By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
Donna Fox has always loved the beaches at the Jersey Shore. She grew up frolicking in the surf at Wildwood Crest where her mom took many action photos, some of which are represented in Donna’s new book, Jersey Girl.
These days, Donna takes her four year old son to the Ocean Grove beach where they explore this part of the Shore. Donna, a teacher, continues to see the Shore through a child’s eyes, relishing the treasures and “gifts” to be found, the smell of the ocean, splashing in the surf, and digging in the sand.
Author Donna Fox, a Jersey Girl, at Nagle’s for Blogfinger interview. Paul Goldfinger photo. © Dec. 10, 2015.
She says, “Jersey Girl has grown up knowing and loving the sights, sounds, and feel of the Jersey Shore. She appreciates and notices every gift a day at the beach brings. ”
The illustrations were done by Ocean Grove artist Sue Gioulis and by Maria Lynskey.
Donna and her husband Brad have had a home in Ocean Grove since 2009 when they won a Beersheba award for their restoration.
The book is being launched on Saturday, December 12, with signings at the Comfort Zone on Main Avenue in the Grove (12 pm to 2 pm) and at Carla Gizzi’s gift shop in Convention Hall from 6 pm to 8 pm. Her book can be purchased at the signings , at her web site Jersey Girl web site link , or online at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com.
We first met Donna six years ago when BF interviewed her after she won the Beersheba. This time we caught up with her at Nagle’s on Main Avenue, one block to the beachfront, where we took her portrait. It was important to set this photo at a place where you can actually step outside and smell the Atlantic Ocean.
Donna had to get special permission to use a lyric from Tom Waits song “Jersey Girl” (“Down the shore everything’s all right.”) But that lyric sentence says what Donna’s book is all about.
Bruce Springsteen made the song famous, and so that is what we will use for this post. We wish Donna good fortune with her first book, and there will be more to come.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN and the E STREET BAND Live (album 1975-1985)
The song (and the lyric “down the shore everything’s all right”) weren’t written by Bruce. It was written, performed and recorded 4 years before Bruce ever sang it, by Tom Waits.
Editor’s note: Thank you for the correction. The link on this post takes you to an article where the music is the Bruce version (live) of the song.