The Art of Losing It: A Memoir of Grief and Addiction

Description

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.

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 who are content with their chosen careers. She lives in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, with her partner and her sheep-a-doodle. Rosemary has been clean and sober since 2002.

2021 CIBA Journey Book Awards First Place Winner 2021 International Book Awards Finalist in Narrative Non-Fiction "As much as the first half of the painfully candid memoir is heart-rending; the beginning of the second half is terrifying. Keevil's drinking was out of control. She commonly mixed alcohol with prescription drugs and, for a while, cocaine. . . . The author, who is working as a reporter again, writes with a novelist's sense of drama." -Kirkus Reviews "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. Keevil writes with utmost candor and shows us how easily we can bleed over those we love the most but also that, 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