Dana’s Books
Dana is the author of Bottled: A Mom’s Guide to Early Recovery, winner of the 2016 Kansas Notable Book Award, and How to Be Perfect Like Me.
Follow Dana on social media for a sneak peek at the book building and publishing process on the journey to her third book, coming soon!
An unflinchingly hilarious memoir about recovery as a mother of young kids.
Bottled chronicles Dana’s path to recovery—from hitting bottom, to early sobriety (a blur of pain and chaos), to her now (in)frequent moments of peace. An exploration of the perils moms face with drinking punctuated by potent, laugh-out-loud sarcasm, Bottled offers practical suggestions on how to be a sober, present mom.
Bottled: A Mom’s Guide to Early Recovery
Recover. Rinse. Repeat.
In the follow-up to her bestselling book Bottled, Dana reflects on our society of excess and obsession with perfection. When Dana experiences a short-lived relapse, she realizes that recovery is more than just giving up alcohol, and that escaping the lure of perfectionism demands self-care (and getting over herself).
How to Be Perfect Like Me
“Heartbreaking, tragic (and very funny).”
For Bottled | Library Journal Starred Review ★
“Full of vulnerability, courage, and grace. Bowman shares her story with wisdom and humor, and speaks to the beautiful messiness in us all.”
For Bottled | Ellie Schoenberger, author of Let Me Get This Straight
“Dana’s tips on surviving recovery and motherhood will help anyone navigating the sharper edges of life. She offers what so many addicts say they need: ‘a Handbook for Life.’ Bottled is funny, captivating, comforting, and full of hope.”
For Bottled | May Wilkerson, Huffington Post, Substance
“Whether it’s a transition or a tragedy, we are all recovering from something, and we all need a little honesty and humor to make it through. That’s exactly what Dana provides in Bottled.”
For Bottled | Kasey Johnson, author of Mom Essentials, 7 Ways to Be a S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Mom
“Moms will no doubt relate to it, but so will daughters, sisters, wives, and all women who need a friend to walk with them in early recovery. Dana is that friend.”
For Bottled | Crystal Renaud, author of Dirty Girls Come Clean
“A must-read for recovering moms, but also a wonderful book for any mom who may struggle with parenting small humans while attempting to stay sane.”
For Bottled | Megan Peters, CrazyBananas.com
“This big-hearted book rejoices in the messy, tangled clusterfuck of being a perfectly imperfect human.”
For How to Be Perfect Like Me | Catherine Gray, author of The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober
“Dana Bowman is honest, insightful, and incredibly funny… Men, don’t be surprised if your wife hands you this and says, ‘Read this, then you’ll understand.’”
For How to Be Perfect Like Me | Stan Friedman, Covenant Companion
“Real, honest, hopeful, and funny.”
For How to Be Perfect Like Me | Alison Buhler, author of Rethinking Women’s Health