Meet the author/poet who returned from meth, alcohol abyss

Ryelee Arishenkoff has a remarkable story to tell, and that's even before you explore his fantasy fictional literature, and hard hitting poetry.

By his own admission, the 26 year old from Grand Forks, who now lives and works in Kelowna, was closing in on death.

Arishenkoff's meth and alcohol addiction saw him tumble into psychosis and organ failure. His arrest for a DUI and possession of a firearm could have spelled a term behind bars but that's when things changed, thanks to his late mother.

Just two years later he's celebrating the launch of his first book, Houndsfire: Embers of Home, (Friesen Press) along with a portfolio of poems that expands weekly and sometimes daily.

Arishenkoff has been writing creatively since he was 12 but acknowledges much of that was done under the influence of substance abuse. His time in rehab gave him the space and scope to create the words that have now been published.

He also has a growing Instagram following @Arishenkoff_writing, where he prefaces each reading with the same, powerful, introductory line.

His book can also be purchased here and at local book stores.

Check out the video.