“Enduring the Waves” has been out for almost a week.

Well, kind of.

True to fashion, there was an unexpected and nondescript glitch surrounding the fulfillment on Amazon for paperback orders which appears to have been rectified, and books should be in the hands of those who ordered it by the end of this week. If you are one of those affected, thank you for your patience. I promise you the wait will be worth it.

To be honest, it wouldn’t be normal if things went normal, so I’m not at all dismayed by the delay. My family celebrated with me on release day with a pizza dinner and a congratulatory cake, which was absolutely perfect. My favorite part was being with all five of my nieces and nephews together again, since the eldest was home from college for Thanksgiving. The days since have sped by at a record pace, their rapidness most likely fueled by the fact I am not feeling the greatest. No need for well wishes; such is the norm when good old Lupus decides to tinker with my valves and buttons to create heinous headaches and fatigue on an almost debilitating level. Muddling through the best I can while ensuring my right-now self’s needs are met.

Despite not feeling the greatest, Thanksgiving this year was perfect. I watched the parade and made a ton of silly snapchats with my youngest niece and nephews, then enjoyed a quiet dinner at home with my husband, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law. Two of my favorite parts of the day were seeing icons Cher and Dolly Parton each perform on different television broadcasts, Cher during the parade and Dolly at halftime of the Dallas/Washington game. And I loved seeing Bell Biv Devoe in the parade too! “Now you know you’re Slick blow!” Awesome!

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Hoping to see some familiar faces at my first “author” event coming this Saturday, The Writer’s Block Holiday Fair in Ocean Grove. I’ll be alongside 25ish other wordsmiths, some of whom are in my writing group, for a day-long celebration of books. I will have copies of “Enduring the Waves” for sale (cash only) and will be happy to sign pre-purchased copies as well. Reach out if you need more information! See the image below for additional details.

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Click on the book cover above for ordering links and more, including a Reader’s Guide (kind of like a study guide for the book should you be interested in a deeper relationship with it).

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

With light and love,

Jill

“The Afterglow” was posted on jillocone.com on November 25, 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.

Tomorrow.

It might seem inconsequential to you, a monotonous Monday, maybe just another day on the calendar, but for me? My life changes tomorrow, and when I wake up, I will be a published novelist.  

There’s no going back to the person I am right now, the person typing this post.

I’ve always imagined seeing my name on the cover of a book ever since I was a child and writing stories all the time. After almost a decade spent following the universe’s breadcrumbs literally around the world, then crafting those morsels into a novel meant to be shared, Enduring the Waves will finally be out in the world. 

To be honest, I really don’t care if people think it’s terrible because not only did I do my best, I rose time and time again to revise and improve it after the sting of rejections fizzled out. That’s what matters most to me, and I can’t control others’ feelings about or their experience while reading it. Writing this book has been my purpose and a huge part of my journey for so long that it’s strange to think about moving beyond it. It’s almost as if I’m waving goodbye to an entity that is part of me, like a child getting onto the school bus to ride by herself for the first time on the first day of kindergarten. As that bus drives away, I well up with tears as one chapter ends and another one literally begins. I will allow such feelings to come and go today and have their final encore, then tomorrow, when Enduring the Waves arrives home on the school bus, I will welcome her with glorious enthusiasm and applaud its metamorphosis from just an idea to an actual book to be held, and read, and hopefully, enjoyed.

Tomorrow is a day of jubilation to celebrate transcending beyond the fear of failure, relentlessly pursuing my passion, earning the title of “published novelist,” and proving that dreams do not have an expiration date.

It’s going to be a glorious day.

If you’d like to help me celebrate, please take a picture of your copy, post it on your social media feeds, and tag me. And it’s not too late to secure your copy! Order today and you’ll have it in your hand in no time!

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

With light and love,

Jill

“The Day Before” was posted on jillocone.com on November 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 Jill with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries using any of the links below.

There is a time for all seasons, and the quiet time between Halloween and Thanksgiving is sacred to me. That stretch of boxes on the calendar when the leaves crunch underneath my feet and the cool wind blows more often than not provides me with a time to reflect upon with gratitude where I’ve been, where I’m going, and all that I’ve experienced along my journey.

The delicate thread of gratitude weaves within my life tapestry, and as I mature, the awareness to see each moment, no matter how trifle or mundane it might seem, as truly extraordinary becomes more defined. I developed such a theme in my forthcoming novel, “Enduring the Waves,” and it has become a daily practice for me to acknowledge the shining silver thread of gratitude for each and every breath I take and every step along my journey, both the good and the bad.

A heart full of gratitude perceives beauty and peace regardless of the dissenting cacophony surrounding us. Autumn’s vivid canvas with hues spanning the color wheel transforms the society’s deafening noise into a melody of appreciation gleaming with a warm glow of gratefulness.

My hope is that when my heart beats in rhythm with nature and gratitude, it becomes a beacon of light that illuminates the dark shadows and the unlit places around me. That shining light converts the simple into the sacred, the mundane into the extraordinary, resistance into acceptance, and dread into comfort.

Please join me in celebrating our abundance, our bountiful harvests, and the blessings we often overlook in our busy lives. The banquet of appreciation this year is both a feast for our bodies and for our souls, where we can savor each morsel with a newfound awareness of loving everything about ourselves without judgment or shame.

Embrace the warmth of companionship and the opportunity for shared moments, but if your right-now self needs solitude instead of interaction, that’s okay, too. Whether you find yourself at a table for 20 or a table for one, acknowledge your brimming bounty, your beating heart, your breathing lungs, and your bodacious spirit.

Just as each dish on our table contributes to the entire banquet, every note, every pause, every nod towards appreciating the abundance around us contributes to a much larger story, the story of humanity, and your silver thread in that tapestry shines just as brightly as everyone else’s.

Partake in this feast of gratitude every day, not just on days marked with annual holidays or customs. Looking through a lens of gratitude will have a positive impact on your thoughts, your vision, and your experiences. And don’t be afraid to share that gratitude with others.

Thank you for reading this very personal entry. I wish you a plentiful Thanksgiving season filled with light and peace.

And just in case you didn’t know, I have a novel titled “Enduring the Waves” that will be released on November 20. I’d love for you to read it!

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

With light and love,

Jill

“A Time for Gratitude” was posted on jillocone.com on November 9, 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.

The past few weeks have been nothing short of amazing, all because I decided to follow the universe’s breadcrumbs. Earlier this year, they led me to my magnificent yoga and book study teacher, and last Wednesday, to the S.O.A.R. Symposium. The connections I’ve made through each have sparked my light in ways I never imagined. 

I am.

This morning, after I finished getting ready, I stepped forward and looked at myself in the mirror. I mean, I really looked at myself through lenses of unconditional love and studied myself like I never had done before.

And you know what?

I saw my whole and true BEing for the first time in, like, forever. No shame or judgment and zero flaws. My light and love brightly radiated from my soul and my heart, and I felt like I was thunderstruck with white-hot electricity coursing through me.

I have been alive for 19,245 days before I woke up this morning.

Today, however, is Day One.

I am awakened and enlightened with full and unconditional agape, the highest form of love, surging through every single one of my cells. 

And yes, I am crying right now as this transcendental love for myself will change everything about my forward journey towards joy, purpose, and peace.

I’m out of my head and no longer wasting in waiting. I am breathing out and breathing in the revelation that what I am experiencing could never be found in words written by others or seen through any lenses other than mine. Others can guide me, but cannot lead me to ME.

I had to find her myself when I was physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually ready to process the enormous magnitude of my light.

And there she was, in the mirror this morning, a perfectly imperfect, beautiful human being so deserving of my love. 

Today is a new day teeming with‌ new hope, and I’m following the path in front of me to the yet unknown destination with wholehearted faith because I know I am being led to where I belong, to where I am home, to where I am.

This is the beginning of something phenomenal.

I cannot recommend the S.O.A.R. Symposium enough and I’ll forever appreciate the seeds planted by all the speakers, including Dr. Veera Gupta,  Meredith Z. Avakian, Beth Punzi, Matt Cook, Gregory Andrus (Portraits of the Jersey Shore), Denise Cesare,  Joanna Ciszewska, Deborah J. Holliday, MSW, and especially the program’s founders, Jessica Varian Maldonaldo and Jenn Tuma-Young. The experience was truly amazing and transformative beyond expectations, and if you are local, I urge you to attend next year’s Symposium (tickets are on sale-click here!) Being surrounded by so many miraculous humans, including my friend Geralyn, led me to do something outside of my comfort zone: I read the blurb from Enduring the Waves during the open mic portion. 

Also, please also consider checking out my incomparable yoga teacher, Katie Morgan, and the programs she offers (she’s too amazing for words), as well as the classes at Embodied Physical Therapy in Point Pleasant.

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

With light and love,

Jill

“Agape with Agape” was posted on jillocone.com on October 23, 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.

You probably know by now my novel, Enduring the Waves, will be released on November 20, 2023. The e-book versions are already up for preorder on Amazon (Kindle), Barnes and Nobel (Nook), and Apple Books, with paperback preorders available soon.

I was able to order paperback copies through my publisher’s author portal earlier, and a box filled with my novels arrived on September 24.

Problem: I could not bring myself to open it.

The box haunted me for three days, mocking me and strong-arming me into passive avoidance.

I became frustrated beyond belief. The box contained a giant win, but I felt like I lost the biggest race on earth.

Years of persistence and devotion went into creating the words on the pages inside that box, but something prevented me from allowing them to see the light of day. What the hell was wrong with me? An undescribable discomfort consumed me from head to toe, and all I wanted to do was to crawl under a blanket and hide.

Then, without warning, something shifted.

I saw the box through new lenses, and streams of light gleamed from its four cardboard corners.

The moment was finally right to open it, and I did just that.

I believe I know what prevented me from opening the box, but I am choosing to keep that private because it no longer matters. What does matter is that I hold my book, the book rejected by over 250 entities and accepted by the ONE that was right for me, in my hands. This is my accomplishment, my dream, my voice, and my offering of hope and inspiration to readers.

My right-now self is pretty freaking jacked with pride. I did it, dammit.

I did it.

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

With light and love,

Jill

“Opening the Box” was posted on jillocone.com on October 4, 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.

What better way is there to end summer than dancing alongside thousands of like-minded tramps while New Jersey’s first son belts out his iconic stories backed by one of the best band compilations in history?

Yes, I’m talking about Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, who returned home to Jersey’s Giant of Stadiums (MetLife) for a three-night gig this week. The now 18-person band, including original members Little Steven, Max Weinberg, Nils Lofgren, Garry Tallent, and Roy Bittan, brought their a-game behind their frontman, with Jake Clemons absolutely brilliant on the saxophone. He’s Clarence Clemons’ incredibly talented nephew who stepped into his uncle’s shoes but with his own persona and is one of my favorite musicians ever.

Devoid of political messages and commentary, there was truly magic in the night.

While I am not a Springsteen junkie, I am a Jersey born-and-bred creative, and I’ve always admired his ability to thread his songs with expertly written stories about people like me. I’ve gone to several Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band concerts before, but something was different this go-around.

With three treasured friends, we found our seats on the tour’s opening night in Jersey with thrilling anticipation, and I couldn’t get over the perfect breeze that wildly blew through my hair. 

The entire show was energy exemplified, and collectively, we all sang and danced, and smiled and laughed. A nearby white-haired woman wrapped her arm around her son, who looked to be than me, while punching her other fist in the air and screaming every single word. Two gentlemen in their 70s grinned to each other and nodded as they mouthed the lyrics to songs from their life’s road map. Children stood and swayed in time together with their parents and grandparents, and couples kissed underneath the rising blue moon. 

I found myself just looking around during the almost three-hour set with awe that I was lucky enough to experience such a delicious slice of a memory with the most amazing of people to my left and my right and with the most welcome of winds proving all night.

An odd sensation, however, loomed just behind the night’s eyebrows, one that is hard to explain. 

This concert, while simultaneously incredible yet mysteriously affirming, felt like a farewell of sorts, and a few memories slipped from my eyes as I caught myself pondering the lyrics of many songs I grew up listening to but now from the opposite end of time’s spectrum.

When Mary’s dress first swayed, I had my entire life ahead of me. Now, it sways with more days behind me than ahead of me, my glory days receding further in my rear-view mirror. 

Perhaps it is because summer was taking its last bows, or that I’m grieving the soon-to-be-completed herculean task of cleaning out my uncle’s house, or that another birthday in my 50s is slowing creeping up on the calendar.

Maybe it’s because the night, or I’m scared in thinking I ain’t that young anymore.

But, maybe it’s just because of the badlands…

For the ones who had a notion

A notion deep inside

That it ain’t no sin

To be glad you’re alive

I wanna find one face

That ain’t looking through me

I wanna find one place

I wanna spit in the face of these

Badlands, you gotta live it everyday

Let the broken hearts stand

As the price you’ve gotta pay

Keep movin’ ’til it’s understood

And these badlands start treating us good…

“Badlands” written by Bruce Springsteen (see video below)

Someday, I’ll look back on this and it will all seem funny, but today, I am pulling out of here to win behind my wrecking ball while lighting a fire with my spark and dancing in the dark. 

Thank you, Bruce and company, for all the feels and for inspiring me to jump a little higher.

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

With light and love,

Jill

“The Jersiest of Joys and Most Awesome of Adieus” was posted on jillocone.com on September 1, 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.

I am in a gossamer state,

Not sure if I am dreaming or awake

Where everything is white and dull 

Yet vividly tinted and glimmering with shimmer.

My mind is simultaneously still 

yet racing.

It’s dark. 

It’s light. 

It’s in between.

The area around me is tranquil yet violent, 

Heavy and light, 

Chaotic and silent,

And I stand tall in the middle of the serene whirlwind

My heart calm and my hair blowing wildly

Young yet old,

Tethered yet free

Tired yet awake.

It’s hot. 

It’s cold. 

It’s just right.

The grass under my bare feet is soft and hard, 

Wet and dry, 

Green and brown.

My light shines and dims, 

Disappears and reappears 

Just like the searchlights circling in the black distance.

It rains. 

It snows. 

It gusts.

It clears.

And I am the blue sky behind it all.

One might ask, how could this be?

How can two polar opposites exist in unison at the same time?

They exist because I exist.

I am,

And that’s all I need in this right-now moment:

To be.

To breathe. 

To exist.

I am content.

I am.

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

With light and love,

Jill

“I Am” was posted on jillocone.com on August 30, 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.

I’m elated to announce that I have been named Editor for Red Penguin Book’s “About Time–A Coming-Of-Aging Poetry Anthology.”

“About Time” is open for submissions of poetry that comments on and questions the essence of time. What does it mean to be present? How can we heal from what has been while preparing ourselves for the uncertainty of what may come next? Tell us what you’ve learned over the years–we’ve got all the time in the world.

Themes to consider while crafting or preparing appropriate poetry include growing up, withering away, generational healing, philosophical quandaries, passing of the torch, and more.

The deadline to submit is 12:00 AM on November 15, 2023. Click here for the link to submit (.doc files preferred but .pdf files welcome.)

Once again, the universe led me to this wonderful opportunity that is replete with connections not only serendipitously seen in my upcoming novel Enduring the Waves but topics I often journal about. Being present is a skill I am still trying to master, even though the hamster in my mind hates being put on pause. I’ve posted here before that time is the biggest thief of all, and also about time leading me to my path of healing. There’s a lot more work to be done in that arena, but as editor of the “About Time” anthology, I look forward to reading the works of others to further help me heal. I’m also excited to provide a publishing opportunity for writers who are accepted for the anthology, as I remember what it felt like to get one of my first acceptances. If you are interested in submitting and have questions, please reach out to me. 

In other news, I had my first meeting about my novel this week with a local book club organizer and they will be reading Enduring the Waves as their January 2024 book. I will go to their February meeting to speak about the book and sign copies for those who are interested. I recently completed a “Reader/Discussion” guide for the novel, which I will share as its release date of November 20 approaches. It’s not listed for presale just yet, but when it is, you know I’ll share immediately! Reach out if you’d like me to help your book club out with a visit, presentation, or anything.

Ugh…while I eagerly look forward to my own retirement, it kills me that summer is in its retirement stage. Summer celebrates its freedom and lives each day according to its own schedule after a long and storied career. It keeps active while adhering to a fixed income, which gives it insight about what truly matters. Summer is satisfied while simultaneously enlightened, and doesn’t waste a second of time. We cram as much living as possible into the time we have left with Summer.

Stay, summer! Please stay!

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

With light and love,

Jill

If you’d like to stay current with my journey, please consider signing up for my newsletter here:

“It’s ‘ABOUT TIME’ – A Poetry Submission Opportunity” was posted on jillocone.com on August 23, 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.

This is …

my childhood self …

the curious little girl in pigtails who loved reading, and playing, and roller skating in the street, and swinging as high as the sky, and swimming for hours like a fish,

who cared about others and worried about who might have been hurt when the town emergency sirens would wail,

who was left with a vast hole in her heart when her dachshund died.

This is …

my younger self …

the awkward and unsure woman who was led astray from her desires,

who left footprints on a trail selected for her with no say in the route,

who searched for acceptance and love but found ridicule and hurt,

who has tattoos on her soul inked by ugly words, insecurity, and shame,

who sought escape in glass bottles and liberation in pop-top cans,

who ran away from her heart and smack into detours,

who abandoned her soul to dig a hole so deep it seemed like she’d never emerge from the depths of darkness.

This is …

my determination to say “when” and my commitment to myself …

my rising to right my navigational course spurred by currents of love and hope,

my intrinsic values and talents awake and ready to be seen,

my light that glimmers and shines.

This is …

everyone I’ve ever lost …

my grandparents,

my father,

my God-father,

my father-in-law,

my brother-in-law,

my uncles and aunts, 

treasured friends and colleagues,

students and neighbors,

every single person who still lives in my heart after transcending to another dimension.

This is …

everyone I’ve ever walked besides, and those who still walk next to me … 

my husband,

my brother,

my nieces and nephews,

my sisters,

my mothers,

my family,

my cousins,

my friends,

my colleagues,

my teachers and role models,

my students,

my connections,

every single person who has breezed into and out of my earthly voyage, including those who haven’t arrived just yet.

This is …

every word I’ve ever written,

every thought that’s ever scurried through my mind,

every “what if” that kept me up at night,

every photograph I’ve snapped,

every beat of my heart,

every breath I’ve taken,

every doubt that strangled me,

every step forward,

every step backward,

every tear I’ve cried,

every wow I’ve yelled,

every chuckle I’ve laughed,

every scream I’ve shrieked,

every smile I’ve ever worn on my face,

every pillow I’ve punched,

every hug I’ve given,

every pain I’ve felt,

every diagnosis I’ve been given,

every fear that’s crippled me,

every song I’ve sung,

every dance I’ve danced,

every book I’ve read,

every movie/show I’ve seen,

every sight/taste/smell/touch/sound I’ve sensed,

every one of my idiosyncrasies,

every setback I’ve surmounted,

every victory I’ve celebrated,

and every challenge that defeated me.

This is …

the daybreaks and dusks,

the raindrops and snow squalls,

the hurricanes and floods,

low tides, high tides, and rip tides, 

wind gusts and sunshine,

spring, summer, autumn, and winter,

exhaustion and energy,

breathing and being.

This is …

every second,

every minute,

every hour,

every day,

every month,

every year,

my past,

my present,

my future.

This is …

My journey, which is my purpose.

My purpose, which is my journey.

This is …

Me.

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

With light and love,

Jill

“This” was posted on jillocone.com on August 16, 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.