“This story was quite the ride it was raw and full of emotions, doubts, mistrusts, fame, love and it was like following a train wreck as it goes down the track. Harrison the female lead character, in this story refers to herself in the 3rd person throughout the book, which I do not see often. I would say it is not the type of story I read often but it was engaging and kept me wanting to see what happened, as her life and priorities changed. The author has a great writing style, which is straight forward and honest. I see there is a sequel to this story.” Amazon Review
Thank you, Nicki Gorny and syracuse.com for supporting indie authors, local bookstores, CNY and the totally awesome feature. Exciting, humbling piece and a great place to grow up.
“Once I freed it up to be fiction,” she said, “Harrison could go anywhere. I had a larger canvas for her to stomp on.” –
Today I deserve bragging rights. Holla. If I didn’t lose my mind, I would not see and feel the things I feel and see. I would not be the creative, far out juicy parts. I would not live Harrison’s journey so vividly. I would not understand under my skin Georgia Pine’s fierce loyalty, the maddening stunning qualities that make her vulnerable and painfully human. One of us.
Georgia Pine the book proof came today. After a year of living on-screen in two dimension, she is 3-D lovely. Georgia Pine is free, mine and soon yours. Dreaming is not easy. Dreaming is hard, like the challenges I face daily. Fuck normal, normal is overrated and underpaid.
My dad was an excellent hustler. He excelled at getting you to buy random crap you didn’t need, before you even opened your mouth. He taught me how to play pool when I was five. Unfortunately, that skill did not stick. I do love a risk, and will take just about any dare. Hasty to act, without weighing the odds. Falling flat on my face, breaking bones, plunging into fifty degree water for the hell of it. I am an adrenaline junkie like my dad. I take risks. It may not be the most cautious way to live a life, it’s the one I was shown. Leaving home at 18 to follow the yellow brick road of modeling dreams, chopping off my hair because I hated being stuck in a chair with some artist tugging at it for hours (freaking hurts), dyeing it blond, moving to Europe, never looking back. Seemed cool and decadent at the time, I don’t regret seizing the opportunity. I learned a lot of valuable somethings between then and now. I prefer my hair red, I don’t like breaking bones and being stuck in the ER, and modeling is not a great self-esteem builder. Without that crazy, off-color life I’d have little to write about. So I use it all, every single descriptive detail, every moment, every exchange cramming onto the page. I let my protagonists take the risks now, while I sit back and play less pool.
Harrison is a badass with spiked red hair and Georgia Pine rocks long, enviable waves of crimson.
The releaseof Georgia Pine is only weeks away, I hear she wields a mean stick.
A friend mentioned my author feature and The Vast Landscape article made the CITIZEN’STop-Ten most-read feature stories of 2014. After a particularly, challenging shiteous week with my precarious mental health the news was well, friggin’awesome. I am in excellent company. While I have not been my ‘model’ self for some time, I managed to write and self-publish a top-ten book. Thank you, Carrie Chantler for the lovely, articulate feature and thank you to my hometown for welcoming me back without googly eyes and judgement.
I will keep speaking out, working hard, using my voice and well, pushing boundaries.
December 23, 2014
The Citizen’s most-read feature stories of 2014 include our introduction to Jenna Hinman’s story, memories of Tinkers Guild shortly after it burned down, a visit to the Northeast Naturist Festival in Summerhill and more!
The Citizen Top-Ten
10 of 10
“After 17-year detour into modeling career, Auburn native finishes her first novel.”
The way the stories breeze through my mind, much like the people I have loved and let go.
As I watch helpless, I cringe at the chaos that surrounds. These are dangerous times we live in. To love, dream, practice uncomfortable kindness. To choose hope.
I leave this place with tales spun from grass and held together by frayed twine.
Living is scary. Not living is well nothing, nothing at all. Moments scribbled on forgotten parchment, moving images I recall.
Will it matter, probably not. But, it matters now. Right here. Right now.
It was real for a moment, in my head and my heart.
It was so nice to dream.
excerpt Georgia Pine by Jacqueline Cioffa
“There is something about a seashore dwelling, how the wind blows steady, sweeping and swooshing problems away. They magically evaporate out to sea. Harry couldn’t know how blessed time and living inside that house would be. The home was evergreen, oversized planks, cool to the touch but so very warm inside. The picnic bench carved with etched markings, familiar names, some recent, others worn. Barely legible grooves recorded a family.”
Jacqueline Cioffa 