Barnegat is not exactly Greenwich Village. But that doesn’t mean that art is dead in southern Ocean County. When people think of centers for culture and arts, Southern Ocean County may not be the first locale that comes to mind. According to the U.S. Census 2006-2010 data for Ocean Acres (a residential area that encompasses parts of Barnegat and parts of Manahawkin), the number of high school graduates living here is high — 91.4 percent — compared to 87.3 percent statewide. But when it comes to college, 21.9 percent of the population ages 25 or higher got their Bachelor’s degree, which is …

Teen Services Librarian Theresa Foster noticed early on in her job at the Barnegat Branch of the Ocean County Library that many of her teen patrons also happen to write. “Because they are avid readers, they’re inspired,” said Foster, 28, of Tuckerton. “They showed me their stories and asked me to read them, and give them feedback,” said Foster. Foster, who studied art and history in college, said she felt self-expression is something teens could use some help nurturing. “I am an artist, so I always think of writing like that — as a way that they have chosen to express themselves.” “I just …

Regular contributor Katia Raina's column on the Shore writing scene is getting into the Valentine's spirit this month, with two profiles of local romance authors. Read part one, which ran Friday, here. Coming of age in the 1950s and 1960s, Karen Bostrom dreamed of achieving many things. “I wanted to be a mermaid, an author, an architect, a teacher,” Bostrom, a Toms River resident, said. “But you kind of had to choose something.” As a kid Bostrom wrote many stories, won essay contests, received recognition from teachers and peers. Still, when high school was over, Bostrom had to face the “real…

Regular contributor Katia Raina's column on the Shore writing scene is getting into the Valentine's spirit this month, with two profiles of local romance authors. Check back with us Monday for part two. Marykate Schweiger got hooked on writing in second grade. “My teacher at the time wrote a partial sentence on the board that said ‘once upon a time, the rabbit,’ and then she put dot, dot, dot,” recalled Schweiger, a Lakewood resident. “I’ll tell you, that was many years ago, and I still remember the excitement of the idea that I could create anything I wanted on a piece of paper.” Fast-…

Every early January, poets, memoirists and novelists from the Jersey Shore region leave behind their loved ones, their jobs, pets and the dirty dishes, to “get away” for a weekend of writing bliss at the shore. Right now, last-minute revisions are getting finished up, peers’ works are being read and critiqued, and bags are getting packed as more than 200 writers, seasoned and budding ones, are preparing for the 19th annual Winter Poetry and Prose Getaway retreat with Peter Murphy, which this year will take place at the Seaside View hotel in Atlantic City, on Jan. 13 – 16 and, in a partnership…

With maybe two months to go before her job at Atlantic Books is gone – before her job along with the Manahawkin store itself disappears into history – one of the employees spoke with me off the record in hushed tones. "I bought a Kindle two years ago,” she whispered, with an air of someone admitting a terrible sin. The employee said that when she saw Oprah Winfrey talking about her Kindle on her show, that’s when she first had an inkling that the job she loved so much was on its way out. "Most of it has to do with the Internet, and ebooks,” said Atlanitc Books owner Mark Simons, when …

Since she published her first book in 1999, Caridad Pineiro has touched upon many subjects in her stories, from discrimination and domestic violence, to Prohibition-era Jersey, vampires, ghosts and genetic modification. The reason for this incredible literary diversity could be Pineiro’s own multifaceted persona. This Cuban-born, suburban-raised, scientific-minded, nature-conscious lover of the Jersey Shore has many passions and interests to put into her books – 29 published, and more on the way. Her latest, The Lost, is a paranormal romance, in which a Marine vet who has returned home from …

We have National Prayer Day, National Service Day and even National Day of Apple Pie. Did you know that we also have National Writing Day? A group of teachers got together in 2009 to promote this event through the National Council of Teachers of English, a professional association for literacy educators around the country. Following these efforts, the U.S. Senate passed resolutions for three years now, which declared Oct. 20 an official national writing holiday. According to the NCTE website, the holiday exists, “In light of the significance of writing in our national life, to draw attention …

Katia Raina's column about the literary scene at the Jersey Shore covers local book-related happenings. Look here for profiles of local authors, bookstores, publishers and more. Katia Raina is a freelance journalist, a writer for young adults and a passionate reader. To find out more about her, visit her blog where she reviews books, interviews authors and talks writing at http://katiaraina.wordpress.com The Toms River library is abuzz with activity and excitement on any day, but this past Saturday the place looked especially festive, when authors from the region and from afar, traditionally …

This column about the literary scene at the Jersey Shore will appear twice a month, covering local book-related happenings. Look here for profiles of local authors, bookstores, publishers and more. Katia Raina is a freelance journalist, a writer for young adults and a passionate reader. To find out more about her, visit her blog where she reviews books, interviews authors and talks writing at http://katiaraina.wordpress.com As a child, Burlington County resident Keri Mikulski was a reluctant reader. Books held little excitement for her, Mikulski said, because they didn’t reflect her interests…