9Frances W. North is serious, funny, spontaneous and a lot of other adjectives. At 84 years old, she's experienced a lot of life, not all of it good. She was the youngest of 14. Her mother died when she was in first grade, . She lost her father at 17. She and several siblings were shuffled around and even did a stint in foster care. She became a twice divorced, single mother. You name it. But the perseverance she developed and the wisdom she gained traveling those bumpy roads is worth noting.

Since speaking freely has never been Frances' shortcoming, the youngest of her two adult daughters compiled enough conversations, zingers and one-liners to fill a book, literally.

Frances is a walking, talking, anecdote who spews forth profanity, sage advice, and more than a few non-politically correct opinions. Her children are not exempt, celebrities aren't either, nor is the general public. If it's in her head, it'll probably come out of her mouth. But, that's what makes her FRANtastic.