Sorta Like A Rock Star

Sorta Like A Rock Star is a 2010 Novel by Matthew Quick. It is rourmered that a movie based on the plotline will be made, it will be based in Oaklyn, NJ and Collingswood, NJ where Quick grew up.
Characters
Amber Appleton-Amber is the main character. She is 17 years old. She is the one and only girl of the Franks Freak Force Federation. She always loved to volunteer her time at places like Father Chee’s church and the Methodist Home. She found a dog, took him it in, and named it Bobby Big Boy. She and her mother were poor and living in Hello Yellow, which was the nick-name of her mother’s school bus, her mom drove during the day. Her mother was raped and murdered and it changed Amber’s life.
Bobby Big Boy- Amber’s dog. Amber found him abandoned in a cardboard box. After Amber’s mom died, BBB had a tumor. Amber did a variety show for the money to pay for his surgery.
Donna Roberts- Ricky’s atheist single mother whom cares for Amber like her own and is a successful Attorney at Law.
Ricky Roberts - Ricky is 17 and Autistic. He has four friends including Amber Appleton, Ty Hendrix, Chad Fox, and Jared Fox. He only has a mother named Donna Roberts. Ricky can do math very well and is also an atheist.
Ty Hendrix- One of Amber’s friends and part of the Frank Freak Force Federation. Ty is the only black student at school.
Chad Fox- He was a handicapped child that rode around in “Das Boot”, his electric wheelchair. If he couldn’t take this wheelchair to places, Ty would carry him on his back, in a backpack. He was also a part of the Frank Freak Force Federation.
Jared Fox- Is a 17 year old child whom has a brother named Chad and is also, like his brother, a part of the Franks Freak Force Federation.
Amber’s Mother- Amber’s mother is poor and is driving a school bus for a living. She always went and drank at night and didn’t come back until early in the morning. She also smoked a lot and wasn’t able to feed Amber as much as a child should eat.
Private Jackson- He was the veteran that Amber had to write to in her history class. He never wrote back to Amber, so she found out his address. They Became friends and he would always make her tea after they walked their dogs. He was the one that sat center row at the Save Bobby Big Boy Variety Show. He was aloof.
Mr. Franks- He’s the teacher for the Marketing club. He took the most of the outsiders and brought them together to one group. His students are Amber, Ty, Ricky, Chad, and Jared. He usually played Halo 3 with his students.
Joan of Old- She was a blind, old lady who lived in the Methodist home. She was a very snobby old lady. She always had battles with Amber on Wednesday afternoons. She was trying to make Amber cry during the battles but never could. The only time she made Amber cry was when she made a video, when she was on her deathbed, about how she was probably dead by the time Amber would watch the video and that she gave her inheritance that went towards Amber’s college fund.
Father Chee- He’s the Pastor of KDFC. When Amber was in shock when her mother died, he visited Amber when he was jogging early in the mornings. He helped Amber get out of tight spots and helped her when she was sad.
KDFC (Korean Divas For Christ)- A Korean group that doesn’t know English that well. Amber taught them by singing sings with them. Their Pastor is Father Chee.
Oliver(AHoleOliver) - One of two Amber’s mom’s boyfriends, Amber hates him because he treated Amber and her mom like they were nothing. There was a time when he missed Thanksgiving dinner because he was drunk. In the end Amber and her mom left.
Good Boyfriend Gerald (GBG) - Amber’s mom’s only good choice in boyfriends according to Amber. He was a trucker whom took Amber and her mom on trips around the USA.
Prince Tony (Principal) - Prince Tony is a minor character in the novel and only appears a few times. When Amber gets in trouble, she flirts with Tony to get her way.
Door Woman Lucy (DWL) - Lucy is the secretary at the Methodist home. She helps Amber by singing with the KDFC at the Save Bobby Big Boy Variety Show.
Lex Pinkston - A Football player at Childress, he’s a troublemaker and he annoys Amber a lot. He told Ricky to say some dirty things to a girl in the school. When he met Mr. Franks, he started to bring his football friends to play Halo 3 in Frank’s Lair. He and his friends did a number from Grease in the Variety Show.
Amber’s Mom’s Killer - He raped and murdered Amber’s mom. When Amber went to see him at the prison he tried to talk to her, but she refused. Instead she wrote him a haiku, it read “You may exist in this world - but I exist too and I will not yield.”
Mrs. Jenny - Private Jackson’s Dog. PJ always took her to the park to run the bases at 5:00. She was in love with Bobby Big Boy.
Hard Working Brothers - Two older men named Eddie Thompson and Albert Linder. They Preformed at Bobby’s Variety show by singing to “Side by Side”. Everybody loved them. Old Man Thompson also emcees for Amber in her showdowns with Joan of Old.

Plot Summary
We are introduced to Amber in her home in January. She lives on a bus called Hello Yellow because one of Amber’s mom’s boyfriends that they lived with kicked them out of the home. Amber has one best friend named Bobby Big Boy (B Thrice or BBB) that she found on the street in a wet Nike box. Ricky is one of Amber’s friends she meets. He is Donna’s son diagnosed with autism. Amber also tells us her top seven all-time moments with her mom. The first on was how she didn’t want to become a softball player and her mom actually understood her. At the end of the chapter, the book foreshadows some main characters: Mom, 3B, Ricky, Donna, Franks, Chad, Jared, Ty, Door Woman Lucy, Old Man Linder, Old Man Thompson, Joan of Old, Father Chee, The Korean Divas for Christ, Mr. Doolin, Private Jackson, Ms. Jenny, Prince Tony, the Childress Public High School faculty (where Amber goes to school), and Les Pinkston.
Amber has a conversation with her mom and you can tell that they are pretty poor by asking about food. The food that Amber eats is at Donna’s house. Amber then recaps another top seven all-time moments with her mom. She talks about how her mom had made dinner for Thanksgiving and “A-Hole” Oliver (one of Amber’s mom’s boyfriends) shows up super late and drunk. Amber talks about how she admires Donna. She is also inspired to go to Bryn Mawr College just like Donna.
Amber talks about how to Frank’s Freak Force Federation came together. Amber also tells us about her another top seven all-time moments with her mom. It was when GBG (Good Boyfriend Gerald) took Amber and her mom to Arizona and paid for a hotel. Amber and her mom took a walk and enjoyed the Grand Canyon together and gazed at all the beautiful stars. Amber goes on in detail to say how the Freaks Federation came about. In fifth grade Amber was removed from class by the social skills coach. She was then put in a room with the future members of the Frank’s Freak Force Federation.
Amber tells us when she went to CPHS as a freshman so did Franks as a teacher. He was so cool that he let Amber and her other four into his room during lunch and before school. All the guys like to play Halo 3 on XBOX together on one of Franks’ six TVs all set up with a different player. Ricky just likes to run around in the virtual world. Meanwhile Amber wrote an ad for Marketing Club to kindle interest in it. Then Amber asks Franks if he is going to the meeting tonight because that is when they are deciding if they should cut his marketing club. Amber’s group has secretly planned to go to the meeting and save Franks’ job. Lex Pinkston made fun of Ricky so Amber slapped him and went to the principal’s office. Amber calls the principle “Prince Tony.” She always finds a way to talk her way out of trouble with him.
Amber walks Ricky home after school and goes to visit the KDFCs. Amber rides Donna’s bike to the Korean Catholic Church. Amber talks about what her favorite stories were from her Jesus Was a Rock Star books. All of the Korean women love Amber and what she is doing for them. She makes them read their homework at the beginning of class and then gives them a prompt at the end to constantly enhance their English. She teaches them all types of dance moves to go along with the songs.
When Amber gets home Ricky is still doing his math problems and Amber makes dinner. Donna came home from work with seven camouflage tee shirts that say Frank’s Freak Force Federation for the mission that night. She has one for everyone who plays a part in the meeting. They all eat dinner then get dressed and ready for the meeting. When they arrive at the meeting Amber gives a little prayer and then they enter the meeting. They all have pre-written speeches that they will say at the meeting. All of the “Freaks” read their speeches successfully and hope for the best. Then they all went to Friendly’s.
Donna takes Amber home and then Amber leaves to go home. But she actually visits Franks’ house and his wife got very mad because it was pretty late. Amber walks home with B3 who is now asleep and talks to JC the whole way home. When she gets home her mom is asleep so she doesn’t do her homework but she tells us about another all-time Amber and mom moments. It is when Amber asks for a tent and instead she gets a makeshift tent. It is made of blankets and broom sticks. In the middle of the night Amber woke up and felt slime on her face. Her mom turned on the flashlight and there were slugs all over the tent. Then, Amber finally goes to bed for the night.
Amber and her five best friends defend their favorite teacher, Mr. Franks, from almost getting cut due to budget restrictions. They attend the Childress Public High School Board meeting in an attempt to defend Mr. Franks. Donna makes special camouflage shirts for herself, Amber, and the Five as they go into battle against the board. Donna videotapes their presentation, and in usual style, they make quite an impression. Fortunately, they are successful in their efforts and Mr. Franks remains at the school. Amber feels that Mr. Franks doesn’t appreciate their efforts because he doesn’t say thank you. She goes to his house and tries to get past his angry wife in an attempt to speak to him, but she is unsuccessful. He tells her that it is not appropriate for her to be there.
Then Amber goes to the Methodist home where she meets Old Man Thompson and Old Man Linder. Amber goes here every Wednesday to do battle with Joan of Old; Joan of Old tries to get Amber to cry with her criticism, and Amber tries to get Joan of Old to smile with her positivity. In fine Amber fashion, Amber bribes her way in with Thrice B by giving Door Woman Lucy a Snicker’s bar and a cup of hot chocolate. We are also introduced in Part 2 to the character of Private Jackson, Amber’s pal who was a Veteran of the Vietnam War. PJ is another positive influence in her life who writes Haiku about his dog, Miss Jenny. He becomes instrumental later on in the story when Amber is faced with the tragedy of her Mom’s death; he sends her a Haiku every day, trying to cheer her up.
After the depressing loss of her mother, amber feels like all hope is lost. Once amber saw her mother’s lifeless body appears from a freezer her outlook on everything changes completely, her faith in God slips, her social contact falls through the cracks, and basically gives up on everything. Amber’s idol Donna became ambers legal guardian, and moves her into her home, gives her a room, new clothes, and new furniture. Amber limits her contact with almost everyone, when her friends come to visit her she asks them not to return. She is visited everyday by father Chee, who promised her to tell her nothing but the truth. So Amber asks difficult questions which seem appropriate to ask a priest and a close friend. Normally Father Chee doesn’t have an answer other than “I don’t know.” This seems to suffice for Amber. One time Amber was visited by Father Chee he asks if she would like him to continue coming to her new home, Amber says nothing which meant to him that she no longer wanted his company. For the entire duration that Amber Appleton is in this solitary state she receives daily haikus from Private Jackson. They weren’t sappy or sad which was perfect for her she didn’t need to be reminded of the horrible act she just needed to have someone say something but have it mean nothing.
One day Donna enters Amber‘s room asking about Booby Big Boy. At that moment Amber realizes that she had been neglecting him for weeks. Not to say that she did that on purpose, she didn’t mean to and felt horrible about it. Donna assures Amber that she had been taking care of trice B, walking him and feeding him. That day Donna tells Amber that on their walk BBB had fallen and that he hadn’t been acting like himself. For the first time since Amber went in to her exile she leaves the house to take triple B to the vet. They learn the BBB has a tumor on either his spleen or his liver and they need to do an ultra sound. After the seventy five dollar ultrasound they learn he has a tumor on his spleen which is operable, but had it been on his live there would have been nothing the doctors could do. Amber being the stubborn girls she is insists on paying for Bobby Big Boy’s surgery, even after Donna said she would pay for it. So Amber signed the papers and agreed to pay for the two or three thousand dollar operation.
Once they leave the veterinarian office Amber tells Donna to drop her off at Private Jackson’s house. Once there PJ make green tea like usual, and before either one of them can get a word out Amber drops the cup to the ground and explodes with tears. Having Private Jackson next to her on the couch she throws herself at him and with slight hesitation he puts his arms around her in a fatherly manor. After a little while Private Jackson leaves the room to make more tea, but before he is in the kitchen Amber catches a glimpse of his tear streaked face. Once PJ reenters the living room he brings a haiku he just wrote. It has nothing to do with Amber’s presence or what just happened. Amber washes the tea cups and leaves to walk home.
When Amber got back to the house she apologized to Ricky and Donna for her coldness towards them. She also decided that she would return to school. The biggest thing on Amber’s mind was how she was going to pay for b trice’s surgery.
Amber suddenly wakes up from her depression when she needs to raise money for BBB’s surgery. She makes breakfast for Donna and Ricky and goes to school again, where she sees Ty and his three inch long friendship beard. Ty won’t cut his beard until Amber agrees to go to Friendly’s with him. Amber goes to Franks room where her and Franks Freak Force Federation brainstorm ideas for a variety show to raise money for BBB’s surgery. The Five continue to gather ideas for the variety show. Amber goes and tells Prince Tony her idea and then makes an announcement to her school. Amber tells them about The Save Bobby Big Boy Variety Show and that she needs two to three thousand dollars to save BBB. Many people of the school are getting involved in the show and Franks tells Amber that The Five want to surprise with the show and to trust them. After school Amber goes to the Korean Catholic Church to tell father Chee and the KDFC about BBB. The KDFC’s want to perform in the show but they need a true diva to sing with them. Amber soon finds out BBB is cancer free and goes to the Retirement Home, where runs into DWL and finds out Ty had been selling tickets at the retirement home. Amber in surprised to find Old Man Thompson singing and that he is keeping home alive. But finds out Joan suffered a heart attack. Amber finds out that DWL can sing and is going to sing with the KDFCs.
For the next two weeks everyone is working hard to prepare for The Bobby Big Show. Amber gets ready and drives to the high school with Ricky and Donna. Once they get there Amber is greeted by hundreds of people cheering for her like she is a rock star and she starts to cry. The show starts and everyone performs their acts. Old Man Thompson sings Ricky does math problems, the football team does a scene from West Side Story, and DWL and the KDFC’s end by singing R&B songs. Then they see how much money had been raised. The sum increases from 0 to 215,671.87. Amber is shocked and is confused by the large amount of money. Suddenly on the screen is Joan of Old and she has a message for Amber. Joan of Old tells Amber that she vowed to make Amber cry and wanted to tell her two things before she died. The first is a Nietzsche quote and she also tells Amber how she is leaving her estate to the Amber Appleton Community Service Collage fund and so are all the others from the retirement home. After the show The Five goes to Donnas for sundaes. Prom comes and Amber goes with Rickey and afterwards goes they all go to Ty’s beach house. Amber wants to visit her mother’s killer in prison but she doesn’t want anyone to know. She waits until her eighteenth birthday and has Ty unknowingly drives her to the prison. She goes into the prison and sees a man with crazy hair, dressed in an orange jumpsuit. He motions for her to put the headphones on but she doesn’t listen. Instead Amber puts up the haiku “You may exit in this world-but I exist too and I will not yield. She leaves the prison and gives Ty his present a razor and she cuts off his friendship beard. Amber and The Five finally go to Friendly’s where Amber realizes she can’t give up because she is a hope spreader.
About the Author
Matthew Quick grew up in Oaklyn New Jersey, and graduated from Collingswood High School. He first started writing when he was 17 years old and his high school English teacher submitted two of his poems to a contest. A professor looked at his poems and basically told Matt that he had no career as a poet. Matt went to La Salle University where he studied Secondary Education/English, but when he became a high school teacher he couldn’t quit writing. Now he lives in Collingswood, New Jersey with his wife, Novelist Alicia Bessette. Matthew Quick’s major inspiration was his students. His first novel written was The Silver Linings Playbook, and his second was Sorta like a Rock Star.
Q&A With Matt Quick
Q. What is your favorite character in the book?
A. Amber.
Q. Do you still live in Collingswood, New Jersey?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you film the trailer for the book, and did you want it to be shot in Oaklyn and Collingswood?
A. Emerald Productions filmed the trailer. I did want it to be shot in Oaklyn and Collingswood, New Jersey.
Q. What do you do when you’re not writing books?
A. Read, hike, take walks. I love going to the movies.
Q. Did you play sports as a kid?
A. Yes. Lots of basketball behind Oaklyn School! I also played soccer and baseball.
Q. What did you go to college for?
A. Double major, English/Secondary Education
Q. Where did you go to college?
A. La Salle University
Q. What was his inspiration?
A. He wanted to create a book about hope and a book that gave people the will to move on.
Q. Where did he get the idea of Amber from?
A. He got the idea from when he used to be a teacher and saw high school students that were kind of out there and wanted to create a character with that same kind of outlook and perspective.
Q. Were you looking for sympathy when you created Amber as a girl?
A. No, when I created Amber and read my book over again it turned out that it was that way. It was all on accident.
Q. How come Amber stayed on “Hello Yellow” instead of going and staying with Donna?
A. Because she had more dignity then to go and ask for that. She also wanted to stay with her mom.
Q. Why the use of foul language?
A. It made the story more realistic and made her seem more like a teenager.
Q. How come Franks Freak Force Federation doesn’t try and fit in with everybody else?
A. Because they’ve tried to fit in their whole lives and haven’t been able to fit, so they gave up and just decided to be them.
Q. Why did you choose to be an author?
A. I wanted to be an author because I like writing books.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu