Beth McDonough’s New Book, "Standby," is a Powerful Memoir That Follows the Author as She Publicly Deals with Her Addiction at the Height of Her Career in Journalism

St. George, UT, March 16, 2026 --(PR.com)-- Fulton Books author Beth McDonough, an Emmy award-winning investigative journalist with two decades of experience reporting in small towns and major cities, has completed her most recent book, “Standby”: a compelling autobiographical account that chronicles the author’s struggles with addiction amidst her rising star in the world of journalism, how it all came crashing down, and her road to recovery.

Ever since she was a little girl, author Beth McDonough wanted to be an investigative reporter, like the savvy women she watched on the nightly news growing up in Los Angeles and Oklahoma City. Beth thrived on the adrenaline of breaking a big story, holding the corrupt accountable, exposing public demons and covering just about any kind of tragic disaster out there. She worked her way up from a rookie journalist in small towns to becoming a high-profile crime and justice reporter in major cities. She earned a reputation for being tenacious and resourceful, and thriving under the pressure of constant deadlines that are the daily news machine. With every word of the scripts she wrote, Beth strived to be among the best of the best storytellers in TV news.

But Beth had a dark secret of her own, one she’d tried to keep to herself for years, but couldn’t contain it anymore.

She was forced to confront it in the worst way: publicly. Overnight, she went from being a star storyteller to the subject of scandalous news stories. Mugshots replaced her headshots on social media sites, stories about her arrests and criminal charges were all over the radio and tv news in Minneapolis and soon after, national gossip shows and sites. Beth became the news.

“Early in my ambitious career, if you told me any of this would happen in my lifetime, I would’ve thought it was impossible! Impossible!” writes McDonough.

“There’s no way in hell I’d grow up to be an alcoholic...or what’s more, that I’d one day be sitting in a jail cell facing an uncertain future. No way. Not gonna happen. Never. Ever. I’ve put in years of hard work with boots on the ground to build a successful career as a relentless news reporter, covering major disasters in various large cities across the US and the implosion of other people’s lives.

“I tell the stories of other people’s lives. I was at the top of my game, a statewide celebrity of sorts.

“To say I bottomed out and I’m in the limelight for all the wrong reasons, a cause célèbre, would be an understatement. Now the tables were turned, and fellow journalists were reporting on me.”

Published by Fulton Books, Beth McDonough’s book will take readers on a powerful journey as the author takes them to her lowest point of being fired, broke, and on the verge of bankruptcy and homelessness before finding her way towards recovery. Deeply personal and emotionally candid, “Standby” is a powerful account of resilience and inner strength that will resonate with readers who have faced similar struggles in their own lives, helping them to know they are not alone in their fight against addiction.

Readers who wish to experience this inspiring work can purchase “Standby” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

Please direct all media inquiries to Author Support via email at support@fultonbooks.com or via telephone at 877-210-0816.