Review By Bev Ethington MerryWeather

Mary Forsberg Weiland, mother, model, bipolar disorder survivor and recovering drug addict, beautifully tells the story of her life and her longtime relationship with Stone Temple Pilots - former Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland in her new book, Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll and Mental Illness. (William Morrow/ Nov 2009).

In this memoir, Mary reveals the extreme highs and lows of her life with refreshing candor and unflinching detail.  She offers a window into the world of modeling and rock 'n' roll, while at the same time providing deep insights into the drug and alcohol addictions that could have killed her, and her serious, recently diagnosed and misunderstood mental illness.  Mary explains her reason for writing this book and why she felt bipolar disorder was an important subject to address:  "I reject the stigma that the words 'mental illness' carry and I'd love to be a part of the movement to eliminate it."  She continues: "After my bipolar diagnosis, I read countless books on the subject.  I had a difficult time connecting to them because my story often lacked the intense mania that so many people struggle with.  I'm hoping that someone who may be wrestling with similar demons to mine can find even an ounce of hope in Fall to Pieces."

Mary Forsberg Weiland lives with her two children in Los Angeles, where she is studying for her certification in drug and alcohol counseling, with a focus on co-occurring disorders.  This is her first book.

Larkin Warren was a contributing writer to Addiction: Why Can't They Just Stop? the companion book to HBO's documentary by the same name.