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Well, it’s been a while…
Hello, there! I’ve been absent here for quite some time, and you may notice some changes. After 10 years of blogging, I have changed the name of the blog to reflect my author name. I thought it was about time. Nevertheless, taking a step away from blogging these past few months has been very good for me. I’ve revamped and recalibrated and have been able to focus on writing my books, as I’ve just finished writing and am now editing my fifth novel, tentatively called The Letters in the Books. Probably my most challenging story to tell thus far, it focuses on four main characters who are down on their…
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A Writer’s Muse: Annapolis
Hello, Readers! Happy Holidays! I hope you are all doing well, despite our circumstances. I’m writing to you today, on Friday, at the end of the semester. Yesterday, all my grades were entered, and the semester has officially ended. While it wasn’t a perfect semester, I believe the students and I got through most of the important material we needed to cover, and I’m excited for the spring semester. Which leaves us with the space between now and when the semester begins in January for me to work on my novel. I love that space when I get to write—to really write. It’s exciting to dive in and begin to…
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The Beginning of a New Novel…or Not. What I’m Working On????
* The truth is, after reading my post headline, I’m not actually sure what I’m working on. I’m not sure at all. Ever since completing and now trying to promote Little Milestones, there’s been little happening in my writing world. January was spent getting ready for the spring semester as I’m teaching a course I haven’t taught in a while, so I’ve needed to spend a lot of time preparing for my classes. One night, however, the idea of these four characters popped into my head, and the idea of a book starting and ending in a bar took hold. I’m not sure AT ALL what is going to happen…
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Twilight and Twinkles and Travel
* As I tell my students in the special topics in travel writing course I teach, travel happens as soon as you step outside your door. Day trips, afternoon trips, and evening trips can all be wonderful experiences, especially when you’re sharing the time with someone you love. It can also be great to go exploring by yourself. In our local travel writing class, students often pick Annapolis as their spot. I love to read about my hometown from their perspective, some of them only visiting Annapolis for their first or second time. As I’ve grown up in this area and have spent lots of time cavorting and entertaining in…
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Childhood Magic: The Hill with the Rock
I grew up in a ranch style home in Bowie, Maryland. The yard was large, and contained a big hill in the back. In the winter, our family and neighbors would go sledding in our yard, until before long, the entire neighborhood was partaking in the fun. The toboggan was filled with adults and children as we would take the run down the hill and spill out into the street. Over and over we would ride the hill in the snow. Red plastic sleds packed with kids would spin down the slope, shoot between our house and the neighbor’s, and end up in the front yard. In the summers, the…
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Deciding to Be A Hallmark Movie in Annapolis, Not Just Watch One
* Last night, my college roommate and dear friend, Elizabeth, and I took to the streets of Annapolis for the annual Parade of Lights. Our husbands were engaged otherwise, and so we were on our own. A resident of Shady Side, south of Annapolis her whole adult life, she had never been to see the boats parade in and out of City Dock and Ego Alley, and so we decided it was the proper thing to do, seeing as how we watch a helluva lot of Hallmark movies and love the quaintness of the towns featured in them. As someone who grew up and still lives in the area, I…
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A Tear Worth Shedding and Other Things
I thought I’d start this Monday with a little recap of a whole bunch of things I’ve been doing over the last week. Let’s begin with a book recommendation. The Next Person You Meet in Heaven Some people are remarkably gifted storytellers. I finished a book at midnight last night by one such gifted storyteller: Mitch Albom. The Next Person You Meet In Heaven resonated so deeply with me that I shed many tears throughout the book. So many “themes” he touches upon in the novel are relatable. This book picks up many years later after Eddie’s death in The Five People You Meet In Heaven with Annie, the little…
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Wednesday Wardrobe & The Blue Angels: The Petite Professor
* For those of us who live in the Annapolis area, today’s a big day. Huge. It should be declared a holiday in Anne Arundel County where the Naval Academy is situated on the grounds of Annapolis in the city because the Blue Angels fly as part of graduation week. All of us, whether we know someone at the Academy or not, benefit from this wonderful tradition. My clever mother booked us at the Severn Inn, which sits on the Severn River across from the Naval Academy, for the second year in a row. Our table was on the deck of the restaurant with a clear view of the river,…
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Annapolis Through A Historic Lens
When I get a few hours of free time and I happen to be feeling inspired, I grab my camera and go. While I have photographed Annapolis several times (and it happens to be my hometown), most often it’s been from the viewpoint of characters in my first novel, Beneath the Mimosa Tree. When I write, I tend to use photographs to help me describe settings, places, clothing, and sometimes, even people. Yesterday, however, I wanted to capture some of the historic spots in our great little city. Just because. Here’s what I captured. Stephanie Verni is Professor of Business Communication at Stevenson University and is the author of Inn…
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Annapolis Sparkles For The Holidays
*** Apparently, my hometown knows how to do Christmas right, and I’m here to tell you that I think the judges from two of my favorite publications have gotten it right. Country Living magazine ranked Annapolis at No. 10 in its list of America’s 20 Best Small Towns for Christmas. Additionally, Travel and Leisure magazine ranked Annapolis No. 15 on its list of America’s Best Towns for the Holidays. We’ll take it. With wonderful events such as last night’s Parade of Lights sponsored by the Eastport Yacht Club, residents and visitors can stroll the streets of Annapolis, shop, eat, and watch the boats parade into the Harbor. Families, friends, and…
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Back Among My People—The People of the 1980s
* Last night, some friends and I went to see a band called The Reagan Years in Annapolis. By their name, you can probably guess that they specialize in covering 1980s music to an audience who thoroughly appreciated it. As a music lover—and one who lived through and sported big hair, wore black Madonna rubber bracelets up the arm and a see through mesh top with a black bra, and can name every MTV original v-jay—I was one of those people who relished every moment of the show. It reminded me that I need to download some stuff I don’t have: Billy Idol, the Outfield, Morris Day and the Time…
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In Honor of Teacher Appreciation Week & A Thank You to My Students
In the laundry room on Pointer Ridge Drive in Bowie, Maryland, where I grew up, my parents hung my large blackboard I got for Christmas. The laundry room was a good size, and the perfect place for me to set up my schoolroom. My aunt had given me a grade book she used when she was a teacher, and at the age of eight, I began practicing to be a teacher by writing on the board, planning lessons, and marking the imagined students’ grades in my grade book. Mrs. Schuman and Ms. Cosby were my fourth grade teachers, and I watched how they conducted the class. I wanted to be…
