"I recorded my thoughts and put them together in a series of stories that aired on radio," said Starnes, whose debut book, They Popped My Hood and Found Gravy on the Dipstick, was released this month by Pathway Press. "We got this overwhelming response to people who connected to my stories."

Starnes went on to lose more than half his body weight, 150 pounds, and ran the New York City marathon. In his book, he detailed the journey in chapters titled "Dear Jesus, Thank You for Butter," "Breaking Wind and Other Lessons in Humility" and "I Have Ugly Feet."

"For some reason, I was able to come out of each of my difficulties with a smile on my face so I wrote those essays that told the story," he said.

They Popped My Hood and Found Gravy on the Dipstick features a foreword by former presidential candidate and Fox News Channel host Mike Huckabee. Pathway Press launched the book with a party at the New York City Museum of Biblical Art, followed by Starnes' appearance on The 700 Club and a book-signing tour scheduled this summer.

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