Foreword by George C. Valente
The Author
On a black and white winterÕs day in January, between reviewing with artist Sheila Mickle the map she was creating as a visual representation of this book and glancing out the window at hungry swans on an ice bank of the half frozen Metedoconk River, I was finally able to see a complete vision of the new essays and poems Frank Finale created for this book.
Looking at the legend on the map, Sheila and I discussed the sense of loss that pervades this bookÑthe death and desolation of friends from cancer, murder, and divorce, the devastation of Asbury Park, the tearing down of old Shore landmarks like the Monmouth and Warren hotels, and the life and death struggle of animal life at the Shore, like the swans I was watching as they searched for food on a frozen river.
All show struggles and losses and the changes that come naturally with aging and the passing of time, yet Frank Finale writes about each with an affirmation and celebration of lifeÑwith prose and poetry full of love and beautyÑthat keeps the reader going and is at the essence of life for all of us, all in a Jersey Shore setting.
He writes of natureÕs changes in "A WinterÕs Sketch":
"The wind howls, and the sand responds. Everything is in flux. The beach you step on today will not be the same one you step on tomorrow. But you will never know it. Nature repeats itself endlessly, ever changing, ever unchanged."
After the success of "To The Shore Once More" (Volume I), I asked Frank to write a second bookÑa sequel and companion volume to his regional bestseller. He was apprehensive about the one year schedule but agreed. Shortly thereafter, I contacted Rich Youmans, his primary editor of the essays that appeared in Volume I, (most of which were published in COAST Magazine); he also agreed to work once again with his friend, and we were off and running. Thus, the writer and editor that had created some of the most touching and profound essays about the Jersey Shore were now working together again.
There are many differences between this book and Volume I. There are four times as many artists, almost double the paintings, and more pages. The book takes place in many of the towns and regions along the coast: Frank and the artists take readers on a journey down the Jersey Shore, from the tip of Sandy Hook to the point of Cape May, through the past and present, and in all four seasons.
Many locations, landmarks, and themes appear and reappear throughout the stories and poems, like the monarch butterflies fluttering throughout the stories or the spiritual connection Frank feels with the Shore and our world as written in "Canoeing Down Cedar Creek":
"Alan and I had been out on the water now for more than two hours, and were starting to tire. We began drifting more and more, letting the current propel us. I put my hand back into the water, and for a moment imagined myself connected to the Atlantic Ocean a few miles away. I felt myself sweep past the small beaches along the creek's shore, past the white yachts in the marinas on Barnegat Bay, past the tiny Sedge Islands with their myriad wildlife, and beyond the shoals of the shifting barrier islands, into the open ocean. From the seat of this aluminum canoe, I felt as if I were connected to all the Jersey ShoreÑto all creation, in fact. I tilted my face toward the sun and smiled."
Once more, join acclaimed author and poet, Frank Finale and his family on a journey through the past and present as he once again captures life along the Shore while exploring universal themes that touch us all. I believe these graceful personal essays and poems will elicit an emotional response and lingering memory in readers for a time to come.
The Artists
The other equal element within "To The Shore Once More, Volume II" is the artworkÑ144 images that, when presented with the prose and poetry, create a complete vision and portrait of the Jersey Shore.
Each of the forty-one artists featured in this book is unique in style, approach, and personality. The selection of their images was made with various criteria in mind.
Our goal was not only to show the best work of the artistÑwhich is the case in most of the images presentedÑbut to also take into consideration the combined content of the images as well as the concept that certain images of the Jersey Shore must be included in a book of this type. The content of the four chapters also had bearing on the selections: since the book was organized as a journey down the Shore, some works were selected for the location presented. After the selection process, if an image "worked" with an essay, we placed it nearby; however, the placement of many images was not made to go with a specific essay.
My publishing history with the artists presented is varied; some relationships go back many years; others relationships are newly established for this book. During recent times, readers have seen many of the images presented in this book in Jersey Shore Vacation Magazine, Jersey Shore Vacation Map, The Jersey Shore Guide Book, and Jersey Shore Home & Garden, the publications of my company, Jersey Shore Publications.
All of the artists are known throughout the Jersey Shore and are known regionally and nationally as well. Most of the images, (originals and prints) can be seen in galleries along the Jersey Shore as well as throughout New Jersey and the United States. More about each of the artists can be found under the biographies section at the back of this book.
I believe this companion volume is one of the most enchanting and beautiful books about the Jersey Shore ever published. I hope it will bring you closer to the places you love at the Shore.
