By KELLY McCARTHY
On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Cape May County Library System, in partnership with Fire Within Events, hosted an Author Expo at Sea Isle City Library.
The free event at the library at 4800 Central Ave. was open to book lovers of all ages to enjoy the works of writers of various genres, including romance, mystery, children’s literature, memoir, self-help and history.
Among the near dozen published South Jersey authors highlighted to speak about their works, their aspirations, and to sign books were romance writer Leigh Cavanagh, Amy M. Reade, USA Today bestselling author of Gothic, traditional, cozy, and historical mysteries, and local Sea Isle author and historian Dr. Joseph A. LaRosa.
Born and raised in Sea Isle, LaRosa penned two books. In 2010 he published “Our Perfect Storm: A History of the March 1962 Storm that Devastated Sea Isle City.” That book is out of print but is still available locally at Dalrymple’s Card & Gift Shoppe, Sands Department Store, and at the Sea Isle City Historical Museum. In 2019, LaRosa released, “Storm Stories: An Oral History,” available on Amazon.
LaRosa explained that after publishing “Our Perfect Storm,” which is an annotated history, he wanted to honor the treasure trove of the many personal accounts of local men and women who witnessed the storm firsthand.
And so, the oral documentation of “Storm Stories” was born. To structure the book, LaRosa said he conducted research at the New Jersey State Police Museum in Trenton. From that research he used State Police teletype messages regarding the 1962 nor’easter.
“I used that timeline and that information,” LaRosa said. “I’m creative, but not like a novelist or a poet.”
Kaitlyn Ormston, Adult Event Assistant for Cape May County Library, was on hand to help run Saturday’s event.
“We try to help get local authors known and out there,” Ormston said.
Coincidentally, LaRosa was her principal when Ormston was in grade school.
“It’s nice to see someone from when you were a little kid doing something that’s important to you, and later to see them following their own passion,” she said.
Asked what advice he would give to aspiring writers, LaRosa said, “Everyone has a novel inside of them. Mine just happens to be history. It is a hobby I retired to. It’s researching what I like. For me, it’s not so much of a creative process. It is the process of researching, and digging, the chase. I enjoy the chase. It’s getting the facts. I enjoy talking to people and getting information.”
Regarding his own reading habits, LaRosa’s favorite authors include F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. LaRosa loves short stories and the classics. His personal taste includes biographies and a wide array of nonfiction.
LaRosa noted that he writes, “When the spirits move me.”
About the Author Expo, LaRosa said, “It was a number of authors getting together, and lessons and mechanics of writing, and giving hints and suggestions on how to better produce and publish.”
