Blackout Girl

Blackout Girl

Update: A 2nd Edition of Blackout Girl published by Hazelden on sale now, loaded with new content, chapters, a discussion guide and more!

Discover the tender gritty, self-told survival story of a teenage addict. Here is a cant-tear-yourself-away look at what can happen to the one-in-five teenagers who have a drinking problem. At age six, author Jennifer Storm was already stealing sips of her mothers crème de menthe.

By age 13, she was binge drinking and well on her way to regular use of cocaine and LSD. She anesthetized herself to many of the harsh realities of her young life including her own misunderstandings about her sexual orientation which made her even more vulnerable to victimization. As a young teen, Jennifers life was awash in alcohol, drugs, and the trauma of rape.

The upside is that Jennifer came through untold darkness to create for herself a life of accomplishment and joy. Her remarkably tender and telling story proves that forgiveness and redemption are more than possible through recovery and a commitment to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

A 2nd Edition printing of Blackout Girl is coming in summer of 2020 with new content, chapters, discussion guides and more. Stay tuned for details!

Target Audience

A perfect-pitch memoir for readers drawn to stories about hitting rock bottom and finding redemption.

Key Features

  • Presents a lively look at American teen culture and the pressure to engage in high-risk behaviors.
  • Inspires readers on of how to regain one’s life after addiction and trauma seemed to have cost a person everything.
  • Offers a realistic look at how teens and young adults can begin taking honest responsibility for their sexual orientation.
  • Illustrates how forgiveness of self and others plays a key role in rebuilding one’s life.

Reviews

“A common story. A rare twist. When the American Dream becomes her secret nightmare, quietly Jennifer Storm begins the dark descent into addiction. Then she discovers that the same events that destroy her, also create her. Written in a humble, raw voice, Jennifer Storm helps us remember where we came from–and why. ‘Blackout Girl’ brings us one step closer to forgiving ourselves for something we didn’t do.”

Melody Beattie, author of Codependent No More, The Grief Club and other best sellers.

“Blackout Girl is a little more than 200 pages of nearly non-stop intensity….”

Bismark Tribune Review

“Her story is heartbreaking – and illuminates an issue in the lesbian community that is not yet widely studied, and is barely talked about: lesbian alcohol and drug addiction.”

365gay.com

“Blackout Girl by Jennifer Storm is an enlightening story of her life. She explains how recreational drugs and alcohol turn into a way of living; making death a more peaceful solution. This is a great book for anyone facing a similar situation. Through recovery programs along with the fellowship you realize you are not alone. This book gives you the tools needed to make healthy choices and lead a wonderful life.”

Marlena Marchesi, Heavenly Wood Works, Inc.

“An extremely honest and provocative book, Jennifer Storm’s Black Out Girl: Growing Up and Drying Out in America validates the lives and struggles of recovering addicts in living ‘one day at a time.’ Storm’s book will be an inspiration and a means of support for people trying to reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction. Jenn has taken her own demons and laid them to bare for others to know that they are not alone in their struggle.”

Sue Rankin, Pennsylvania State University

“I have read my share of stories of addiction and Ms. Storm’s tale is among the most unnerving I have read in a while. I recommend Ms. Storm’s book for any young person who wants to see what the life of an addict is really about – no holds barred. There is no sugar coating here, and because the writing is uncomplicated, it may appeal to a younger audience. This is a book written with courage and hope from the heart of a young woman who has been through hell and whose life is an affirmation of the gifts of recovery.”

Ginger B. from The Second Road Family

“Like a high-speed train racing uncontrollably down its track, first-time author Jennifer Storm takes her readers on a fast-paced journey through the dark and tremulous world of drug and alcohol addiction. Witty, moving, sometimes terrifying, and always poignant, Ms. Storm’s memoir is told in glinting chapters that eerily reflect the blackouts that so frequented her adolescence. Written in strong, unembellished prose, Blackout Girl is skillfully gripping and ironically addicting; readers won’t be able to tear themselves away from Ms. Storm’s journey from a 12 year old rape victim, to a burned out junkie living from friend’s couch to friend’s couch, to her compelling and tearful recovery at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. Storm’s insight into the drug culture of America as well as her talent for exploring her flaws and imperfections make Blackout Girl an encouraging yet haunting experience for readers from all walks of life.”

Christopher Brown, Librarian

“This story is not unique. And that’s unfortunate. It doesn’t mean, however, that this isn’t a valuable book and another reminder of the dangers American children face, particularly when they’re left unsupervised. Alcohol and drug addiction, an equal-opportunity disease, remains a menace in this society, and I think the true purpose of this book is to alert parents of adolescents and teens to what’s beyond their suburban fences and to PAY ATTENTION.

“When an addict lives to tell the tale, it’s always cause for celebration. Jennifer Storm writes with a simple, disarming style, wears it all on her sleeve, and bares little if any residual shame–just the ugly truth of her life as an addict. She illustrates the three distinct paths ahead for anyone drinking and drugging to that degree: jail, death, or recovery. And in spite of spending a good portion of her teen years experiencing blackout, she remembers and relates quite a bit about being raped (more than once) and her foray into intoxication to escape “the pain,” from simply stealing sips of her mother’s green liquor to becoming a suicidal crack addict.

“There’s room for these stories outside of AA meetings and in commercial fiction, with the hope that anyone who stumbles upon this book will find information, solace, and perhaps, steps toward recovery for themselves or someone they love. Storm also touches on why recovering addicts feel the need to share, when she relates a scene during the ride to rehab in “a druggie delivery car with a stoned crackhead” to her right, who acknowledges her in a way that shows he understands. It puts her at ease.

“I recommend this book for parents of at risk children. If you know someone who fits this description, hand him or her a copy of Blackout Girl and suggest they read it cover to cover. Given the generally selfish and disengaged nature of these types of parents, you might have to read it out loud.”

Michelle Cozzen, Author of A Line Between Friends and The Things I Wish I’d Said.

“What I loved about this book was that Jennifer was not afraid to share the ugly side of her addiction and substance abuse”it took her to some very daunting places that many would be too ashamed to share.  I also was happy that hers was such a success story.”

Deanna Geers, TeensReadToo.com

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