Author Howard D. Blazek Explores Identity Loss at LA Book Festival

Blazek's memoir 'The Change Center' delves into the fragile boundaries of sanity and consciousness.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 1:23am

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An abstract, out-of-focus photograph in muted tones depicting a blurred, dreamlike scene of a psychiatric ward, capturing the psychological themes of Blazek's memoir.Blazek's memoir 'The Change Center' offers a poignant exploration of the fragile boundaries of consciousness and identity within the confines of a psychiatric ward.Los Angeles Today

In his new memoir 'The Change Center: A Week on a Ward,' author Howard D. Blazek examines the interplay between knowledge and personal experience. The book, which will be featured at the 2026 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, takes place over the course of a week in a psychiatric ward where Blazek grapples with the abrupt collapse of his identity after a mental breakdown.

Why it matters

Blazek's work provides a unique, psychologically layered exploration of consciousness under intense pressure. By framing his experience not as a straightforward story but as a vibrant collage of fragmented impressions and altered thoughts, the memoir encourages readers to immerse themselves in the tumult of a troubled mind.

The details

Once a graduate student pursuing a psychology degree, Blazek unexpectedly finds himself at the center of his own unintentional case study - waking up without memory, direction, or a firm hold on reality. The narrative delves into Blazek's use of psychedelic substances, framing them in a context of vulnerability and self-reflection while highlighting the delicate balance between curiosity and psychological danger.

  • The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books 2026 will be held from April 18 to 19 at the University of Southern California.

The players

Howard D. Blazek

The author of 'The Change Center: A Week on a Ward,' a memoir that examines the interplay between knowledge and personal experience. Blazek has a background as a former high school teacher of mathematics, Russian, and psychology, and later earned a doctorate in Education, worked on a federally funded county-wide initiative, and built a career as a consultant in instructional design and documentation.

Inks and Bindings

A premier self-publishing company located in Los Angeles, California that is set to feature Blazek's memoir at the 2026 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

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What they’re saying

“Beyond offering a conventional tell-all, the book takes on the role of an exploration of consciousness when faced with intense pressure.”

— Howard D. Blazek, Author

What’s next

Readers can secure a copy of 'The Change Center: A Week on a Ward' by visiting the Inks and Bindings exhibit at Booth 978, Black Zone during the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books 2026.

The takeaway

Blazek's memoir offers a unique and deeply personal exploration of the fragile boundaries of sanity and identity, providing readers with a powerful glimpse into the ways reality can splinter and reshape amid psychological strain.