Writing in a “Jersey State of Mind”: Guest Post by Lisa Begin-Kruysman

I am thrilled to have another Jersey Girl here on the blog with me today!! Meet Lisa Begin-Kruysman, author of Full Snow Moon!!!

Writing in a “Jersey State of Mind”

~~Lisa Begin-Kruysman

As a Native of New Jersey who has written a Jersey-based novel, I thought it would be fun to “wax” about the “state” of New Jersey under the influences of May’s Full Flower Moon (perfectly full as I presently write).

Recently, while posting on an author’s promotional page on Facebook, I wrote a teaser that said that my Young Adult novel, FULL SNOW MOON, was about a National Treasure unearthed at the Jersey Shore.

“Was it Snookie?” someone asked, referring to a cast member of the infamous Jersey Shore “reality tv” series. No, I thought. I said National Treasure….not trasher.

If nothing else, the publishing of FULL SNOW MOON presents a positive and complex presentation of the real population of the “Jersey Shore,” a collection of vibrant, creative and productive people.

By the way, the term “Jersey Shore” in and of itself is misleading. The Jersey Coast line spans hundreds of miles and can take over three hours to get from the northern portion of Sandy Hook down to Cape May (if you don’t have a police escort and abide by the speed limit that must be obeyed by the commoners). That’s an insider “joke” that might be appreciated by some New Jersey readers due to recent incidents.

And its communities are unique and diverse, from the honky-tonk Boardwalks of Sea Side Heights, the casinos of Atlantic City, the charming tent community in the “dry” town of Ocean Grove to the stately Victorian homes of Cape May and beyond.

In FULL SNOW MOON, a cache of Jefferson Peace Medals are found buried in the grounds of a historic building that is slated for demolition in the Township of Brick. 

This creates quite a “Situation.”

The story’s main characters, Alex, Denis and the ghost of Jersey Farm Boy, Eli Hampton, must work together to save the house from the hands of a greedy land developer. While these young men are admirable, they are not beyond a good fight. In the book’s opening pages, there is a scene of confrontation in which someone’s nose is broken. But it is a “good and clean” fight that is not over a girl, well not exactly, anyway. It’s a scene that will evoke the tension and drama caught by the lenses of an MTVcamera at a nightclub somewhere in Sea Side Heights.

In a later scene with Denis, Alex and “love interest” Caitlin, the tension runs high again. As they dig through roots and soil in the dark, searching for their treasure, their excavation is interrupted by the arrogant Brandon, son of the evil land hogger. During the confrontation, Caitlin delivers a left hook to Brandon with results that would even impress JWoww!

In the recent events of my ongoing Blog Tour to promote FULL SNOW MOON, I have been surprised to hear people discuss this book. In an early “visit” on a blog site that is maintained by someone who reviews Christian Literature, the reviewer said that she was a little disturbed upon realizing that my book had a strong paranormal theme, something she would not typically read. She wrote that despite the mild profanity (I think it was the use of the term, “pissed off,” or I might have used the word “damn.”) she wished the book had been 100 pages longer and that anyone who enjoys paranormal stories filled with history should read this book. She complimented me on my research and hoped I would continue to write Historical Fiction. Gosh!

Reviewer number two was into darker works like Twilight and vampire-based stories. While she did enjoy parts of the book, I think that it was just too mild for her. But here is the great part. She LOVED the author’s purpose and the book’s message - that places of historic importance are worth saving, something she said she really hadn’t thought much about until she read FULL SNOW MOON. 

In a few years, Snookie and the gang of the Jersey Shore,” will most likely fade into history, relegated to tvland network. But if I’ve done my job as an author, someone will still pick up a copy of FULL SNOW MOON and see it as relevant for years to come.

If you are looking for something that’s about as hot as a good romp between the snowdrifts, the way cool FULL SNOW MOON is for you. You will be getting a history lesson, but you won’t even know it. And you’ll meet some nice cast members of the real Jersey Shore! I hope you’ll give it a read…if not I’ll be real pi….fit to be tied!

The Book:

Title:  Full Snow Moon
Author:  Lisa Begin-Kruysman
Publisher:  Bradley Publishing
Sub-Genre(s):  Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal, Young Adult (YA)




A hapless surfer, restless spirit and Native Son dig up some controversy when they unearth a National Treasure buried at the Jersey Shore.

Cocky surfer Alex only cares about the future. Who cares about the things of the past like an old house or an old friend? But one February night as he recklessly takes to the road during a snowstorm, he discovers that the past may have some plans for him. When his life is saved by the troubled spirit of a local youth who perished during the historic “Blizzard of 1888,” he agrees to rescue a house from the hands of a greedy land developer. But when he enlists the help of some forgiving friends, they dig up a National Treasure… and some controversy.

With assistance from a “hottie” of an Historian and a colorful antiquities dealer, Alex hopes to ride a wave of redemption. Can he rescue a piece of local and national history, reunite his boyhood friend with his native roots and regain the respect of friends and family?

Find Full Snow Moon:  Goodreads | Amazon

The Author:

Lisa Begin-Kruysman lives in Ocean County, New Jersey, with her husband Rich and Portuguese water dog, Hooper. Her short fiction has garnered national recognition in writing competitions sponsored by Calliope Writers and Writer’s Digest Magazine.

Her highly-acclaimed, Something’s Lost and Must be Found was released in the summer of 2011 to glowing reviews. A collection of seven short inspirational stories, the book was inspired by her blog site established two years ago to promote the mission of National Dog Week and her biography of its Founder, Will Judy. 

Currently, she is working on a sequel to Something’s Lost and Must be Found and her second Young Adult Novel.

Check out the rest of the tour:  http://cblspromotions.blogspot.com/2012/04/vbt-full-snow-moon-by-lisa-begin.html