THE MIND'S EYE...

Welcome to the Author Page...

....of J. P. Willson

This is a small part of an interview I did with the Salvation Army after leaving the addictions treatment program I was involved with and lived at for fourteen months. The basis for the first book..."The Mind's Eye..."

The Salvation Army:

There is something to be said for that of community.
I live in a 'community' of sorts that for the most part I do not much care for. As a place to live that is, truthfully I would prefer not to live here, yet I do. I came here for a reason. I shall stay here until such a time as that reason comes to complete fruition-not simply for the sake of a quick fix-then just get the hell out of Dodge simply because I dislike my surroundings.
I arrived here on the 30th of May on the stardate (for those Star Trek fans) 2014...initially to attend a ninety day treatment program and then go home. That was it.
I am after three and almost a half years still here. The program was with The Salvation Army- The Harbour Light Addictions and Recovery Rehabilitation Centre, located in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. I was given the opportunity to finally overcome my lifelong addiction to alcohol, and this time I finally took that chance. The chance that just maybe this time it may work, that I may be able to break free from the seemingly never ending battle with my demons and once and for all stay sober for the rest of my days- however long that may or may not be.
I ended up staying in the treatment program fourteen months- much longer than I ever would have anticipated. Yet for me I knew after the initial three month treatment was finished that I wasn't done. I was not strong enough to go back to the world as others know and remain sober for any length of time- as much as I wanted to get the hell out of here- I knew deep down I could not, not yet.
I am still here.
Do not misunderstand, I do not plan to spend the rest of my life in this godforsaken hell hole.
Right now I am in the process of coming to terms with my rather lengthy self-initiated stay here and the final and inevitable departure from this carnage that has been my life for all these long- so very, very, long days and nights.
I now feel that in order to preserve my sanity at this point the time to go has come.
Inconceivably at the time- I needed to be here for this long, and now what was the main thing that had been keeping me sober is now what is about to deter me from doing such. That being staying here among this horror.
Seeing the things that happen on these streets was a wake up call as to where I would find myself today had I kept on using, living on the streets (not necessarily these streets, yet the streets, nonetheless) in my case I truly believe I would have perished by this point from the constant alcohol abuse that was my sad excuse for existence.
All of this is simply because of the sense of community that is present here in the downtown eastside in part due to that of the Salvation Army. Without their being here as a constant, there are so many people that would have ended up in the same scenario as myself. That scenario being death.
Unfortunately many already have.
I will not go so far as to say the Salvation Army saved my life- they did not, yet they sure as God is my witness, gave me all the support I could have ever imagined to be able to save myself- even when I did not realize this to be the case.
They took me in when no one else would, when every other person in my life had almost all but given up. They fed and clothed and housed me, never ever expecting anything in return and for this I will be forever grateful to them. Without doubt, this organisation has been and will continue to be a lifeline of sorts for the rest of my days.

Just a couple of little ditties I've penned...

"Through the Mind's Eye: A Journey of Self-Discovery:"
Published-August 25th 2016

"How To Become A Successful (recovering) Alcoholic"
Published-September 22nd 2017

"Through the Mind's Eye: A Journey of Self-Discovery"

Depression, self-loathing, unemployment, and destroyed relationships: the effects of drug and alcohol addiction run so much deeper than the morning-after hangover. However, awareness alone will not save the struggling addict, as J.P. Willson reveals in his fearless examination of substance dependency; recovery means doing the mental and emotional work to look inside oneself and discover a way to live as a sober, fulfilled individual in an often challenging world.
"Through the Mind's Eye: A Journey of Self-Discovery" is a thought-provoking and honest examination of the emotional. psychological, and physical ways someone must enact their own healing. As a recovering alcoholic, Willson courageously shares his own story of addiction, as well the ups and downs he experienced along the road to recovery. Packed with astonishing insights about our culture's relationship to alcohol, as well as the lies we tell ourselves in order to keep using, this book will change the way you view addiction. Willson has no qualms about telling the reader how difficult recovery is- and how there is no quick cure-all- but his compassionate, candid reflections help foster the knowledge and will to change.

Things in the Works...

My Life As It Is...
a third compilation of all things recovery

Hell On Earth...
the painful reality of life on the streets of Vancouver's downtown east side

"How To Become A Successful (recovering) Alcoholic"

Sobriety isn't a destination, it's an ongoing journey, one with which J.P. Willson is all too familiar. In "How to Become A Successful (recovering) Alcoholic" Willson is eager to offer whatever insights he can for those embarking on the same road. This memoir examines how his addiction contributed to and informed some of the choices and behaviours that ultimately led him to Vancouver's Downtown East Side.
Make no mistake, however; though it contains its fair share of hard truths and regrets, this is not a sob story and does not wallow in what might have been. Instead this is a story of success and redemption through hard work.
His first book, "Through the Mind's Eye: A Journey of Self-Discovery" was about getting sober. This book is about something much harder: staying there.
Written while working as a chef at the Salvation Army Harbour Light Addiction and Recovery Rehabilitation Centre, it is a testament both to what is possible with the right mindset- and what is all too probable without it.

A children's book you say?

Yup- believe it or not this was the first thing I ever wrote with the idea of publishing on my mind. That's Mr. Pickle below, and it is a story about diversity. It is illustrated and I did the drawings too-can you tell? Fairly child-like yet I never claimed I was an actual 'artist.' per se.

The Covers....
Click on the cover for more information...

Pictured to the right is a the cover of the hopefully next publication. The manuscript is about half finished at this point and it is a work in progress. The content being one that I find very few people wish to talk about. It is non-fiction so there are some hard truths about the reality of the downtown east side it would seem no one will step up and take "credit" for. Shocking as it may seem.
This is going to be a little controversial in it's content for sure yet I believe after living here for over four years-seeing the horror on these streets, this needs to be said.
Truth be told, "Hell on Earth" is going to raise a hell of a lot of eyebrows- and rightfully so.

​Welcome to the Author Page...