Growing up with a sister who might at any moment die, a father who was an angry alcoholic, Maura Casey learned to take care of herself. She also learned to drink and run from the bullies. When her mother donated a kidney to save her sister's life, the whole family thought their troubles were over. But it would take decades for Maura to heal the hurt of alcoholism, illness, and the sexual assault she experienced at twelve. Her memoir, Saving Ellen, tells her story and inspires others with challenging histories to imagine they can find their ways to a beautiufl life.

 

Bio: Maura grew up in an Irish-American family in Buffalo, New York, the youngest of six children. For more than 30 years, Casey was an opinion writer for three New England newspapers and The New York Times, where she had a seat on the exalted Times editorial board. Over the course of her career, Casey won 45 state, regional and national awards for her writing. She and her husband Pete have two adult children and two grandchildren. They live on a small Connecticut farm with their two dogs and a barn cat. Casey writes a weekly column, Casey’s Catch, (https://maurac.substack.com), and when the breeze is right, she coasts on Long Island Sound in her sailboat, Second Wind. “Saving Ellen” (Skyhorse Publishing, April 1, 2025) is her first book. Find out more about her at www.caseyink.com.