Jim Carrey Self-Publishes First Children's Book, HOW ROLAND ROLLS, Today

Award-winning actor/artist Jim Carrey is breaking new ground, for himself and his audience. The winner of two Golden Globe awards Best Actor for Man on the Moon and The Truman Show - he was also nominated for a Best Actor Golden Globe for his critically acclaimed performance in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Carrey will self-publish his first children's book, How Roland Rolls (Some Kind of Garden Media, 2013) today, September 24th, along with a four-song EP. An enhanced e-book will be released on November 19th. They're available wherever books and e-books are sold, as well as the How Roland Rolls website, http://www.howrolandrolls.com. The EP is also available through iTunes. The book is being enthusiastically embraced by all the major booksellers.

According to Carrey, "It's a story about a wave named Roland who's afraid that, one day, when he hits the beach, his life will be over. But when he gets deep, he's struck by the notion that he's not just a wave - he's the whole big, wide ocean! It shows humanity's interconnectedness through the metaphor of a wave in the ocean."

There's a personal story behind the book ....

"When I was a child," Carrey shares, "my parents were smokers and I had a deep fear that they would pass ... and then what would happen to me? I think that's a common fear for children - the fear of loss. It's an early existential crisis, if you will. But when we realize that beneath the surface of things - the activities of our lives we are all connected, all one energy, that fear of loss gets softened. At times, it disappears entirely. At least that's been true for me." How did Roland the Wave emerge as a character for Carrey? "Years ago," he recalls, "when I first arrived in Los Angeles, I spent a lot of time on the beach in Malibu, watching the waves. I started to think of them as people, all moving in the same direction, and contemplated about where they go once they hit the beach and lose their form. Each wave travels all around the world. The first drop of water ever is still here now! That's pretty profound stuff. I found that fascinating and comforting, and thought children could find that same comfort."

As a parent, and now a grandparent, Carrey reflects on the time he spent reading to his daughter, Jane. "I believe the closest we get to heaven in this world is when we get completely involved in something we love. One of those moments is when we read to our children. It's total freedom from self, from our worries and problems. We always feel terrific afterwards, and so do the kids. For them, it's an experience of focused, enveloping love."

Carrey believes that "everything we do that's hurtful stems from a feeling of not being worthwhile, not feeling loved. Parents help their children feel worthwhile by being completely involved, spending moments together that are only about them. Through the loving attention of parents, children gain self-worth. Through the innocence of children, parents rediscover the wonders of life."

Why write a story for children? "First," Carrey notes, "I've always been drawn to work geared for children. "That's what attracted me to the Grinch, Horton Hears a Who, and Mr. Popper's Penguins. Story is important to all of us. It's how we order life the way we'd like it to be. Stories stimulate faith and hope.

"Through stories we make our children feel secure, and that good conquers evil. All the characters in a story are parts of ourselves, of course, so through stories we gain self-knowledge. We are inspired to embody heroic archetypes. We learn how to not let worries ruin our lives how to make that brave move into the unknown, then find that we're usually pleasantly surprised by the outcome."

Just like Roland, Carrey had big dreams and goals as a child. At a very young age, he wrote poetry and even tried to get his poetry books published. "I learned pretty quickly that, in the publishing business, there was virtually no market for poetry written by an eight-year old. But, hey, I kept 'rollin'!

"I'm just telling a story," says Jim. "Kids don't get credit for their deeper thoughts, beyond simple play ... for their efforts to figure out life. I hope Roland will help guide them along their way."

Carrey has appeared in 33 feature length films, is one of the most successful actors in Hollywood and known for his humanitarian efforts.

For more information on How Roland Rolls, and to order the book, visit www.howrolandrolls.com.

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