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An inside look into the book, Jerk California
Citation preview
Inside th
e
book!
Read about Jonathan
Friesen pg.9
Celebrities you may
know who have
Tourettespg.6
Table of Contents
Tourettes……………………………Pg. 4-5
Celebrities
With tourettes…………………………Pg. 6
California……………………………..Pg. 7
About the
Author……………………………….Pg. 9-10
OUT NOW!!!
Another novel from Jonathan Friesen.
The Author of Jerk California!
Tourette syndrome is a heredi-
tary disarray of the nervous
system, distinguished by a
changeable appearance of dis-
carded movements and noises.
Tourette's once was consid-
ered a rare and bizarre syn-
drome, most often associated
with the exclamation of inde-
cent words or socially inappro-
priate and offensive remarks,
but that symptom is present in
only a small minority of peo-
ple with Tourette's. (http://
www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/
tourette/detail_tourette.htm)
According to the National
Institute of Neurological disor-
ders and Stroke the cause of
Tourette syndrome is un-
known, although some studies
suggest that the tics in
Tourette syndrome are caused
by an increased amount of a
neurotransmitter called dopa-
mine. A neurotransmitter is a
chemical
found in the brain that helps to
transmit information from one
brain cell to another. Other
studies suggest that the defect
in Tourette syndrome involves
another neurotransmitter
called serotonin, or involves
other chemicals required for
normal functioning of the
brain. The first symptoms usu-
ally involve involuntary move-
ments of the face, arms, limbs
or trunk. These tics are fre-
quent, repetitive and rapid.
Although Tourette syndrome
symptoms are involuntary,
some people can sometimes
suppress, camouflage, or oth-
erwise manage their tics in an
effort to minimize their impact
on functioning such as yawn-
ing after a tic in their mouth.
Eventually though people with
Tourette syndrome often re-
port a substantial build up in
tension when suppressing their
tics to the point where they
feel that the tic must be ex-
pressed. Other related symp-
toms are difficulties with read-
ing, writing, and arithmetic;
and obsessive-compulsive
symptoms such as intrusive
thoughts/worries and repetitive
behaviours. An example
would be worries about dirt
and germs may be associated
with repetitive hand-washing,
and concerns about bad things
happening may be associated
with ritualistic behaviours
such as counting, repeating, or
rearranging. All students with
Tourette syndrome need a tol-
erant and compassionate set-
ting that both encourages them
to work to their full potential
and is flexible enough to ac-
commodate their special
needs. This setting may in-
Tourettes
Syndrome:
Early symptoms
Dealing with it
Support Groups
Author: Jon Higgins
Vocal tic severity
regular classroom, or even oral
exams when the child's symp-
toms interfere with his or her
ability to write. (http://
www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/
tourette/detail_tourette.htm)
As Tourette syndrome often
goes undiagnosed, no precise
number can be given of how
many have it. Tourette syn-
drome is listed as a "rare dis-
ease" by the Office of Rare
Diseases of the National Insti-
tutes of Health, some over
200,000 in the United States
alone are known to have the
disorder. "According to cur-
rent best estimates, Tourette
Syndrome affects approxi-
mately 6 of every 1,000
schoolchildren." (NIH Confer-
ence, 2006).
Tourette Syndrome founda-
tion of Canada states
“Although there is no cure for
Tourette syndrome really at
the moment some actually be-
come symptom-free or no
longer need medication for tic
suppression.”
There are several groups
making an effort towards help-
ing people with Tourette syn-
drome, including “Tourette’s
Action” is a charity working to
make life better for people
with Tourette syndrome.
“Tourette’s Action” is the
UK’s leading support and re-
search charity for people with
Tourette syndrome and their
families. Join them on their
biggest ever fund raising chal-
lenge, skydive for free! On
July 30th with people all over
the country!!! They need our
support to support children
and adults with Tourette Syn-
drome, provide information to
teachers, doctors and social
workers, and promote research
into therapies and treatments.
Please contact fundrais-
for more information. They
rely on nothing more than vol-
untary support where they are
not supported by the govern-
ment, a great way you can help
is by requesting a Tourette’s
action money box. Also, if in-
terested you are welcome to
apply as there are now jobs
available, thank you. For more
information please visit http://
www.tourettes-action.org.uk/
research/ or call 0845 458
1252. And they thank every-
one for your support. There
are several groups making an
effort towards helping people
with Tourette syndrome, in-
cluding “Tourette’s Action” is
a charity working to make life
better for people with Tourette
syndrome. “Tourette’s Action”
is the UK’s leading support
and research charity for people
with Tourette syndrome and
their families. Join them on
their biggest ever fund raising
challenge, skydive for free!
On July 30th with people all
over the country!!! They need
our support to support children
and adults with Tourette Syn-
drome, provide information to
teachers, doctors and social
workers, and promote research
into therapies and treatments.
Please contact fundrais-
for more information. They
rely on nothing more than vol-
untary support where they are
not supported by the govern-
ment, a great way you can help
is by requesting a Tourette’s
action money box. Also, if in-
terested you are welcome to
apply as there are now jobs
available, thank you. For more
information please visit http://
www.tourettes-action.org.uk/
research/ or call 0845 458
1252. And they thank every-
one for your support.
Tourettes Action logo
Tourette’s can affect anyone. There are many other celebrities you may happen to know who
have Tourette syndrome: Tim Howard, Howard Hughes, Marc Summers, Dan Ackroyd and
David Beckham.
Tim Howard, known as Tim Dawg, managed to become the goal keeper for Manchester
United of England in spite of having Tourette syndrome. Tim quotes “It’s just a battle of the
will”, he just constantly fights what his mind tells his body to do, he has been capable of shut-
ting out tourettes.
Howard Hughes was one of the richest men yet he was ill, and suffered from tourettes.
Marc Summers suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, everything has to be a certain
way, and nothing else would work.
Dan was diagnosed with tourette's and asperger syndromes at an early age, but the symptoms
seem to have disappeared when he was around 14. When he was a preteen there was no such
thing as Asperger syndrome in the 1960s.
David suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and it shows from constant cleanliness
and perfection of all that is around him. Anything out of order is enough to cause a conflict
and must be attended to immediately.
Just because you have Tourette syndrome doesn’t mean you can’t do or become anything, that
definetly is not the case because there are ways of coping with it or things you may love to do
that you actually can do.
Celebrities with
Tourettes
Author: Jon Higgins
Hundreds of amazing sites and One amazing
California is found on the west side of the United States with the pacific
ocean on one side, Nevada and Arizona on the other, south of Oregon and to the
north of Mexico. California is home to about 37 million people and is still growing.
California is one of the richest and divers parts of the world, and includes some of
the most endangered ecological communities.
The capital of California is Sacramento. It is located just north of Califor-
nia's central valley and has a population of 466,676 and is the sixth largest city in
California. There were definitely more city`s in the race for the shot at the right for
capitol suck as Los Angela's, San Francisco, san Jose and even Anaheim.
Nothing compares to the amazing sites of California, from the breathtaking
shores to the mountains of Hollywood. Would you want to be anywhere els?
Author: Patrick Chiasson
CUSTOM SOLUTIONS
California The Golden State
Some other novels by Jonathan Friesen!
5 Star Rating!
$8.99- Kindle Edition - Kindle eBook
(Mar. 22, 2011) by Jonathan Friesen
inspired him to write
the novel.
Jonathan Friesen says, “If
you ask most people
about their life, they
don’t begin with fifth
grade. But that was a
good year. Illness
changed that.” He re-
treated into a shell and
escaped into words.
Writing a story sucked
the pain out of him, at
least for a while. That’s
when he learned to
“feel” on paper. Jona-
than Friesen didn’t
think he’d be an au-
thor, he didn’t think
he’d be much of any-
thing, he was simply
writing to survive. His
life changed in college.
Hiss health returned,
the cloud lifted, and he
got his teaching li-
cense. Being a teacher,
and being with those
kids healed Jonathan.
Surrounded by them,
he relived periods of
time stolen by child-
hood sickness. He was
in his glory. But he
couldn’t escape story-
telling. All those years
expressing himself on
paper left their
mark. While his stu-
dents worked, he wrote
at his desk. Jerk Califor-
nia, Friesen’s first book
flowed out of his own
Jonathan Friesen is a
YA author, speaker,
and youth writing
coach from Mora, Min-
nesota. His first young
adult novel “Jerk, Cali-
fornia” about a teen
coming to terms with
Tourette’s Syndrome
which was released in
September of 2008 and
he received the ALA
Schneider Award . Jona-
than Friesen loves to
write for the younger
crowd and regularly
contribute to Club-
house Magazine and
Clubhouse Jr. When he
is not writing, speaking
at schools, or teaching,
he likes to travel and
hang out with his fam-
ily.
Jonathan Friesen lives
in northern Minnesota
on a small farm with
his wife and three chil-
dren, and a growing
number of animals. He
believes in journneys,
and his have carried
him around the globe.
Jonathan’s passion is
coaching gifted young
writers in the art of
fiction. His personal
experiences with
Tourette’s Syndrome
Jonathan
Author: Sally Kim
Introducing Jonathan Friesen, the author
of the book “Jerk, California”. His life and
career, and some of his quotes.
Jonathan Friesen
loves contests. On
his twitter website,
he wrote “I love
contests. I won the
first one I ever
entered. I had to
draw "Cubby," this
cute little bear
from the TV guide.
Yep, I won $25,
which in 1973
bought a lot of
baseball cards. The
draw Cubby people
said I had a future
in the visual arts. I
don't know about
that. I do know
writing has worked
out pretty well.”
Also Jonathan
Friesen wrote how
he feels about
“What could be
worse?”. Jonathan
Friesen wrote,
What could be
worse than endur-
ing a bad soccer
game . . .Watching
a good game in
which your son is
playing well . .
.And having him
play on multiple
teams . . .And
watching gas hit
3.79 while you
barely clear 25
mpg . . .And hand-
ing the gas station
I look around at my close
friends now, years later.
I’m not in contact with
anyone from high school
and only one guy from
college, but my life is
filled with great friend-
ships—the kind everyone
looks like they have in
high school but few actu-
ally do. School ends, the
wind blows people every
which way. When that
wind dies down, there will
be someone there for you.
Q: The power of names to
define a person is an im-
portant issue in the book.
What has been the impor-
tance of names in your
own life?
A: I think a name can
shape a life. It can also be
a marker in the road. I
was born Jonathan, but
Q: Jack’s/Sam’s story
is often heartbreak-
ing, especially when it
comes to his difficul-
ties fitting in at school
and his lack of mean-
ingful friendships.
Sadly, ostracism and
even bullying is not
uncommon among
high school students.
Do you have any ad-
vice for teens strug-
gling with these chal-
lenges?
A: High school ends.
A speaker told us on
day one of ninth
grade, “These are the
best days of your life.”
I heard that again
during my freshman
year at college. I re-
member thinking, he
better be lying, be-
cause this is more
nightmare than dream.
nobody called me that. I
was Jon, or John-Boy, or
Jonno, or whatever. I think
nicknames are great. They
make a person feel spe-
cial. But after a disastrous
college relationship, I
wanted to put everything
behind me. It’s as if I
wanted to take a shower
and wash off everything
about myself and who I’d
been, including the name
I’d been called: Jon. I re-
claimed Jonathan. It’s my
true name, my true self,
and reclaiming it made
me feel new again.
Q: Acceptance, both of
yourself and of others, is
a major theme in Jerk,
California. Tell us why
this was an important
message for you to con-
vey in writing this novel.
A: If you’re a hider, like I
when I was five. Eye
blinks and shoulder
jumps. Early on, those
movements didn’t affect
me much. My peers didn’t
make a big deal of them.
But in junior high, those
tics (and my dishonesty
about them) began affect-
ing relationships. By high
school, school was a
lonely place. But again,
my attitude about TS, and
not the syndrome itself,
deserves a fair amount of
credit for that.
Q: The romance between
Naomi and Sam/Jack is
sometimes sweet, some-
times frustrating, but
always very true-to-life.
Was their romance based
on any in your own life?
A: Oh sure. Dating my
wife was the most irritat-
ingly wonderful experi-
Interview
Q: Your biography men-
tions that, like Sam/Jack
from the book JERK, CALI-
FORNIA, you also have
Tourette Syndrome. How
much of Sam’s/Jack’s
story is your own? What is
your personal history with
the disorder? At what age
did symptoms first ap-
pear? How did that affect
you growing up?
A: Sam’s story is com-
pletely fictitious, but his
internal struggle with
Tourette Syndrome mir-
rors my own quite closely.
He is much more honest
with himself than I was—I
had a hard time accepting
the fact that I couldn’t
stop my movements.
Somewhere, I had picked
up the idea that I should
be able to stop them. My
symptoms first appeared
Q: Sam’s/Jack’s relation-
ship with George is touch-
ing and sincere. George
came along just when
Sam most needed some-
one to believe in him.
Were there any influential
people in your own life
who helped guide you?
A: My grandma had the
rare ability to build me up
and kick me in the rear at
the very same time. If
you’ve never had this type
of person in your life, it’s
quite an experience. One
minute she would tell me
what she saw in me, how
proud she was of me.
Then, bam! She’d let me
have it, and point out all
the areas in which I had
more growing to do. But I
listened to her, because I
knew she loved me and I
was certain she believed
in me. She was a powerful
guide in my life.
came up with the song. I
heard it and my jaw
dropped because they
nailed it—the mood, the
feeling. I was shocked.
Halloween, Alaska did a
great job.
Q: Where do you find
inspiration for your char-
acters and stories?
A: Every story of mine
contains an element lifted
from real life. I need to
understand an aspect of a
character, or a piece of
the plot. Once I find that
interesting detail, my
imagination takes over. I
stick that familiar piece
into a situation or charac-
ter I know nothing about
and start asking, “what if.”
Intervi
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ALL DAY I DREAM ABOUT SPORTS
Clench your
THURST!
Jerk,
THE NEXT BIG
ROTHESAY READ,
ARE YOU IN?
Published May 9th
Authors: Jon Higgins, Patrick Chaisson, Sally Kim