Recovering Out Loud by Damian Bloss

Rich Bennett: 00:00:00

Today's episode of the Author Pitch is sponsored by the Harford County Health Department.

Their vision is to make Harford county the healthiest community in Maryland by promoting healthy people in a healthy environment.

Whether you're looking for health resources, educational programs, or community support services, they're here to help.

Learn more@harfordcountyhealth.com welcome to the Author Pitch, where writers from around the world deliver a powerful pitch for their book and read a short excerpt in their own voice.

I'm your host, Rich Bennett, and today's guest is no stranger because he was on a season one.

Damian Bloss, author of Recovering Out Loud.

First of all, how's it going, Damien,.

Damian Bloss: 00:00:43

I.

Rich Bennett: 00:00:44

Haven't seen you since the last.

Last recording.

Damian Bloss: 00:00:46

I know, I know, dude.

I've been so busy and it's like, all kinds of stuff came on at once.

Like, I'm doing a lot of speaking engagements and things.

Rich Bennett: 00:00:56

That's good.

Damian Bloss: 00:00:57

Which is awesome.

And I think that's my most favorite part of this whole thing is being able to get in front of people and just, you know, let them know that they're not alone.

And besides that, like, other bunch of stuff has been going on.

So I've been.

Me and Alicia both, we've been going crazy, like, running around.

But yeah, man, it's good to see you.

Good to see you.

As always,.

Rich Bennett: 00:01:20

You.

You know the routine, man.

I'm stepping up to the, to the plate for you to throw the pitch.

So give everybody, give the listeners, you know, a tight, high impact overview of what the book is, who it's for, why it matters, and what makes it unique.

Damian Bloss: 00:01:39

Besides.

Rich Bennett: 00:01:39

The fact that it's your second book.

Damian Bloss: 00:01:41

Right, Right.

I didn't think that was gonna even happen, but things worked out the way they would, you know, and this book, I. I'm very proud of this book.

And not just because I wrote it.

Yeah.

But, but I'm.

I'm so proud of it because I get to get away from the doom and gloom that was my life for so long.

And.

And that's what Breaking the Silence was all about.

The setbacks and, and you know, what led me to addiction.

And then with this one, recovering out loud is just.

It's my comeback and.

Rich Bennett: 00:02:15

Right.

Damian Bloss: 00:02:16

It's about what I did, you know, what happens next after he gets over.

So it goes through all of that, what I'm doing in recovery, it's filled with activities throughout each chapter, basically empowering that reader to hold themselves accountable with the most important person on this journey, which is themselves.

You Know they can go through and just write their feelings down pen to paper and.

And that makes it so real because it's you that.

You are the one that's going to see these, and you are the one that has to follow these, and you can hold yourself accountable.

And I think that's what I love most about this book in particular.

Rich Bennett: 00:02:58

So it's like a journal,.

Damian Bloss: 00:03:01

Basically.

You know, each chapter I go through it, it does have parts of my story to relate, but it's.

It's basically showing that there's no one way or to recovery.

It's not a one size fits all.

It's.

It's what.

It's far beyond just going to meetings and things like that.

It's building yourself up, doing what you need to do within and focusing on that.

Rich Bennett: 00:03:28

You have parts of your story in there.

So you can read an excerpt from this one, right?

Damian Bloss: 00:03:32

Absolutely.

Yep.

And.

Rich Bennett: 00:03:33

Then give the lesson, I guess.

On the.

On.

You said there's like a lesson after each one?

Damian Bloss: 00:03:38

Yeah, it's got little activities, basically, accountability activities.

So to write down your own feelings, it's got like, you know, what happened today, how did you get through?

Did you run into any struggles, jot them down so, you know, for next time, you know what to look out for and things like that.

Rich Bennett: 00:03:58

Okay.

All right.

All right, man.

The floor is yours then, man.

Damian Bloss: 00:04:03

So this one comes from page 138 of my.

Of the book.

It's in chapter 12.

Wait.

Rich Bennett: 00:04:09

A minute.

Hold up.

This is a journal?

How many pages is this thing?

Damian Bloss: 00:04:15

It's about 155.

Rich Bennett: 00:04:20

Oh, this is.

Okay, I.

So this is really.

I mean, not just a journal and a guide.

Well, you.

You know, go ahead.

I'm gonna love this.

All right.

Go ahead.

Damian Bloss: 00:04:33

Yeah, not a problem.

It's really what to expect in recovery.

Rich Bennett: 00:04:37

Yeah.

Damian Bloss: 00:04:38

Things like that.

So with this one.

So it starts off to the one who is holding on by a thread and feels like your world is crashing down.

I see you.

And I promise you there are better days ahead when you choose recovery.

I know that sounds like another empty phrase, but I truly know how you feel.

I remember that feeling like it was yesterday.

I remember believing I was too far gone, buried so deep in this hole of addiction that there was no end in sight.

Each day felt like I was digging myself further down in the darkest.

The darkness was closing in around me.

I would wake up wondering how I even made it through the night.

And all I could do was numb the pain enough to survive another day.

I was barely existing.

No joy, no excitement.

Just counting down the moments until my next drink.

I neglected everyone and everything in my life just to survive.

The addiction had such a tight grip on me that even the things I once loved, even my kids, couldn't reach me anymore.

I no longer felt joy in their laughter or pride in their accomplishments.

This disease numbed every good thing until I couldn't feel anything at all.

I missed important milestones and memories that should have lived in my heart forever.

Moments I'll never get back.

And if I'm lucky, I may have pictures to remind me.

But it just isn't the same.

I may have been present, but it was only the shell of me.

That truth still hurts.

But I've learned how to face that hurt in the right way.

If this sounds like you, or even someone, something close to it, it's not too late.

You haven't missed everything.

Recovery doesn't give you your past back, but it does give you your chance.

Giving you the chance to stop missing the rest of your life.

I know you may feel like getting better is too far out of reach, but it's closer than you realized.

Countless others, myself included, have felt this exact same way.

I promise.

You're not alone.

You don't have to heal alone.

I know what it feels like to be surrounded by others and still feel completely alone.

The recovery community is huge.

And we all want the same thing because, let's face it, nobody actually wants to be an alcoholic or an addiction.

We share the same goal.

To heal and to enjoy this life without the need to escape.

Healing isn't going to happen overnight.

You're going to hear said many times in recovery that it's about progress, not perfection, there's no need to rush it.

Just work it.

If you're sitting there weighing the pros and cons like I once did, trying to justify why staying in an addiction feels like the better option because recovery seems like too much work, or questioning whether you're even worthy of healing because of this destructive past you you're leaving behind.

Just hear this.

It is worth it.

And so are you.

Rich Bennett: 00:07:21

I.

This.

I love this because you're talking to the reader.

It's like as if you're sitting down one on one with them, helping them out.

I think you got that a lot for doing your speaking and everything, especially from the first book.

But I really love that and I think this is definitely gonna help a lot of people.

Why did you choose that particular excerpt, though?

Damian Bloss: 00:07:51

It's funny you asked that because there were so many.

There are so many good parts of this book that could have been done.

And I chose that one because I, I really want to wait or focus on the ones who think that they're alone or who feel like they're going to be judged for the things that they've done and.

Rich Bennett: 00:08:15

Yeah,.

Damian Bloss: 00:08:16

Let them know that, you know, we've all felt that before.

And I can promise you that no matter what, you are not alone.

And, you know, because I've.

I felt that and you know, there are still times in my recovery where I still feel that, where there are times when I'm like, I. I don't feel like others are going through this, just like I am even now in recovery.

So, you know, sometimes I got to take a step back and say, you know what?

I'm not, I'm not the only one.

What can I do to further.

Further that?

You know,.

Rich Bennett: 00:08:53

What.

Damian Bloss: 00:08:53

Do I need to do?

Open up, be.

Be loud with it.

And you know, recovering out loud.

It's where it came from.

I wanted to show that, you know, I want to be loud with my recovery because it's not something I should just keep to myself.

Rich Bennett: 00:09:10

Yeah.

Damian Bloss: 00:09:11

I want others to, to feel that as well.

Rich Bennett: 00:09:15

Have you given copies of this to everybody that's in your group?

Damian Bloss: 00:09:19

Yes.

Rich Bennett: 00:09:20

You have?

Okay, good.

Damian Bloss: 00:09:21

Yeah.

Rich Bennett: 00:09:22

Good.

And what was their response?

Damian Bloss: 00:09:25

They.

They loved it and, and using it as a guide because, you know, there's.

There was this one guy who, who only goes to meetings.

You know, he's sober.

He went to treatment and he's like, what, now I'm sober?

How come things aren't changing like I thought that they would?

And I'm like, you know, it's.

It's much more than just getting sober.

You have to look within, find out what is going on, get to the root of your, of your addiction, whether that be going to therapy, trauma therapy, trying to find out what it is that, that got you so deep in that hole.

And that's when you start rebuilding, you start working, you start holding yourself accountable.

And you know, it.

It's super changing.

Like life changes.

It really is.

And it's.

And you would think that doing those things, it's like, oh man, I got to go to therapy and do all this.

But it's.

That is not the only way that it's going to happen.

But you need to do anything and everything you can.

Don't leave it at just going to meetings or just getting a sponsor.

Do those things.

Plus.

Rich Bennett: 00:10:40

Go to.

Damian Bloss: 00:10:40

Therapy, talk amongst others who have the same likes as you in this recovery journey who, who are also like minded.

As you and want the same things and you're going to.

That's where you start growing.

And you know, when I look at this book and I look at my, my other book, Breaking the Silence, I can also see how I throw, you know, and in my personal life, in my, my career, I can see how much I've grown.

You know, they're talking about promotions with me.

I've never heard that word with me.

Rich Bennett: 00:11:13

Wow.

Damian Bloss: 00:11:13

You know, and it's like the things that I'm doing, just getting sober was not enough.

And it's not, it's not going to be enough because you still have that, that, that addict brain.

You need to shape that or shift that.

And that's where working on yourself comes into play.

Rich Bennett: 00:11:34

Now, is this written for all types of addictions, not just alcohol?

Damian Bloss: 00:11:38

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Rich Bennett: 00:11:39

Okay.

Damian Bloss: 00:11:40

All types of addictions.

Life in general?

It could be.

Yeah.

Things like that.

Rich Bennett: 00:11:46

So what are you hoping that readers feel after they finish it?

And two part question after they finish it.

But also, should they get more than one copy?

Because if they're journaling in it once they're finished, I mean, it's probably a good idea to keep going back, right?

Damian Bloss: 00:12:06

Yeah.

Oh, absolutely.

I would say.

I think one copy is enough for that person.

And if you know somebody else who could benefit from it and maybe they don't have the funds or something like that, maybe buying them a copy for their own and things, you know, just giving.

And even if you don't write in the book itself, write it in something that you're always going to have and then give that copy away to someone who, who, who else could benefit from it, you know, those kinds of things.

I'm not looking to be a New York Times bestseller or, you know, number one on Amazon's list and things like that.

This is for you.

This is for you.

Even if it's just that one person, I could sell one copy.

If that one copy can do wonders on that one person, then that, then my, my job of doing these books and living out loud in recovery, I've done that.

I've done my purpose.

You know,.

Rich Bennett: 00:13:18

Actually I'm going to make a challenge at the end of this too, because I, yeah, I think this, I think this is very important.

And you know, the next question I'm going to ask you, because I asked you before, the hard one, what's next for you as an author,.

Damian Bloss: 00:13:34

That is, I have not thought about that.

I don't know how much more I would have to give in writing material.

Only because, and I say that because I didn't start this journey to be an author.

So I.

When I did my first book, that was more therapeutic for me, getting that out there and letting others know that our story might not be the same, but it kind of is, you know, going through that journey.

And then I was like, I didn't put what I, you know, this stuff in that book because that was just my story.

And then I started thinking, after doing all these speaking engagements and, you know, all that, I was like.

And.

And doing the podcast and stuff, I was like, I want to make a book that is just about recovery, because in my life at that time and still now, I'm.

I haven't forgotten my past because I will never forget that.

I never want to.

But the part that I am at in my life is showing others there's more.

After you get sober,.

Rich Bennett: 00:14:44

Which could be another book.

All the people that you've been helping every.

Well, think about it, because when you finish Breaking the Silence, you weren't podcasting yet.

You really weren't speaking yet.

And I think there's really.

There could be a.

And I may have said this before, I think there could be a sequel to Breaking the Silence, something, you know, like.

I. I don't know, just like everything that has happened afterwards because.

And you said it.

I mean, you're hearing the word promotion now.

You.

You're doing all these speaking engagements.

The podcast, you're still doing that.

You've been on God only knows how many different podcasts telling your story.

Oh, yeah, I. I think there's another book there.

Where can people actually.

Go ahead.

Damian Bloss: 00:15:38

I was gonna say I wouldn't rule it out,.

Rich Bennett: 00:15:40

Right?

I'm not ruling it out.

I'm gonna keep pushing you for it, man.

Where.

Where could people purchase the book and follow you?

Damian Bloss: 00:15:48

Sure.

You can purchase it on.

On Amazon.

Barnes.

Any.

Any retail online retail store.

It's.

It's available in both ebook and paperback.

I'm working on Breaking the Silence, getting that as an ebook as well.

And you can follow us on Facebook.

Breaking the Silence on there.

Breaking the Silence on Instagram, we have a website, btsrecovery.net and also a TikTok BTS recovery as well.

Rich Bennett: 00:16:23

People can actually purchase the book from btsrecovery.net as well.

Right.

Damian Bloss: 00:16:28

There's a link to the Amazon store on there.

Rich Bennett: 00:16:30

Oh, okay.

Okay.

Damian Bloss: 00:16:32

I'm working on doing that because I have had a couple people ask me and this still blows my mind because it's so crazy, but people have asked me, hey, I want an autographed copy.

And.

Rich Bennett: 00:16:44

You.

Damian Bloss: 00:16:44

Can't do that through Amazon.

So I'm like, I'm thinking, I'm trying to figure out how to put it on our website.

So where I get the notification and it says somebody wants to buy it with an autograph.

Which is super cool to me because,.

Rich Bennett: 00:17:00

Yeah,.

Damian Bloss: 00:17:00

It's like, you want.

I'm nobody, but like, it's so cool that somebody actually wants my, my autograph.

And I can't be grateful enough when somebody has that.

I mean, that is super, super cool.

Rich Bennett: 00:17:17

I do know some authors.

What they do is if somebody wants an autograph copy, the author will purchase a copy from Amazon, get it in, sign it, and then they'll send it to the person and then charge that person.

Damian Bloss: 00:17:32

That's a good idea too.

Rich Bennett: 00:17:34

Yeah.

So, I mean, there are, there are ways around it and you know too, because you always have copies for the events, when you go to the events.

So you could always say, if somebody was an autographed copy, you can.

Damian Bloss: 00:17:47

Meet me at that.

Rich Bennett: 00:17:48

Or sign it and then mail it to them.

Yeah, have them pay you.

Venmo, cash, whatever.

They all.

Everybody uses today.

I don't know.

Damien, is there anything you would like to add before I get to my last comment.

Damian Bloss: 00:18:05

Now?

Just that you know exactly what that excerpt said.

You're not alone.

Reach out.

We're always around.

I have no problem talking with anybody.

Hit me up.

And I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

Hit me up.

Don't be shy.

Rich Bennett: 00:18:25

I'm.

Damian Bloss: 00:18:26

Not going to judge you.

Rich Bennett: 00:18:28

So those of you listening, number one, you know what I'm going to say.

Once you purchase the book, leave a full review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, Goodreads, everywhere where you can leave reviews.

Take a picture of yourself with the book and post it on social media.

Tag Damian in it.

But here's my challenge, especially for all the organizations out there and the businesses.

Purchase a bunch of these books and donate them to an AA group, an NA group, a recovery home, someplace that needs it, that's helping these people because they can pass it out to people that are there.

And it's a journal form.

And I think that would be a great idea.

And you're helping everybody out, so definitely do that.

Thanks for listening to the author pitch.

I'm Rich Bennett, and until next time, keep turning pages and discovering new voices.