Stepping Stones

2023 Firebird Book Awards First Place Winner in Addiction and Recovery and Women’s Issues2023 Firebird Book Awards Second Place Winner in Memoir2023 Firebird Book Awards Third Place Winner in Nonfiction2021 eLit Book Awards Silver Medalist in Women’s Issues2021 15th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist in Addiction & Recovery2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in Memoirs (Personal Struggle/Health Issues)2020 Best Book Awards Winner in Health: Addiction & Recovery2020 International Book Awards Finalist in Health: Addiction & Recovery2020 CIBA Journey Book Awards Semi-Finalist“An inherently fascinating and ultimately inspiring read from beginning to end.”—Midwest Book Review“The memoir is written in beautiful prose with insightful passages on life, suffering, inner freedom, and personal transformation… . I particularly enjoyed the honesty with which Marilea shares her story, pulling readers in with her strong, unwavering voice and exploring human nature and relationships with skill and mastery.”—Readers’ Favorite“This memoir, searingly honest in its description of substance use disorder, captures the cunning and relentless nature of the disease. Marilea says herself toward the end of her story, ‘Hell was not arriving at the road to recovery sooner,’ and one marvels as she points the way, after a lifetime of searching, toward reaching it.”—Marueen Cavanagh, MPS, MED, founder and president of Magnolia New Beginnings and author of If You Love Me: A Mother’s Journey Through Her Daughter’s Opioid Addiction“Stepping Stones is an authentic glimpse into the life of a woman afflicted with multiple addictions. With stunning candor, Marilea describes the toxic and ruthless nature of this disorder as it escalates over much of her lifetime. I admire this author’s courage in telling her painful story so eloquently.”—Kathleen Pooler, author of Ever Faithful to His Lead and Just the Way He Walked“Marilea Rabasa’s memoir will prove to be an eye-opener for many; and those who have known addiction may recognize its horrible descent into emotional and physical slavery. Read this book to meet a hero in search of her golden grail.”—Denis Ledoux, memoirist and director of The Memoir Network“Marilea’s journey weaves together critical pieces of her life; memories of heartbreak and triumph. This book offers compassion and understanding to every generation, reminding us to never give up hope!”—Judy Herzanek, Director of Creative Development and Marketing, Changing Lives Foundation, and coauthor of Why Don’t They JUST QUIT?: Hope for Families Struggling with Addiction

Marilea grew up in a small Massachusetts town. Her marriage took her overseas where she lived with her husband and children in the Foreign Service. Divorced, she taught English as a Second Language in Virginia for seventeen years.

She and her partner, Gene, still visit New Mexico regularly where they lived for a decade after retirement. When she’s not writing, she sings in a small women’s choir. Music is a big part of their lives, and Gene plays several instruments with local musicians. Marilea also does volunteer work in twelve-step organizations. They have fruit trees and a garden where they enjoy working. Whenever possible they still get away to enjoy hiking, skiing, and canoeing locally. Most of the year is for grandchildren, boats, and salt air—with daily walks on the beach—at their home on an island in Puget Sound.

Marilea received her Master of Arts (Reflective Practice) in Teaching. In 2013 she joined Story Circle Network and began writing down and publishing her life stories. They have appeared in several publications, among them the SCN Anthologies, their Journal and their blog, “One Woman’s Day.” Much of her full-length work exposes a lifelong battle with substance use disorder, and the writing itself has proved to be cathartic and healing.

Marilea has blogged on the topic of substance use recovery since 2014. Her memoir, Stepping Stones: A Memoir of Addiction, Loss, and Transformation is an inspiring tale of two journeys: her outward journey paralleled a sacred inner journey, where she sought a state of harmony and grace. Hers is a story of family fragmentation and years of emotional illness that led to various forms of substance use disorder and sent her spiraling at several points into madness.

This is the story of her courageous struggle to fit the pieces together and, in the end, find her own road to happiness.