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TO WRITE OR NOT TO WRITE BY VERONICA JORGE

September 22, 2018 by Veronica Jorge in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as To Write or Not To Write, Veronica Jorge

Some things, I find, are too precious to be shared. Like a priceless jewel, they are best kept secreted away; handled and admired in private.

A vivid memory surfaces. September: first week of school. The teacher’s voice, like chalk streaking across a blackboard, screeching the assignment, Write an essay titled, My Summer Vacation.

I picture myself staple-gunned to the board. My whole self, exposed.

Ignoring the homework was not an option. Okay, it was, but the consequence was an ‘F.’ Not a good way to start the school year. So I used my imagination and wrote about a make-believe trip. In other words…I lied. Shhhh!

My summer vacation included friendships, family outings, shared moments and experiences; some too happy, or too sad to put into words. But it was mostly about all of the places I went within myself that made me grow and go back to school just a little bit older and wiser.

I cannot express how I felt sitting out on the fire-escape staring up at the night sky and dreaming of worlds beyond the stars, in spite of the car hor Write from the Heart | Veronica Jorge | A Slice of Orange ns and fire engines whizzing by. Sometimes my elder brother would join me and point out various constellations; he knew all of their names. Or he’d tell me tales from Greek mythology, like The Wings of Icarus. I knew there was a lesson in that one; follow your parent’s advice.

And why would I want to tell anyone what it was like to go to the Hayden Planetarium with my brother, or share a secret and a hero sandwich with a new friend, or quietly walk shoulder to shoulder with my best friend while eating a Mister Softy ice-cream cone?

Reveal my treasures in an essay?

To a stranger?

For a grade?

I don’t think so!

Which brings me back to the topic of writing, or not. That is the question; though the fact that I ask it seems to provide the answer, “Not.”

I am most content when writing just for myself, or for a small circle of intimate friends. The coffee, sweets, and conversations we share last a life-time and deepen our relationships.

That is the reader and the audience I cherish most.

See you next time on October 22^nd.

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FIND YOURSELF…IN THE PAST BY VERONICA JORGE

August 22, 2018 by Veronica Jorge in category Book Reviews by Veronica Jorge, Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as book review, The Reluctant Groom and Other Historical Stories By Faith L. Justice, Veronica Jorge, Write from the heart

If you’ve ever thought of history as boring, you don’t know what you’re missing!

The Reluctant Groom and Other Historical Stories by Faith L. Justice s a collection of four intriguing tales that will move you to tears, renew your faith in true love, inspire bravery in you, and make you think twice about parting with an old antique.

The Reluctant Groom, the first story, portrays a sad, lonely and confirmed bachelor brought back to life by the power of love.

The Bitter Winter reminds us of the heart-breaking events that force peoples to migrate; the sacrifices they make for their families, and the risks they take to ensure their future.

In the third story, The Jar, Justice draws attention to the varied and important roles that women have played since the dawn of time, yet are often relegated to a footnote in history.

The final story in the collection, The Angel of the Marshes, highlights the contributions that children have made, frequently shouldering responsibilities like adults and demonstrating creativity and bravery.

The Reluctant Groom and Other Historical Stories will transform you in Write from the Heart | Veronica Jorge | A Slice of Orange to a historical fiction reader, and a Faith L. Justice fan.

Take the plunge and find your own self in the past!

See you next time on September 22nd.

THE RELUCTANT GROOM AND OTHER HISTORICAL STORIES

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WRITE LIKE YOU COOK BY VERONICA JORGE

July 22, 2018 by Veronica Jorge in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as Cook, Veronica Jorge, Write, Write from the heart

Stir the pot; in this case the plot, and you’ll see how alike writing and cooking can be.

Whether you’re writing a novella, (fast food), a novel, (a five-course dinner), or a short story, (preparing a snack), the success of your preparation depends upon mastering the tools of the trade.

Need to perfect a paragraph? Slice and dice to shorten sentences and speed the action.

Introduce suspense? Use a rolling boil.

Brown and simmer to smooth and lengthen a passage and to bring your reader’s heart rate back in rhythm.

Determine your pacing by flash-freezing, nuking in a microwave, or constantly stirring with a long wooden spoon.

Remember that your protagonist has to suffer, so turn up the heat and roast them or slow cook them.

Dealing with your villain offers the most options. Fry them, stew them in their own juice, lay them out with a rolling-pin, grill them or mash them. Alternately, you can prolong their just desserts in an all-day crock pot.

Bake or fricassee, it’s your choice. Just make sure you serve up a delectable morsel each time that will keep your guests coming back for more.

So next time you sit down to write, think about what your readers like and ask, “Can I take your order?”

Write from the Heart | Veronica Jorge | A Slice of Orange

See you next time on August 22^nd.

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CAREFUL WHAT YOU READ BY VERONICA JORGE

June 22, 2018 by Veronica Jorge in category Book Reviews by Veronica Jorge, Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as book review, The Scribe of Siena by Melodie Winnawer, Veronica Jorge

Be Careful what you read. You might get carried away.

Time travel, suspense, history, political intrigue, murder and romance; The Scribe of Siena has something for every reader.

Transported back to the past and trapped in the Middle Ages, New York surgeon, Beatrice Trovato, is hard pressed to navigate the arteries of Siena, Italy…on the verge of the plague.

And a newly developed empathic power gives her more information than she knows what to do with, forcing her to seek answers beyond her normal world of intellect and science.

But more than that, The Scribe of Siena is a search for identity and belonging.

So many people are searching for their roots via DNA, Ancestry, and Genealogy sites, and are thrilled when they discover a part of themselves that they never knew. Visiting an ancestral country and wearing ethnic clothing often follow.

Like the true surgeon she is, Melodie Winawer takes her character further and deeper. Beatrice’s real journey is out of the brain and into her heart, where she discovers that love is a power that tra Write from the Heart | Veronica Jorge | A Slice of Orange nscends time and space. Now she must decide whether she belongs in the uncertainty and danger of Middle Age Siena, or back with her friends and lucrative medical practice in New York City.

Beatrice’s last name, Trovato, which means “found” should give you a clue of how things turn out. But the actual story, you’ll have to read for yourself.

And for those of you who prefer to travel light; The Scribe of Siena is also available in paperback.

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A DANCE OF WORDS BY VERONICA JORGE

May 22, 2018 by Veronica Jorge in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as dance., music, Veronica Jorge, words, Write

Hispanola, which means the “Spanish island,” became the first Spanish settlement in America. It is my mother’s native country and today we know the eastern section of the island as the Dominican Republic; a fertile land abundant in mines and minerals and rich in a great variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and flowers, where the sun shines brightly year round.

The merengue, the country’s traditional music, embraces you throughout the island for dancing is an entirely social activity independent of holidays or festivals. Any gathering includes dancing because Dominican’s don’t just listen to music, they live it. Emotionally, the merengue celebrates life wherein you partake of the rhythms of love, family and friendship. The most skilled dancer moves in unity with their partner, as one.

My mother, Write from the Heart | Veronica Jorge | A Slice of Orange Celina Antonia Luna de Jorge, (isn’t that lovely? Like a song in itself), left her beautiful, beloved island, and part of her heart, when she came to America at the age of seventeen. Like most of our ancestors, her family traveled to America in the hope of a better future. I’m happy to say that she found it. (She had me!).

Mom is most fully herself, most fully alive when she is surrounded by her family and cooking us all of the traditional delicious foods of her country. She fills and satisfies us with her peace and joy. And like the savory aromas that waft through the air, she makes our hearts swirl to the rhythms of her warmth and love.

And that’s what I want my writing to be like; a dance of words wherein writer and reader move in sync and taste the flavors of love, friendship, loss and new found purpose, joy and laughter. Writing that, in spite of sorrowful events or hardships, celebrates life and fills the reader with hope that today is indeed worth living.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! I love you!

See you next time on June 22^nd.

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