An Interview with Veronica Jorge
October 22, 2026 by Veronica Jorge in category Interviews, Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as Interview, Veronica Jorge, Write from the heart
Manager, educator, and former high school social studies teacher, Veronica credits her love of history to the potpourri of cultures that make up her own life and to her upbringing in diverse Brooklyn, NY. Her genres of choice are historical fiction, where she always makes new discoveries, and children’s picture books, because there are so many wonderful worlds yet to be imagined and visited. She currently resides in Macungie, PA., but she’s still a Brooklyn girl at heart.
Veronica is represented by Charlotte Sheedy of Charlotte Sheedy Literary. Connect with her on Facebook, @VeronicaJorgeauthor On Instagram, verojorg2018. And check out her column, Write from the Heart here on A Slice of Orange.
This interview first appeared in the Summer Issue of Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. Veronica was interviewed by BWG member Marianne H. Donley.
Bethlehem Writers Group: How did you become a book reviewer?
Veronica Jorge: I never knew that just anyone could review a book. I always thought it was the domain of professionals. It wasn’t until I joined an online book group that I discovered otherwise. Someone who had recently published asked for reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. I thought it was a great way to encourage and support the members in the group. The first book I reviewed was The Scribe of Siena by Melodie Winawer, a time-travel historical mystery with a bit of romance. That review appeared on the blog A Slice Of Orange on June 22, 2018. After that I continued reviewing books, especially ones that I found particularly interesting and wanted to tell others about.
BWG: What do you like best or worst about reviewing? And what books have you reviewed that you still think about and why?
VJ: I’ll answer on both counts. The worst part about reviewing is the time it takes for me to think about what to say because I don’t just want to write what the book was about, as though I were writing a school book report. We all remember those. It takes me a while to find the message or heart of the story that will do justice to the author, and that might also encourage someone to buy the book and gain more readers for the author.
The best part about reviewing is the sense of gratification I feel when I connect with the author’s words and feelings because a lot of hard work and emotion go into writing a book. I also find that I gain a better understanding and perspective of others. And it’s humbling to discover something about myself and how I might respond in similar circumstances.
For example, The Only Road by Alexandra Diaz is a novel about a family in Guatemala who send their child to the United States alone. It would be easy to question the parenting skills of such a person. But then you learn of the dangers and challenges. Once children turn thirteen, they are recruited by gangs; refusal is not an option. So, what do you do when the only way to protect and save your child is to send them out of the country so that they can have a chance at life, because to stay in the home country means certain death?
I think back to the Vietnam War after the fall of Saigon and the heart-wrenching scenes of mothers giving up their children so that they could be safe in America. And going further back, Jochebed, the mother of Moses. In order to save him from the Pharaoh’s order that all male babies were to be killed, she set him in a basket and entrusted her child’s fate into God’s hands. So, it makes it impossible for me to sit in my comfort and safety and claim that I would never put my child at risk. I love it when a book challenges my preconceptions and makes me think that deeply!
BWG: Do you have a writing routine?
VJ: I can only say that I’m always writing; jotting ideas on paper, elaborating scenes in my head, and then looking to see what pieces might fit together to make a story.
BWG: Do you start with a plot idea, a character, or a theme?
VJ: I would have to say all of the above because I often find myself seeking the who, what, when, where, and how of a story idea. For example, I have a Chinese ancestor who emigrated to the Caribbean. I wondered why, of all the places in the world, he chose to go there. That turned into a detailed and fascinating exploration that eventually became a novel, and with it I was fortunate to win an author/writer mentorship with Latinx in Publishing. You can see info about that on this link, Writers Mentorship Program Showcase: Veronica Jorge — Latinx in Publishing.
BWG: Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? If so, how did/do you get past it?
VJ: I’m often inspired by a quote, an event, an untold story, or a little known part of history. The block occurs in not knowing how to write it or bring the story to life. Researching the time period in question helps. It is there that I may find an individual, a work of art, an item, or a significant event that will get the ideas and words flowing. If I get stuck along the way, I step away and look for the story in the story, asking myself, “If this were a movie, what should happen next?” Many of us are armchair film critics, and we often see missing pieces or gaps in a movie, sequence of events that sometimes fall short or don’t provide enough detail, something a character does or says that doesn’t make sense or sound believable. So, I become that armchair critic for my own story and I find that strategy really helps me.
BWG: What writing idea are you dying to try next?
VJ: I’ve always been fascinated by the theories of space/time continuum and time travel. How you can stand in the very spot where someone else from the far past once stood, or where a significant event occurred and feel a connection. So, I’d like to try writing a story from the perspective of two people in two different time periods sharing the same space and what effect it has on each of them. Or have a character travel back in time. I’m not really sure how to develop that yet, but it is definitely something I would like to try.
BWG: When you were ten, what did you want to be?
VJ: I don’t remember what I wanted to be at age ten. But when I was twelve years old I wrote my first short story for a creative writing assignment in English class, “Rudolph the Pug-Nosed Reindeer.” The teacher, dear Miss Walsh, read it aloud, and it was a big hit with my classmates. It was a real encouragement to me. After that I kept writing: poems, short stories, essays, which I shared with friends. My dream was to one day write a number one best seller. I’m still working toward that dream and hoping that it will come true. Persistence and perfecting your craft are important, but I never feel like it’s work, and I never get tired or discouraged. Writing is something that I truly enjoy and will always continue to do regardless of the outcome.
BWG: What is one thing you’ve never been asked, but wish someone would?
VJ: There are two things I would love to be asked. “The pay is generous so would you consider writing for our magazine?” And, “Would you allow us to make your novel into a movie?” My answer to both would be a screaming, “YES!”
BWG: What’s your all-time favorite book?
VJ: Anything by Charles Dickens. He was brilliant at creating characters and had such a mastery of the English language. It’s no wonder all of his works are still well-loved classics today.
BWG: What’s on your To-Be-Read pile?
VJ: Let’s say piles, with a capital S, as I have mini-stacks of books throughout the house. Here are some titles.
Thomas Jefferson’s Cook Book by Marie Kimball. I understand President Jefferson was the first to introduce vanilla and macaroni to the United States and he always combined business with lavish meals. I like history and food, so I’m sure I’ll learn something new, and may find some interesting recipes to try.
Watercolor With Me by Dana Fox. It’s an instructional workbook. At some point, don’t know when, I would like to be able to write and illustrate my own picture books so I decided to start learning a bit on my own. Art classes are expensive.
The Spectacular by Fiona Davis about a young girl who arrives in New York City to pursue her dreams and finds herself dancing in Radio City Music Hall with the Rockettes.
My Music Is My Flag by Ruth Glaser. It’s a nonfiction title of Puerto Rican musicians and their New York City communities. The title intrigued me because music plays an important role in every culture and forms so much of how we all express ourselves.
Children of the Book by Ilana Kurshan. The author explores how reading together can help to foster family connections as well as teach children independence.
You Don’t Know Us Negroes by Zora Neale Hurston, because there is still much to learn and understand about this part of our shared American experience.
Sweet As Sin: The Unwrapped Story of How Candy Became America’s Favorite Pleasure by Susan Benjamin.
And because I always love watching the film How Green Was My Valley, I want to read the actual book written by Richard Llewellyn. In the movie, for those who may not be familiar with it, a young Roddy McDowell plays the child who narrates the story of life with his family in his Welsh coal mining village. It’s a warm, tender, and at times heart-rending story. As a writer I think it’s a great mentor text for learning about setting and world building and creating strong, memorable characters.
BWG: If you could travel back in time with whom would you like to meet and why?
VJ: I would love to meet my Chinese and African ancestors so that I could thank them and let them know that their sufferings and hard work were not in vain. They made a wonderful life for me possible.
BWG: If a spaceship landed in your backyard and the aliens on board offered to take you for a ride, would you go? Why or why not?
VJ: My initial reaction would be, No way. That’s got stranger danger written all over it. Then the New Yorker in me would kick in wondering, What’s their angle? What do they really want? And maybe watching too many episodes of The Twilight Zone would remind me of the one show where the “friendly” aliens took the earthlings home for dinner…literally. The humans were the main course! But, since I like meeting new people and seeing new places, I might consider it if I had a guarantee that I could return home whenever I wanted. So, I would definitely need a pair of Dorothy’s ruby red slippers to click myself back home if I needed to make a quick escape.
Thank you for allowing me to share about myself. And my thanks to those of you who took the time to read my answers. Would love to hear from all of you! Reach out and say hello. Tell me about what you are writing and reading.
Books Reviewed by Veronica Jorge
Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author
October 21, 2026 by marianne h donley in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as An Element of Mystery, Bethlehem Writers Group LLC, Featured Author of the Month, Iced, Marianne H. Donley
Featuring Marianne H. Donley
Marianne H. Donley makes her home in Pennsylvania with her husband, son, and a very very active dog. She is a member of Bethlehem Writers Group, The Charmed Connection, Sisters in Crime, The Guppies and Capital Crimes. When Marianne isn’t working on A Slice of Orange, she might be writing short stories, funny romances, or quirky murder mysteries, but this could be a rumor. She also could be knitting.
Marianne’s short story “Iced” features Eleanor Reed, a police detective, who receives “help” solving crimes from a snarky ghost.
About An Element of Mystery
Dare you read our latest
Sweet, Funny, and Strange® Anthology?
The Bethlehem Writers Group is pleased to present this collection of tales of mystery and intrigue—the latest in its award-winning series of Sweet, Funny, and Strange® anthologies. From classic whodunnits to tales of the unexplained, each of the twenty-three stories contained herein have an element of mystery that will keep you guessing and wanting to read just one more story.
We’re thrilled to have old friends, but new members of BWG, join us this year. Award-winning author Debra H. Goldstein favors us with a mystery set among volunteers at a synagogue entitled “Death in the Hand of the Tongue,” while “Sense Memory,” by the multi-talented Paula Gail Benson, brings a delightful mix of mystery and the paranormal that helps a young couple find their way to each other.
In addition, we are happy to bring you the winning stories from two of our annual Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award competitions: “Good Cop/Bad Cop” by Trey Dowell (2021 winner) and “The Tabac Man” by Eleanor Ingbretson (2022 winner).
You’ll also find stories from your favorite BWG authors, including Courtney Annicchiarico, Jeff Baird, Peter J Barbour, A. E. Decker, Marianne H. Donley, Ralph Hieb, DT Krippene, Jerry McFadden, Emily P. W. Murphy, Christopher D. Ochs, Dianna Sinovic, Kidd Wadsworth, Paul Weidknecht, and Carol L. Wright.
So get ready to be mystified . . . or intrigued!
An Element of Mystery finaled in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award.
Other Anthologies with Marianne’s stories.
Moonlight Madness: A Bluestocking Belle Collection
October 20, 2026 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Book Reviews tagged as Alina K. Field, Bluestocking Belles, ghosts, Holiday Stories, Moonlight Madness, new release
Moonlight Madness:
A Bluestocking Belles Collection
Publisher : Bluestocking Belles
Publication dates:
Paperback: October 6, 2026
eBook:October 15, 2026
ISBN-13 : 978-1965509098
Paperback: $19.99
eBook: $5.99
My Review
This years Bluestocking Belles Collections features All Hallows Eve rather than their usual Christmas stories. The results are great, featuring ghosts and ghouls and other creatures real or just in the characters imagination. I enjoyed all of them, but I did have a few favorites.
Jude Knight’s Moonlight Becomes You has a very inventive take on ghosts. I really liked that moonlight made the ghost more visible. I also like that the other characters in the story didn’t dismiss main character’s claims that she saw a ghost.
Alina K. Field has another strong story in The Duke, the Diamond and the Ghastly Ghoul. The story has just about everything a ghost story should, a dark and stormy night, a haunted abbey complete with the ghost of a monk, a long missing diamond, a ghost-hunting heroine, a match-making Godmother, and a Duke that doesn’t believe in ghosts or particularly wish to be matched.
The Haunted Hoyden by Barbara Monajem had the two friendly and helpful ghosts, a scheming guardian, a lecherous minister, a disgraced and wounded hero, and a clever heroine who has the misfortune of having a fortune and parents who are not amused by her antics. The nicknames of the towns the hero and heroine travel to make me laugh.
The rest of the stories are engaging, and they all have different takes on All Hallows Eve and ghosts. Moonlight Madness is a lovely addition to the Bluestocking Belles collections. If you enjoy historical romance, a few ghosts and a lot of hijinks, please buy the book. You won’t be sorry.
You can read Alina K. Field’s post about Moonlight Madness Here.
About the book:
When the year grows colder and the veil between worlds grows thin—or so they say—comes the time for stories to make you shiver. The Bluestocking Belles bring ghosts, and ghoulies, and spirits of all kinds, each leading to love, the greatest madness of all.
Jude Knight – Moonlight Becomes You in which a lady sees, but cannot hear, a ghost who attempts to warn her about a man who will die if she doesn’t find him soon.
Alina K. Field – The Duke, the Diamond, and the Ghastly Ghoul in which a house party at a haunted abbey brings together a duke, a ghost-hunting lady, and two ghosts determined to right old wrongs.
Aileen Fish – Mad about the Marquess in which a lady known for communing with the dead is forced to bring unwanted messages to the marquess next door from his dead father.
Rue Allyn – True Love’s Kiss in which a hunter seeking his kidnapped son in the forest stumbles upon a fairy with a similar mission. Together they may succeed if they stop squabbling.
Caroline Warfield – Not Again, Harry in which a lady takes shelter in a creepy old house only to find haunting, prowlers, strange artifacts, and a man from her past. A wish-granting mouse complicates it all.
Sherry Ewing – Finding My Way To You in which a ghost meets a determined lady who leaps at a chance to alter his past in spite of his efforts to convince her to leave the past where it belongs.
Barbara Monajem – The Haunted Hoyden in which two friendly ghosts help a lady to rescue a handsome, wounded man—who proves to be just what she needs to escape a dastardly plot.
Elizabeth Donne – Always With You in which a man pressed-ganged into service in the Royal Navy promises his wife he will come back to her. Whether it’s in this life or the next remains to be seen.
More Books by the Bluestocking Bells
ILLUSIVE WORLDS: Sweet, Funny, and Strange® Tales of Science Fiction and Fantasy
October 16, 2026 by marianne h donley in category From a Cabin in the Woods by Members of Bethlehem Writers Group tagged as Bethlehem Writers Group LLC, Illusive Worlds, new release
Today is publication day for Illusive Worlds: Sweet, Funny, and Strange® Tales of Science Fiction and Fantasy
Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-954675-09-4
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-954675-10-0
Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC
Editors: Marianne H. Donley, Dianna Sinovic, and Carol L. Wright
Publisher: Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC
A Sweet, Funny, and Strange® Anthology
Enter our worlds of imagination!
In this ninth “Sweet, Funny, and Strange”® anthology from the multiple award-winning authors of the Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC, we explore everything from faraway galaxies to the vagaries of the human mind.
Our stories include ventures into the supernatural, meeting aliens and witches, experimenting in time travel, and encountering technology that is sometimes benign but at other times menacing. The blurred lines between human and machine, life and death, or illusion and reality have provided our authors more than sufficient inspiration to create myriad visions of science fiction and fantasy to pique your curiosity, spark your sense of humor, sometimes horrify you a bit, and occasionally bring delight.
In addition to tales from BWG’s inventive minds, we are excited to bring you six prize-winning stories from our 2025 and 2026 Short Story Award competitions. We know these authors will become some of your favorites—just as they have for us.
So please join us in our illusive worlds. We’re very happy to have you along for the ride.
More Books from BWG
Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author
October 14, 2026 by marianne h donley in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as Bethlehem Writers Group LLC, Celebrating, Featured Author of the Month, Marianne H. Donley, Tomato Blight
Featuring Marianne H. Donley
Marianne H. Donley makes her home in Pennsylvania with her husband, son, and a very very active dog. She is a member of Bethlehem Writers Group, The Charmed Connection, Sisters in Crime, and The Guppies. When Marianne isn’t working on A Slice of Orange or Bethlehem Writers Roundtable, she might be writing short stories, funny romances, or quirky murder mysteries, but this could be a rumor. She also could be knitting.
“Tomato Blight,” Marianne’s short story in Celebrating, introduces detective Eleanor Reed as she solves a murder despite being haunted by the victim’s ghost.
About Celebrating
In May, 2006, what would become the Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC, met for the first time in Bethlehem, PA, with four people in attendance. In the twenty years since, the group has grown from a fledgling critique group to a robust community of writers and publishers, offering not just a quarterly online literary journal (Bethlehem Writers Roundtable found at https://bwgwritersroundtable.com), an annual writing contest (Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award), but also several award-winning anthologies, among our many publications.
To celebrate our twentieth anniversary, we bring you highlights from each of our eight “Sweet, Funny, and Strange®” anthologies of short stories from our varied, award-winning authors.Starting with holiday stories from our debut anthology, A Christmas Sampler (2009), we are happy to present touching, hilarious, and thought-provoking tales. From a second anthology, Once Around the Sun (2013), are tales for all seasons, followed by, food-related stories from A Readable Feast (2015). You will find children’s stories from Once Upon a Time (2017), then tales of the paranormal from Untethered (2018), animal tales from Fur, Feathers, and Scales (2020), mysteries from An Element of Mystery (2022), and more holiday stories from Season’s Readings (2024).
So, come celebrate with us as you peruse these pages that are sure to bring you a smile, perhaps a tear or two, and a whole lot of fun, with best wishes to you from the authors of the Bethlehem Writers Group.
Other Anthologies with Marianne’s stories.
Featured Books
MY SOUL TO KEEP
Miranda has three days until she must surrender control of her own life forever.
More info →
THE REDEMPTION OF HEATHCLIFF
✧༺♥༻∞Retelling of a classic with a Happily Ever After! ∞༺♥༻✧
More info →
THE STARMIND ALERT
A psychic thriller that tries to catch an arch terrorist who is like a greased cat.
More info →
WHERE EAGLES CRY
Jilted by love in 1834, Cara Lindsay sails from Boston to Mexico’s rugged California to begin a new life with a favorite aunt.
More info →
