The author relates how, as a young adult, he became a drug user and smuggler, was arrested, did time in prison, and eventually got out and went to college, all the while hoping to become a writer.

The elite academy of Vale Hall is Brynn Hilder's chance to start over, away from her mom's loser boyfriend and her rundown neighborhood. She soon learns that the school's extracurricular activities involve ridding the city of corrupt officials. Then she meets her mark-- a senator's son that she needs to con for her semester grade. But the school's headmaster has secrets he'll stop at nothing to protect, and Brynn begins to realize she's in way over...

When seventeen-year-old Jay Reguero learns his Filipino cousin and former best friend, Jun, was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, he flies to the Philippines to learn more. Jay Reguero learns that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened. He travels to the Philippines, hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to...