Katie Rizzo turns grief into a memoir on loss and healing

Katie Rizzo, a Phoenix-area novelist, poet and scientist, has released The Trimesters of Grief with Koehler Books after losing her son to opioid addiction. The memoir blends journaling, poetry and exercises to help other parents and readers navigate life after devastating loss.

Why it matters: - The Trimesters of Grief reframes child loss and addiction through a memoir that aims to help other grieving parents feel less alone. - The book lands ahead of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month in October, when overdose and addiction losses are already in focus. - Kirkus Reviews describes the book as "a heartbreaking memoir that provides guidance for those in the throes of grief."

What happened: - Katie Rizzo has released The Trimesters of Grief with Koehler Books. - Rizzo wrote the book after the death of her eldest son, Nicholas, following his addiction and death in 2025. - Rizzo is a novelist, poet, scientist and Phoenix-area resident. - The book is out now and available online wherever books are sold.

The details: - The memoir is part memoir and part self-help book. - Rizzo began journaling after Nicholas died, and the writing became a record of her grief journey. - The book compares grief to pregnancy through four stages: the invisible, physically taxing first trimester; the growing second trimester; the visible third trimester; and "newborn grief." - The book combines journal entries, exercises and poetry. - Rizzo says the goal is to help readers learn to live with newly born grief. - Rizzo said the book is a tribute to her son and a message to other parents that pain and joy can coexist.

Between the lines: - The book uses a familiar life stage, pregnancy, to make grief feel legible and structured. - That framing may appeal to readers who want language for a loss that often resists explanation. - The project also turns private mourning into a public support tool, which broadens its reach beyond a personal memoir.

What's next: - Rizzo will celebrate the launch at the Mesa Arts Center’s Día de los Muertos Festival on October 24 and 25 from 12 to 5 p.m. - At the event, Rizzo plans to read poetry, sell books and make space for others to write poetry. - For more information about the author or upcoming events, visit Katie Rizzo's website. - Koehler Books also directs readers to its social pages on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

The bottom line: - The Trimesters of Grief is both a personal tribute and a practical grief guide aimed at parents rebuilding after addiction and loss.