Information about perfect chaos and authors linea and cinda johnson
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Information about perfect chaos and authors linea and cinda johnson
linea and cinda johnson co-‐authors of perfect chaos a daughter’s journey to survive bipolar, a mother’s struggle to save her
praise for perfect chaos “Perfect Chaos is an open-‐eyed, sometimes raw, always astoundingly honest account of a family’s unanticipated battle with mental illness. Cinda and Linea’s awe-‐inspiring resilience and the sheer courage of their emotional transparency moved me to my core and deepened my empathy for all those touched by mental illness, including beloved members of my own family. It is about the fierce, transformative love between a mother and daughter and how they both learn to share their truths.” ⎯Glenn Close, Award-‐Winning Film, Stage and Screen Actress and Co-‐founder, Bring Change 2 Mind
“Perfect Chaos is a memoir of a daughter and mother working together to overcome the daily challenges of living with a mental illness. Through their trials and triumphs, their story provides encouragement and hope for individuals and their families affected by these illnesses.” —Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, founder of the Carter Center Mental Health Program and author of Within Our Reach: Ending the Mental Health Crisis
“A remarkable story about remarkable women. Linea and Cinda brilliantly light a path to hope, understanding, and acceptance as they smash through the stigma of brain illness. Be inspired by the strong voice they give to patients, relatives, care-‐givers, and especially to those unable or afraid to show their wants, needs, and hope for a better future.” ⎯Patrick J. Kennedy, Former U.S. Congressman and Co-‐Founder, One Mind for Research
“PERFECT CHAOS is an important gift to those of us who love someone with a mental disorder. A daughter diagnosed with bipolar disorder and her determined mother take us on their often-‐painful journey to recovery, giving readers a penetrating look into what happens when mental illnesses strike. This inspirational book teaches us the importance of determination, resilience, love and HOPE. It is a testament to the human spirit that refuses to be defeated by a brain disorder -‐-‐ a must read.” ⎯Pete Earley, author of CRAZY: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness, finalist for the Pulitzer Prize
perfect chaos
By Linea and Cinda Johnson St Martin’s Press, May 2012 PERFECT CHAOS is the story of Linea and Cinda Johnson’s head-‐on battle with mental illness. Their ultimately inspiring journey breaks through the stigma of what it means to have bipolar, but more importantly, what it takes to live with it. As this mother, daughter and close-‐knit family take down wall upon wall and face their greatest fears, we witness the human struggle against a debilitating illness and watch as their story reaches beyond the personal to the universal state of mental health today and the foibles of our healthcare system.
PERFECT CHAOS (St. Martin’s Press; May 8, 2012; $24.99; 320pp) opens with Linea Johnson in high school. Despite her occasional fears for her future, Linea experiences the everyday highs and lows of a typical teenager while her mother, father and sister stand by with support and love. As members of the mental health profession, Linea’s parents, Cinda and Curt are keenly more aware of the sensitive nature of their otherwise bright, athletic and overachieving daughter. It is not until she is settled in the college of her dreams across the country, and with a musical career on the horizon, that their worst fears are realized.
Writing before, during and post diagnosis, Linea’s journal entries are heartbreaking: “There is no form of art capable of expressing this madness.” Her transition from intelligent, well adjusted, and happy student to depression and hopelessness become a roller coaster ride for her, her family and friends. Linea’s words capture the cyclical highs and lows of the disorder which make diagnosis and treatment elusive goals. “The pills take the edge off, so instead of wanting to shout how much I want to die from the top of the my lungs, I can only mumble it under my breath.” Her suicidal ideation lands her in the psych ward and what follows are the desperate attempts to save her life.
PERFECT CHAOS holds back nothing. We watch in anguish as Cinda vigilantly guards over Linea and questions every parental decision. “How could I take her independence from her when it was that very spirit that was her greatest ally in fighting this illness?” It is ultimately their trust and shared truths, coupled with Linea’s fight for independence that helps her get her life back. Through electro-‐shock therapy, depression, mania, cutting, bulimia, drugs and alcohol use, and the wrong medications Linea writes. “How am I supposed to trust the doctors when one pill makes me lack any personality and the other brings mood swings so large they long to kill?”
linea and cinda johnson co-‐authors of perfect chaos a daughter’s journey to survive bipolar, a mother’s struggle to save her
bios
linea johnson is a recent graduate from Seattle University, with a major in English and Creative Writing. Prior to transferring to SU, she completed three years at Columbia University, Chicago, in a musical performance program. Linea is currently working as a research assistant at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, WA – the very same center where she was treated for bipolar disorder. Previously, she worked as an intern at the World Health Organization in the Mental Health department. She is a national speaker and writer, advocating for understanding and support for people with mental illness and the elimination of stigma. She has worked and presented with national leaders at BringChange2Mind, NAMI and One Mind for Research.
She has a website, http://www.lineacinda.com and can be found on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, advocating and writing about mental health.
cinda johnson, ph.d., is a professor and director of the special education graduate program at Seattle University. She is also the principal investigator and director of the Center for Change in Transition Services (http://www.seattleu.edu/ccts). She is a national leader in the area of transition from high school to post-‐high school settings for young people with disabilities. She has written articles and book chapters in the area of secondary special education and transition services with an emphasis on youth with emotional and behavioral disorders and mental illness. She has worked and presented with national leaders at BringChange2Mind, NAMI and One Mind for Research.
linea and cinda johnson co-‐authors of perfect chaos a daughter’s journey to survive bipolar, a mother’s struggle to save her
past and upcoming events
4/12-‐4/14 Int. Council on Exceptional Children Convention
5/8 Elliott Bay Bookstore Event
5/12 NAMI/BC2M walk in NYC
5/21 Seattle University Presentation & Reception
6/7 Portland Powell’s Bookstore Event
6/9 Spokane Auntie’s Bookstore Event, (meet with psychiatric nursing students from Gonzaga University after the reading)
6/14 Seattle Santoro’s Books Event
6/27-‐6/30 Seattle NAMI National Convention
7/11 Seattle UW bookstore signing
7/19 Seattle Present to UW psychiatric residents
7/27 Kona, HI Present to school district (Linea)
8/24 St. Louis Karla Smith Foundation, Erase the Stigma Convention
9/15 Napa Valley Staglin Family Music Festival
9/30-‐10/2 Minneapolis Int. Child & Adolescent Conference XVI
10/4-‐10/6 Denver Nat Assoc of College Admission Counselors Convention
linea and cinda johnson co-‐authors of perfect chaos a daughter’s journey to survive bipolar, a mother’s struggle to save her
publicity for perfect chaos BROADCAST AOL’s “You’ve Got” Web TV interview ran May 17 6AM – noon on main page and is now archived – received over half a million hits King TV “New Day” in Seattle interview for “From Stigma to Hope” segment NPR’s “Tell Me More” interview with Jackie Lyden PRINT COVERAGE Bellevue Reporter interviewed for article, date TBD BP Magazine inclusion in coming summer issue Kirkus Publishers Weekly Shelf Awareness The Balanced Mind Newsletter Seattle University’s newsletter NAMI Natural Health Magazine excerpt to run in later issue Prevention Magazine interview and story USA Today interviewed for feature article, date TBD Seattle Times inclusion in new books article ONLINE COVERAGE Barnes & Noble – Self Help Picks EmpowHER interview with Cinda Examiner.com GirlfriendBooks.com Gloss Hope to Cope Huffington Post Parent -‐ Cinda Huffington Post Teen -‐ Linea SheKnows.com Thirdage.com COURSE ADOPTIONS Community Mental Health course, Seattle University Abnormal Psychology course, University of Illinois Psychiatry residency course, University of Washington
more praise for perfect chaos “PERFECT CHAOS is as much a map as it is a memoir, a powerful resource for families and individuals navigating the confusing and painful world of bipolar and mental illness. The dual-‐narrative of mother and daughter allows for twice the insight and inspiration. From the giddiness of mania, to the crushing depression and yearning to end it all, Linea captures the experience of being bipolar with raw honesty and a fresh voice. Cinda's passages illuminate her life on the sidelines, alternately feeling determined and unshakable or heartbroken and helpless. Her refusal to give up on her daughter, and Linea’s will to live, resulted in Perfect Chaos, a brave and realistic, yet life-‐affirming message of hope to families and individuals living with mental illness.” ⎯Claire Fontaine and Mia Fontaine, authors of Come Back: A Mother and Daughter’s Journey through Hell and Back
"PERFECT CHAOS is the definition of mental illness. I read most of Cinda and Linea's words with tears in my eyes. Living with bipolar disorder myself I didn't find one untrue word, not one exaggeration in this exemplary book, only the truth. This brave and honest book will educate people who have little understanding of mental illness and allow those who live with mental illness a knowing that they are not alone. I have a feeling I'll be buying PERFECT CHAOS by the case to distribute to those who don't understand." ⎯Jessie Close, Co-‐founder, Bring Change 2 Mind
“Few share this story with their inner circle, let alone publish a memoir. In sharing this most intimate story, the Johnsons display the same courageous spirit as their pioneering ancestors who journeyed on the Oregon Trail. This book is a must-‐read for parents worried about their teen or college-‐aged child. It is equally compelling for teens and young adults who are struggling to understand their moods, behavior and dark thoughts. It is a story of hope and extraordinary courage… Linea is a beautiful, talented writer… The cover image of a sweet little girl running towards a bright, white light haunts me. I hope we will see more of Linea's writing in the future… I applaud Linea and Cinda Johnson for helping us learn that, "It can happen to anyone." ⎯The Balanced Mind Foundation
“Johnson, diagnosed as bipolar in her 20s, is one of the lucky ones, armed with a caring family, good health insurance, and a strong determination to live, as she describes with her mother in this wrenching story… The journey for Linea and her family is a moving and hopeful one, as they better understand how she reacts to the illness, and realize that being bipolar is only a part of someone’s life, not the whole.” ⎯ Publishers Weekly
“This is definitely a must-‐read… it is a well written, clearly told, inspiring story. It is a great resource for someone struggling with a mental illness or for the support system of someone who has a mental illness.” ⎯Examiner
contact information Publicity St. Martin’s Press Jessica Preeg 175 Fifth Avenue, 15th Floor New York, NY 10010 646-‐307-‐5568 [email protected] Wunderkind PR Tanya Farrell 28 Mulberry Street Red Bank, NJ 07701 646-‐450-‐8030 Tanya@wunderkind-‐pr.com Literary Dystel Goderich Literary Management Stacey Glick One Union Square West New York, NY 10003 212-‐627-‐9100 ext. 22 www.dystel.com [email protected]
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