Mary Alice Stephens 
Uncorked: A Memoir of Letting Go and Starting Over
May 7, 2026
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What is Uncorked about?
At 45, my life looked picture perfect: I’d just swapped my flashy TV producer, city girl existence for a lovely home and comfortable life in the suburbs. I had a caring husband and two young, adorable kids, but I could no longer ignore that my relationship with alcohol had turned ugly and dangerous. For three decades, booze had been my best friend; the reliable spark plug igniting good times and (I thought) good friendships. Alcohol freed me from my lonely, self-critical shell and fueled Fun Mary, the life of the party. But after one too many close calls with my kids and a marriage hanging in the balance, I made the decision to get sober. I knew, once announced, I couldn’t go back, but everything I cherished became a trigger—wine-dependent friendships, a father whose love was expressed through rituals around alcohol, and now, without booze’s lubricating effects, a sputtering romantic marriage. This new Sober Mary was lonely, insecure, vulnerable—everything I drank to escape. Now what?

Uncorked is the true story of reexamining an identity that no longer served me—a hard shell shaped by trauma and tragedy—and uncovering a new, more authentic relationship with myself. It all promised to be transformative … if I could pull it off. 

What I learned/want to share about the writing process:

• Developing your writing practice
• How to tame your inner critic
• Who are you writing for?
• Writing the difficult scenes about people who behaved badly
• Resources to flesh out your memories
• Bold, brave writing and what to do with shame
• How to use editing advice

Bio:
Mary Alice Stephens is an award-winning storyteller. In her instant best-seller, Uncorked: A Memoir of Letting Go and Starting Over, she shares her raw, funny, and ultimately inspiring journey from alcohol-fueled chaos to clarity, connection, and self-acceptance. Uncorked was an Amazon #1 new release in alcoholism recovery, reached #4 on the Amazon best-seller list in midlife self-help, and won the 2026 PenCraft Best Book Award in Inspirational Nonfiction. Mary is a former television writer-producer for HGTV, Food Network, and other media outlets. She earned her Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Dominican University of California and lives in Marin County, California.

Web: maryalicestephens.com
IG: @maryalicestephenswrites
FB: @maryalicestephens