Stephanie Verni's Blog, page 20
March 25, 2020
Meet Some of My Author Friends on #WritersWednesday
#writerswednesday
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One of the wonderful things about being on Instagram is connecting with other writers. During this time of being home and “flattening the curve” and trying to kick this coronavirus pandemic to the curb, I decided I wanted to do something positive with and for my fellow writers.
As such, I’m featuring other writers that you can get to know here on the blog. All these ladies featured here today are contemporary fiction, contemporary romance, romance, or romantic-comedy writers…just like me!
I was so glad to see them answer the call when I solicited writers for this new segment. We’ll see how it goes, but for now, please take a look at my InstaFriends and learn about their books. As authors, we can sometimes get lost in the vast sea of Amazon books—so we are here to boost each other up and to share our work to gain exposure.
Authors—I’m proud of what you do, and I’m thankful you are part of our #writingcommunity.
Remember: YOU ARE MAGIC!
Check out my author friends today!
[image error]Photo by Karley Saagi
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Francine Garson
Follow the Leader & Things
Contemporary Fiction
Francine Garson’s Amazon Page Click Here
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Follow the Leader is the story of a dangerously charismatic teenager, her aging hippie grandmother, and the 50 year old secret that could destroy them both. Add in the threat of blackmail, and readers will wonder “What would I have done?”
Things tells of a young professional college advisor (former military brat, current neat freak and hoarder) with a secret apartment who needs to learn that a collection of ‘things’ is not a home. She gets caught in a web of half-truths and lies by a boyfriend with his own secret. And Hurricane Sandy is heading directly for both of her apartments at the New Jersey shore!
Additional Link:
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Lili Grouse
[image error]Leap of Faith: Romance
Lili Grouse’s Amazon Page Click Here
Faith Thompson never thought she’d see Chase Stevens return to the small town of Mercy. She certainly didn’t expect him to come back as her new landlord, set on selling the home she’s had for the past seven years. Faith never found the courage to tell Chase how she felt back when they were still friends, and she’s determined to keep those old feelings dead and buried now that he’s back. After all, it devastated her the last time he left, and Chase already has plans to leave again for his life in L.A. But the more time Faith spends with Chase, the harder it is to ignore the way she’s always felt about him.
With potential heartbreak looming on the horizon, Faith has a decision to make: does she take a leap of faith and tell the only man she’s ever loved how she feels, or does she push him away and let her heart heal for good?
Additional Links:
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48843158-leap-of-faith
Website: www.sheilaandswede.com
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Brooke Gillespie-Trout
[image error]Set It Free: Contemporary Romance
Brooke Gillespie-Trout’s Amazon Page Click Here
Book 1 in the Heart & Soul Series
1986. A time when sitcoms were wholesome, and rock and roll was shameless. When Alexandra Lorraine, an aspiring actress, unexpectedly meets Slater Heart, a promising rock star, they feel the attraction immediately. Their acquaintance is cut short, thanks to boys behaving badly, and their friendship ends before it has a chance to begin. Finding himself at a loss with his situation, Slater seeks Alexandra’s help. With Slater’s persistence and Alexandra’s kindness, she makes a snap decision that changes both of their lives. When their friendship grows, they find a teacher within each other. She had never learned how to live life to the fullest, and he had never learned what true love was all about. As they climb to the top, and their visions become reality, is falling in love enough to give it all up, or do they have the courage to live their dreams and set each other free?
Additional Link:
Brooke Gillespie-Trout Website
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Jane Gundogan
SALEP AND GINGER: Rom-com / contemporary
Jane Gundogan’s Amazon Page Click Here
[image error]Ginger Knox thought she was living her best rom-com life. She had the job, the apartment in Notting Hill (adjacent), and an honest to God Hemsworth clone for a fiancé, but when she arrived home one surprisingly sunny February afternoon to catch her man with his tighty whitey’s around his ankles and his secretary *insert eye roll here* in their bed, the tenuous facade of her life dissolved in a split second.
It was time for Ginger to become the leading lady in her own love life.
And that’s just what she planned to do until her life is, once again, thrown into disarray when her flight home for Christmas was grounded. Suddenly she’s stranded in Istanbul, Turkey, with the man of her dreams. Of course, it’s the same man she had the near one-night stand with – and who knew he was one of the most famous men in Turkey!
Between Sydney, London and Istanbul, Ginger was resigned to the fact that she may never get her Happily Ever After, but what about her Happily Right Now?
Additional Links:
Website Link: janeyinmersin.com
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50945475-salep-and-ginger
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Stephanie Verni is Professor of Communication at Stevenson University. She is the author of 5 works of fiction and the co-author of one academic textbook on Event Planning. Her character-driven books are set in beautiful Maryland locations and examine the realities of the human heart. Connect with her on Instagram at stephanie.verni or on Twitter at @stephverni. Or, visit her Amazon page at Stephanie Verni, Author.
March 23, 2020
Podcast 11 : Don’t Bring Negative To My Door
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Combating negativity: this is a subject I could talk about forever.
Maya Angelou said it best: “Don’t bring negative to my door.”
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When it comes to being an independent author, one of the things that absolutely DRIVES ME CRAZY are receiving negative comments and negative perspectives from others. It’s hard enough being an author; no one needs that BS in our writing world.
So, today’s podcast is all about combating negativity. Let me know what you think and what you experience.
Enjoy.
xx,
Stephanie
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https://stephsscribe.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/podcast-11-3.23.20.mp3
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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 set in beautiful Maryland locations and examine the realities of the human heart. Connect with her on Instagram at stephanie.verni or on Twitter at @stephverni. Or, visit her Amazon page at Stephanie Verni, Author.
March 22, 2020
The Move to Online Learning and Its Benefits
A few months ago, no one could have predicted the serious state we would be in as the coronavirus affects the world. I looked back at my camera roll this morning, and it’s filled with photos of local travel, time with friends and family, writing and promoting my books, and all the love I feel when I am on Stevenson’s campus. Now, as we are all quarantining ourselves to help flatten the curve, it looks as if this will be the new normal for some time.
At Stevenson University, we took action quickly. We convened, came up with a plan to finish out the semester, and have put that plan into action. My fellow Fellows and I organized a session to share ideas as we—traditional faculty—transition to online learning. Our university has done a wonderful job of putting resources into place to help us all with this move to remote learning.
I have taught online classes before. As well, I earned my MFA from National University through an online-only program. Therefore, I can speak from experience at having earned two master’s degrees in two different ways. The first master’s I earned was a degree in Professional Writing from Towson University, and my courses took place in a traditional, in-person classroom setting. The second degree I earned was from National University (out of San Diego, California), and the entire program was online. I loved being a student in both programs. And they both served me differently at different points in my life.
While taking my master’s courses at Towson, I worked full-time at the Baltimore Orioles. I could only take one class a semester because of my grueling work schedule. It took me four years, as opposed to two, to earn that degree. When I was hired as a full-time faculty member in Business Communication at Stevenson University, I went back to school to earn a terminal degree—an MFA in Creative Writing. At that time in my life, I was working full-time, teaching a full load of courses and working at my degree in the evenings at the computer. I had two small children and a husband. Remote learning was what worked for me at the time.
Moving toward online learning for the rest of the semester has its perks—it allows students to dive into the material without commuting, oversleeping, or having classes interfere with extracurricular activities and sports. Students can hone in on the work for the next eight weeks. Faculty have worked hard over the last week to develop courses for online delivery, and to have the classes suit the students. I have already prepared several lectures that are posted to our online Blackboard site for students to review at their convenience; I have also noted when assignments will be due and have tried to provide a structure. We’re all doing the best we can.
When I took online classes through National University, they were very structured, and I got into a groove. Sometimes I scratch my head wondering how I taught and graded my own classes, raised my kids, tended to our family’s needs, wrote a novel as my thesis, and earned that online MFA. Not only did I do it, but I did it well. I ended up with a pretty stellar GPA while juggling all of these responsibilities. I’m not saying this to brag, although I was pretty proud of myself, but rather to show that it can be done, despite my aforementioned responsibilities and the amount of work and reading and writing it required.
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So, if you are someone who is moving to online classes for the rest of the semester, here are my 10 tips to help you soar.
Structure your days. Be regimented. Know when you will be working at your computer or reading or writing, and don’t make excuses and procrastinate.
Take control of your own learning. Don’t skip things because it’s easy; be prepared to do the hard work it takes to LEARN what it is the class is teaching you.
Take breaks as needed. Stretch, take a walk, get a healthy snack. Clear the mind as necessary, especially as you move from one subject to another.
Plot EVERYTHING on a calendar and work backward from the due dates. Pencil in when you will read, when you will write, when you will turn in your work to meet deadlines.
Remember—your teachers are there for you. If you find yourself struggling, reach out to the professor. In remote learning, it’s always important to keep the lines of communication open.
You are responsible for the learning—don’t be afraid to be curious and ask questions. Dive in and explore.
As you will be juggling several classes, it’s important to make time for each class. Try to allow time to be an active learner in each class you are taking to get the most out of the next eight weeks.
Remind your family that you are still in “school.” If you need to find a space in your house that works best for you to accomplish your work, come to an agreement that you get that space for specified hours of the day.
Be flexible: you and your professors are navigating new territory with having to reboot halfway through the semester. Be patient. Be kind to yourself.
Just do the best you can, so that at the end you can be proud of your efforts.
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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 set in beautiful Maryland locations and examine the realities of the human heart. Connect with her on Instagram at stephanie.verni or on Twitter at @stephverni. Or, visit her Amazon page at Stephanie Verni, Author.
March 20, 2020
7 Tips for Working From Home During This Unusual Time
March 18, 2020
Podcast 10 – A Little About My Books & Storytelling to Help You Write Your Stories
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So…in this podcast, I recorded it from my back porch, replete with airplanes flying overhead and a noisy crow in the background (I think I even got a little choked up—seriously—and coughed, only briefly). But that’s how we do it here on Steph’s Scribe: we keep it real. Real talk about real stuff with no edits.
I thought I would take a moment to talk about my books and my storytelling. The intention here is to share how I got from point A to point B…and it is entirely meant to kick those of you who need it in the ass to get yourselves writing! So often we say we have a great book idea, but the cool part is, we can get started writing it, persevere, and watch a book come to fruition when we publish it.
Once again, think of me as your cheerleader. I’m here to prompt you to action!
So, with that said, here’s PODCAST 10, with a little bit of nature, planes, and a two-second cough to demonstrate that it’s okay to be imperfect in the messy process of following your dreams.
xx,
Stephanie
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https://stephsscribe.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/podcast-10-talking-about-my-books-5.57-pm.mp3
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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 set in beautiful Maryland locations and examine the realities of the human heart. Connect with her on Instagram at stephanie.verni or on Twitter at @stephverni. Or, visit her Amazon page at Stephanie Verni, Author.
March 11, 2020
Love and The Orioles
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My husband and I met while working in the front office for the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards back in the 90s.
Many of you know this story, or may have heard it once or twice before here on Steph’s Scribe. But now the story has come full circle.
My husband left the club in 1994, and I stayed until late 1998; he went on to have a long career in media and sales—spending time at the Wizards and Capitals, Redskins Radio, CBS Radio, RadioOne, MASN, and Comcast. Last month, he returned to the Orioles, the place where he began his career and is serving as the VP of Corporate Partnerships for the club. It’s like coming home for him (and for me as well, as wife and by-product of his employment).
For years he has asked me not to write about him on the blog, and I’ve agreed, but I’m making an exception today. Just this once, Ant.
Last year was a tough year. There were many sad events and challenging circumstances that affected our family’s lives, and we were more than ready to kiss 2019 goodbye and look at 2020 optimistically.
We welcomed February 2020 with his new job, and that return to the Orioles is like going home for him, for us. Oriole Park at Camden Yards holds a special place in our hearts—and will forever—because of all it gave us. It launched both of our careers, helped us grow and learn and be responsible, gave us wonderful, forever friends, and blessed us with two beautiful children who would not be here had we not met working in baseball.
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The whole notion of his return to baseball is incredibly sentimental and wonderful because he’s always been a baseball fan since he was a kid. He loves the game of baseball, and I know it feels a little surreal for him. I think I was the most thrilled of all as the sentimentality I feel toward the Orioles has never faded—honestly, I couldn’t be happier for him. He’ll be at Camden Yards a lot, and I look forward to attending games this season with the kids, friends, and my parents and in-laws. There’s a reason they call it Orioles Magic.
I held off writing this post because I wanted to get the words just right, but instead, I’ll borrow the words of Billy Bean, because they are so simplistic, perfect, and capture the essence of exactly how I feel and leave you with this:
How can you not be romantic about baseball?
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Baseball Girl, Stephanie Verni’s second novel, is loosely based on her life working in baseball, and is available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.
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 showcase the beauty of her state. Connect with her on Instagram at stephanie.verni or on Twitter at @stephverni. Or, visit her Amazon page at Stephanie Verni, Author.
March 10, 2020
Podcast 9 – Building Your Story
[image error]Good afternoon!
Storytelling and putting it all together—that’s the topic of today’s quick podcast. How do you begin to construct your story? Do you write in a linear fashion? Do you write the ending before you begin? Do you write out-of-order and then piece it all together?
That’s the chat we’re having today on the podcast. And I’m sure I’ve left things out as I try to keep these recordings short and sweet. If I’ve neglected a way in which you write, please post in the comments and share with others. As we continue to build this community of writers, it’s important to share and boost others up. As a former high school cheerleader, as someone who worked in pro baseball, and as a current college professor, I have cheerleading in my blood, and I want to help others begin and continue the process without having it feel daunting.
I hope you’ll feel optimistic after today’s podcast.
Wash your hands, stay safe, and keep writing!
xx,
Stephanie
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https://stephsscribe.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/podcast-9.mp3
March 6, 2020
Dear Fellow Writers
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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 a few.
When we decide to write our books
We give it all we’ve got.
We persevere and dig down deep
A love for books is sought.
Keep writing,
xx,
Stephanie
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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 showcase the beauty of her state. Connect with her on Instagram at stephanie.verni or on Twitter at @stephverni. Or, visit her Amazon page at Stephanie Verni, Author.
March 2, 2020
Podcast 8: Music When You Write + The Hard Road of Being An Indie Author
Today, it’s a 2-for1.
What music do you listen to when you are writing your stories?
and
Giving high-fives to all my fellow indie authors: it’s a tough road to traverse, and we’re talking about it on the podcast.
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https://stephsscribe.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/podcast-8-3220-4.56-pm.mp3
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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 showcase the beauty of her state. Connect with her on Instagram at stephanie.verni or on Twitter at @stephverni. Or, visit her Amazon page at Stephanie Verni, Author.
March 1, 2020
Dealing with Disappointment
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.
Researcher Brene Brown states the following: “There is nothing more vulnerable than creativity, and what is art if it’s not love? And there’s a difference between the perspiration from doing the work and the perspiration from fear.”
If you’ve never had to dig down deep inside of yourself to venture into that space that requires utter courage to put your work out there, you should try it sometime. The blinding, hard work that goes into making your art—fiction and nonfiction, paintings, sculptures, poetry, design, etc.—can wreak havoc on your soul, unless you are brave enough to withstand the potential outcome of failure, criticism, or mockery.
Clearly, I’m a glutton for punishment.
Little Milestones required hours of writing, rewriting, revamping, scrutinizing the characters, eliminating a character’s outcome at the last minute, and visits back and forth to St. Michaels to get the story right. I’m desperate not to let my readers down. And while the verbal feedback I’ve received has been positive, I’ve yet to see additional reviews on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
The reason the Amazon reviews are so important is because the more reviews you get, the higher your book goes in the cue to be seen and to be visible by other customers buying books on Amazon. If there are few reviews, you stay hidden, and the only hope of resurfacing your book in the vast cue of novels out there rests in the hands of your readers: the ones who can give you a quick review and move on with their lives. We, the authors, on the other hand, have trouble moving on with our lives when the work we poured our heart and soul into remains in the labyrinth of an overwhelming number of books.
Reading Brene Brown’s books (Dare to Lead and Braving the Wilderness) has offered me ways to cope with the disappointment I’m feeling at the moment and to look for ways to find the courage next time around (if I even go there another time around). That’s the hard part. Even though I’ve published five works of fiction, it never gets any easier to find the courage to do it again.
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Tomorrow, I will meet with my newly established writing group—five people with whom I just met who are also fellow writers. I’m hoping that through the connection with them and working with them, I will be able to embrace the vulnerability and accept the role writing plays in my life, whether the outcomes of putting my work out there are fulfilling or disappointing.
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For anyone feeling the same way, this video definitely helped me. Check it out here:
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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 showcase the beauty of her state. Connect with her on Instagram at stephanie.verni or on Twitter at @stephverni. Or, visit her Amazon page at Stephanie Verni, Author.
