Hannah Sward . Meth Addict to Award Winning Author

The following conversation may not be appropriate for younger listeners, or those who've experienced abandonment, sexual abuse, or drug addiction. Today's guest, author Hannah Sward, has quite the story to tell. So much so, she wrote about it in her memoir Strip, an International Book Award Finalist, Reader's Choice Award Finalist and Book Soup Bestseller…which is quite the homage to her late father; the renowned poet and novelist Robert Sward.  Widely published in literary journals in the US, Canada, and the UK, her work has also appeared in publications such as LA Times, HuffPost, and many others. She was a regular contributor at The Fix and Erotic Review and columnist and editor at Third Street Villager in Los Angeles.  Hannah Sward, was born in the bohemian seventies, abandoned by her mother at the age of two and lived with her father on an island in Victoria, B.C. that had no stores or cars.  At the age of six, she was kidnapped and molested by a stranger, and as she got older, became a stripper and a prostitute with a taste for crystal meth. Although Strip is often referred to as an addiction memoir, as one book reviewer wrote, "that is just one part of it. Strip is about so much more. It is a book about loss, loneliness, and the yearning for something more." It is also, as Nobel Prize Winner J.M. Coetzee wrote, "Touchingly honest, and written with a light touch." She writes about the silent gurus, sugar daddies, and drinking in the CVS bathroom before therapy sessions in a painstakingly honest, detailed, and often humorous way. 'Strip' is a heartfelt memoir revealing Hannah's journey from innocence to darkness and beyond, to a world of empowerment. It's that story, that message and the ultimate redemption of her life and talent that we'll be talking about today. Contact Hannah via the following: Business email Address: [email protected] Business website(s): hannahsward.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/hannahswardauthor/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hannahswardauthor To order STRIP: A Memoir: https://a.co/d/dLQD8rP Largehearted Boy Playlist for Strip Thanks for listening to this episode of 19 Stories: from fear to Hope. If you enjoyed what you heard in this episode, make sure to follow 19 Stories wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. It would be greatly appreciated if you gave a nice review and shared this episode as well. To give feedback or a story idea: [email protected] To listen to my demos: https://www.cherylholling.com/ To contact me via VO work, or to host your podcast, I can be reached at: [email protected] Follow me on Instagram: @cherylhollingvo Theme Song Credit:  'Together' by For King & Country Outro Music Sample (for this episode): 'The Welcoming Moon' by East India Dream Company Until next time, stay Healthy and Hopeful!