Sobriety In Black looks like a powerful personal guide. Please tell us a little about it.
Sobriety in Black is part memoir, part manual. It is a
memoir documenting my struggles with alcoholism, the DUI arrests, car wrecks,
deaths, and the decision to pursue sobriety. It is also a manual that lays out
the process that helped me gain and maintain my sobriety. African Americans
face unique challenges in addiction. These challenges are addressed in the
book, making it one of the few books on addiction written from the Black
perspective.
How long did it take you to write Sobriety in Black?
It took about three years for me to finish the book. I had
to change the copyright date multiple times due to wrestling with the fear of disclosure.
It took a while to get the courage to tell my story, but I knew I had to, not
only for my own sake but to let others struggling with alcoholism realize they
were not alone. I was ultimately inspired by the quote, "When we recover
loudly, we help keep others from dying quietly."
What inspired the idea for your book?
When I first quit drinking, I was alone in my struggle. I
had relapsed a few times. My friends and family weren't necessarily confident
that I could stop drinking. Some so-called "friends" even worked to
undermine my sobriety. Around my 7th year of sobriety, many of my
old drinking buddies started asking me how I did it. They understood that my
sobriety and recovery were absolute and wanted it for themselves. Still, they
felt uncomfortable attending AA meetings where they were the only Black person
in the room. They couldn't relate to the others in these groups and felt like
something was missing. I understood them as I had shared the same experiences.
When I began to publicly "come out" as a recovering alcoholic, more
and more people began to inquire about how they could attain sobriety. Due to
my personal experiences, I felt uniquely positioned to help them start their
road to recovery. These factors inspired me to write Sobriety in Black.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
Sobriety in Black reflects who I am and the unique struggles
African Americans face on the road to recovery. It is also the name of the
method I used to overcome my addiction, The BLACK Method.
What will readers get out of your book?
Readers will get a sense of the struggle African Americans
deal with in addiction and recovery, as well as a way to navigate these
challenges on the road to recovery successfully. Although the book reflects a
Black man's perspective, the information is relatable and valuable to all.
Did anything stick out as particularly challenging when writing Sobriety In Black?
My main issue was not attempting to cram every bit of
information I discovered into the book. I wanted it to be a short, easy read
that the average layperson could digest. I also wanted to give the reader a
framework for beginning their journey to sustainable sobriety. I plan on
writing another book that will go into more detail, but for now, I had to make
sure it was simple enough. As a college professor, I can tend to write in an
overly academic manner. Keeping it simple and engaging was my goal, so I left
out some information that I will release in later works.
What do you like to do when not writing?
I love to work out and swim. I swim 50-100 laps per week and
would swim more often if I had the time. I also love to read books on a wide
range of topics, including self-help, unusual facts, and Black history.
Where can readers find out more about your work?
I encourage everyone to go to Sobrietyinblack.com and follow me on all social media platforms (Search Sobriety in Black). I also have a YouTube channel youtube.com/@sobrietyinblack.
You can purchase Sobriety in Black on
Amazon at https://amzn.to/3gLgyxn.
Below is the Amazon book description in case you need more info
Sobriety in Black: Confessions of a
Retired Alcoholic is a testimony on the history of alcohol in Black American
society, one man’s tumultuous ‘career’ as a full-time alcoholic, his road to
retirement, and a framework for recovery that takes into consideration the unique challenges we face when freeing ourselves
from addiction. Available on Amazon / Kindle at https://amzn.to/3gLgyxn
Topics include:
* The history of alcohol in Black
American society
* Alcohol as a
tool of oppression
* The 12 Superpowers of Sobriety
* Tales from the bottom of the bottle
* The Drinkers Jacket
* Discovering your ‘why?’
* Sobriety Reaction Types
* HATE (High Addiction Triggering
Elements)
* Building your sober social support
group
* Recovering loudly
* The BLACK Method (A Framework for
Self-Health)