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The Way to a Character’s Heart
Confession: When I’m diving into characters and trying to get at the heart of them, I sometimes write poetry as my characters to get inside their heads. For example, if a character faces heartbreak or loss or a hardship, along with character sketches, I may write a little poem or two from various characters’ perspectives. It would be as if they would write the poem themselves. I’ve always written poetry for fun, and I enjoy writing poems that uncover emotion. And while I’ve only published one small collection of poems to date in The Postcard, I continue to write them and keep them to myself…just for these purposes. Today, I’m…
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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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Book Giveaway – Enter to Win!
* In the world of independent authors and publishing, Amazon gives us the opportunity to give away copies of our books… So let’s do it. If you’re wondering what the heck Inn Significant is about and whether you may want to read it, let me share some recent reviews about the book (below you will see the summary about the novel). In the novel, you’ll be transported to Oxford, Maryland (click here to see an lovely overview of the town form Only in Your State); one of my readers wrote to me and said, “Brilliant. Beautiful. A work of literary art. The vivid imagery of Oxford, as you did with…
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My Third Novel, Inn Significant, Is Now Available !!!
B I G N E W S T O D A Y ! ! ! INN SIGNIFICANT IS NOW AVAILABLE ! *** A few weeks ago I likened birthing a novel to birthing a baby, except without the physical pain and need for drugs. I still think it’s true. I’m happy to report that my third novel, Inn Significant, is now available via Amazon and Barnes & Noble in both paperback and for the e-readers. As those of us who are independent authors know, this is when the marketing work begins, and it ain’t easy. Plus, it requires me to do something that I’m not used to doing, and that’s…
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Coming in February: Inn Significant, A Novel
*** INN SIGNIFICANT by Stephanie Verni…Coming in January. What if three weeks after suffering a miscarriage, you faint and find yourself on the floor of your own home’s cold foyer, and as you regain consciousness, you have to acknowledge the horrible news that was relayed to you moments ago by two police officers: that your husband of ten years—the love of your life—was tragically killed by a tractor-trailer on the slick, rainy interstate? Two years after receiving the horrifying news of her husband Gil’s death, Milly Foster continues to struggle to find her way out of a state of depression. As a last-ditch effort and means of intervention, Milly’s parents…
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Holidays, Miracles, Hallmark & Traditions: A Blogger’s Paradise
Hello, there. You probably thought I fell off the planet because I haven’t been here in a while. It sort of feels that way, at least to me, anyway. I’ve been trying to take some needed time away to clear my head, focus on my teaching, and get ready for the holidays. I’ve also been dealing with a health issue that’s had me a bit sidetracked. It’s not always easy to juggle everything, is it? So often we wonder where time has gone and how we can get more of it to enjoy the things we want to be doing. The truth is, life throws us some curveballs we didn’t…
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St. Michaels, Maryland: A Photo Essay & Setting For My New Novel
I love the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Whenever I can steal away and spend time in one of the many adorable towns across the Chesapeake Bay, I jump at the opportunity. Saturday was just such a time. Additionally, I have a vested interest in getting a good “feel” for the place as my new novel is set primarily in Oxford, Maryland, with jaunts to St. Michaels and Easton as well. I’ve done my homework—this summer, I spent time in Oxford. I made two trips there to walk around and get a feel for the place and the people. On Saturday, I took a stroll…it was just my camera and me…
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Baseball Girl Receives Some Hometown Press in Annapolis
Thanks to my friend Tim Thomas, writer Sarah Hainesworth, and photographer Paul Gillespie at The Annapolis Capital for running this great feature story on Baseball Girl in Sunday’s Life section. I’m so happy they were willing to get the word out about my second novel. Thanks for the support! Click here to read the article in The Capital.
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A Letter from A (Male) Reader
I was so flattered last night by an email my husband received from his friend, Bob Cusack. An old college friend, Bob is the managing editor of The Hill, which makes his comments to me even more special, because he is a successful writer, editor, and a member of the Screen Actors Guild. His words to my husband last night were touching, and he has permitted me to share them with you today. Thanks, Bob. When I read something like this, it makes me happy that I decided to self-publish “Beneath the Mimosa Tree,” and it encourages me to persevere and finish writing “Baseball Girl.” Thank you for taking the…
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Mimosa Trees & Christmas Trees: A Letter From A Reader
This morning, I thought I’d share a letter I received from a reader. Dear Stephanie, I read your novel, “Beneath the Mimosa Tree,” and enjoyed it from the first page to the last. It’s such a perfect read for this time of year! While your title reflects something that happened “under the tree,” I wanted to tell folks who haven’t read the book what a perfect time of year it is to read this novel. It takes place primarily in the fall season, and moves through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. The sweetness of the characters as the plot unfolds makes it a perfect book to cuddle up with as…
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Upcoming Events…Come and see me!
September is right around the corner, and there are lots of events on the docket. It will be a busy month as I continue promoting BENEATH THE MIMOSA TREE. I’ve had a lot of support from friends & colleagues, local businesses and groups, and students–both current and former. Here’s a list of events I’ll be attending in September, so I hope to see you around town. * * * SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 — Greetings & Readings Book Signing, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Greetings & Readings, Hunt Valley, MD Greetings & Readings, Event & Author Link * * * SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 — METAvivor’s 3rd Annual Author’s Luncheon, 11 a.m.…
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Video Trailer #2 for Beneath the Mimosa Tree
Here’s the second video trailer for the book with the author’s overview of the novel. Also, friends in the Severna Park, Arnold, and Annapolis areas—”Beneath the Mimosa Tree” is now available at Side Street Framers & Gift Gallery in Park Plaza.
