Talk Recovery Radio had James Brown and I on as guests to talk about our book, “Writing Your Way To Recovery: How Stories Can Save Our Lives.” Usually TRR is a podcast, but with the addition of zoom (due of course to covid) you can now see our little faces as we talk. This week...

I was late to work. Which isn’t my normal routine. I hate being late. I always give myself plenty of time to get where I’m going. Only during the pandemic traffic in Los Angeles has calmed down to the best it has ever been. A few months ago it took me 30 minutes to drive...

You ever think about your name and wonder how many other people have your exact same name? Of course not. That’s because you’ve probably got some cool ass name like Bubba Vanzetti, or Emanuel Xavier, or Tupac Shakur, and the last thing you have to worry about is getting mistaken for someone else—at least not...

I recently co-author a new book that just got published. Which is awesome and cool and I’m stoked to have another book out. And one would think that after all the sweat, hard work, and anxiety that goes along with the launch of a new book that this should be a time for celebration and...

Book Release and Giveaway Announcing the release of a new book on writing in recovery by addiction memoirists James Brown and Patrick O’Neil.  Independent Publisher ISBN: 139781736884706 Writing Your Way to Recovery: How Stories Can Save Our Lives is an extraordinary collection of personal stories and creative writing exercises designed to help others achieve lasting...

This groundbreaking book, to-be-released April 23rd, 2021, combines intimate personal stories of hope and renewal with the art of creative writing.  Relapse.  Acceptance.  Forgiveness.  Each exercise in this unique approach to recovery is designed to generate an honest dialogue on the real life issues confronting those searching for the strength and courage to turn their...

“I’ll take a Mega-Million, a Powerball, and a Super-Lotto.” “You feeling lucky?” The 7-Eleven clerk sizes me up as he adjusts the impulse buys displayed along the front counter.   “Nope, just tryin’ to do my part keeping the American people downtrodden and broke.” “Huh? You some kinda socialist?” This is a new thing, buying lottery...

“I’m a liar. I’ll rip your mind up. I’ll burn your soul, I’ll turn you in to me.” —Henry Rollins The local Florida news reporter was wandering the sparsely filled hallways of the Conservative Political Action Conference gleaning the right-wing attendees for sound bites and homespun southern “wisdom.” A large splotchy pink and white-faced woman...

I’ve been on hold for over an hour involuntarily listening to some unidentifiable muzak loop, droning over the speaker phone, interrupted every twenty seconds by an automated voice telling me I could be doing this online. Which feels both patronizing and torturous as I did do everything online only to have EDD mail me a...

My voice has left me. There’s paralysis in the muscles and nerves of my left vocal cord. For now all I can manage is a hoarse whisper and depending on what doctor I consult I’m not even supposed to do that. I’m on a heavy régime of Nimodipine; a class of medication called calcium channel...