Coloring Outside the Lines:

A Love Story in the Gray of Addiction, Recovery, and Redemption

SAVE THE DATE: November 17th, 2025

the book

Told in two raw, unforgettable voices, Coloring Outside the Lines: A Love Story in the Gray of Addiction, Recovery, and Redemption is a gripping husband-and-wife memoir of addiction, codependency, trauma, and the winding road to recovery, braided together with heartbreak, resilience, grace, and unexpected surrender.

Chris isn't your stereotype of a struggling addict. He's a charismatic, funny, and successful entrepreneur whose pain ran deeper than anyone could see. Beneath the charm and achievements lived unhealed trauma, childhood abuse, loss, and grief that eventually spiraled into full-blown addiction.

Katie found herself trapped between choosing love and difficult choices, while trying to save her husband without losing herself. She became the keeper of secrets, the manager of chaos, and the detective in fighting for a life that felt like it was slipping through her fingers.

Together, they expose the often-invisible toll of living with addiction. But this isn't just a story of destruction. It's about what comes after. The rebuilding. The reckoning. The radical choice to heal, not only through traditional recovery models but also through alternative paths: plant/animal medicine, therapy, faith, and deep internal exploration.

Through it all, what's tested, and ultimately redefined, is unconditional love. Not the romanticized version, but the gritty, unglamorous kind that shows up on the bathroom floor at 3 a.m. The kind that holds space without enabling, that forgives without forgetting, and that learns to draw boundaries without abandoning the heart.

Published by Landon Hail Press

about us

We’re Katie and Chris Bowick, a married couple and co-authors who decided to share the story we once kept hidden.

From the outside, our life looked steady. We had growing careers, a business of our own, and the kind of partnership people assumed was unshakable. What most people did not see were the struggles with addiction, codependency, and broken trust that nearly pulled us apart.

I’m Katie. I’m a creative at heart, an aunt, a snowboarder, and someone who finds comfort in books, art, and my faith. The little everyday moments, the kind you might overlook, are where I find the most beauty and peace.

I’m Chris. For years I measured my worth by performance and success. I was a top-producing insurance agent, always chasing the next achievement. Over time I learned that what matters more is honesty, growth, and integrity, especially when life is hardest.

Together, we wrote Coloring Outside the Lines: A Love Story in the Gray of Addiction, Recovery & Redemption because when we were in the middle of it all, we could not find a story that felt like ours. We wanted to create something real. Something honest and hopeful, even in the messiness.

This is our story. Our hope is that in reading it, you find pieces of your own and know you are not alone.

When we’re not writing, we’re usually with our pit bull mix, Lexi, traveling, golfing, skiing the Colorado mountains, or sitting around the table with family and friends.