Hey there, I’m Shelly Marshall, a writer and recovery advocate who’s been sober since 1969—over five decades of living free and helping others do the same. I pour my heart into books like Day By Day, Young, Sober, & Free, and The Pocket Sponsor, sharing practical wisdom for teens and parents navigating addiction. You can find me online at day-by-day.org, pocketsponsor.com, and walksoftlyandcarryabigbook.com, or catch my updates on LinkedIn, Pinterest, and X. My journey’s taken me far beyond the page. Back in 1992, I co-founded an academy in Moscow to train addiction counselors, helping Russia rebuild its recovery community after the Soviet era. I’ve been honored with a first-place award from the Northwest Writers Association for my sci-fi novella Harvesting the New Man and a third-place prize in a National Writers Contest for my kids’ book Does God Wear Tennis Shoes?—a fun faith story for 8–10-year-olds. With a B.S. in Human Services from Metropolitan State University, Denver (the first U.S. degree combining drugs and alcohol), I’ve dug deep into teen addiction, publishing research in peer-reviewed journals. I’ve also written for parents, like Sober Coaching Your Toxic Teen, and served as a Bonner County Deputy in Idaho, always aiming to give back. Now in Potomac, Montana, I keep writing, speaking, and running a small publishing venture, blending my love for storytelling with a mission to inspire hope.