Introducing author Timothy Durning with his debut book, Pretty/Sick.
In any sick, twisted relationship, outsiders invariably ask why. Why? Because everybody wants the badass, that little bit of crazy in their life. I encourage you to follow me down the rabbit hole of our tumultuous relationship. “We were together, I forget the rest.” - Walt Whitman. Yeah, that’s how it was. Pretty/Sick the true account of our very real love story fraught with addiction, conflict and ultimately the consequences of unbridled mental illness. She was unique. That unforgettable blend of light and darkness. Our story, a path less traveled, moths to the flame. Two addicts, old souls in flux, same place, different times. The love we found was, at best, uninvited. Through the days and nights, over a span of years, well-trodden streets watched silently as the best and worst of each of us bled, one to the other. Inexorably bound by something neither of us understood. Tied to an inescapable fate. We shared a moment, a beautiful disaster.
This book deals with sexual assault, drug addiction and mental illness. While the author has taken great lengths to ensure the subject matter is dealt with in a compassionate and respectful manner, it may be troubling for some readers. Discretion is advised.
Timothy Durning has developed a unique voice through his experiences on a “path less traveled” His stories of success, failure, and tragedy, resonate across a wide section of us, namely, the ordinary, the exiles, the misfits, those of us who come so close only to somehow fall short. His work is raw and unapologetic. Tim has had success in the food industry as a Chef for over 35 years. He has also made strides in the fitness industry, earning an IFBB pro-card and helping others to work toward and do the same. He has seen some incredible highs but has experienced some horribly dark times as well. Somehow, someway, he has made it through, albeit, many times with a lack of grace, yet still stands on the other side to share his experiences, to give reason to the pain, to “Origami that s__t” as he would say.
He trusts that life will always show up, at times serendipitously but also, invariably, with the proverbial kick to the face. Tim has seen the rain and has seen that rain fall on us all, so even after the worst that life throws at us, he understands that, life, does indeed, go on.
