Meet the Author — Stephen L Randell

Some stories are written from imagination. Mine was written from experience — raw, real, and often painful. I never set out to become an author. I set out to survive what felt unsurvivable — and in doing so, found a purpose that became bigger than my pain.

My name is Stephen L. Randell, and I’m a father, a storyteller, and a man who has walked through the fire of loss and somehow found grace on the other side. When I lost my son to addiction, the world as I knew it shattered. The silence that followed was deafening, and for a long time, I didn’t know how to keep going.

 Writing became my lifeline — a way to turn grief into words, and words into something that might help another parent breathe through their own heartbreak.

That’s how My Child Is An Addict was born — not as a book, but as a conversation I needed to have with the world. Its follow-up, After the Overdose, continues that journey — a roadmap from grief to grace for those learning to live after loss. My Healing Journal invites others to put their own story on the page and begin to rebuild, one word at a time.

Today, I dedicate my work to helping families heal, breaking the silence around addiction and grief, and reminding people that even in the darkest moments, love still has a pulse. Through my books, speaking engagements, and community outreach, my mission is simple — to be living proof that it’s possible to carry both pain and purpose, side by side.

I live in Newfoundland, Canada, where the ocean’s rhythm and the rugged cliffs remind me daily of how fragile and beautiful life can be. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me involved with my community and, as a life-long musician, you may still find me participating in some musical projects from time to time.

This was never just about books.
It’s about people. It’s about hope.

It’s about finding a way — no matter how hard it gets — to turn struggle into strength.

-SLR-