New Book Release . . .

I am so honored to welcome ‘Two New Authors’ here to Lyon Book Promotions!

Please meet Authors, Shaaren Pine and Scott Magnuson. Now to be honest, we all will learn more about their amazing new book release, and a wee bit more about them together. Scott happened to reach out to me to see if I could help promote their fantastic new book, and of course I said yes. Why?

Because it is a wonderful book about addiction, recovery, and about one family who thought they were not strong enough to weather this storm, but they did! And with the family in tact! It is an inspiration to share their story of ‘Triumph,’ and help promote their new book release.

Now most all my readers know, I live life in recovery as well, and I enjoy sharing these types of reads. So lets learn more about the book titled, Torn Together: One Family’s Journey Through Addiction, Treatment, and the Restaurant Industry.

Now your most likely wondering why the topic, and the word ‘Restaurant’ is in a book about addiction and recovery right? So let me start there, and I will tell you why, by sharing with you a wonderful newspaper article about them, about the book, and the restaurant, and how they give back to help others from addiction through their business.
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“Recovering addict and Washington, D.C. entrepreneur is dedicated to challenging restaurant culture. Owners of The Argonaut Restaurant & Bar, (In DC) fight to support restaurant workers struggling with addiction.”

WASHINGTON – Scott Magnuson and his wife Shaaren Pine co-own The Argonaut tavern.
After twice being recognized as one of the city’s best bars in Washingtonian magazine and twice finishing runner-up in the Washington City Paper’s “Most Family Friendly Restaurant” award, it is obvious that they know what they are doing. What is not immediately obvious is that one of the best bars in the nation’s capital is run by a recovering alcoholic and drug addict.

In their new memoir, “Torn Together,” that the couple has co-written—Magnuson and Pine describe the bumpy road that led to Magnuson’s recovery after battling addiction since he was 14 years old. Their two perspectives join together to form a very real and intense testimony of struggle to save both their family and their business.

“We need to take the shame and stigma off of addicts,” said Pine. “Addiction is a medical condition, not a moral failing. Unfortunately, it is also a disease that infects everybody in its path. Because of that, everybody caught in addiction’s web needs help – not just the addict.”

Now that Magnuson and his family are in recovery, he and Pine have mounted a double pronged attack in the battle against addiction. They are doing what they can to let people who are struggling know that they are not alone. They are also trying to bring attention to restaurant culture’s permissive attitude with regard to drug and alcohol use in the workplace.

“Those who work in the restaurant industry know that there is a lot of use of drugs and alcohol,” said Magnuson. “Not everyone does it, of course, but those who do are often allowed to by their managers and bosses. Ignoring this behavior not only hurts these people and their families, but often ends up hurting the business as well.”

In addition to changing the culture within their own restaurant, Magnuson and Pine have also created a nonprofit called Restaurant Recovery that seeks to assist restaurant employees who would like help in finding and paying for reputable drug and alcohol treatment programs. It also helps the families of restaurant workers, seeking to both challenge and change restaurant culture.
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So now we know why the word ‘Restaurant’ is part of the book’s title, and how Shaaren and Scott give back through their business to be of recovery service to others. Now more about their new book and as authors.

About The Book ~ Torn Together:
Torn Together is a memoir, written by recovering alcoholic and addict husband, Scott Magnuson, and codependent wife, Shaaren Pine. Torn Together chronicles Scott’s addiction as his illness infects everyone around him, his eventual treatment, and the recovery process the whole family undertakes. It is also the story of The Argonaut, one of revitalized H Street, NE’s first restaurants, the struggle to get off the ground, rebuild after a terrible fire, and to keep going as the family is falling apart.

About The Co-Authors:
Scott Magnuson has been doing two things longer than most: Working in bars & restaurants, and drinking & drugging. An addict at 14, Scott got his first job in a bar – an industry that would allow him to focus on his first true loves, drugs and alcohol.

It was a good life, for a while. Evading the law, skirting the consequences of his actions, and leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. His world finally started crashing down around him 18 years later, and he was on the verge of losing his family, his business, and himself.

That was July 12, 2011.

Now, with several years of recovery under his belt, Scott is continuing his career in the restaurant industry, and is dedicated to helping others out of addiction’s darkness. He is also the president of the CHAMPS, the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce.
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Shaaren Pine has learned the ins and outs of the restaurant business since starting her first restaurant job in 2005. Now, as a manager and business owner, and with help from her Earlham College education, she is committed to bridging the gap between business and community, and changing restaurant culture. Shaaren is passionate about adoptee rights, and advocating for the families of addicts. She writes about her adoption from a social justice perspective, and about addiction through a spousal lens.

Together, Scott and Shaaren run two businesses, have created a non-profit*,  and serve on two boards, and are raising their daughter, Ara. The family lives in Washington, DC, and this is their first book.
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Scott Magnuson and Shaaren Pine, New Authors.
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The happy Family . . .

Here is what readers are saying, and the book buzz about their new book release:

Amazon Reviews:
By Claude Labbe on March 11, 2015 Format: Paperback

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