Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • F A L L / H O L I D A Y 2 0 2 3 30 JERSEY SHORE PEOPLE WAVES OF INSPIRATION, continued from page 28 Her blue eyes twinkle. "A sign," she smiles. I looked at her quizzically. The but- terfly's arrival had me reconsidering my plan: scrapping my interview notes, I began by asking Jill one sim- ple question: What do you think this butterfly is telling us right now? Butterflies make cameo appearanc- es throughout Enduring the Waves. They are symbols of transformation and positive change, and figure prominently in the main character's journey. As a believer in signs, I don't think it landing here was a coinci- dence at all! You say the inspiration to write this novel came to you in a dream. What was this dream, and what signs appeared to you? One night in late 2015, I was jolt- ed awake after dreaming about an old woman who said to me, "Once you write CHAPTER ONE, everything will fall into place." There was a symbol in my dream, one I had never seen before, and I scribbled a very rough replica of it. Turns out it was a Triskele/Triskelion. Its three spirals look like waves, which also influ- enced the title, Enduring the Waves. It is an ancient Celtic symbol that rep- resents strength and progress and the ability to move forward in life, just like Kelly Lynch does in the book. Both the symbol and the words "Chapter One" would mysteriously appear in my life countless times from that point forward. The uni- verse used many additional signs to guide me to three more jaunts to Dublin in the summers of 2016, 2017, and 2018. I had no idea what the hell I was doing there, but trusted I was being led to my purpose. How did "Chapter One" evolve into Enduring the Waves? I first titled my manuscript Finding Shannon then changed it to Chapter One - A Novel. The Wild Rose Press offered me a traditional publishing contract in February 2023, and after consulting with my editorial team, we agreed to change its title. The tri- als the main character, Kelly Lynch, endures make Enduring the Waves the perfect title for her compelling story. Kelly's checkered past and unful- filling status quo present her with many difficult challenges and truths she tries to escape. Once she stops running and, instead, rides out life's small currents and violent breakers, she emerges awakened and finds her place in the world. Let's talk a little more about the setting of your book: your home base, the Jersey Shore, and Dublin. How did your love of these waterside places influence your writing? I am a lifelong resident of the Jersey Shore and my love of the Manasquan Inlet definitely influ- enced the settings readers will encounter in the book. Same with Dublin, Ireland. I traveled there four times, and while I fictionalized the Jersey Shore locations in the novel, all the locations I included from Dublin are real and based upon my observations and experiences. In 2016, author Jill Ocone visited the James Joyce Tower and Museum in Dublin, which ulti- mately inspired her to write the novel. Joyce spent six nights here in 1904, and the opening scenes of his 1922 novel Ulysses take place here (the Martello tower). The tower is a place of pilgrimage for Joyce enthusiasts.

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