Apparently a lot of people wanted this book, and my publisher decided to release it a few weeks early. So forget that May 5 publication date: The Jersey Shore; Atlantic City to Cape May: Great Destinations
Want a copy? I'm giving two away! How do you enter to win? By posting a Jersey Shore memory in the comments section of this post by midnight on Friday, April 18 (and keep it PG, please). On Saturday, I'll pick two commentators at random, and those random folks will get a copy of the book! For free! And signed!
If you'd rather not leave things up to chance, you can of course buy a copy on amazon by clicking here. It's also available in Barnes and Noble and Borders. Click here to check if it's at your Borders, and here to check if it's at your Barnes & Noble.
Already got a copy? Then here's what I'd like you to do: Take a picture of your copy and email that picture to me at jenmiller27 [at] gmail [dot] com. You can pose with the book, take a picture of it on your coffee table, or even take a picture of it on the shelf in the store -- as long as the book is in the picture (and, again, it's PG), I'll post your picture on the blog. If you'd like to include your favorite shore memory in the email, I'll post that, too. Make sure to include your name and where you live in the email.
Something like this would work:
I took this today at the Barnes & Noble in Marlton, NJ. I thought I'd have a stronger reaction to seeing the book in the store, but this whole early publication took me slightly by surprise. I was ramping up for that first signing on May 3, but, well, the earlier the better!
I'm going to leave this post up top for a few days...enjoy reading everyone's comments and memories!
11 comments:
My favorite Shore memories: Crabbing in the back bays of Sea Isle City. There was always the family vacation complete with a trip to the local bait shop. My dad would scold us for wanting to buy the crab traps-- too expensive and no skill. Instead, we bought the $2 crap "rope" and tied on a big ol' piece of chicken. Sometimes we took a boat out and other times we dropped out lines off the side of the nearest bridge. Within minutes, my brother, sister or myself would whisper, "Dad, i think I got one" and we would slowly reel in a beautiful blue clawed monster.
...then Mom would make spagettie and crabs!
Congratulations on your book-- you should be very proud!
Matt -
My family 'crabbed' the same exact way -- I even wrote an essay about that in the book. I'm guessing you guys went to Larsens? What great memories...
Thanks for posting!
My favorite shore memory was the night I met my now husband in Sea Isle City. We bonded over beers, music, and great conversation. I will forever hold Sea Isle in my memony.
What an awesome idea for a book! I love it! Congrats on getting it published. Not any easy thing to do.
I grew up heading to North Wildwood every summer. My all time favorite memory is still reliving itself every summer when I hear the Fudgie Wudgie guy walking down the beach. "FUDGIE WUDGIIESSS! ICE CREAM SANDWICHES!"
Of course, as soon as the wrapper came off, the sand covered the ice cream. I can still taste the sandy chocolate. Because you know I wasn't giving that thing up...no matter how much sand was on it!
My Grandparents bought a house in Wildwood Crest the year I was born. I have so many memories I could probably write my own book. I started working for Bill Morey Jr. when I was 14. I remember crabbing, surfing (sort of) and eating fresh seafood (at home and at resturaunts). I loved Christmas in July. I remember everything down to the greenheads. However, the best memory I have is the last few years of taking my twins down. You see, I inherited the house and we still carry on the Christmas in July tradition (the whole block). The constant when are we going to the beach house grows feverish around this time. My kids love everything from the crabbing, the sand and of course the BOARDWALK. I never understood why my Dad was always willing to take the trip. Now I do it isn't for us, it is for the memories we are giving our children. The same memories we carry to this day. Oh and don't forget The Shamrock!!!!
My favorite shore memory would be the Valentine's weekend I spent with ten of my closest friends in a rented house. I left early so I could put the heat on and get everything ready, when people started arriving we played games until it was time to go see Huey Lewis and the News in Atlantic City. Getting back we got lost and it took us about an hour and a half to get from A.C. back to O.C... that was quite a trip. The next morning we woke everyone up by using a boombox to blast the Darkness's "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" went out for breakfast (Wawa was the only thing open) and decided to take a walk to the beach... in February... it was freezing.
Despite the temperature, it was one of the best weekends of my entire life, good friends, good music, good times.
My one and only Jersey Shore memory happened a few years ago, when my boyfriend and I were there for a wedding in Spring Lake. I remember staying overnight in a penthouse suite at The Breakers. What was so great about that was being so near the ocean...to be able to open the windows wide and let the sea air rush in the room. I'm a desert girl, but I loved the smell and sounds of this particular ocean. I've never had as calm a sleep.
Thanks for letting me share that!
Jackie Dishner
Phoenix, Ariz.
I have too many shore memories, however, I will limit it to one. When I was young, my grandparents would take us each summer to The Colonial Hotel in Cape May (now known as the Inn of Cape May), an absolutely gigantic old hotel that was just amazing for a child to ramble around in for days. The highlight of the trip was my grandfather (born in 1903, and these trips took place in the late 1970s and early 80s, making him at least 75 years old) taking us bike riding on the Cape May boardwalk each morning. Then, as now, the boardwalk was open until 10 am for bike riders, and those mornings with "Grandpa" are ones I will treasure until I see him in Heaven many years from now. I take my children biking on that same boardwalk now and if I close my eyes I can picture him on his bike, as I follow behind him.
Congratulations on your book, I've enjoyed reading about it over the last year or so since you started this blog.
Mark Miller
Ocean City is in my blood - my great grandfather had a house there and I've been there every summer of my life.
The memories tend to blend together - mostly your typical stuff of sun, sand, waves, Mack and Manco's pizza, mini golf on the boardwalk, etc.
But last summer really stands out, and not just because it was so recent. I drove cross country last summer, coast to coast and back, and used Ocean City as the bookends to the trip. It started at 4:30am on the boardwalk which was eerily devoid of people, along with a gorgeous sunrise and my friend Amy. 2 and a half months, 10,000 miles, 24 states later, it ended on a cold, rainy day in August when I fell asleep in my car on 7th Avenue. One of the best summers of my life.
First, congrats on the book. My favorite Shore memory is staying at the Biscayne Motel. They used to be this round make shift billiard table out front made of concrete. The felt was actually of worn out indoor/outdoor carpet. The ball return was made of rotted wood that was held in by what I can imagine was rubber bands and bubble gum. It was probably the least glamorous part of my family's annual vacation to the Shore. But for me, in my adolescent years, it was like being a player at the Skins game in Atlantic City.
Memories I'll never forget.
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