Sober Truths: The Making of an Honest Woman

Old-timers in 12-step programs say that if you want to stay sober, you only have to change one thing: your whole life. This memoir, Sober Truths: The Making of an Honest Woman, recounts how one woman did that. Her personal stories describe the journey she took as two decades of drinking and despair gave way to a richly rewarding sober life.

Kelly’s demons did not go quietly when she put the bottle down. Loneliness, anxiety, distrust of others—they were all still there. This memoir tells how she has learned to be with those demons and not drink, to let go of the jealous dramas of the past and embrace a new life of peace. Along the way, Kelly reinvents herself, becoming a visual artist, starting a successful business, and developing deep friendships and a satisfying spiritual life. At the same time, she faces the challenges of emotional eating and her sober ambivalence about sexual relationships.

There is no magic potion for sobriety. It's hard work. But this book offers hope to those who cannot imagine a life without alcohol by someone who has recreated hers.