“If this is the ‘new’ Jersey, can you just imagine what the ‘old’ Jersey must had been like?”

There seems to be a stinging stigma aimed towards those who hail from the small state known as New Jersey. This novel of historical fiction will put a beat down on the stereotypes attributed to the Jersey Girl.

I’m sure we all have heard by now about the infamous Nicole Polizzi. Better known as MTV’s sleazy character “Snookie” from its reality TV series The Jersey Shore. An actress of sorts, if you may dare call her one; born in Santiago, Chili, raised in Poughkeepsie, NY and whom currently resides in Marlboro, NY. A loud, obnoxious drama queen who is about to release a novel of her very own; A Shore Thing.

A sure what? New Yorker maybe, or perhaps she’s what us true Jersey Girls would deem a ‘Shoe-bee.’ A Shoe-bee is an old derogatory term dating back to the 1930’s to describe tourists from outside of New Jersey who come down to visit the Jersey Shore and act like they own the place. Back then they packed and brought along a shoe-boxed lunch, but today they drag out coolers of iced down piss poor beer and leave the Jersey shores much worse for the wear.

Contrary to popular notion not everyone from New Jersey speaks with a heavy Italian accent or belongs to the mob. Not every gal wears big hair or halter tops with half their tits hanging out. New Jersey much like any other East Coast state has a charm all of her own, as much as each female who has been born and raised there. I’ve for one, have been a Jersey Girl all of my life and will probably die one, regardless on where I lay my head down tonight.

Growing up in New Jersey I was just a hour or two drive from two fantastic cities; Philadelphia and New York. On any spontaneous night a gal could rock out at a RUSH concert in Philly or spy out a Broadway play in New York City. Museums, history and cultures abound in these metro-areas and being a Jersey Girl, I always had a quiet home to return to after seeing what life was like someplace else.

Jersey Girls adore Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. This is not a stereotype, its a fact - so get used to it. We will stand in line for fucking hours and camp overnight freezing our asses off for concert tickets. And yes, many of us have done this just so we can pass out on the floor within one minute of the band coming out on the stage.

As this novel will attest, Jersey Girls always tend to keep it real. We get right to the point and heart of the matter not wasting any time with small talk. There is no being subtle or talk about the cold, windy weather that a Nor’easter may bring. We are the Nor’easter when it comes to letting someone know what we really think about them. Cold? Perhaps. Painfully honest? Absolutely. Blow your mind? You can count on it.

I’m grateful that New Jersey is only prone to stereotypes, not earthquakes or tornadoes. Every place has its share of flaws, but the Jersey Girl within them; accepts them. We are strong, confident in who we are, determined in what we do and tend to forget everything else. Nothing matters in the whole wide world when you’re in love with who you are; A Jersey Girl.