A riveting, brilliantly written debut memoir, The Trouble with Truth is a story of hope and transformation, of family and forgiveness.
Beth Kelly feels trapped in a continuous cycle of destructive relationships. First there's Roland, the uncomfortably handsome ski instructor who turns out to be a liar and a drunk, fully capable of threatening Beth with a gun to prevent her from leaving him.
Breaking free from Roland after she makes a failed suicide attempt, Beth meets tight-lipped Sam, who is, sadly, Roland redux. Meanwhile, Roland still calls whenever he needs money, twisting Beth's emotions for his own gain.
Beth seems doomed to continue making self-destructive choices, both in her relationships and career, until renowned therapist and author Jean C. Jenson (Reclaiming Your Life) changes everything. Jenson helps Beth see the world truthfully, a painful process but ultimately one that liberates Beth. As Jean notes, "The truth will set you free. But first it will make you miserable."
Skillfully blending setting, scene, and action with memorable characters, (The Trouble with Truth) is a memoir unique in style and scope. A page-turning true story, often darkly comic, Beth shares her tale of family, love, loss, and truth in a clear and compassionate voice. (The Trouble with Truth) redefines the meaning of family and everything we've ever been taught to call "love." It spotlights the pitfalls of searching for love when you've never been loved and how our self-perceptions color how we love, forgive, and live.
About the Author: After Jean C. Jenson's counseling changed her life, Elizabeth "Beth" Kelly Stephenson spent fifteen years as executive director of The Crisis Hotline in Ketchum, Idaho, (the beautiful Wood River Valley) helping others with stories similar to her own.
Born in Santa Monica, California, and raised in Burbank (beautiful downtown!) Beth moved to Sun Valley, Idaho, to marry her ski instructor after a whirlwind courtship. The marriage (predictably) didn't pan out but she stayed on, working as an editor, magazine advertising sales rep, and paralegal before becoming executive director of the Crisis Hotline. The (Trouble with Truth) is her debut memoir and she is now hard at work on a novel, (Liz Bits). Beth lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband, three entitled cats, two poodles, and two honorary poodles in a house with a big front porch.