I broke out into a cold sweat, and tried to cry. The tears would not fall, because I knew in my heart that I had no one to blame for my situation but myself. I came from a good, loving family. I was never beaten or abused. We went on family vacations every summer. My childhood years could not have been more perfect. What was wrong with me? I looked closely into the mirror and saw the dark circles beneath my eyes. I was underweight and my long blonde hair was thinning. I looked away from the mirror quickly and sat on the cold, tile floor of this cheap motel bathroom. My hand shook a bit as I held the spoon full of heroin. I cooked it up with a blue lighter. I dropped in a small piece of cotton and drew up the liquid with a syringe. I injected the heroin and fell slowly back against the wall. The tile was no longer cold, and life did not seem so hopeless anymore.

Sweet Melissa is an ongoing memoir series. It is the author's story about her lifelong struggle with addiction to heroin, her downward spiral towards self destruction, and finally her recovery. Follow the author down the dark path of substance abuse and the lifestyle that goes with it. In book one, the author gets involved with prostitution and drugs. She encounters a variety of people and finds herself addicted to heroin. With that addiction, she falls deeper and deeper into a hole of which she believes will never end. Her self-esteem diminishes, and her life seems worthless. This is a lifelong struggle with substance abuse leading to the one event that will finally end it all. This is not a few-months habit, but rather a way of life with no other choice at the time. Heroin and substance abuse cloud the mind from thinking properly. It deadens the senses and the soul. It puts you in places you could never imagine in your wildest dreams. Follow the Sweet Melissa series to find out what life changing event will finally open the author's eyes, and shine some hope on her for a brighter future.