Having been hit by drug addiction, knowing how many are hit by it and what a big problem it is in our neighborhoods and our culture, I feel a responsibility to do something. I can see what's wrong with the system - that we have to recognize mental illness as we do cancer or broken bones - and how we need to make it better.

When he was on the streets, I was consumed with Nic. I was obsessed with him to the point that I could barely function.

I was ashamed. My son is a drug addict. What does this mean about me?

The tragic fact is that with addiction, like many other illnesses, sometimes you can do everything right and people die.

After writing about addiction in a pair of books, I frequently hear from addicts and their family members about serial relapses followed by treatments followed by more relapses. It's not uncommon for addicts to go through a dozen treatment programs.

Like so many of us, I'm brokenhearted about the death of the remarkably talented actor Philip Seymour Hoffman.

I spent years searching for effective programs that would lower drug use and prevent addiction.

That's the difference between even the best video game and what's going on in books. Video games can inspire a reaction, but not the emotions.

I came home one day and Nick was in his bedroom reading 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' and the tears were just flowing down his cheeks, at the terrible injustice that was being described in that book and the bravery of fighting against it.

Kids love the 'Mario Brothers' games, which are whimsical, inventive and lots of fun.