18 months ago
By: Kathryn BurschTampa, Florida – One of Asher Edelson’s daily chores is feeding his iguana Marilyn. And besides Marilyn, a peek around Asher’s bedroom gives a hint at another passion. “For some reason I love trolls,” says Asher, taking a figurine off a shelf.
Not only do trolls and dragons inhabit this teen’s bedroom, but they fill his imagination and spill out into books. At just 13, Asher’s written two self-published books filled with strange creatures, including a talking bear. “He’s trying to save his world against a horrible, horrible tyrant,” says Asher about the plot of Adventure Land.
If you spend any time with Asher you can’t help but notice his jerky body movements or tics. He lives with Tourette’s syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by physical or vocal tics. “People can’t control it when they have it,” explains Asher.
Asher’s tics vary in severity, but sometimes they make even typing impossible and Asher admits it’s frustrating. “I’m so aggravated…at my Tourette’s syndrome.” But technology helps. When he can’t type, a computer voice program does it for him.
Asher also plans to write a book about Tourette’s. And just maybe, when other kids hear the story of this story-writing teen, they’ll be encouraged to enter their own “Adventure Land”.
“I really want them, kids with Tourette’s to know that they can do anything they want. That they’re as normal as anyone else.”
Asher Edelson will be talking and signing books at the New Tampa Regional Library on Saturday at 2 p.m. The library is located at 10001 Cross Creek Boulevard.
For more information on Tourette’s syndrome, click on the following link: http://www.tsa-fl.org/
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