Current Issues — Activist Alicia Cook Has An Important Reminder For Families Calling Out "Help Me" Due to Substance Abuse

Alicia Cook is an established author and activist from New Jersey. She earned a BA in English from Georgian Court University and an MBA from Saint Peter's University. Her work has appeared on the Huffington Post, CNN, USA Today, Teen Vogue, and many more. Her best-selling self-published book of poetry, "Stuff I've Been Feeling Lately", was a finalist in the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards (being traditionally published by?Andrews McMeel Publishing?in April, double the length of the first edition). Her essay series, "The Other Side of Addiction", focuses on the direct effect addiction has on not only users, but their families, and is read by millions of people across the country. Her efforts to combat the heroin epidemic, which include writing, appearing on podcasts, and speaking to students and their parents, caught the attention of PBS Executive Producer, Steve Rogers who created an episode of his Emmy-nominated documentary series, “Here’s the Story” around Cook and her efforts entitled “A Family Disease.” The episode was dedicated to Cook's cousin, Jessica, who passed away from a drug overdose in 2006. In January of 2017, Cook was recognized for her writing on the topic of addiction and family at NJTV's "Everyday heroes" Event in Trenton, NJ.?www.thealiciacook.com

Her book of essays,?Heroin is the Worst Thing to Ever Happen to Me, debuted as the #1 Hot New Release on Amazon in the category of "Substance Abuse Recovery." The book is titled after Cook's most popular essay, which was read over one million times in under two months.?https://www.amazon.com/Heroin-Worst-Thing-Ever-Happen/dp/1540423263/

Antoine: Hi, it’s a pleasure having an interview with you. First, I want to thank Instagram for our connection.?I used social media to show my audience how technology enhances connections. So, let’s get right to it. What’s your background with reading and writing?

Alicia: Thank you. So, I always knew I was going to make a career out of writing. I never wanted to be anything else "when I grew up." I grew up in a home that embraced the Arts and a good education. My mother can out-read and out-spell anyone. She passed her love of books onto me, taught me how to play chess at a young age, and really ingrained in me the notion that no matter what anyone else on Earth was doing, I was to be my true self. My father always had a record spinning, and I grew up listening to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett…he would quiz me on their discographies. Black and white movies were a staple, and I think I saw Casablanca before I even saw a single Disney movie. They put me in piano lessons when I was nine, dancing class before then. They never once told me I should pursue a career in business or STEM. Though I didn’t think any of this was out of the norm at the time since that was all I knew.

In college, I majored in English Literature and Communications, concentrating on Journalism. Those four years really facilitated in my growth as a writer. I had honest and difficult professors who never failed to run out of red ink and their influence fueled my desire to be the best I could possibly be at my craft.

Also while in college I acted as an editor on the College’s poetry magazine as well as had a piece published in it and was a staff writer on the College newspaper.

Once out of college, I was hired by a university in my home state. A full-time job was great, and I earned my Master’s in Business Administration while employed there. But, I still had that itch – that itch to write not just for higher education, but for myself, and for others who need to know they aren’t alone in whatever they are feeling.

A few years later, in 2012, Hurricane Sandy devastated my state. That next day, following seeing the rollercoaster I road on as a child and teen sitting in the Atlantic Ocean, I went on Tumblr and wrote a blog about it. I called it “An Open Letter to the Shore Kids” and within a few hours, it had gone “viral.” USA Today, CNN, and the LA Times, picked it up, and so did many friends and strangers on social media. I had naively included my email address at the bottom of the blog, and my inbox was flooded with people sharing their own pain of what had transpired, but also sharing their memories and their hope. Some wanted to read more of my writing. They encouraged me to start posting bits of it on Instagram, as a movement was just starting to percolate: #writersofinstagram.

I started posting writing daily and gained a following on Instagram. Once I had a solid platform to stand on, I started using it to share what I am passionate about, which is helping families where addiction is present, as I lost my own cousin, Jessica, in 2006 from a drug overdose.

The rest is just a mix of good timing, hard work, and a natural talent that I literally thank God for blessing me with every day.

Currently, I am the Director of Institutional Communications and Campaign Marketing at Bloomfield College in New Jersey; a contributing writer to the Huffington Post, Thought Catalog, Elite Daily, Gannett, Addiction Unscripted, and Thirty on Tap; Teen Vogue listed me as one of the “10 Instagram Poets to Follow”; my best-selling book of poetry, Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately, was a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards and will be released again, with an additional 94 brand-new poems, doubling the size of the book, by a traditional publisher (Andrews McMeel) in April 2017; and my own essay series, the Other Side of Addiction, has a worldwide readership, with pieces of the series hitting over one million views.

Antoine: When did you realize you wanted to release your first book and what procedures did you go through?

Alicia: I always wanted to release a book. Every writer dreams of that moment. I tried for years to get the attention of a traditional publishing house, querying and whatnot, to no avail. However, once social media came into the picture, I was able to establish myself in a non-conventional way and self-publish a high-quality book. I’ve connected with so many creatives on social media who are willing to help with editing, formatting, you name it. A literary agent reached out to ME once my poetry book began to sell well on its own. The rest fell into place – my literary agent helped me secure my deal with Andrews McMeel. The publishing game is changing…there is not a linear path anymore to get a book out there. That’s a good thing if you ask me. I feel authors are able to take some of the creative power back from the gatekeepers.

Antoine: What message are you aiming to express when writing books?

Alicia: Depends on the project, but I am always honest. Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately is dedicated to anyone who loves someone battling addiction, but the book isn’t specific to that trauma. That is more a collection work where the order is unfixed and the topics are various. It has sold thousands of copies and will be re-released in April by Andrews McMeel Publishing with 94 new pieces I wrote for the reprint. The additions will nearly double the length of my original release.

Heroin is the Worst Thing to Ever Happen to Me is specifically written for those touched by addiction, whether they are using or a loved one of someone who struggles with addiction. I tapped into my love for journalism and essays for this project.

Antoine: Do you write for yourself before writing about what others would enjoy reading?

Alicia: I write for myself first, second, and third. I never write what others would enjoy reading. I write what I have to get out of my system, I write about what gets under my skin. I’ve learned that if you write honestly about your own experiences, readers will connect because it is genuine and real, and they can relate even if it is not directly about them.

Antoine: When did you know about writing for a living? Was that something you wanted to achieve early on in life?

Alicia: I always knew there were people out there making a living from writing. I never aspired to become “rich” off writing; I knew from an early age that if that was “why” I wanted to write, I would not make it far at all. And yes, I have known I wanted to be a writer since I was eight. I never changed my career goals. I never gave up.

Antoine: What are your thoughts on self-awareness?

Alicia: I never tried to mirror myself after anyone. I’ve always known who the hell I am. And I’ve left it up to others to either take me or leave me, with the understanding that those were their only two options because changing me was going to be impossible.

I think for an author to achieve any sort of “success” they must truly know who they are and what they have to say. I say “have to say” instead of “want to say.” For example, the heroin epidemic is “hot news” right now, every single news outlet in the nation covers it multiple times a day, including myself. However, I wish I wasn’t writing about it. I would do without the millions of hits and clicks and thousands of shares if that meant I could be unaffected by this epidemic. If drug addiction never entered my life, I wouldn’t be writing about it just because it was trending. I’d be writing something else. I may never know what that “something else” is, because this is my purpose now, but there you have it.

Antoine: I know that many publishers picked up your work—and that’s great. However, is it possible to publish without these publications? If so, is it credible to be self-published? Will people still find your writing as interesting?

Alicia: Absolutely. I am a self-published author first and foremost. My self-published poetry book sold over 10,000 of copies and was a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards. I had no formal marketing behind me, just word of mouth and the connections I made thanks to social media.

The publishing world is changing. If a book is self-published or not, it shouldn’t matter as long as the work speaks to the reader. I don’t know about you, but I never flip to the copyright page to see who published the work. I flip to the content and see if I like what is written.

Antoine: How does your writing affect your daily-life?

Alicia: It affects my life on a minute by minute basis. Especially my work on the heroin epidemic. Families reach out to my every single day to share their heartbreaking connection to addiction. If I am not writing, I am brainstorming. Writing isn’t just what I do, it is who I am, and I’ve embraced that.

Antoine: How do you put yourself in a position to succeed?

Alicia: Well, you need to have talent. Not everyone can write well. If you have the skill, you need to be willing to put in the REALLY hard work, long hours, and not stopping once the rejections start rolling in. I studied my craft in high school and college – I wrote non-stop for almost six years before I finally “broke into” the market.

My advice is…do not get weary. Do not get disheartened when success doesn’t happen overnight. If you are being true to your voice, keep writing for yourself first and foremost, and the people who need your voice the most, will find you and connect to you and support you.

REALITY CHECK THOUGH: If you are writing, especially poetry, to become “famous” I hate to break it to you, but that most likely won’t happen. To me, “success” and “fame” are not mutually exclusive in the writing world, and that’s a good thing. Try to remember that.

Antoine: I notice that Profs don’t know much about self-publishing. Would you ever step in universities to tell everyone that times have changed? Since you have that authority, maybe you can make a difference to those that are close-minded or are unaware about Amazon and Kindle.?

Alicia: No, I would not. I dedicate my time visiting schools and universities to present on the Heroin Epidemic.

Bonus Question

Antoine: Do you have any book recommendations that most people would enjoy? They can be your own.?

Alicia: Given the topic, I will recommend self-published books that are some of the most thought-provoking books I’ve ever read. All poetry. Tell me Where it Hurts, by J.R.Rogue; Heavy Crowns, by Anna Corniffe; and Conversations with the Night, by Andres Fernandez.

Antoine: Once again, I want to thank you. I am very fortunate of having an interview with you for my followers. We will talk soon. I know you must have a busy schedule. Take care.

Follow Alicia Cook on social media.

Instagram @thealiciacook

Twitter @ the_alicia_cook

https://thealiciacook.com/