Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive |
Hope native writes bookBy Wendy LedbetterPublished Wednesday, November 1, 2006 in the Nevada County Picayune When Richard Neal promised to write a weekly letter to his son, he never imagined that the outcome of that promise would become a book. But it has, and the Hope native said he's already working on the second book. "Friday's With Landon - Another Time, Another Place," has met with at least moderate success, especially considering that the marketing has been mainly through word of mouth. The book is available through Author House publishing. Online information about the publishing company is available at www.authorhouse.com. Neal's book lays bare his roots, his childhood and his son's 20-year heroine addiction. When his son landed in prison for a drug conviction, Neal pledged to stay in touch by mail. He said one of the early letters from his son included a request - the younger Neal wanted to learn about his father's life. Neal said he complied and was surprised to learn that his son's cellmates gathered each week to hear the latest installment. "It just sort of happened that every Friday I was dropping a letter in the mail," Neal said. Once Neal had written a series of letters, it was his son's idea to compile them into a book. Neal said he took the idea a step farther. "In between my stories, there are pictures into his ugly world." The stories Neal tells reveal his life as a child. "I tried to talk about things we did growing up that kids today never get to do," he said. "But I speak of the ugly side of life too." Neal said he tells of the abuse in his home, his decision to drop out of school and the problems he faced when he left Arkansas. "I had buried my past when I left," he said. "I had never spoke of my Arkansas roots." Neal said he was so anxious to leave his past behind that he even refused to listen to country music for many years - one of many things he associated with his less-than-ideal childhood. "It refers to what I was trying to deny," he said. The letters to his son turned into a journey of self-discovery, Neal said. It was the proverbial chance to "go home," though not in the physical sense. He said that while writing the letters, he thought of things that were little more than hazy memories. He used an "alter ego" to tell the stories and said many were surprised by the blunt honesty of his past. "Everyone who knows me thought they knew me," he said. Neal said he speaks of some classmates from Hope, and that he takes "a couple of little swipes" at the city of his youth. He said he's heard from some childhood friends who have read the book, though he didn't elaborate on the comments. The next book will take up where the first left off, Neal said. His son cleaned up his addiction for a period of time, but has since reverted to drugs. "I'm no longer ashamed of where I came from," Neal said. "But I'm proud of what I've become." Search | Nevada County Picayune by date | Gurdon Times by date |
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