Sponsored by Village Books and Paper Dreams in Bellingham, WA
Join us in the Virtual Readings Gallery as Keevil shares her brand new, powerful memoir about family, addiction, and carrying on after tragedy. She will be in conversation with fellow author, Terry Sue Harms.
When her brother dies of AIDS and her husband dies of cancer in the same year, Rosemary is left on her own with two young daughters and antsy addiction demons dancing in her head. This is the nucleus of The Art of Losing It: a young mother jerking from emergency to emergency as the men in her life drop dead around her; a high-functioning radio show host waging war with her addictions while trying to raise her two little girls who just lost their daddy; and finally, a stint in rehab and sobriety that ushers in a fresh brand of chaos instead of the tranquility her family so desperately needs.
Heartrending but ultimately hopeful, The Art of Losing It is the story of a struggling mother who finds her way—slowly, painfully—from one side of grief and addiction to the other.
“With unflinching honesty and bravery, The Art of Losing It brings readers into a world of love, loss, grief, addiction and recovery. It is a powerful reminder that what looks perfect on the outside may be crumbling on the inside. Faced with tragedy and an ensuing downward spiral, Rosemary Keevil finds the strength to change, for herself and her daughters. Beautifully written, there is no self-pity here. Her story and her family are an inspiration to those who feel alone in their struggles.”--Lisa Smith, author of Girl Walks Out of a Bar
“Raw. Honest. This is a story about unhealed grief and addiction, and how no amount of privilege can save us from ourselves. Keevil writes with utmost candor and shows us how easily we can bleed over those we love the most, but through recovery, families can and do heal. This book tells the truth! I loved it!” -- Lisa Boucher, Award-winning author of Raising the Bottom: Making Mindful Choices in a Drinking Culture
Rosemary Keevil has been a TV news reporter, a current affairs radio show host, and managing editor of a professional women's magazine. She has a master's degree in journalism and is currently a journalist covering addiction and recovery. Rosemary has two grown daughters with successful careers. She lives in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, with her partner and her sheep-a-doodle. Rosemary has been clean and sober since 2002. This is her first book.
Terry Sue Harms has been a hairdresser and salon owner for over forty years. She finds that keen powers of observation and a sincere communication style have served both her work as a cosmetologist and as a writer; plus, when it comes to studying the human condition, few places are better than the beauty shop. After a childhood of illiteracy, she taught herself to read and write as a young adult, one of her proudest and most rewarding accomplishments. She has previously self-published two books: Pearls My Mother Wore—a novel and Reflections Upon the Occasion of My 85th Year—a memoir she coauthored with her father-in-law. Her newest release is The Strongbox: Searching For My Absent Father—a memoir. Terry Sue lives in scenic Sonoma, California with her husband.