Fact and Fiction will be hosting Author Mark Turnipseed at 7pm, Wednesday September 27th for a reading of his debut work, My Suicide Race: Winning Over the Trauma of Addiction, Recovery, and Coming Out.
About the Book:
"At the tender age of six, Mark A. Turnipseed received what he felt was a clear and devastating message: it isn’t okay to like other boys, and if you do, you’re bound for hell. His confusion and self-hatred made him determined to become the boy he believed he was supposed to be, but in attempting to live a lie, he descended into a hell of his own making.
In this unflinchingly honest debut memoir, Mark takes us on a harrowing journey as he bounces off the restrictive walls of his closet and plunges into the darkness of drug and alcohol addiction, prostitution, and suicide attempts. He bravely lets us inside the raw, tragic mind of an addict and sexual trauma survivor whose self-denial threatens to destroy him and everyone who loves him.
After surviving numerous relapses, Mark finally finds a surprising key to saving his own life. While training for a triathlon, he embraces a fresh commitment to sober strategies that lead to good health, self-acceptance, and authenticity—offering hope for all who struggle with the shame and self-hatred that fuel addictions.
While showing that recovery is possible even for those who struggle for years to reach sobriety, My Suicide Race also unveils the often-unseen links between addiction, suicidal ideation, and the trauma of coming out."
About the Author:
"Fitness coach and LGBTQ addiction recovery advocate Mark A. Turnipseed is the author of My Suicide Race: Winning Over the Trauma of Addiction, Recovery, and Coming Out.Focused on good health, self-acceptance, and authenticity, Mark shares how you can tap into your best self through the daily practice of compassion and self-acceptance. Sharing his own recovery story to inspire and motivate others, Mark discusses the health-focused tools he has used to overcome addiction, take on a rigorous triathlon, and embrace aspects of himself that caused him shame from age six until adulthood. As a keynote speaker and workshop leader, Mark speaks to recovery groups and gay communities about Fitness as a Recovery Tool, Checking In on Sober Health, and When Good Health and Wellness Means Coming Out. In his work with Integrity Endurance, Mark helps those recovering from addiction navigate their personal endurance and fitness journeys by connecting them with fitness and wellness resources for holistic and balanced health."
