I have received so many wonderfully positive reviews so far. Please let me know what you think and post on Amazon or Goodreads! Thank you so much!! Also, the audiobook will be out in December!! Stay tuned...
Stephanie Jane (Literary Flits):
"I took my time deciding whether to read On The Edge of Shattered because I was concerned that it might strike rather too close to home. Sober now for over twenty years myself, I could strongly identify with Kimberly when she talked about not being able to restrict her alcohol intake to just one drink and about using alcohol to give herself the self-confidence she needed for social interactions.
Kimberly recounts her descent into alcohol addiction and her subsequent journey into sobriety as two interwoven narrative threads, switching between each chapter by chapter. I felt this device worked brilliantly well because the darkness of her drinking years does get pretty deep and I felt we needed the newly found joy of her sobriety to counter it. Despite the popular perception of alcohol consumption being associated with good times and celebrations, its addictive effects can easily make drinking far from a happy experience.
On The Edge of Shattered is a searingly honest memoir which I felt Kimberly was incredibly brave firstly just to write, but also to put out into the world for women finding themselves in similar situations. Even if she had only written this book for her own eyes, it would have been quite the undertaking, dealing as it does with very personal events and memories. There is much in Kimberly's experience, particularly in describing her earlier years of emotional repression and social fear, that I recognised and could connect with. On The Edge of Shattered was sometimes a difficult read emotionally for me, but it was also ultimately a rewarding one and I am glad to have had this opportunity to review it. I hope other women can make the same positive connection with Kimberly's words as I did."
You can read more from Stephanie Jane on her blog here: https://stephjb.blogspot.com/2022/11/on-edge-of-shattered-by-kimberly-kearns.html?lr=1
Check her out!
I also had the opportunity to guest post on her blog and here is my interview:
Author Interview with Kimberly Kearns
What is your writing ritual? I write best first thing in the morning around 5AM, when my kids are asleep, the house is quiet and dark, and I have my first hot cup of coffee poured. I was never a morning person before I quit drinking. Now, early mornings are my favorite time of day. What advice would you give budding writers? Write because it brings you joy, but don’t force it. I write because I love it, and it never feels like a job. I do it because it acts as a steam valve, releasing all tension and stress for me. It makes me happy, never causing angst or frustration. Occasionally, I will sit down, prepared to write, but the words don’t come. Maybe I’m too tired. Or it’s too loud in the house. It's normal to feel stuck every now and again. If you often feel that way though, perhaps you need to rethink your writing practice. Calming music, a warm drink and a quiet house always do the trick for me though to set me up for success. Make sure you have a good routine in place for yourself. Don’t you wish you never ever picked up that first drink? I believe I had to experience everything in my life for a reason. I think all the things that happened to me occurred in order to teach me, my husband and kids something. I needed to truly learn from all those many mistakes to become the person I am today. All of those mishaps had to take place for me to grow. I needed to stop drinking at the age of 38, because I wouldn’t have been ready to change and move. What is one of your hobbies? I love watercolor painting. I find it very relaxing and forgiving as an artistic medium. I watch YouTube videos and teach myself how to do it. It’s also something I can do with my kids. What is your favorite snack? I have a thing about orange tic tacs. I have them on auto-ship from Amazon arriving every two weeks in bulk. I love them and always have a container in my bag, desk or back pocket. I just wish they weren’t so loud. What inspired you to write this book? I hope to reach other women and mothers that are silently suffering, just as I once was. I devoured so many “quitlit” books and stories about women early on in sobriety, that walked this road before me. I want to do my part, and I feel obligated to try to break down the stigma of alcohol addiction. Alcohol does not discriminate. It comes for anyone, even the picture-perfect mother who appears to have her life held together perfectly on the outside. She might actually be completely crumbling on the inside.
