Lisa May Bennett’s
WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING TOUR
OF
My Unfurling
My Unfurling: Emerging from the Grip of Anxiety, Self-Doubt, and Drinking
Book Summary
Wicked hangovers. Scary blackouts. Ugly fights with friends. The results of binge drinking weigh heavily on Lisa May Bennett. She tries repeatedly to savor “just a few” glasses of wine—only to find herself passed out on the couch again.
Lisa has a bucket list full of exciting adventures with zero check marks next to them. Her anxiety and self-doubt are crying out for real solutions, not more booze. And her dream of becoming a published writer is fading away. She worries that her love of a good buzz will keep her stuck in this rut. Can she take charge of her life, or is she headed for a disastrous rock bottom?
This touching and funny memoir explores the childhood experiences that paved the way for Lisa’s drinking habit. She examines her complicated relationship with her mother, her experiences as a late bloomer, and her ongoing search for validation. In an engaging and relatable voice, the author shares how she began to “unfurl” without alcohol holding her back. But will she stay sober and discover how to truly thrive?
Anyone wondering if they’ll ever burst out and follow their dreams will find My Unfurling compelling and hopeful.
ISBN-13: 9798985875003
ASIN: B09WZJXBCZ
Print length: 266 pages
Purchase a copy of My Unfurling on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Bookshop.org. You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list.
Guest Post: The Power of Writing
by Lisa May Bennett, author of My Unfurling: Emerging from the Grip of Anxiety, Self-Doubt, and Drinking
The first time I saw a bound proof of my book, with the “Not for Resale” bar across the cover, I couldn’t believe I had finally made it that far. My hands shook as I pulled the book from the package and thumbed through the pages. Could this really be happening? After all this time?
In the spring of 2017, I made the decision to quit drinking. My main motivation was to revive my dream of becoming a published author. I had majored in creative writing in college, but I didn’t really “apply” myself, as they say. Then, for the next three decades, I let self-doubt, alcohol, and the business of life get in the way of building a writing career.
So, with only a few months of sobriety under my belt, I signed up for a course to guide me in developing a non-fiction book proposal. I was eager to get busy making my dream come true. At the end of the six-month course, I was pleased with my proposal, but something didn’t feel quite right. I still didn’t have the confidence to send my full story out into the world. I had written a few blog posts about my new alcohol-free life, but could I produce a whole book?
I put my work in progress on pause and concentrated on continuing to improve my physical, mental, and emotional health. Some days were challenging, and other days felt like a miraculous unfurling—as if I were opening up to the sun after a long, cold winter.
By the fall of 2020, I was ready to start writing my book again. This time I chose not to focus so much on the end result, but to immerse myself in the process.
I knew that I wanted to explore why I had started drinking so enthusiastically at the age of 16; why it became such a major part of my life for so long; and why it was so hard to imagine my life without alcohol. I gave myself permission to sit down and write with no agenda other than to release what needed to come out. As a perfectionist, it was hard not to edit as I went, but I did my best to resist temptation.
A big part of the process was digging through old journals and writing assignments from college. Sometimes it was difficult to witness a talent that was dimmed for so long. A lot of pain and hope and resentment and naivete were present in my early writing. As I chose which of those pieces to include in my memoir, I struggled with the guilt over having let myself down for all those years. Forgiving myself for so many missteps didn’t come easy.
As I edited my manuscript, the project of developing a coherent structure for my book turned out to be almost as valuable as the writing had been. I could see my life unfolding and the false beliefs and coping mechanisms that had held me back. And I saw the promise that was there all along, just under the surface. The idea of ever going back to leaning on alcohol—whether for courage or entertainment or solace—became more and more absurd.
The progress I had made in sobriety was right there in my book, and it made me want to keep growing every day. The act of telling our stories, first to ourselves and then to the world, is truly powerful.
About the Author
Lisa May Bennett is the author of the memoir My Unfurling: Emerging from the Grip of Anxiety, Self-Doubt, and Drinking. She had a flourishing career in marketing and communications for more than two decades before finally embracing sobriety and chasing her dream of becoming an author. Her upcoming book will demystify the self-publishing process, and she hopes to encourage more people to tell and publish their own stories.
You can follow the author at:
https://www.lisamaybennett.com/
https://www.facebook.com/lisamaybennett
https://twitter.com/lisamaybennett
https://www.instagram.com/lisamaybennett
Blog Tour Calendar
October 30th @ The Muffin
Join us at WOW while we celebrate the launch of My Unfurling by Lisa May Bennett. Read an interview with the author and enter for your chance to win a copy of her book.
https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
October 30th @ Book Q&As
Visit Deborah’s blog for a Q&A with author Lisa May Bennett.
http://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/
November 2nd @ A Slice of Life
Visit Linda’s blog for a guest post by Lisa May Bennett about being a caregiver for an aging parent while trying to stay sober.
November 3rd @ The Faerie Review
Lily shares a spotlight of My Unfurling on her blog.
https://www.thefaeriereview.com/
November 5th @ A Storybook World
Join Deirdra for her spotlight of My Unfurling by Lisa May Bennett.
https://www.astorybookworld.com/
November 7th @ Sweet Silly Sara
Visit Sara’s blog for her review of My Unfurling by Lisa May Bennett.
https://www.sweetsillysara.com/
November 10th @ Chapter Break
Visit Julie’s blog for a guest post by Lisa May Bennett about how her writing deepened and solidified her sobriety.
November 11th @ A Wonderful World of Books
Visit Joy’s blog for a spotlight of My Unfurling by Lisa May Bennett.
https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/
November 13th @ Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews
Join Lisa for her interview with Lisa May Bennett, author of My Unfurling
https://lisahaselton.com/blog/
November 15th @ Freeing the Butterfly
Visit Michelle’s blog featuring a guest post by Lisa May Bennett about how anxiety played a part on her reliance on alcohol.
https://www.freeingthebutterfly.com/blog
November 17th @ World of My Imagination
Visit Nicole’s blog for a review of My Unfurling.
https://worldofmyimagination.com
November 18th @ Book Room Review
Don’t miss a guest post by Lisa May Bennett about how being sober has helped her build self confidence and pursue my dreams.
http://www.bookroomreviews.com/
November 20th @ Word Magic
Join Fiona’s blog for a guest post by Lisa May Bennett about why your life doesn’t have to be completely falling apart in order to benefit from giving alcohol the boot.
https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/
November 23rd @ Cheryl M-M’s Book Blog
Visit Cheryl’s blog for her review of My Unfurling by Lisa May Bennett.
https://mmcheryl.wordpress.com/
November 25th @ A Wonderful World of Books
Don’t miss a guest post by Lisa May Bennett about breaking old patterns and talking back to the voices inside her head.
https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/
November 27th @ Jenny Bilskie Smith
Visit Jenny’s Instagram page for her review of My Unfurling.
https://www.instagram.com/jenny_bilskie_smith/
November 28th @ Writer Advice
Lynn Goodwin shares her review of My Unfurling by Lisa May Bennett.
November 29th @ World of My Imagination
Visit Nicole’s blog for a guest book reviewer who will be sharing their thoughts about Lisa May Bennett’s memoir My Unfurling.
https://worldofmyimagination.com/
November 30th @ The Mommies Reviews
Glenda reviews My Unfurling, a memoir by Lisa May Bennett.
http://www.themommiesreviews.com/
December 1st @ Fancy That!
Visit Nicole’s blog for a guest post by Lisa May Bennett about going sober in middle age after decades of drinking.
December 3rd @ Nita Sweeney’s blog
Join Nita for her review of My Unfurling by Lisa May Bennett.
Thanks so much, Nicole!
Great guest post!