The Mess Welcomes Catherine Townsend-Lyon

Welcome Catherine Townsend-Lyons & her husband Tom

This Saturday I am pleased to introduce Catherine Townsend-Lyons, author of Addicted To Dimes (Confessions of a Liar and a Cheat).  In a day and age where addictions are surrounding us, her story is one many need to hear as it offers hope and encouragement.  She is also the author of two blogs, her Recovery Blog and her writer's blog, which I enjoy listening to for the soothing sounds.  Catherine and I first connected on Twitter and from there began to share on other social media sites.  She is a great friend and a sweetheart, always ready to support others with encouraging words.  She has a unique writing style as you'll see and a giant heart.  After hearing her story, I'm sure you'll want to check out her book and visit her other sites.  Don't be afraid to look her up on Twitter and Facebook as well.  You'll enjoy the banter and laughter.

Before turning it over to Catherine, I just wanted to thank her for sharing her story and her heart with us today on the Mess.  It's a pleasure, not only to have you here, but to have your friendship everywhere else.  I am sure my readers are going to be touched by your tale.

Now, grab that cup of coffee, settle back, and enjoy meeting, Catherine Townsend-Lyons.

I want to first start by saying to Mr. Robbie Cox, that it has been a Pleasure to have not only Met you, but you were one of the very first to embrace me for WHO I am today, not where I've been in my Past. You have supported me in my Recovery and with my book for almost a year now, and my Life has been enriched from your Friendship. So Thank You for that.

Now that the sappy is out of the way, Hello to all Robbie's pals. I'm Author, Catherine Townsend-Lyon, and I'm a recovering *Addicted Compulsive Gambler*......I will try not to bring you all DOWN, or get you Depressed, but the nature of "Subject Matter" of my book is not of Fun nor Humor. I'll start by letting you know a Wee Bit about Me.
  
I was born in Toms River, New Jersey into a military family. I, the third child of four was born on *Thanksgiving Day* and my mother never let me forget it, because she missed a MEAL!!....LOL..... I was born November 26th, 1962.....yes, if you count, I just turned Fabulous 50 this past November. But my past was far from *Fabulous*.......And now the BAD STUFF.

Most of my working life was spent in Banking and Finance, and Collections. I hated math, and my grades in that area proved it. Funny,... I still became a Banker. I had a pretty normal life as a kid, up until the first time I was abused by a friend of my dad’s. Then again by a friend of my older brother. From 9 to 12 years old this happened to me……AND NO Little Girl should ever have to endure this, and it just made me retreat within myself. Not to mention the physical abuse used by my mother as her form of disciplining us kids. But hey, our parents tried to raise us the only way they knew how at the time. And later in Therapy, I was told parents do the same parenting they seen THEIR parents use. And my Mom's father was violent.

The two together was all I needed to use as an excuse later in life, when all those “UGLY” memories resurfaced in my late 30′s, early 40′s,  I had stuffed away so so deeply. Before I knew it, I started to use a form of *FUN & *Entertainment*~~ *Gambling, as a way to “Escape” all the pain and hurt that began to HAUNT ME, and not knowing how to DEAL with it in a healthy and proper manner, I gambled and gambled, until it had me on my knee’s begging G-D to let me DIE……..WELL,…..be careful what you wish for!!

After two different attempts to leave this world, two hospital stays, and two entries into an Addiction/Mental Crisis Center,……I finally entered Recovery! I had to work my butt off to GET MY LIFE BACK! Hundreds of Gamblers Anonymous meetings, hours and hours of Therapy, Working the 12-Steps, and a couple of RELAPSES, I finally found my way into long-term recovery for over 6+ years now and counting…….NOW, Your asking yourself, WHAT does all this have to do with WHY you’re a Writer?……I’ll tell you,…..I don’t really consider myself as ONE! Well maybe just a Little.......

I say this because I was not college educated, never took a writing class, hated English in High School, (GASP!)…..I’m just a WOMAN who happened to write a *Little Story,* MY story of Addiction, Mental illness, Childhood Trauma & Abuse, Dark family secrets, and RECOVERY.

It’s what my New published book is about. Here is how it starts out, and how my Book came to be.........

I woke up to another rainy day in So. Oregon to find my husband had already left for work.  I noticed he left our local newspaper on the counter. I picked it up, sat down and began to read. A small article headline happened to catch my attention, so I read it. It was about a woman police officer and hotel workers found in a hotel room at a Large Indian Casino about 42 miles North of my home. I’d been there myself many times. Her body was found dead on the floor in the bathroom due to a gunshot wound to the head. No name was released as they were still trying to find her family.

The detective said that it did not look like foul play, but from an apparent suicide…....and as I continued reading I noticed a tear drop on the paper. I could feel this woman’s SOUL…..I knew just how she was feeling when she pulled THAT TRIGGER! I say this, because the article also said that a blood soaked NOTE was left behind for the family saying, “Tell my family I am Deeply sorry.  I just could not STOP GAMBLING” and my HEART BROKE for her. WHY??  Because I was almost Her!

This woman's pain gave me a call to action! I knew right then that I was not going to let ONE MORE person die from this Cunning, Destructive, Disease again! This was almost 4 years into my Recovery. So I started writing my story, all by hand on note pads, not ever thinking I'd publish it.  Hell.....I had no idea how to get a book published. I wrote my story in 2011, and it took me about 9 months. It was part of my healing process in my recovery as well. The rest is *De-vine* intervention! I ran into an old friend from my banking days that just happened to be a Publisher! Imagine that! He had a friend who was looking for a manuscript to edit as a college project.....WOW....imagine that! My friend/publisher said, I NEED to get your book out in the world to help others! Your voice needs to be Heard.

So, a couple of days before my 50th Birthday, I became a Published Author of, "Addicted To Dimes" (Confessions of a Liar and a Cheat)  http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984478485/  and the eBook version just released late May 2013. And it has been a Hell of a Ride!

Now your most likely wondering where my husband was when all this Stuff was happening?.......Well, lets just say I took this man for the ride of his Life to Hell In a Hand Basket and BACK! But Seriously, the truth is if you look up the word * Un-Conditional Love* in the Dictionary, you will find my husband’s name, *TOM,* within the definition.......He told me this when I asked him.....WHY did you stay with me in the Worst of my addiction???.....He said, "I knew the girl I married 24 years ago was still in there. I wasn't going to throw away all the Good times we had together.  Our vows said In Sickness and In Health".........Now you know why I'm the Lucky & Blessed One!

SO, that is my story of *THE MESS THAT'S ME*......I continue my Recovery journey and "The Rest of my Story" on my Recovery Blog link:  http://catherinelyonaddictedtodimes.wordpress.com/  AND Share what I have learned by being a Writer/Author on my Writers Blog: http://www.simplesite.com/CatherineLyonAddictedToDimes  You may also follow me on *Twitter* @LUV_Recovery  &  @kitcatlyon  Where I do believe Robbie & me first met!
Today, my hubby and I live a Simple Life in Beautiful So. Oregon with our 2 Cats!  

Tom and Catherine

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