C.J. Leger: Author Spotlight: Jason Smith, Author of "The Bitter Taste of Dying"

Today's author spotlight is on Jason Smith, a debut novelist who has exploded onto the scene with incredible support from New York Times Bestselling Authors for his memoir, "The Bitter Taste of Dying" where he recounts his bout with prescription drug abuse.

When the author reached out to us, we immediately thought he was the perfect candidate to fill our August Author Spotlight. The author recently did an interview with the Huffington Post, where he talked about drug addiction and his new book. And in his interview the author opened up about family rifts his drug abuse caused him and the extreme sense of desperation he felt towards the end of his drug addiction.

The author also recently did an interview with The Curious Cat Project. His success in writing such a riveting book is a testament to the future of memoir literacy and the inclusion of all of the cutthroat, indecent, embarrassing, and sometimes dreaded secrets that make us human.

About the Book

The book explores the depravity and desperation required to maintain an opiate addiction so fierce, he finds himself jumping confidence to avoid jail time and learned the hard way that some demons cannot be outrun.

"The Bitter Taste of Dying" paints a portrait of the modern day drug addict with clarity and refreshing honesty. With a gritty mixture of self-deprecation and light-hearted confessional, Smith’s memoir deftly describes the journey into the harrowing depths of addiction and demonstrates the experience of finally being released from it.

The book tackles a large and increasingly difficult problem to address in the United States, the author does it in such a way that he barrels deep into the soul of the reader, portraying his experiences on a mental projection screen. Books like this are at the forefront of understanding cultural problems in our society, coming together to be able to overcome them while simultaneously exploring the sweet release that is opening up your vulnerability to others so that they can learn from your mistakes.

The other shared a few exclusive excerpts with us that left us engaged, so we plan on doing a review of this book in the future; in the meantime, review this excerpt discussing the euphoria the author felt during one of his drug-induced highs.

EXCERPT: At the exact moment I walked into class, I got hit in the chest by something warm and seductive. I steadied myself against the doorway with my mouth open and eyes opened wide, hunched over, trying to understand what was happening to me. It was like a medical emergency but the opposite, a reverse heart attack. Instead of panic there was pleasure. Instead of hyperventilation, my breathing slowed. I felt like I had warm water flowing through my veins, my joins soaking in narcotic indulgence. Oh my God, I thought. That... feels... fucking... incre...di...ble..."

And another excerpt, the author addresses the complete hold prescription drugs can take over an addict, and how he felt just at the cusp of conscious defeat and complete addiction.

EXCERPT: Looking back, this would have been an excellent time to tell my doctor to go fuck himself. I should have asked him why he wanted to keep me on the drugs that I'd arrived intending to get off of. But I didn't ask him any of these things because deep down, I wanted to stay on the drugs. The addict that I am wasn't ready to stop. He was my dealer, and really - can you blame the dealer for wanting to keep his customers?

Praise

The book has garnered a lot of attention in the New York Times Bestselling Author circle. Jerry Stahl, Jason Peter, and Kelly Corrigan spoke openly about their support for this book and how talented Jason Smith is.

NY Times bestselling author, Jerry Stahl, says,
"Jason is a great writer who's clearly done the life-destroying research that I can relate to. This is the voice of a new generation of drug addicts."

Also commenting on the book was the popular executive producer of two CW hit TV series.

Bob Levy, the Executive Producer of Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl says,“Jason Smith hits the Zeitgeist bullseye like few other writers. I’m going to devour everything with this guy’s name on it.”

"The Bitter Taste of Dying" is Jason Smith's first book, and we have a feeling that this author is going to be on the New York Times Bestselling list himself in a few years. We're glad the author reached out to us and that we've had the pleasure of publishing this Author Spotlight for our readers.

Here's another excerpt to leave you drooling.

EXCERPT: If you want to really understand the desperation and depravity of drug addiction, here you go. I wanted to stop with every fiber of my being, but could not. Nothing obliterates the human spirit and self-esteem more than using a substance against your own will, buying and putting in while hating every second of it. I was homeless, living outside of a train station in Nice, France. I was stealing bread and drinking from public toilets. And when given money to survive - to eat, to re-hydrate, to live like a civilized primate - I chose the drugs.