Stephanie Verni's Blog, page 12

Three Weeks Post Surgery & A New Travel Piece To Share

UPDATE

Just keeping it real today. It’s been three weeks since my surgery, and while I am coming along, this has not been as easy a road for me as it may have been for others. I figured I’m not too proud to share my sassy sock fashion and cane on my blog along with an update.

No more walker…using the cane…3 weeks post surgery.

Having experienced back pain and SI-joint pain for years, it was time to try something to alleviate it. So, I had a full hip replacement because it had two tears in the labrum and was riddled with arthritis. I’ve taken time away from the university to heal, as was suggested by my doctor. I know some people bounce back easily, but because I have a few things going on simultaneously, I took the full medical leave and am not teaching this semester.

I know things will get better, at least that’s what I’m hoping for, but despite doing all the things I’m supposed to be doing, it’s a slow go. I guess what we can all learn from this is that we all heal at different paces; our bodies are different and respond differently. We’re not all made the same exact way even though we have similar parts (or replacement parts).

So, I’ve got another eight weeks of rehabbing and trying to get stronger. “Strengthen that core,” they tell me, and so I’m working on it. It’s amazing how much strength comes from our core, and it’s a good idea to get it in order now.

Well, that’s it from the homestead. I’ll be here. I’m not going anywhere soon. I can’t even drive yet…not until I get cleared.

Oh, and the socks. Compression…and you can’t have them. I’m going to make compression socks fashionable again.

*

NEW TRAVEL ARTICE ON MARYLAND ROAD TRIPS

The third travel article I’ve written for marylandroadtrips.com is up. I wrote it prior to having surgery, and it was published on Friday. Take a peek at a pizza destination in Baltimore by clicking here to go to the site.

Have a good week, everyone!

xx

Juggling Projects & New Author Photo

I’ve been writing books for a while, but I’ve never been writing two novels simultaneously, while also shopping out a completed manuscript (my 6th book, titled The Letters in the Books). I’ve been working all summer on these projects, and it’s taking more discipline than ever as I juggle these three stories.

I’m not complaining.

I love it.

It is so much fun to be able to get lost in storytelling—to invent characters that mirror real life people. Additionally, the two projects I’m working on take place in the past; one in particular is historical fiction.

I also just joined BookBub and am about to investigate BookFunnel. Marketing never sleeps for independent authors. We are always trying to figure things out.

New author photo | Stephanie Verni

This also made me realize I need a new author photo, and so I have a new one to share that I’ll use on my new books.

I’ve got a lot to accomplish and am looking forward to continuing to work toward finishing these as well as writing during National Novel Writing Month…only two months from now! All this will keep me busy for a while.

Hip, Hip, Hooray: From one Great Birthday Gift to Another, the Annual Birthday Blog Post

I’m not sure last year’s birthday gift of a boat from my husband can be topped, but this year’s birthday gift might come close.

Last year’s birthday gift was a boat. Can this year’s top that?

I’ll give you some hints: it’s not something you’ll be able to see, but I’ll be able to feel. It’s smaller than a breadbox. It doesn’t come on a keychain or in a small Tiffany box as my birthday gift came last year. And, the gift will be bestowed to me in a building with lots and lots of rooms.

You may be getting warm at this point.

One more hint: it’s something that only a truly skilled person can give me, and I believe it comes with some pretty cool drugs.

Have you guessed yet?

If you said full hip replacement, you’ve guessed correctly!

Yes, I have decided that this is the birthday present for 2021. It’s hopefully going to be the gift that keeps on giving and will (knock on wood) hopefully outlive my 2004 Bayliner, last year’s birthday gift.

After two years of complete hell…and way too much detail to bog you down with during this uplifting blog post…I’m off to treat myself to a new hip. It appears that my wonky hip may have been the root of all my back pain and suffering (which is no surprise, because if you see me walking, I often look like this:)

“I”-gor or Igor from Young Frankenstein.

To all those people who have talked with me about their experiences with their hip surgeries—thank you so much—you’ve made me even more frightened.

Just kidding.

You’ve alleviated my anxieties, and I have a lot of them, so that, in itself, is a miracle.

I’ll not be teaching college this semester, but instead will be taking some time to heal and get myself in tip-top shape for the spring semester. I’ll hopefully continue to do some writing, and work on publishing my latest novel during my recovery period. Gotta keep the mind active somehow.

Additionally, to those who have worked with me over the past two years to help me with physical therapy, doctors appointments, and coaching, thanks for your patience. Getting older is tough, but not when you have solid support around you. To my friends who have been there to let me talk this through, thank you all.

To my mom and dad…thanks for always lending an ear and moral support.

And finally, to my husband, Anthony, and my kids: I look forward to walking like a normal human being before long and taking that family trip we planned on taking.

So, truly, hip, hip, hooray, in every sense of the expression, and if you’ve ever referred to me as “hip,” you’re correct.

Quarantining two weeks before surgery now, so I’ll see you on the flip side.

Baseball Girl Gets a Revamp

There’s still time for a beach read!

***

Hi, all! I hope you’re having a good Thursday!

I made a little video to offer insight about my novel, Baseball Girl, which may have been the most fun of all my novels to write. I’ve been thinking about this novel a lot lately, and I went back and reread it. It’s chock full of so much “stuff,” so instead of writing about it, I thought I’d just share my thoughts here.

The new cover is live on Amazon now.

As a funny aside, special thanks needs to go out to all the people I met along the way working in the sport of baseball who made this novel possible. You have no idea how much I tapped into my “real” life, our relationships, and the events that occurred over the years to turn this into a work of fiction.

xx

Stephanie

New Travel Article on Maryland Road Trips

This summer, I’m doing something I’ve never done before. I’ve signed on to be a contributor to Maryland Road Trips. My second article has just been posted, and I’d love for you to take a read.

Taking notes in Boonsboro.

Maryland has a lot to offer, as I was telling my cousins from New Mexico who were in town this weekend. Our state offers beaches, mountains, rivers, access to Baltimore and Washington, D.C., the state capital of Annapolis, the Chesapeake Bay, and offers wonderful proximity to Philadelphia, New York, Boston, as well as southern states such as Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

The website marylandroadtrips.com specifically focuses on travel within our state. Honestly, if you’re looking for something to do on a weekend, you may want to check out this site. It’s chock-full of excellent recommendations for places to travel perfect for day or weekend trips. Little gems are hidden all over Maryland, and it’s always fun to explore what’s right underneath our noses.

My feature this month was a delight to write. I was able to connect with 7 bookstores across the state and hear insight about their independent bookstores. The feature could have been way longer as I gained quite a bit of knowledge and chatted with each of them for quite some time. What was wonderful to hear collectively was how much they love being a part of their local community and their passion for putting the right book in someone’s hand. All of them said the same thing.

Park Books in Severna Park.

The bookstores I cover in the piece include (from the west to the east): Turn the Page Bookstore in Boonsboro; The Curious Iguana in Frederick; The Ivy in Baltimore; Park Books & Literacy Lab in Severna Park; The Old Fox Bookstore in Annapolis; Mystery Loves Company in Oxford; and They Greyhound in Berlin.

I hope you’ll take a minute to click the link and visit the article (click here). These bookstores have survived the pandemic and have remained solid in their communities. We need to appreciate small business owners who are staying true to their missions and reminding people of why we need them.

Sentimentality Run Amok

I can’t help it. It happens every time. Every single time.

Even though I live and breathe baseball vicariously through my husband, who works for the ballclub, when I go to Camden Yards, it’s as if I never left.

As the old theme song states, “Something magic happens.”

Be forewarned: take me to Camden Yards, and I get sentimental.

With the pandemic seeping into every aspect of our lives, I haven’t been to the ballpark in a year and a half. On Friday night, our family enjoyed a lovely outing and got to spend time “at the yard,” as Orioles fans like to say.

Luckily for us, the team had a big win Friday night over the Nats and ended up taking the series 3-0. But the truth is, whether the team wins or loses, the magic of Camden Yards remains.

When I tell people I grew up there, I mean it. I grew up there. At 19, I landed my job as a part-time public relations assistant in college shortly after I switched my major to mass communication and knew I needed an internship. In that professional atmosphere, among so many other colleagues and friends, I grew up fast. I learned from the late, great PR Director Bob Brown what a work ethic is. I learned what it means to budget your time. I learned the basics and nuances of sturdy public relations and community relations practices. I tried new things, new tasks, made friends with people older and younger than myself. I had to deal with the media, the public and the players. As a young person learning the field (pun intended), there was something incredibly magical about working there.

I’m also happy that my husband gets to continue to work there since returning to the club in February of 2020.

So, here’s what else has happened.

When I got back from the game, I picked up my novel called Baseball Girl that I published back in 2015. I haven’t read it in six years. I started to reread it. Its limited success has always bothered me. There’s been constructive discussion among my family members that perhaps the title of the book may not be indicative of what the book is actually about.

It is NOT about a girl who plays baseball.

It IS about a woman who works in the sport. She has lost her father and they shared a love of baseball. When she secures the job working for a professional baseball team as I did at the age of 19 and grows with the ballclub, she becomes entangled in a love triangle with a player and a sports writer.

Perhaps the title Baseball Girl has scared people away. Book titles and covers draw people in, there’s no doubt about it.

So, I’m thinking of a revamp. A complete revamp of the title and a rebranding of the book.

It’s a story loosely based on my life working in baseball. It’s sentimental and chock full of real stories that I fictionalized to tell this tale. There are life lessons molded into the chapters, lessons that can be learned from baseball.

If you enjoy a good love triangle, fun characters, and you like baseball okay (you don’t have to love it to read the book), you might enjoy this romp as a summer read.

I get sentimental thinking about my time in baseball, and this novel is the best way I can share that time with you.

Here’s what I’m thinking for the rebrand. The main character’s name is Francesca, but her dad nicknamed her Frankie and it stuck.

Thoughts?

Summer Reading Roundup Thus Far

Good morning, sunshines!

I hope you’re enjoying your summer and getting to spend some time having fun with friends and family and sneaking in a little reading.

Today, I’m going to review the books I’ve read so far this summer; each will be short and succinct. Fair warning, however—I’m a pretty gentle reviewer because I know what it takes to write a novel. When someone pours their whole heart and soul into their creative writing and it takes time to do so, I have a difficult time being overly critical, but I will share my overall feelings about the book. I recommend all of them.

So far, this pile is complete.

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

Jojo Moyes is one of my favorite writers. I like to think that my style is similar to hers, and I eat up anything she puts out there. That said, The Giver of Stars was a great book, but I won’t lie to you and say it didn’t take me a while to become fully vested in the characters. However, once I was roped in, I couldn’t put it down. In fairness to Jojo Moyes, I started reading it at the end of the semester when things are always a little hectic and my grading piles up, so it certainly could have been a factor. The story is about the women in Kentucky who rode on horseback for the Packhorse Library to deliver books to families during the Great Depression. Moyes does a great job placing you there, and she always writes amazing dialogue. You will be transported to the mountains of Kentucky where the story of five women and their friendships, the need for love and support, and the idea of community all come into play. I recommend this to those who enjoy historical fiction (and in fact, my favorite Jojo Moyes book is historical fiction—The Girl You Left Behind. It’s wonderful.)

The Storied Life of A.J. Fickry by Gabrielle Zevin

Let me start by saying I loved Gabrielle Zevin’s writing style. It’s crisp, choppy, succinct, and vivid. Because of her storytelling capabilities, The Storied Life of A.J. Fickry is a quick read. It’s about A.J. Fickry, a bookstore owner who lives on a fictional Nantucket-style island. The book opens with a sad depiction of Fickry, who has lost his wife, and a rare book by Edgar Allen Poe that he owns has been stolen at the same time that a surprise package lands on his doorstep. Told with humor, sarcasm, wit, and insights about life, you’ll love stepping inside this quirky novel to see that people can change and love has the power to unite us.

Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman

I had seen people on Instagram post about Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman, so I decided to give it a whirl. It was my vacation beach read. I enjoyed it, but felt it may have been a little too long for the plot that was unfolding, which was a simple one: girl can’t get over her boyfriend who can’t commit and gleans guidance from an unsuspecting old woman she has just met. The friendship that ensues between a ninety-plus year old Cecily and almost the almost 40-year-old, unmarried Kate Parker, is the best part of the book. I’m a sucker for friendships that form and are endearing. Zimmerman weaves this story well, and I enjoyed the setting of the novel in the U.K.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Funny thing, this book. I picked it up to read on vacation, but never got to it because I was finishing Miss Cecily at that point. But I flew through this novel by Emily Henry. Additionally, I was on a Zoom call with bestselling author Debbie Macomber who, when asked, said one of her most favorite recent novels that she has read was Beach Read. Henry’s a natural storyteller with a cute hook for a story. Two young writers, male and female, who knew each other in college, end up in vacation homes on the lake next door to one another. They decided to see if each of them can write in the other’s style and genre. It’s a story of love taking its time to find you, of contemporary family drama, and of community. I loved it so much I just picked up her follow-up novel that’s on my TBR (to be read) pile, The People You Meet on Vacation. It’s exactly what it said it was: a fun beach read.

The Magic of Missing You by Didi Cooper

Didi Cooper and I are both authors on Instagram and have become friendly via the platform. We also write similar styles of fiction. The Magic of Missing You is a fairytale love story that is told with whimsy and mysticism. The book is primarily set in Kennebunkport, Maine, as well as in Alexandria, Virginia, and begins when Lizzie Bennett, a schoolteacher, meets and falls in love with Jack Murphy. The feelings are mutual. However, something happens that causes the two to part, which causes a lot of heartbreak. Told over the course of 30 years, the story takes you through the relationship and a surprise decision that affects their lives forever. With a little bit of fantasy, a smattering of spirituality, and sweeping insights into the characters, I couldn’t wait to see what the outcome was for all of them—Lizzie, Jack, Meghan, Elliott, Jonathan, and even Julia.

On Speaking Well by Peggy Noonan

Wall Street Journal Writer Peggy Noonan has followed in the footsteps of William Zinsser, who wrote On Writing Well, and has penned this book On Speaking Well. As a communication professor who teachings public speaking, I had to pick up this book and read it. As well, with so many of us on social media and recording or going live, I decided to listen to what Noonan has to say. It’s a great book for those of us (which means most of us) who have yet to master the art of public speaking. Can it even be mastered? Noonan will certainly let you know her tips to be successful in today’s culture.

As for what I have on the docket to read over the next few weeks, see photo below!

Pile Number Two: Ready to Go!

I’ll keep you posted! Enjoy!

xx

Stephanie

Fiction Friday: How writers begin a new story-with something weird in their heads

Before I share this weird “thing” that’s in my head, allow me to explain.

So…I’ve completed one novel and am presently shopping it out. I’m also 5,000+ words into writing my next one, a novella, which will only be 30,000 words. I’ve had this “hit the pause button thing” happen to me before with Inn Significant. With that novel, I had the bones of the story, but something was missing. While I worked on other novels, I continued to figure out where the plot of Inn Significant was going, and I finally pieced it all together. It took me a few years to figure out just what that missing ingredient was, but I ended up finishing the novel and pulling it together.

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Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

The same is true with what I’m working on now. While I can’t share a lot of detail about the novella, despite it’s short length, I can say it’s a rather large undertaking that warrants fear of living up to what I intend to do. So, I go into the writing of it with my eyes wide open of what a tall order it is, while also being quite fearful that I won’t do the project—or the story—justice.

Which brings me to the weird thing.

This morning I woke up with this story in my head. I have no idea where it came from or where it’s going at this point, but I wrote down what I knew this morning, and I decided to share it. It could be something I write on Wattpad or just share in sequence here. So consider the below a prologue of sorts, and please remember, it’s very, very rough. It just came out of my brain oven this morning.

So here it is, for FICTION FRIDAY (I haven’t done one of these in QUITE SOME TIME!)

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Be Well, the beginning of a novel, or perhaps a serial story (who knows)

by Stephanie Verni

There were only three people who knew the secret. And one of them was dead.

Penelope grabs the paperwork from the table and shoves it in her briefcase. She’s dressed in a simple black dress, believing that this is the appropriate attire to wear for the type of two-person meeting she is about to attend. She grabs the cup of coffee from the barista and sits down at a table. She lets the heat of the coffee slide down her parched throat. She hardly slept. Until yesterday, none of this existed; it was just an old, haunting, lingering memory. For the last twenty years, all thoughts of that time had been pushed to the back of her mind, as she’s tried not to think of it at all.

She breaks off a piece of the croissant and takes it to her lips, then puts in back down on the plate. She’s not sure her stomach can handle food at the moment.

With a quick glance at her watch, she sees the time. The meeting’s not due to take place for an hour. That’s a long time for her mind to reminisce, to wander, and to revisit the past. When was the last time she had talked to him? How many years had she remained distant? Who was with him when he died?

She picks up her cellphone to bide the time, but she can’t focus, not even on mundane social media posts. She’s only seen him one time since she walked away for good—at his only son David’s funeral.  She had positioned herself in the back of the church wearing black then, too. She had worn a hat with a short veil. He had seen her and acknowledged her presence. She disappeared before the burial.

At the time, he had known about Paul. Somehow he had found out and sent an anonymous card addressed to her at the office that simply read “Congratulations—be well.” He had not put his name to it, but she knew it was from him. He signed off every single time, whether in person, on the phone, or in any correspondence, that way. Be well.

And now, he was dead.

Penelope swallows hard and continues walking on the sidewalk at an uneasy pace to meet a man named Freddie Davis, Esquire, who is most likely the only other person who knows the story, or at least part of it, anyway.

copyright 2021/Stephanie Verni

Hold Fast to Dreams: An Update!

As I’ve promised you since the beginning of my blog and author journey, I’m s. As I previously mentioned, I’ve decided to shop out the new novel I’ve completed. So far, I’ve queried 8 agents. I got two quick rejections (in a matter of a day or two), and 1 request for the synopsis and full manuscript. As you can imagine, I screamed with delight at that particular positive email. And so, the novel and synopsis are in an agent’s hands right now. We will see soon what that outcome will be.

That said, if you’ve had me as a professor, you know I’m a pretty practical person (alliteration intended). That’s not to say I’m not a dreamer or have dreams, but I also am grounded in reality, and I know what the odds are like for those of us wishing to go the traditional route of publishing. It’s not easy to break in. But people do it, which gives us hope.

I’m proud of the work I’ve accomplished as an indie author. And I will be proud of the work I produce going forward if I stay in this lane. It’s never easy, but there are tremendous rewards. Meeting people, seeing the support of your local community, and hearing from people who’ve enjoyed your books keep me motivated. My goal is to write books that offer hope and to write better and better books each time.

To those of you who have followed along on my journey, THANK YOU. To those of you who have read and recommended my books, I APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH. And to those of you who are attempting to do the same, please know I understand and appreciate your journey, and I love hearing and learning from you.

Carry on, my friends. And as Langston Hughes wrote, Hold fast to dreams.
xx

The Truth About Grandmothers

Yesterday, as I was scrolling through Facebook checking on my friends’ latest news, I noticed a post from a dear former student of mine. She wrote a very touching message about losing her 94-year-old grandmother. I read it, and her words resonated with me.

My brother and me along with my parents and both sets of grandparents.

So often as a writer, I’m asked what influences my stories and where the ideas come from. I suppose anyone who writes novels or nonfiction answers this the same way—the stories typically come from people we know or stories we have heard or read about in the news. There are people and personal acquaintances that influence our storytelling.

And then there are grandmothers.

If you’ve read any of my novels, you might notice that in four of my five books, there is a grandmother who plays a rather large role in the novels, albeit different roles. In Beneath the Mimosa Tree, it was Vivi, Annabelle’s grandmother, who helps her navigate her relationship with Michael. In Inn Significant, it’s Milly’s late grandmother Rosa (Nana), whose journal Milly finds in the basement of the Inn. And in Little Milestones, Olivia moves in with her grandmother, Nan, in St. Michaels, Maryland. Additionally, in my short story collection The Postcard, there are stories about grandmothers.

Vince and Elizabeth (Betty) Parrillo, my dad’s parents.

Just as my former student wrote in her Facebook post, grandmothers play a significant role in our lives. I loved both of my grandmothers and was lucky to be able to get to know them before they passed away. I have incredibly vivid memories of them and appreciated how they loved my brother and me and doted on us. My children, ages 19 and 21, are blessed to have all four of their grandparents in their lives, and they have always played an active role since the kids were infants.

Eleanor and Angelo DeMarco, my mom’s parents.

Grandmothers influence us in ways that we may not even be conscious of at the time. Their presence in our lives adds depth, a special layer, and they—whether by design or by nature—make us want to be better people to make them proud. And even when we’re at our lowest point, they may worry, but they rarely judge. In essence, they support.

Blurry, but still special. Nanny and me—high school graduation.

I’m always so sorry to read someone’s post about losing a grandmother (or grandfather). You can hear the love in the words they write as well as the deep sorrow of relaying their passing.

I own quite a few things that were passed down from Eleanor (my Nanny) that I treasure, from Christmas decorations to an old blanket she made to two special rings she gave to me before she died. As well, my grandmothers live on through my daughter Ellie, who is named after both grandmothers: Eleanor Elisabeth.

And although my grandparents have been gone for quite some time at this point in my life, I still miss that they are no longer around and would have loved to have seen the delight on their faces at having great-grandchildren.

So, I supposed for me, the simple truth about grandmothers is that I do my best to have their memories live on both through my children and my storytelling.

xx

Stephanie

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