I’m Tawny, an advice columnist better known as “The Sober Sexpert” and author of Dry Humping: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze. I’m here to empower you to find your *intrinsic* courage without booze—regardless of your relationship status—one date at a time.

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FAQs

What’s Beyond Liquid Courage?

This weekly advice column answers subscriber questions about the perks (and annoyances!) of dating, relating, and hooking up without booze.

Who should subscribe to Beyond Liquid Courage?

Anyone interested in alcohol-free dating, relating, and hooking up while also unpacking the trope of liquid courage.

Do I have to be sober to read this newsletter?

Hell no! Whether you’re sober curious, 20 years in recovery, or just want to learn something new, you can totally sit with us.

How often does Beyond Liquid Courage come out?

Every Wednesday (#humpday, of course!) with occasional fun stuff throughout the month.

Who’s behind Beyond Liquid Courage?

I’m Tawny, an advice columnist better known as “The Sober Sexpert” and author of Dry Humping: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze. I’m here to empower you to find your *intrinsic* courage without booze—regardless of your relationship status—one date at a time. This newsletter is edited by Irina Gonzalez, a fellow sober writer and podcaster.

The thought of dating without liquid courage, let alone hooking up or navigating a romantic relationship sober, scared me. But I figured it out through a lot of personal work, research, therapy, peer support groups, journaling, and crying. Lots and lots of crying. All of that arduous work helped me cultivate intrinsic courage—the perfect antidote to the BS of liquid courage. And yes, I’ve found The One, but the work doesn’t stop there. In fact, that’s where a lot of the work begins.

I address all of these topics in my book, Dry Humping: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without Booze, While writing this book, I put on my journalist hat to interview dozens of mental health professionals, sex educators, and other sober/sober curious people to figure out why the hell we’re all so obsessed with liquid courage.

Buy My Book

Please consider becoming a paid subscriber for only $5 per month (or $50 per year). Plus, you’ll also receive some fun, insider perks like:

• exclusive interviews with #QuitLit authors, sex educators, and mental health professionals about sober/sober curious dating and relationships

• personal essays

• access to archived issues of Beyond Liquid Courage

• access to (now archived) my early blog, SobrieTeaParty

• behind-the-scenes insights on my author life (publishing info, writing prompts, and discounts on live classes)

• link round-ups of what I’m reading/binging/listening to

But more importantly, being a paid subscriber supports me as a writer while also supporting the sober sex, dating, and relationships conversation for the sober/sober curious community. Your financial contributions also help me pay the editor and graphic designer who help make this column sparkle.

If you *really* want to support this work, consider becoming a founding member of Beyond Liquid Courage. This VIP subscriber option gets you a lifetime subscription and a signed copy of my book, Dry Humping: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze.

Full disclosure: I am *not* a mental health professional. Everything I share in this newsletter comes from my own personal experience in sober dating/hooking up/relationships mixed with years of therapy, journalistic research, and interviews.