“My parents were always concerned about my ongoing conflict with the Educational System. I was not engaged in my schooling. I did what little I had to. When the eighth grade boys were tested for the elite “technical” high school, they would not even test me. I had learned the hard way that passive, polite resistance was a preferable behavior. Verbal or disrespectful actions had painful repercussions. I had grown up avoiding conflict and close connection with my parents. I gave them a wide berth. It did not occur to me to try to understand them or their motives. It was, therefore, a shock when I ended up working for and with them.”
– an excerpt from the book
ARPress is honored to publish Dad Only Tried To Shoot Me Twice by Mark Eric Johansen. This book is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the ARPress website.
Dad Only Tried To Shoot Me Twice by Mark Eric Johansen explores the profound impact of alcoholism on a family. It portrays the struggles of dealing with an alcoholic father and the turmoil it creates within the household. The story recounts Mark’s difficult journey as he attempts to save his father’s business while also confronting the devastating effects of his drinking.
Living with an alcoholic is like being on a runaway train—moving forward, sometimes at high speed, with no control. You are on the tracks, but you don’t know which turn or switch you will take. There are curves, bumps, twists, and turns. You know a crash is inevitable, but you don’t know where, when, or who will be involved. It is a waking nightmare that consumes everything. Illogic, insanity, disbelief, humiliation, disappointment, denial, deception, and heartbreak become your constant companions. Such was the author’s life with an alcoholic father.
The narrative powerfully illustrates how alcoholism can be a destructive force, tearing families apart. As his father’s drinking escalated, his sense of responsibility diminished. The book captures the emotional burden and shock Mark experienced as he struggled to navigate the chaos caused by his father’s addiction.
Mark faced the “doubly impossible tasks” of saving his father’s business and controlling his drinking—two responsibilities far beyond what any child should bear. Yet, he was forced to confront these challenges head-on while grappling with the lasting effects of his father’s alcoholism.
A “poignant memoir about resilience,” Dad Only Tried To Shoot Me Twice is a deeply personal account of endurance, heartbreak, and the fight to reclaim one’s own life in the face of addiction’s devastating grip.
“Dad Only Tried To Shoot Me Twice” by Mark Eric Johansen is now available for purchase via ARPress Bookstore: