Greetings! It’s time for my monthly newsletter-style entry titled “Ebb and Flow” that contains bits and pieces of reflections, updates, and anecdotes. Read on to find out what I’ve been up to…

Enduring the Waves Update: My novel is now in layout revisions, and final galley proof is pending. Once my editor and I approve it, a publication date will be assigned, which can take up to nine months. I am busy with behind-the-scenes work and preparing publicity materials, including this video trailer:

I have also created a newsletter, which will feature news, updates, and exclusive content similar to this post. I’d love it if you sign up using the link below to join me on my journey.

Floating With Life’s Currents: On June 20, I was young again, reliving treasured memories at The Cure’s first of three concerts at Madison Square Garden. What a night, one of the best concerts ever! The Twilight Sad opened with an 8 song or so playlist, then after a brief intermission, The Cure took the stage. Frontman Robert Smith’s voice was as perfect as it was in my youth, and he sounded better than ever. The whole band did! They played for almost three hours with two encores. Unfortunately, my two friends and I had to miss the last four songs in order to make the 12:05 AM train home from New York. I didn’t crawl into bed until 2:30 and slept maybe an hour before my alarm blared at 4:39 AM on the morning of the last day of school. However, I was a big girl and muddled through my day with more alertness than I expected. The tiredness that caught up with me later in the day was totally worth the experience of seeing my second-favorite all-time band (second only to the Red Hot Chili Peppers) live on stage in sublime perfection.

The past month was also filled with end-of-school-year traditions and farewells, another trip to Hershey Park with “N” where we rode the brand-new Wildcat’s Revenge roller coaster twice, along with Storm Runner, Skyrush, The Kissing Tower, Fahrenheit, Comet, the Monorail, and CandyMonium. I took my littlest niece, “A”, to Dutch Wonderland, where we survived a pretty concerning tornado warning by taking shelter in a truck stop in Gap, PA with other travelers and several Amish people. Yesterday, I spent the afternoon with my oldest niece, “E.” Even though all we did was drive around and wander stores, I needed her company more than she knows and am so thankful we got to spend time together. Tomorrow I am taking “I” to Six Flags Great Adventure, and sometime next week, “H” and I are headed to Camden Aquarium.

Tidepools: It’s officially summer, and I am relishing every single minute of it. My summer routine of waking without an alarm, showering, then coffee and writing in the morning is producing words towards my daily word count goals and keeping me focused on progress, versus wasting time scrolling through nonsense. I’m always in a better mood when the Yankees do well, which lately hasn’t happened all that much. You can probably hear me screaming at them from wherever you are when they collectively blow the game.

Navigational Hazards and Necessary Detours: We are in the process of emptying our storage unit, and the cornucopia of treasures I have unearthed has become a necessary distraction as I put the finishing touches on my office. So many books and little toys! It’s been fun sorting through it all and deciding what I display and what goes in the attic. I now have all of my pins in my possession and hope to create new pinboards inside my closet doors this weekend. Each pin is a memoir and tells a story of where I’ve been or what I like. I’ll share pictures of them as soon as they are ready and hung. We will also undertake the herculean task of cleaning out my Uncle’s home this summer.

When you hear the news about the scarcity of chemotherapy drugs, please know that it is legit and hits home. I had a bit of a scare regarding availability of a chemotherapy medication I take for Lupus, but it looks like I found a provider who can get it for me. Massive life-changing crisis hopefully averted.

I’ll be filling the gaps of time in between summertime tasks by producing words, creating marketing campaigns for my upcoming novel release, and making memories with those I love. No big trips as of now planned, but I’ve got a full plate, a lot of words to write, and a lot of progress to make before the school bell rings once again in September.

Thank you for joining me on my journey. I’m glad you are here.

With light and love,

Jill

“Ebb and Flow, Volume 3 (6/28)” was posted on jillocone.com on June 28, 2023. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not endorsed or compensated in any manner by any entity; views do not represent any of my employers. Copyright 2023, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact Jill with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries using any of the links below.

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It’s my favorite day of the year, the day when my summer begins and I can bask in the glow of all things possible. I dictate my schedule and go at my pace while writing and squeezing as much living as I can out of the two and a half months on the calendar in front of me.

For the past 12 years or so, I’ve played the same playlist to properly inaugurate summer, then I will abandon it until the following year. Each song below will make its way onto playlist rotations this season, but not in this specific order, which makes it as special as the occasion itself.

Song 1: Take Me Home by Phil Collins (extended version). The harbinger of summer, I first stumbled upon this longer version of the mid-1980s hit about 15 years ago. It’s the first song I listen after I am officially dismissed from the school year.

Song 2: Now That The Summer’s Here by Michael Franks. Another song I found by accident while listening to the Smooth Jazz Music Choice channel years ago, it is a light and airy song as relaxing as summer itself.

Song 3: Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. How can you go wrong with this modern remake of Kool and the Gang’s Summer Madness, another wonderful song of the season.

Song 4: Hot Fun in the Summertime by Sly and the Family Stone. “End of the spring / And here she comes back / Hi, hi, hi, hi there / Them summer days / Those summer days…” She’s back, baby! Summer!

Song 5: Summer by War. My words cannot do this song justice. Listen to it and I believe you’ll agree with me that THIS is the song of summer.

Song 6: Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra. My fickle friend, summer, she never stays around long enough, just like summer winds. Sinatra’s classic is a reminder to relish each and every second of summer.

Song 7: (Sittin’ On) The Dock of The Bay by Otis Redding. Otis knows what he’s talking about in this song. His lyrics and melody remind me to take life slow while watching the tides and the boats come and go at the Inlet, which is MY dock of the bay.

Song 8: Summer Breeze by Seals and Croft. It’s just before dusk. The warm summer breeze blows through the leaves and seduces me with its one-of-a-kind aroma while lightning bugs pattern the air with their flashes of light. Innocence and freedom, light and life. Summer is here.

As George Costanza would say, it’s the Summer of Jill, and it will be fantastic!

What’s your favorite song of summer and why? Leave me a comment as I’d love to know!

Thank you for joining me on my journey. I’m glad you are here.

With light and love,

Jill

“Play, Playlist, Play!” was posted on jillocone.com on June 21, 2023. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not endorsed or compensated in any manner by any entity; views do not represent any of my employers. Copyright 2023, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact jillocone@gmail.com with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries.

Just when I think I couldn’t admire Dave Grohl any more, he goes and writes the ten songs on the new Foo Fighters album But Here We Are, which was released last week.

I haven’t listened to anything else since.

Another masterpiece born through grief that spans the spectrum of feelings, from rage to sorrow to heartache to anguish to regret to sadness to joy.

Authentically honest, But Here We Are is a lyrical and musical treasure where the band lays it all out , no holds barred, with Grohl on lead vocals, guitar, and drums, Nate Mendel on bass and backing vocals, Chris Shiflett on guitar and backing vocals, Pat Smear on guitar, and Rami Jaffee on keyboards.

From the band’s website:

But Here We Are is the new album from Foo Fighters, and marks the bands’ return after a year of staggering losses, personal introspection and bittersweet remembrances. A brutally honest and emotionally raw response to everything Foo Fighters have endured recently, But Here We Are is a testament to the healing powers of music, friendship and family. Courageous, damaged and unflinchingly authentic, the album opens with “Rescued,” the first of 10 songs that run the emotional gamut from rage and sorrow to serenity and acceptance, and myriad points in between. But Here We Are is in nearly equal measure the 11th Foo Fighters album and the first chapter of the band’s new life. Sonically channeling the naivete of Foo Fighters’ 1995 debut, informed by decades of maturity and depth, But Here We Are is the sound of brothers finding refuge in the music that brought them together in the first place 28 years ago, a process that was as therapeutic as it was about a continuation of life.

https://shop.foofighters.com/products/but-here-we-are-lp-white

I immediately sensed the influence and legacy of both Grohl’s mother, Virginia, who passed away last August, and drummer Taylor Hawkins, who passed away in March 2022 in every single lyric. 

A testament to the human condition, the album reminds us of the impermanence of everything around us. We that we have all been there. We are more alike than we are different, that we all suffer regardless of our station in life, and those we lose will always be with us.

But here we are.

We have been tricked by states of haze without being able to discern what’s real and what’s an illusion while the puppetmaster of life pulls string after string of heartache, and when we cannot take any more, he pulls even harder and we shriek even louder.

But here we are.

We are still standing, still living, and still loving. We have collectively endured when we most wanted to give up, crawling through life’s muck and rising from our elbows to our feet. 

But here we are.

We are still trucking, still learning, and still breathing. Defeat is not in our cards. We have screamed in the face of tragedy, escaped the clutches of collapse, and slayed our demons.

But here we are.

We rise to the plate and accept what is and are wiser and stronger than our yesterday, but not as wise and strong as we’ll be tomorrow.

But here we are.

We tunneled through never-ending storms and endless darkness to bask in the light, scarred yet triumphant while letting the tears stream from our eyes. We scream and sigh, whisper and weep, giggle and gasp, carry and cower.

But here we are.

The album is medicine for my soul, and my words do not do it justice. You have to experience it yourself, and trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

It’s hard for me to pick a favorite song from the album because each resonates with me in its own way with different ghosts sending their own unique shivers up and down my spine as the tracks shift from one to the next. 

The song “Show Me How” features Grohl’s daughter, Violet, accompanying him on vocals and it is hauntingly beautiful, the combination of each of their distinctive voices just perfection. Violet’s voice taking over the song at the end is particularly poignant, symbolic of her now aggrandized role as a female Grohl by blood. It’s her turn now, and just like her grandmother, she’ll take care of everything.

The members of Foo Fighters are famous. 

I, however, am not.

But we share an affinity for coping and grieving through writing and creating, through putting our vulnerability out there and being as genuine as possible as we find our singular place in our collective world amongst others who are also coping and grieving and just as vulnerable.

But here we are.

I’ve been searching for a long time for my mantra, and I have finally found it, thanks to Dave and Chris and Pat and Nate and Rami. It’s four simple words:

But here I am.

Thank you, Foo Fighters. Thank you.

Thank you for joining me on my journey. I’m glad you are here.

With light and love,

Jill

“But Here We Are” was posted on jillocone.com on June 6, 2023. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not endorsed or compensated in any manner by any entity; views do not represent any of my employers. Copyright 2023, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact jillocone@gmail.com with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries.

The pinkish-orange disc filtered by the atmospheric haze awakens the day as something tugs on the smiling striped moon from below. He waves goodbye and disappears while the day’s star waves hello as she rises higher.

She peeks through the rippled clouds and radiates her refreshing energy.

She is bright and blinding, warm and soothing, the promise of new beginnings and fresh starts.

She disappears if I glance behind me.

She is life and light, forgiving and accepting, a harbinger of hope and purpose.

I look to her for guidance. 

She is in front of me, calling to me, urging me to breathe and to turn my gaze inward.

She doesn’t rise from behind but ahead and casts shadows of wisdom and experience.

I cannot see her in my rearview mirror.

She dapples the heavens with glorious color, even on days when the clouds play hide and seek with her kaleidoscope.

She transforms to a darkness that renders her even more brilliant and shimmering on her next cycle.

She is the sole entity with a guaranteed tomorrow, and reminds us to live to our fullest today.

Thank you for joining me on my journey. I’m glad you are here.

With light and love,

Jill

“Dawning” was posted on jillocone.com on May 31, 2023. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not endorsed or compensated in any manner by any entity; views do not represent any of my employers. Copyright 2023, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact jillocone@gmail.com with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries.

A few days ago, a nostalgic sputter resonated in the air above me while I was sitting on my porch writing.

The biplane with its long banner tail announcing a local watering hole’s specials sliced through the blue sky. Its pilot skillfully curved below the clouds to repeat its course over where the sand meets the ocean.

The whirling echo transported me to a memory hidden deep within my mental filing cabinet. I was a teenager lounging on my towel with my toes digging in the sand as the ocean delicately lapped the beach in front of me. Skim boards and boogie boards served as tables on that particular day, as the lack of waves rendered them useless. 

The sunscreen’s coconut blended with the funnel cake’s sweetness and the sea’s salt to create an aroma so sublime it cannot be replicated by oils, wax, or aerosol.

People of all ages frolicked at the water’s edge, their laughter occasionally drowned out by the banner plane’s signature cadence rumbling from above.

Warm. 

Serene. 

Divine.

A sliver of rattling peace in an otherwise noisy world, and an absolutely perfect moment.

Banner plane season is here once again, and I couldn’t be happier.

Thank you for joining me on my journey. I’m glad you are here.

With light and love,

Jill

“It’s Banner Plance Season Again!” was posted on jillocone.com on May 24, 2023. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not endorsed or compensated in any manner by any entity; views do not represent any of my employers. Copyright 2023, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact jillocone@gmail.com with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries.

Greetings! It’s time for my monthly newsletter-style entry titled “Ebb and Flow” that contains bits and pieces of reflections, updates, and anecdotes. Read on to find out what I’ve been up to…

Enduring the Waves Update: My novel is with the proofreading department as I type this, and it should take a few weeks to receive their final editing suggestions to approve. After that, it goes to layout, and once my editor and I approve the galley proof, it can take up to nine months to be assigned a publication date. I am busy with behind-the-scenes work, preparing marketing materials and the like. 

Floating With Life’s Currents: I’ve been making memories with my kiddos (nieces and nephews), including a trip to Hershey Park with “I” that was cut short by weather, but we look forward to returning later this year to finish riding all of the roller coasters. We rode three: SkyRush, Laff Track, and Fahrenheit. I took “N” to visit Fordham University then we took in a Yankees game last week. It was “Star Wars Night,” and we got our Anthony Rizzo bobble heads! What a great game! The Bronx Bombers came back to win it in the 8th inning 6-5, and we got to see Rizzo blast two home runs and Volpe also hit one into the stands. There’s no feeling like the contagious electricity of Yankee Stadium after a victory. My oldest niece “E” is home from college and working hard, and I took the three youngest (H, I, A) to school for “Bring Your Child to Work” day. Boy was I exhausted after that very active day, but it was worth it. All three said their favorite part was getting lunch from the cafeteria. We’ve got a lot to look forward to this summer, and there’s nothing I love more than making memories with them.

Tidepools: What a great time of year this is, and I am blessed to hear the songbirds, feel the sunshine, and taste the Jersey strawberries. With the sun rising earlier each day, I now have to wear sunglasses for my entire drive to school. Summer will be here soon, no doubt. I’ve written previously about my yoga class, and I am grateful every day for finding my wonderful yoga teacher Katie. Like so many other things in my life, the universe led me to the right teacher and class. I’m disconnecting more to connect with myself, and I like who I am in this moment.

Navigational Hazards and Necessary Detours: I am currently working on finishing a non-fiction manuscript and making progress on one of my two half-written novels. I’ve honored my monthly goal of writing at least 150 words a day.

The biggest inspiration over the past month came from best-selling author and actor Andrew McCarthy. My friend/fellow writer/colleague/former student Mandi Bean joined me for an incredible evening sponsored by Booktowne of Manasquan at the Algonquin Theater on Tuesday, May 9. McCarthy spoke in a question-and-answer forum about his latest memoir, Walking With Sam. The book documents McCarthy’s walk along the Camino de Santiago trail with his son, Sam. Bean wrote a moving and detailed post about the evening which you can read by clicking here. I won’t rehash all of the points she writes about, but I will share that McCarthy’s candid and witty honesty inspired me to my core and I will never again doubt myself that I am a writer. He graciously stayed to take pictures with those who attended, which was an incredible surprise and a moment I’ll never forget. I’m left grateful and inspired by his writing, his candor, and his example. 

Thank you for joining me on my journey. I’m glad you are here.

With light and love,

Jill

“Ebb and Flow, Volume 2 (5/17)” was posted on jillocone.com on May 17, 2023. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not endorsed or compensated in any manner by any entity; views do not represent any of my employers. Copyright 2023, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact jillocone@gmail.com with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries.

I cannot find my center.

It’s hidden somewhere underneath a crushing pile of rocks created by the wants and needs of a thousand tunnel-visioned external forces all vying to trounce my soul.

Every time I breathe and remove one from the pile, three more appear, all tossed from different directions. The forces collectively gain ground without the slightest care about the size of the rock heaps they erect in the wasteland or who they left behind.

Voices from the rushing waves scream when I quiet my mind, and a jester’s hat replaces my crown.

My center’s song used to be stronger than those piercing shrieks and flailing arms demanding my attention, my time, my mind, my soul, my heart, my life.

Shut up.

I am worth so much more than the volume of this weight.

Just shut up already.

I hurl each rock back and victoriously reclaim my center as the pile ceases to exist.

My center’s pendulum is free and abundantly swells with low tide serenity, warms from its light and aglow with its sunrise; my soul once again floats and my words flow forth like the tides of the sea.

My crown replaces the jester’s hat, and I awake, abide, and arise.

I am love.

I am peace.

I am.

Author’s note: My yoga teacher inspired this piece. Thank you, Katie, for helping me reclaim my center.

Thank you for joining me on my journey. I’m glad you are here.

With light and love,

Jill

“Center” was posted on jillocone.com on May 3, 2023. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not endorsed or compensated in any manner by any entity; views do not represent any of my employers. Copyright 2023, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact jillocone@gmail.com with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries.

For this week’s #writerwednesday post, I thought I’d share a poem I wrote titled “Walking Myself Home.”

Walking Myself Home by Jill Ocone

I walk alone

Beneath a single star

So bright

It burns itself out,

The tears too plentiful

To extinguish the fire,

The hole too great

To fill the vacant soul.

There will be no rescue here tonight.

I walk home

Through the muck of

Unfulfilled promises

And misspent pennies.

The seed that is planted

Wilts as soon as it sprouts,

Poisons but never blooms.

There will be no rebirth here tonight.

I walk away

Whittling the layers

Away from my heart,

The bounty

A thousand discarded dreams

Plus one.

Together, they swirl around the void

Ghostlike in flight

But lifeless in kind.

There will be no awakening here tonight.

Thank you for joining me on my journey. I am glad you are here.

With light and gratitude,

Jill

“Walking Myself Home” was posted on jillocone.com on April 26, 2023. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not endorsed or compensated in any manner by any entity; views do not represent any of my employers. Copyright 2023, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact jillocone@gmail.com with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries.

Greetings! Once a month or #writerwednesday, I will post a newsletter-style entry that contains bits and pieces of reflections, updates, and anecdotes titled ¨Ebb and Flow.”

Oxford Languages defines ¨Ebb and Flow¨ as a recurrent or rhythmical pattern of coming and going or decline and regrowth. It is the perfect title for this monthly collection of bits and pieces from my observations and experiences because I am forever ebbing and flowing with the tides of life. 

That phrase is also part of the tagline for my debut novel, Enduring the Waves.

Enduring the Waves Update: Enduring the Waves is my debut novel, which will be published later this year by Wild Rose Press. My manuscript was formerly titled Chapter One-A Novel, but thanks to the wisdom of everyone I have encountered at WRP, they collectively saw a better title for the story, and one that also is rife with symbolism and meaning. I am almost finished with the second rounds of edits and recently approved its stunning cover, which I will reveal closer to its release date. The publication process has taught me to let go of what I thought was and polish what is, and as a result, the novel has evolved by shedding its past versions and becoming its own entity. I hope to start an actual newsletter similar to this post within the next month and will share a sign-up link as soon as its available.

Floating WIth Life’s Currents: During last week’s break, I traveled for a quick overnight to Connecticut with my nephew and sister-in-law to look at the University of Connecticut, Yale University, and Fairfield University. I had attended the 2019 Yale Writer’s Workshop, ironically with a version of my novel that no longer exists, and I enjoyed showing the campus to my nephew. I remembered where my dorm room and some of my classrooms were, and saw more of the campus on this visit than I did in 2019. We enjoyed dinner at Texas Roadhouse and got to see UConnś arena. I also went to Yankee Stadium with my nephew, a cherished friend, and her friend and daughter to see the Yankees take on the Minnesota Twins on Tino Martinez Bobblehead Night. We got to see Tino throw out the first pitch AND Anthony Volpe hit his first major league home run. I bought his jersey from the stadium store about 30 minutes before his blast to the seats and couldn’t contain my excitement. It was such a monumental moment, and Judge hit a home run immediately after Volpe. Nestor Cortes pitched a gem but unfortunately, didn’t get the win because the bullpen blew the lead (Grrrr). It was still an outstanding evening.

Tidepools: The birds singing in the morning, the cherry and pear trees blossoming, and the grass and leaves budding has made the days much more pleasant. We made it over winter’s hump of melancholy, and boy, what a beautiful world. Call me simple, but noticing these brief moments are the best parts of my day.

Navigational Hazards and Necessary Detours: In addition to my novel’s revision, I’m under deadline for editorial projects for my publisher over at Jersey Shore Publications, as well as yearbook and end-of-year work-related deadlines. It’s a busy time, and I am doing my best to ebb and flow with the many responsibilities currently on my calendar. Last night’s yoga class was well needed and an absolutely wonderful escape, just as my writing group’s monthly meeting on Saturday. I left both feeling purposeful and inspired.

Thank you for joining me on my journey. I’m glad you are here.

With light and love,

Jill

“Ebb and Flow, Volume 1 (4/23)” was posted on jillocone.com on April 19, 2023. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not endorsed or compensated in any manner by any entity; views do not represent any of my employers. Copyright 2023, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact jillocone@gmail.com with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries.