and downs of a seven-decade journey but speaks intimately about being a cancer survivor who also struggled through and dealt with a bipolar disorder, keeping the high energy manic side while overcoming the devastating depressions that plagued him through most of his life. You will find Kevin’s faith in God, unrelenting positive mindset and sense of humor make for a powerful story boldly told in his own words.

Kevin currently lives in Orlando, Florida, where he owns and runs HCB Real Estate, a retail commercial brokerage and development firm. Book of Me is his debut memoir and a testament to the power of authenticity, faith, and self-deprecating humor.

Follow Kevin’s stories on YouTube: Planet Hipes and experience the animated storyteller in action.

 

Contact Links

Website

YouTube

TikTok

Purchase Link

Amazon