The Other Side of Empty

What if the happiest person in the room was the one falling apart?

From the outside, Bryce LeClerc looked like he had it all together: a smile that disarmed, stories that entertained, and a life filled with travel, love, and adventure. But beneath the charm was a relentless battle with alcoholism—one masked by functionality, humor, and a deep desire to outrun the emptiness within.

The Other Side of Empty is a raw and deeply human memoir about what it means to live a double life—drinking at night, teaching by day, smiling through withdrawal, and searching for connection while hiding from the truth. From chaotic classrooms in China to tropical beaches in the Philippines, and finally to the quiet resolve of sobriety in West Africa and Taiwan, Bryce invites you into the rollercoaster of his recovery.

This is not a story about perfection. It's a story about persistence. About trying again when the world—and your own mind—tells you it's over.

Honest, humorous, and deeply emotional, this memoir will speak to anyone who has ever felt like they were drowning behind their own smile.