COMING SOON! MOTION DAZZLE: A Memoir of Motherhood, Loss, and Skating on Thin Ice, Sept 30th, 2025 from Vine Leaves Press, is about losing my mother on my son's first birthday. Motion Dazzle chronicles my complicated experiences as a former competitive figure skater and my attempt to care for two loved-ones on opposite trajectories — my mother with dementia and our newborn — then host a first birthday party (zebra-themed) that would have made her proud. I’m interested in how we all have to “put on a performance” in our daily lives and push through pain, even when not wearing skates.
EARLY PRAISE: “Jocelyn Jane Cox's story is a journey to the liminal space between grief and joy—as she loses her mother to dementia while becoming a mother herself. Told with heart and humor, Motion Dazzle is a poignant homage to the unwavering bond she shared with her mother. Like an intimate conversation with a friend on a New York City park bench, Cox's voice pulls you in and doesn't let go until the end.” ~ Jacque Gorelick, author of Map of a Heart, forthcoming
BOOKS
FIRST DAY ON THE ICE: Tips from a Professional Skating Coach (and Mom) published January 26, 2018, is a quick read for parents who are thinking about taking their children skating for the first time or for parents who have already gotten their kids out on the ice, but need a bit more information. Additionally, it’s helpful for coaches who are just getting started in the business or coaches who want a refresher. Written by a skating coach with over 25 years of experience (who is also a mother and a freelance writer), this clear, often humorous guide will help you figure out what to wear, what to talk about beforehand, how to lace the skates, and even give you insider techniques to try with your child both on and off the ice. The goal is for the first day in skates to be a positive one and to lead to more fun in the future. Purchase here.
THE HOMEOWNER’S GUIDE TO GREATNESS: How to Handle Natural Disasters, Design Dilemmas and Various Infestations Like a Champ: published April 29, 2012. Owning a home is a constant adventure filled with infinite challenges. To succeed, it's important to think creatively and maintain a sense of humor. In these pages, learn new ways to make use of your mortgage agreement (i.e. as a stepping stool), how to pick through other people's garbage for furnishings, and exactly what you should do if a tree falls on your house. The advice in this book ranges from the outlandish to the bizarre: whether you've been in your house 20 minutes or 20 years, you are sure to relate to it and get a good chuckle. You might even learn something along the way. Purchase here.