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 A
frightening, true story of a teenager who created a character to protect
herself. She became an actor who did what she thought she had to do to
make it. She went to extremes. She made herself look how they wanted her
to look. Said things they wanted to hear. Was seen with people they wanted
her to be with. Jane became what they, her audience, wanted. So convincing
they thought she (the character) was real. She is real now, so real that
Jane could be a nobody, a somebody and anybody.
All kids, teenagers, adults - people, go through stages that at times
can become a stage. I went through stages, that became stages, I was your
average teenager, and she is inside so that you can be angry, disappointed
and understand her.
JaneInside is being published with the support of Kevin Roberts and all
profits from the New Zealand sales are going to the TYLA
Trust.
Questions and Answers
About the Author
Kevin and Jane's Letter
Buy the Book
What is the book about?
JaneInside is a diary styled autobiography about a teenager's journey from
the age of 12 to 21. It is my own personal story, but it could apply to
any teenager in any town. The book is about me trying to fit in and being
who I thought I should be, instead of who I was. This lead to a downward
spiral and my own near suicide. I write about drugs and alcohol abuse,
sexual experiences, boyfriends, break-ups, popularity battles, family
problems, suicidal thoughts and finding my true self.
Why did you decide to write under the name of Jane U?
When I was writing, I always had the attitude that I hadn't lived an
extra ordinary life - I am really just a plain Jane. So I wanted to make
the point that plain Jane stories are still worth telling, after all we
are the majority. So the story could be about anyone, they could about
you. Also my maiden name is Voskamp and my married name is Thomsen and as
I don't really feel like either, but more so something in-between that,
then U fits between T & V perfectly!
When did you start writing the book?
It was six years ago. I started asking questions of when did my life
all go so horribly wrong and why wasn't I chasing my dreams? And what were
my dreams?
Why did you write this book?
I wanted to share my story of what can happen when you don't have the
confidence to be yourself. I also wanted to show that making mistakes is
not something you should be ashamed off. Writing gives me a place where I
am totally free to be myself, I hope by being so open, I will be able to
pass on some of that freedom to others, so they can be more open about,
themselves and their own experiences. I also wanted to remind parents who
have forgotten what it feels like to be a teenager and support teenagers
who don't think anyone knows how they feel.
Who is the book for?
The book is for everyone who has been touched by any of the issues
that I write about. It's for people who want to help or who need help. I
hope more than anything that parents will read it and give it to their
teens to read.
What do you hope people take away from reading the book?
If I look at my own experience, I had the average dysfunctional family
and I know that there were girls who slept with more guys, did more drugs,
did sillier things and were treated more appallingly than I ever was. They
also had dark days, but never found themselves crossing the line of
wanting to end their life - the only difference I can see between them and
myself is they were closer to who they were. So based on my experience,
all I can say is how important it is for parents to allow their kids to be
who they are and to support them (regardless of how bad it may seem) and
reinforce how great that person is! If the kids have this confidence
instilled in them there may be more chance they will trust their own inner
voice and make the right choices for themselves.
People can take a lot of different things away from this book, but for
me the important things are:
- How important it is to understand who you are and to be true to the
growth of that.
- Most people look for a sense of belonging. That isn't hard to
accept, when you see people looking for it in sport, club, community
group, religion or gang, or even by creating their own family.
- Kids need to learn how to solve problems and know where to go for
help if they can't solve them on their own. Some parents need to learn
this as well.
- Sometimes kids need the opportunity to have a fresh start and
parents need to communicate this to them from an early age - so they
know there is always another way out.
- Parents, teachers, caregivers etc…all need to know how important
it is to open children's eyes to the endless possibilities that our
world has to offer and help them believe that all those possibilities
are there for the taking. We need to sell our kids dreams and give
them the currency (the belief) to buy them!
- All problems in life are relative and what may seem trivial to a
parent could be insurmountable to a teenager and vice a versa.
- You can't learn from your mistakes if you don't acknowledge
them.
- Parents need to be role models for their kids and stop looking to
the latest celebrity or sports star. Other people may have a social
conscious, but shouldn't be held responsible.
- Many people get to suicide because they feel they can't talk about
there problems. So it is ironic that the popular belief is that to
solve suicide it is best left not talked about openly.
- We need to stop labelling all people that have wanted to end their
life as having a mental illness. When does a mental moment become an
illness? It is just a moment of mental, one of which there are many of
as a teenager and even as an adult. There is too much stigma attached
to suicide.
- I think we need to take more time, be more honest and communicate
better with our kids.
What do you think when people say we shouldn't talk about
suicide?
Many people get to suicide because they feel they can't talk about
their problems. So it is ironic that the popular belief is that to solve
suicide it is best left not talked about openly. How does that work? I
think the traditional argument that if we talk about, we will be
encouraging more of it, is completely ridiculous. We have a culture of not
talking about it and yet we still have suicide as the highest cause of
death due to injury. So if you ask me, its pretty obvious that the
strategy is not working. People know that suicide is an option, just like
if you need money you could try robbing a bank. It isn't the thought of
knowing it is there that makes people do it - it's the desperation and
feeling of aloneness that comes with having feelings that aren't talked
about. And when they are we apply labels like 'mentally ill'. Why does a
mental moment have to be a mental illness?
What do you mean by mental moment?
- Isn't getting in a car with a driver who has drunk over the limit
mental?
- Having casual sex without a condom?
- Smoking a joint and having no idea where it came from?
- Driving over the speed limit
- Downing a yard glass at a 21st
What I am trying say is as teenagers and adults we have all had mental
moments, but we are not considered mentally ill. But if we have had a
moment where we have wanted and planned to end our lives we are labelled
mental ill - why is that? Who decides?
What was the main reason for you to contemplate suicide?
I made a lot of poor choices while trying to be a lot of different
people. That was all fine when I was drunk or stoned because I would feel
a lot less. But then I would sober up and as my true self, have to deal
with all these things I had done. Obviously I had issues with that. A
whole lot of things happened which on their own were just little, but
together they were huge, and I could no longer separate them. I didn't
think anyone cared, I didn't think anyone would understand and I didn't
think anyone could help me! And I needed all three. To me it wasn't the
easy way out, it was the only way out that I could see. As for family and
friends I just thought that in the long run I would be doing them all a
favour. I also think what people don't understand is there isn't a big
step from thinking your life is shitty, to not wanting to be here at all.
Or maybe people just don't want to believe it, because they want to
separate themselves from the likes of me? I believe there is no
stereotypical person who is a suicide risk. The most common link we hear
is that these people have had problems and suffered from depression - my
question to that is who hasn't?
Why weren't you yourself?
I always felt like an outsider, both at home and at school.
Essentially I didn't have a sense of belonging and I think it is human
nature to look for this. So I went off to look for a place to belong - I
had all this evidence to support the fact I wasn't going to find it being
me, so I compromised me, so that at least I would have a place where I
would belong.
Why did you self-publish this book?
I sent the book to about ten publishers, which pretty much covers the
major ones here in NZ. I was given some really great feedback but most of
them just thought the market wouldn't be big enough. Publishers can only
print a limited number of books each year, so they aren't keen on taking
on a project that might appear to be a bit risky. Although it was
disappointing that a publisher didn't want to take the risk in publishing
the book, there was definitely an upside, as when a publisher takes on
your book, you pretty much loose creative control. As a result I was able
to have total control of how the book looked, read and felt. It was also a
huge learning curve for me as I was responsible for everything from coming
with the design, to choosing the paper, negotiating with printers, selling
the idea to a distributor, putting together the marketing campaign and
everything else in between.
Why are you giving the proceeds to charity?
This book was born in NZ and all the people in it belong to NZ, it didn't
feel right to make money from a country that gave me a home, family and
amazing friends. And if tomorrow I got hit by a bus I want to leave
knowing that I tried to make a difference. Hopefully I will be able to get
some income from international sales so that I can pay off the loans that
I have had to take out while writing this book.
The charity you are supporting is TYLA, who are they?
TYLA trust is a non-profit organisation that has been running
successfully in a few communities for the last nine years and is aiming to
roll out nationwide. Its beauty is it is a long term early intervention
programme supported by government, police, business, community and
schools. They reach young kids going of the rails, but they don't just put
them back, they stay with them for the complete journey - right through
school and into the work force. They provide a holistic wrap around
programme so that the kids can realise their potential and achieve their
own goals. I wanted to give the money to a charity, it is a charity that
Kevin is a trustee of and this was my way of supporting him. I would also
like to add that the photographer, printing company, distributor and
editor all gave a discount of sorts to support this project.
How do you know Kevin Roberts and how did get him on board?
The first time I met Kevin was on the front of a North & South
Magazine that read is Kevin Roberts God? This was not long after I had
come up with an advertising idea, aimed at the real, normal and everyday
woman. This idea had been fuelled by my frustration of feeling more than
inadequate due to images of the women in ads - felt like they were
everywhere and I was the ugly minority. I guess I was having some sort of
identy crisis. So I emailed Kevin my idea of how to market sportswear to
real, normal and everyday women. At that stage I was a part-time Travel
Consultant & Mother of 2, living in Papakura and had no formal
training in marketing. Everyone I talked to happily advised me I would be
ignored, but I persevered, sent him a presentation and he arranged to meet
with me. He loved the idea and sent me off to a major sportswear company,
but unfortunately they didn't think the real, normal everyday woman was a
big enough market?! It was cool to see last year Dove & Nike using a
very similar concept. What I found was the whole process gave me a huge
rush and I wondered why the hell wasn't I doing that full time. So I sat
down and just started to write my story, because I wanted to know where it
all went wrong and how I ended up where I was. This all lead to the idea
of publishing some books and once I had my first manuscript I sent it off
to Kevin for some feedback. I knew from my research that it is really
difficult to publish a book, so I knew I needed to look outside the box as
a back up. It took a lot of perseverance. He read it, loved it, gave it to
his daughter to read, she loved it also. He thought it was an important
story that needed to be told. So from there he came on board and gave me
the resources I needed to self-publish the book. So the answer to 'is
Kevin Roberts God', is yes - at least for JaneInside he is!
How did you get Keisha to do the quote?
The manuscript was at a girlfriends place, and she picked it up, read
it and loved it. I asked if she could give me a quote and she said
yes.
What do your family and friends think about you writing the
book?
Once they had stopped thinking I was mad, they have been amazing! They
have given me unconditional support, some helped with the edit others
helped with advice, peep talks, you name it! Mum didn't like a lot of what
she read, but understands why it was written and she is proud of that.
What's next for you?
I have 3 more books in the same series. The next is about choosing
between children and career, not blooming during pregnancy, relationship
issues, more messing up, coming to terms with my body changing, having an
identy crisis etc. and finally coming to the point where the first story
(Janeinside) evolved. The third book is about chasing my dreams and the
ups and downs, the fourth searches for answers to the big questions of
life, our purpose etc... I have also just finished a children's picture
book called The Old Earth and the New Vase. It's all about a rose who
thinks she is chasing a dream, but really it is just a fantasy - It is
about being grateful for what you already have. I also have many other
projects, in various stages of completion, more children's picture books,
coffee table books and some light hearted stuff. So really I am looking
for a publisher!
Jane Voskamp Thomsen has been writing full time now for 7 years (in
between growing two children, running a household and trying to keep
fit!). Her first book, JaneInside, was released on March 7 2006.
JaneInside has been published privately and distributed in NZ through
Nationwide Book Distributors.
JaneInside is a diary styled autobiography of her life from the age 12
to 21. It is the story of a girl trying so hard to fit in that she loses
her sense of herself, which nearly ends in suicide. The book gives a
unique teenage perspective on teenage issues. It is Jane's hope that it
may help parents and teenagers better understand some of the challenges
they face.
Over the last seven years Jane has enlisted the help of a number of
people with her journey, the most influential being Kevin Roberts, the
Chief Executive Officer Worldwide of Saatchi & Saatchi. Kevin has
given support and guidance (and the odd rev-up) to help her into a writing
career. It is with Kevin's financial support that JaneInside is being
published. All profits from the NZ sales of JaneInside are going to the
TYLA Trust.
Jane is committed to pursuing a full time career in writing, her goal is
to empower kids, teens and women alike, by simply being herself and
injecting a little reality, while living her dream.
Jane has a website going live on 1st April 2006 at www.JaneInside.com.
(Copy of letter sent to media organisations and schools)
Dear
Re: JaneInside
JaneInside is a book that will change New Zealand. It will impact kids and
parents. And it will address empathetically the curse of our age: teenage
suicide.
I know Jane well. I've been part of this story for seven years now. We
need your help. We'd like you to review the book so kids and parents
throughout New Zealand will become aware of it and will seek it out. Then
we can all help to make a difference.
JaneInside is about a teenager's journey from the age of 12 to 21.
While it is Jane's own personal story, it could apply to any teenager in
any town. The book is about Jane trying to fit in and being who she
thought she should be, instead of who she was. This leads to a downward
spiral at school, relationship problems, drugs and her own near suicide.
The story provides a unique teenage perspective on these issues as well
as others such as drink driving, abortion and abuse. The book sets out to
stimulate parents of what they may have gone through as a teenager and
have possibly forgotten. Teenagers will find comfort in reading it and
seeing that what they may be thinking or experiencing is not unique and
that their problems are real, but do not need to be fatal.
Being a new author, convincing a publishing house to take on this
project proved extremely difficult. So Jane enlisted my help in providing
the financial backing and support for the book to be self-published. Any
proceeds from the sale of this book in New Zealand will be donated to the
TYLA Trust - an organisation engaged in helping at risk youths turn their
lives around.
I hope you will help us spread the word.
Jane Thomsen
Author
Kevin Roberts
CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide
JaneInside is available at bookstores nationwide for $24.99 or can be bought online at at various sites
including, www.nationwidebooks.co.nz
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