I do not yet consider myself an author. My brother and I grew up in Red Deer and I have spent many years in Sylvan Lake, raising my own two sons while building a successful beauty business selling to retailers across Canada. In 2016, I challenged myself once again, stepping outside my comfort zone and all I have known for 20 years, selling the business to follow my heart and move onto the next “chapter” of my life.

I am a wife, mom, cousin, niece, aunt, friend, neighbor… I am just like you. But what most do not realize is that I was hiding a painful secret, I am also the sister to an Alcoholic.

My memoir, The Sun is Gone: A Sister Lost in Secrets, Shame, and Addiction and How I Broke Free was just released last week. I am proud and humbled as it instantly hit #1 best seller on Amazon. This is unlike other stories of its kind. While most are written by the addict, with a happy ending chronicling just a few years, I share the whole story-beginning with a violent childhood that changed two children forever and perhaps set the stage for what was to come. A unique, nothing is off limits, account from a loving sister intertwined with the addicts much different version. A promise made to my dying brother, Brett Tisdale, to tell his story and the heartbreaking reality, that due to late stage alcoholism, he didn’t believe he was dying. My love for him, and his dependence on me would last us a lifetime and almost destroy us both.

Written with extreme candor, and no shame, I hope to help other families, giving them knowledge and encouraging them ALL to get the help they need. This is what is happening behind closed doors, around the world, and yes, even in our own small cities and towns. We need to be brave and bold, making a difference and starting the conversation in families and the community.

There are over 250 million people worldwide that are struggling with Alcoholism. In fact, it isn’t even called Alcoholism anymore, but rather substance use disorder, as that sounds more caring and compassionate. Whatever we call it, it is not shameful or in anyway a character flaw-and those startling statistics translate into over 1 billion friends and family that are affected.

What I know now is that I am not alone. Alone. It is what I felt for so long. It is how I believe my brother felt.

To learn more or buy a copy of The Sun is Gone visit www.jodeeprouse.com
Or email jodee at: [email protected]