Author shares experiences about addiction, life, writing

Students gathered in Bldg 26A yesterday to watch published authors come and read their works.

Writer’s Week began this past Monday and continued through the week. Authors were invited to attend and read their work to the students. Afterwards, they would answer questions from the students.

Guest speakers included William Archelo, Douglas Kearney, Ruth Nolan, and James Brown.

Brown, who has no relation to the musician, is the author of The Los Angeles Diaries. For the audience, he read an excerpt from his newest unpublished novel, This River.

Brown, who has battled drug problems for the majority of his life, spoke about his addiction and steps towards recovery.

“I began using [marijuana] at the age of 9, and started drinking and using cocaine by the age of 12,” said Brown. “Drugs and alcohol played a large part in my life. It’s not normal for me to be sober, it was normal for me to be high.”

Brown told the students he had tried countless times to quit and would keep falling back into old habits.

When asked about why he decided to finally become clean, Brown told the students, “There was no special event, but there were plenty of bottoms in my life. It only takes one drink then it’s a couple more, then I start looking for the powders. Then I won’t know what happens to me after that. And I come home one night, took a look at my wife and sons and said it was enough.”

The auditorium was silent as Brown spoke about his life. The topic of interest inevitably shifted towards his writing though.

“The key to being a writer is real simple, and that is to write. Writing must be done on a daily basis. I’ve been writing since I was a kid,” Brown said.

After speaking, Brown met with the students as they lined up to purchase copies of Los Angeles Diaries.

Writer’s Week is orchestrated give the students a taste of the upcoming Writer’s Day Retreat to be held April 30 and May 1.

Peter Pham
Staff Writer