Why I wrote my 1st book "An Ode to Id"

(essay contest)

1. What made you write your book?
2. How did your book change your life?
3. How did it change the lives of others?
4. What would you say to someone who can't read?

1.) As a child, I had psychological difficulties and was not terribly successful socially, athletically, or in school. My parents lived in the country and were usually very busy with their professions and volunteer activities. Fortunately, from a young age, I discovered the joy and possibilities of reading. It started with kids' books and then adventure stories.
But by my teenage years, I'd realized a great wonder about books: they stay the same. People, feelings, fortunes, and even cities pass away: but a good book can easily last for millennia. As a lonely teenager hiding in the library, I found that I had many friends from many walks of life, and though most had long since passed away in distant lands, they had much to tell me. And books absolutely transformed my mind and my life. I found that for the person with some aptitude and a work ethic, books are full of powerful knowledge easily applied to "the real world."
Thus it was that I came to study literature at Southern Oregon University. My time here saw many events and phases: good and bad. And in my senior year, caught in some troubles I'd rather not discuss and entering into an uncertain future, I wrote a book to preserve my feelings and inspirations of that time. It's called "An Ode to Id."

2.) It would be hard to exaggerate the chaos and hardship of the two years following publication. I tried many things, including a university job in rural Thailand. But various factors and over-drinking brought them all to ruin. I became mentally ill and spent some time in a couple of psychiatric institutions. Things got so bad that I didn't write or even read anymore, but I'd check the internet now and then and was suprised to see that my book was still for sale all around the world. I'd read it sometimes and it helped remind me that I was a poet with a degree in literature.
So I started reading and writing again, and within a year, I'd surpassed my previous intellectual and literary abilities. I've written prolifically since then and PublishAmerica has now come out with my new book: "We're on the road to Humaternity." (humanity and fraternity)

3.) I don't know if "An Ode to Id" has changed anybody's life. I've gotten positive feedback but I am still mentally ill, and amnesia is part of my condition. Sales have not been large. But the book is still widely available, and I work hard to promote it. It's in a handful of libraries and has recently been reviewed for I think the first time.

4.) I'd tell them that reading is very worthwhile, and that even minimal proficiency can bring great enjoyment and benefit. Indeed, many of the finest books are meant for children, even books on "intellectual" topics. When people put aside their training and pretensions and get down to nuts-and-bolts, a good book emerges. This was the philosophy behind "An Ode to Id."