Publications
From Junkie to Judge: One Woman's Triumph over Trauma and Addiction
Mary Beth's award-winning memoir, From Junkie to Judge: One Woman's Triumph over Trauma and Addiction, is available on all the usual sites, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, bamm.com, and Indie Bound. Your local bookstore has it in stock or can order it for you.
The memoir is written like a novel and immerses the reader in the neglect, abuse, and other traumas that primed Mary Beth for her descent into substance use disorder. She describes her path from alcohol to pot to pills to acid, and then to her drug of choice, methamphetamine. Mary Beth takes the reader into the depths of that addiction and then through her first three years of recovery. As an atheist in a 12-step world, and who was focused on self-empowerment rather than powerlessness, she had to seek out alternate approaches. By synthesizing the concepts she felt would be of value, Mary Beth created a robust foundation for her 29 years of sobriety. She also addresses her efforts to recover from the traumas and resulting anxiety. Professionally, Mary Beth progressed as well, went to law school, and was appointed a federal Administrative Law Judge in 2014. She includes guidelines and a checklist as tools for those seeking recovery.
The Wall Street Journal
In August 2020, The Wall Street Journal published Mary Beth's opinion piece, I Beat Addiction Without God. The piece appeared in the Houses of Worship column online, in the print edition, and on its social media. The op-ed generated extensive interest, hundreds of comments, and the editor congratulated her on the "strong reader reaction." This piece was reprinted in Freethought Today and other publications, as well as in news services such as Flipboard and Head Topics.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/i-beat-addiction-without-god-11597360535 https://www.freethoughttoday.com/vol-37-no-09-november-2020/mary-beth-oconnor-i-didnt-need-god-to-beat-my-addiction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1vJ7oLmdWM
The Philadelphia Inquirer
In November 2020, the Philadelphia Inquirer published Mary Beth's opinion piece in support of a proposed safe injection site, I was a federal judge, and I support Safehouse. Here's why. The piece appeared online and in print and resulted in robust reader discussion and commentary. The piece was shared on social media by a number of organizations.
The Los Angeles Times
In November 2022, the Los Angeles Times published Mary Beth's opinion piece It wasn't luck that allowed me to become a judge after meth addiction. I was white privilege. The piece appeared online, in print, and in the LA Times' social media. This op-ed was reprinted in newspapers around the country, such as the San Jose Mercury News, and by online news services. It also was shared widely on social media.
O'Connor: It wasn’t luck that allowed me to become a judge after meth addiction (mercurynews.com))
Other Essays (partial list)
Why 12-Steps Only Is a Dangerous Myth, Cal Recovery, https://calrecovery.org/why-12-step-only-is-a-dangerous-myth-for-addicts/
How I Attained 28 Years Sobriety by Rejecting My Rehab's Submit to AA Order, Recovery Today (p. 44), https://www.recoverytodaymagazine.com/_files/ugd/6748b2_f7b5b95e58784d4abc5238197e560579.pdf
Documenting My Addiction Recovery Journey In My New Book “From Junkie To Judge,” Girl Talk HQ, https://www.girltalkhq.com/documenting-my-addiction-recovery-journey-in-my-new-book-from-junkie-to-judge/
Memoir Publications
I Never Said No, Memoir Magazine. https://memoirmag.com/metoo-2/i-never-said-no/
One Diary and Two Cars, The Ravensperch, https://theravensperch.com/one-diary-and-two-cars-by-mary-beth-oconnor/
I Never Said No, Awakenings, Issue 5. https://awakeningsart.org/2017/08/24/i-never-said-no-chapter-from-memoir-in-progress-by-mary-beth-oconnor/
The View from Erroll's House, Carry the Light (anthology), Vol. VI
My Top of the Mountain, Fault Zone (anthology), Uplift
I Never Said No, Noyo Review Review (anthology), Vol. 5. Included as First Place winner, Mendocino Writers Conference, Book-Length Nonfiction/Memoir