In this Jessica Guerrieri interview, we discuss her debut, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, and how 12 years of sobriety shaped this unforgettable tale.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a raw and emotionally resonant debut that examines the insidious nature of alcohol addiction and how it distorts relationships, parenting, and one woman's self-perception. In this conversation, Jessica shares how her twelve-year sobriety journey shaped the story and why telling the truth about addiction matters.

In this heartfelt and powerful conversation, Jessica and I discuss:

• How Jessica's sobriety journey helped her write Leah's addiction story with such emotional clarity
• The mental gymnastics of addiction—and what she wants readers to understand about recovery
• How the sober community rallied around her and helped usher her novel into the world
• The truths about AA meetings that might surprise readers
• Why she chose to blur the lines between literary fiction and women's fiction in her genre-bending debut

BONUS BOOK LIST: This week, I'm sharing a companion book list of 19 addiction fiction reads, including new releases and backlist titles, that speak to the ripple effects of substance use across families and generations.

Meet Jessica Guerrieri

Originally from the Bay Area, Jessica Guerrieri lives in Davis, California, with her husband and three young daughters. Jessica has a background teaching special education but left the field to pursue a career in writing. Her debut novel, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, won the Maurice Prize for Fiction from her alma mater, UC Davis. With over a decade of sobriety, Jessica is a fierce advocate for addiction recovery.

Mentioned in this episode:

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19 Addiction Fiction Books to Read Now

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Jessica Guerrieri

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

Lara Love Hardin

Happy Women Dinners

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Both Can Be True by Jessica Guerrieri

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