Girlfriend of Bill

Being in a new relationship is hard enough, but if the person you're dating is a recovering alcoholic or addict, there may be more to consider than just mutual interests and attraction. For Karen Nagy, dating a recovering alcoholic felt, in some ways, as if she were seeing someone "from another planet"-with his own language, culture, and social behaviors.

With humor, compassion, and a great respect for what it takes to recover from an addiction, this first-of-its-kind field guide offers an "inside scoop" on what people do in Twelve Step meetings, why they need a sponsor, what is a sponsor, and why phrases like "Let go and let God" and "Easy does it" keep creeping into your conversations. In this recovery book, Nagy offers twelve key points that you need to know about dating someone in recovery. She also helps you identify the warning signs of developing your own codependent tendencies by playing into your partner's addictive thinking and behavior-and what to do about them.

By gaining a greater understanding of your companion's recovery program, you can help him or her stay sober, learn how to deal with character flaws, and also build your own confidence in the potential for a healthy, successful relationship.

Karen Nagy is a college professor, actor, and songwriter. She wrote Girlfriend of Bill, her first book, based on her own dating experience and love of the Twelve Steps