Casey idolized her father; he could do no wrong even when he was drunk. Once Casey became her father’s confidant, life was never the same. Holding onto her father’s secrets made life a struggle. Finding out her mother was also keeping the same secrets made Casey angry, bitter and suicidal.

It would take sixteen years as a crack addict, manipulation, stealing, two marriages to crack heads, an attempted murder on Casey’s life because of her husband’s drug dealing and the generational curse of addiction to put her on the right path. To get to this path would mean admitting that she was so much like her father that it built a wall between her and her mother. When she realizes later that she is also so much like her mother the uphill journey of self-discovery and sobriety begins.

As clarity begins to emerge; it wakens Casey to the truth about the hard core dysfunction within her home and about the life she once thought to be perfect as a child. No longer would she be able to see her parents or her sisters as she once saw them. Soon she would begin to understand the meaning of “The truth hurts”.

As Casey stumbles through the pieces of lost perfection and family dysfunction, she discovers the art of accepting the family she wanted to hate as well as unlocking the prison doors of her own self-hatred. Explore how she deals with physical and sexually abuse by her sister's boyfriend and others to becoming a manipulating thief. Find out if Casey becomes the expectation or an exception of what has become known as societal norms.

WHAT READERS HAVE SAID

Finally read your compelling story. Wanted it to continue.
Your story needs to be told over and over again. Really enjoyed the start of the story leading up to the safe theft. “As my body prepared to go into escape mode, my brain had another plan.” I love that sentence.

Jed Mescon, Reporter
WRCB TV

I just finished reading M. L. Holly’s book. I honestly couldn’t put it down and found myself holding my breath with chills at several points in the book. M. L. Holly takes the reader into the depths of crack hell; when she describes the euphoria of that first hit off the crack pipe, one can almost “feel” the high she is describing. M. L. Holly holds nothing back in this book and the reader can feel how raw she is as she struggles with her addiction.

Cindy Bennett, BSW

Holly takes the reader into the mind of the addict. From the first sentence one follows the thoughts, then actions, of an individual in the throes of her addiction. Her story of desperation, change, and perilous walk of sobriety will captivate and inspire the reader. For those never experiencing the power of addiction, it will provide insight in the criminal behavior necessary to produce the drug and, thus, the high. ML’s motivation for telling her story is obvious as she knows it is tantamount for recovery, to continue inspiring others to believe that change is possible. An inspiring and enjoyable read.

Lynne Finnell, M.S., L.A.D.A.C

M.L. Holly gives a deeply personal and unflinchingly honest account of her decent into addiction.

Connie Ripley, M.S., L.A.D.A.C

"I can and plan to use this book in my private practice. The reading make it very easy to travel alongside M. L. Holly through her journey to sobriety. Also, made it easier for me as a licensed therapist to identify key information that can clinically be used to aid others during their journey of addiction. It was clever, how she was able to illustrate theories, including genealogical patterns, throughout her journey from addiction to sobriety. Me having the theoretical background of CBT, I found the book to be enjoying, usefully, and intense reading."

Missy Toney, LPC