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  • About Me
  • About My Novels
  • Press Kit
  • Podcasts
  • Books I’ve Enjoyed
  • Shop My Products
    • Book Pages Wreath
    • Heart Pages Wreath
    • Small Book Pages Wreath
    • From Humbug to Humble: The Transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge – Personalized & Signed
    • The Letters in the Books – Signed, Personalized, and with a letter tucked inside it
    • Beneath the Mimosa Tree: A Novel – Personalized & Signed
    • Baseball Girl: A Novel – Personalized & Signed
    • Inn Significant: A Novel – Personalized & Signed
    • Little Milestones: A Novel – Personalized & Signed
    • The Postcard and Other Short Stories & Poetry – Personalized & Signed
  • Freelance Writing

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  • Book Launch! The Letters in the Books Now Available

    July 18, 2022 /

    Good morning, sunshines! I have been waiting for weeks to be able to say that The Letters in the Books is now available. It’s also probably fair to say that I worked harder on this book than any of the previous ones. After two and a half years, I can finally say this project is done. Writing from the perspectives of five main characters–two men and three women–was cumbersome and a lot of fun. Setting the novel in Annapolis once again was a thrill. I can honestly say I don’t do this for the money, for any recognition, or for any other reason except that it fills a creative niche…

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  • After Two Years, We Almost Have Lift Off

    May 12, 2022 /

    What is the process you go through to publish a novel? I'm sharing mine. Warning: there are a lot of steps.

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    Book Reviews Are Coming In: Here’s what readers are saying

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    Podcast 7 – Writing a Character Sketch—it’s pretty helpful

    February 24, 2020
  • Writing Away

    June 10, 2021 /

    I haven’t been as diligent about writing for my blog as I have been in the past. It makes me feel a little guilty, because I’ve always put so much energy and time into my blog. However, there are good reasons for my absence, so allow me to explain: The semester ended in mid-May. I can honestly say that after working in education throughout a pandemic and teaching a full load + of courses online, it was more challenging than normal. Obviously, we have all been affected by this situation and our work lives were altered quite a bit, but the energy it took to produce, deliver, and grade remotely…

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    April 11, 2020

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  • Little Milestones Receives 5-Star Review from Readers’ Favorite

    July 17, 2020 /

    *** One of the things I won’t ever do on my blog is to pretend that being an independent author is at all glamorous. It’s not. It takes tireless work, both on the creating/writing/editing side, as well as on the marketing/public relations/promotions side. It can be an exhausting adventure—and it is most definitely an adventure every single time—but you have to know this going into the endeavor. And never expect too much. That said, you can imagine my surprise this morning, when I was already feeling down about where my next piece of writing is headed, to see the 5-star review for Little Milestones, a novel a published in October…

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  • Sundays Are for Stories

    July 12, 2020 /

    ✨FROM MY PORCH OFFICE✨ This is what Sunday morning writing looks like here at the Verni house. As I’m now officially over 33,000 words of building this story—probably my most complicated story to create to date—I am feeling the hum of the characters, the movement of the story, the connection of my 5 characters, and the way this story will end up. It’s a great feeling to know you’re on track with the story you want to tell—that the characters are yearning for you to tell. . I write relationship-driven fiction. It comes from a place of understanding the nuances of people and what potentially drives them (or does not…

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  • Podcast 15: Committing to Your Blog

    April 28, 2020 /

    * As authors, it’s important that we stay connected to our audiences. Blogging allows us to do just that. On a blog platform, we can connect with readers, showcase our work, and share other experiences that allow readers to get to know us. For all these reasons and more, it’s important to blog. Today’s podcast covers just that. I welcome comments, suggestions, and feedback on today’s topic. I don’t claim to know everything about blogging, but I do know that I’ve been keeping up with Steph’s Scribe since 2011, and it’s become a part of me. I’d like to share my thoughts with you in today’s podcast. Be well, all!…

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    Little Milestones Receives 5-Star Review from Readers’ Favorite

    July 17, 2020

    Sorry, I Just Think It’s Weird—House of the Dragon, updates on a new book, a reunion & Italy

    September 28, 2022

    Five Inexpensive Ways to Make This Valentine’s Day Special

    February 10, 2016
  • Dear Fellow Writers

    March 6, 2020 /

    Dear Fellow Writers, Here’s a list of the things we do as independent authors: -write our books -edit our books -publish our books -promote our books -attend book signings -attend book talks -visit book clubs -blog -enter writing contests -support other indie authors -build an author platform -curate social media posts -network with others -create a podcast -join a writing group -learn photography -begin a new story -start all over In addition, we also read a lot. And some of us have full-time and/or part-time jobs. Fellow writers, what am I missing? There’s so much that we do. The list is long, and quite diverse, But I’m sure I forgot…

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  • Dealing with Disappointment

    March 1, 2020 /

    After watching Brene Brown’s Ted Talks, other videos, and reading her books, I’ve decided to just be vulnerable (which isn’t my strong suit) and say that I’m dealing with a bit of disappointment over here. The world of being an independent author is not always kind, nor is it always fun. My latest book, Little Milestones, a follow-up book to Inn Significant, is not faring well at all on Amazon. I have two reviews. I work hard busting my butt on Instagram and Facebook to try to ascertain readers and ask for help with reviews online, but it can be tiring. Exhausting. It can depress the soul, to be frank.…

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  • Podcast 6 – Joining a Writers Group

    February 18, 2020 /

    I did something new, you guys. I joined a writers group (and got new glasses…but it’s the writing group I want to talk about). It’s a blissful thought to me: a bunch of people who love writing talking about writing. Truthfully, I’ve wanted to join a writers group for a while, and the time has come for me. It’s time to be inspired by others, work with others, share ideas with others, and brainstorm with others who enjoy writing. Our first meeting energized me last night, and you may be able to hear the level of enthusiasm I’m feeling in today’s podcast. But we could use some help: if you…

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    Thank You All!!!

    July 19, 2022

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  • Podcast 5 – Clearing Your Head, Work Space, and Thinking About POV

    February 3, 2020 /

    Today’s Podcast #5 covers the need to clear your head before beginning a new project, along with the reasons to clear your workspace. I touch on these two motivators and then roll right into deciding how your narrative is going to take hold. Which point of view is right for your story? Sharing some thoughts on that and why you should think about this now…to avoid a lot of additional reworking down the road. Enjoy! Xx, Stephanie * Stephanie Verni is Professor of Communication at Stevenson University. She has authored five works of fiction and one academic text on Event Planning. Her character-driven books are typically set in Maryland to…

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  • What I Didn’t Say About Life as an Author

    January 22, 2020 /

    Last night, I was honored to have been asked to do a book talk at my local library in Severna Park.  I gave a little background on my writing, shared my books, and talked about what it’s like to be an indie author. I said a lot. I answered questions. I was positive. But there was much that I didn’t say…and I feel obligated to share it here. Full disclosure. Complete honesty. So, here it goes. What I didn’t say was… I didn’t say how hard it is to wake up every day and be consumed by what you can do to sell one book. Just one. I didn’t say…

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    Lots of News & Updates to Share :-)

    April 23, 2022

    Little Milestones Receives 5-Star Review from Readers’ Favorite

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    Fashion Friday

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  • Podcast 2 – Who Inspires Your Writing?

    January 13, 2020 /

      * Today, we’ll be talking on the podcast about other writers who inspire you writing. If you’re a writer, listen to the podcast and then do the assignment I’m giving you at the end of the podcast. It will help you start to focus. It will also help you find the “why” behind what you want to do. Ever since I read Simon Sinek’s book a few years ago titled Start With Why, I began to look at everything I do in a different way. If I can’t identify my why, then maybe, perhaps, I don’t do it. But starting with this idea of your own inspiration is certainly…

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Welcome to my website! I'm Stephanie Verni, author of 8 works of fiction, adjunct professor of communication, and part-time travel writer. I love sharing my work, travels, and experiences with you. Thanks for stopping by!
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If I’ve learned anything over these past 10 days it’s this: life is fleeting—truly fleeting—so grab hold of it, love the heck out of people in your life, and make memories you’ll cherish for as long as you live while trusting in God and His timing. Oh, how I love this. We’ve all been rescued at some point in our lives, whether it was a big or small rescue. For certain, I have been, several times and from different things/people. I think that’s one of the main reasons why I wanted to write a story like The Letters in the Books. All five characters have been through something. All five are trying to figure out how to navigate their futures. And all five have been negatively affected by the hurt they’ve endured. Then, when a letter filled with hope shows up in each of their books, good things begin to happen, and they end up finding each other. Weaving a story together with 5 main characters was a real challenge for me, but I’m so glad that this story is resonating with people, and I think I know why. We have all been there. I’ve always been a curious person who likes to learn new things. Currently, I’m learning a lot of new things, things I’ve never tried before. I love to travel near and far, and I enjoy writing for Maryland Road Trips. Places I’ve been feature prominently in my novels, almost as if they are a character. I read Elizabeth Gilbert’s book called BIG MAGIC when it debuted years ago. I remember feeling like we were soul sisters when it came out because of how I value creativity—both in myself and in my students. I never wanted to be that teacher who put the brakes on creativity. In fact, it was (and continues to be) a driving force in the way I teach my students. I am always amazed by students who believe they are not creative. Yet when you switch on the light and tell them they are, you see the proof of it in the work they produce. They ARE creative. We all have big magic in us; sometimes it just takes a little push to open the door to it. Don’t you agree that half the battle of writing a good story is believing in it? It takes a certain amount of faith and belief in your story— that it is worth telling—to keep you going. You need this faith in order to pursue all the things that go into the arduous task of writing and publishing a novel. I don’t know about you, but the satisfaction of hearing that people enjoyed it makes having that faith so worthwhile. This is my ode to being near the water. My soul always feels refreshed when I’m on the water. Most of my novels take place in a setting that involves water and boating. I love setting stories in places that reflect the love I have for small towns with water access. To me, it always feels like a place where you can escape to when you need that time to rejuvenate. Most of my characters feel the same way. I guess it’s true – write what you know. Which do you think I love more? The book is called Inn Significant for a reason. 💕 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 convince her to run their successful Inn during their absence as they help a friend establish a new bed and breakfast in Ireland. Milly reluctantly agrees; when she arrives at the picturesque, waterfront Inn Significant, her colleague, John, discovers a journal written by her late grandmother that contains a secret her grandmother kept from the family. Reading her grandmother’s words, and being able to identify with her Nana’s own feelings of loss, sparks the beginning of Milly’s climb out of the darkness and back to the land of the living. The porch is open for the season. Thank you to @leeverni and @hector_herbert for all the help today. Couldn’t have done it without you! XxOo

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