Stephanie Verni's Blog, page 25
July 9, 2019
An Update and the Plot Overview of Little Milestones – Coming Soon
[image error]Right now, my beta readers are looking over the draft of Little Milestones. I am reading the manuscript again, as well, for the hundredth time. As well, I’ve started to create some of my marketing materials for the book. For those of us in the trenches as independent authors, it’s a never-ending cycle of book promotion, writing, and editing. We’re at it all the time as we try to build our brand and find our niche of readers.
I’m still at it and I haven’t given up.
Today, I’m sharing the draft of the copy that goes on the outside of a book or inside a book jacket—you know, the part you read to decide whether or not you want to invest your time in the book.
So, here’s what I’ve developed so far for the copy. I hope it sounds promising to you.
***
[image error]
LITTLE MILESTONES by Stephanie Verni
Olivia Dawson’s life is spiraling out of control. It’s her thirty-second birthday, and her work colleagues are standing at her cubicle singing “Happy Birthday” at the same time divorce papers land on her desk. Working as an event planner for a struggling travel magazine and living in a small studio apartment in New York City, Olivia is concerned about her future. On a Labor Day weekend trip, Olivia returns to St. Michaels, Maryland, to visit her grandmother, Nan. Concerned about Olivia’s state of mind, her grandmother suggests taking a break from the city for a while and come and living with her in St. Michaels. She agrees.
With Nan’s help, Olivia secures a job at the local bookstore, planning events and working at the store. During this time, she reconnects with Nan’s contingent of friends, a lively and spry bunch, most of whom she remembers from spending summers in St. Michael’s as a young girl and teenager. These friendships with a group of seniors help Olivia realize what’s been missing in her own life: enduring relationships that last a lifetime. Additionally, when she meets Milly Foster, a woman who is close in age and the proprietor of an inn, and her friend, Miles Channing, a local author who arrives at the store for a book signing, she begins to foster meaningful relationships that impact her life.
Told in the voices of Olivia, Nan, and Miles, Little Milestones weaves together the experiences of all three characters, including their heartbreaks, challenges, loves, and friendships that endure.
July 7, 2019
Creating a Capsule Wardrobe To Simplify and Change Your Life
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]These photos are from three years ago when I attempted to create a capsule work wardrobe that was efficient, classic, and, once assembled, required little thought. After several things that have happened to me over the past year, I am more convinced than ever that simplifying things helps your mindset. Now it’s time to make that happen with my work wardrobe.
Okay, ladies…I think I’ve finally had the epiphany I’ve been waiting for. I am ready to streamline and downsize my work wardrobe. Who wants to do the same?
Those pictures of me above are from three years ago when I attempted this endeavor the first time, but then fell off the wagon. I’m ready to try again.
In an effort to include more classic pieces that are versatile and can mix and match, I am ready to invest in this project—both time and some money. As a professor at a university who teaches business communication, and as someone who is in her fifties but still yearns to be stylish, I enjoy fashion and dressing for work. Style does matter to me. I strive to look professional and put together. However, as I cursed my bulging closet yesterday, I realized something has to be done. There’s just too much “stuff,” and honestly, too much stuff I don’t need.
Ever since I read the article and then blogged about a woman who created her own “work wardrobe,” I’ve been keen on giving this a try.
It’s time to purge. My closet is not large, and I know I’m not using it effectively or efficiently. It’s time to get in there and rebuild.
As simplification is my goal—and as an upcoming birthday treat to myself—I’m going to reconstruct my professional wardrobe. I am sure there are some of you out there who might like to do the same, so I figured we can do this together! Additionally, I’ll blog about the process along the way to help encourage us and keep me on track.
I spent the weekend assembling a French-inspired “wish list” of clothes that can work to create an effective spring and fall wardrobe. French-inspired pieces tend to be classic and have a longer life-span. Think Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn. The two “cheat sheets” below that I’ve constructed can serve as a guideline for the starting pieces we will need to begin this project. I’m using these references as my “starting points,” and, of course, variation regarding cut and colors of the clothing may vary from person to person.
[image error]
***
[image error]
With both my spring and fall capsule wardrobes, what I’ve designed here is truly a starting point. Once you’ve established your basics, you can add to them. For example, in the fall wardrobe capsule, there are no prints, and a color like red is completely missing from the equation. At any point, you can add colors in to diversify, which will stretch your wardrobe. I chose to go with the neutrals for ease of constructing my basic wardrobe.
However, before we shop for new things, we must first “shop” in our current closets to see what can stay and what should go. The parameters I will use for myself during the dissection process are as follows:
Does it suit my age/body/mind/spirit and the “feel” I am going for?
Does it fit well?
Does it serve a purpose in my capsule wardrobes for fall and/or spring?
We can’t be afraid to clear out and create a donation pile. If things aren’t working, let’s get rid of them and either donate the clothing or consign them.
If I haven’t inspired you to consider purging your closet by now, for more inspiration, below are some “street style” shots of what I’m attempting to do with my work wardrobe.
Another person who can inspire you is someone such as Jennifer Aniston, who I would describe as boho meets classic. I love her style. She wears a lot of black, grey, cream, tan and blue jeans, but she knows exactly how to put them together to her advantage. She is not afraid to stick with these colors and does not let people tell her not to wear black (I actually read an article a few years back that said she didn’t take enough chances with her wardrobe, to which she said she didn’t care). Gotta love that about her.
So, over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to begin this arduous process. I’ll keep you posted on how I’m doing, and feel free to keep me posted or offer any tips in the comments.
Remember, if you’re inspired by this, let’s tackle it together.
July 6, 2019
Recipe of the Week: Orecchiette with Brussels Sprouts, Grapes & Onion
[image error]This week’s recipe is a quick, yet tasty, and is a somewhat light meal that’s perfect for summertime. The surprise ingredient in this recipe is the grapes, and how they taste alongside the other ingredients after roasting in the oven. YUM! And the added bonus is that it’s really easy…
Orecchiette with Brussels Sprouts, Grapes & Onion
Ingredients:
Orecchiette pasta (1 lb).
Brussels sprouts (1 lb). halved or quartered, depending on size
Onion (1 medium)
Grapes (1 1/2 – 2 cups sliced)
Olive Oil Light
Balsamic Vinegar
Feta Cheese
Salt & Pepper
[image error] [image error]
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Quarter or halve Brussels Sprouts, depending on size. I quartered the ones I have in the photo because they were enormous.
Slice onion into slivers.
Cut grapes into halves (or quarters, depending on size).
Pour oil into baking dish, enough to coat bottom of dish.
Place Brussels Sprouts, onion and grapes in baking dish and put in oven.
Meanwhile, boil water for pasta.
Bake 20-25 minutes, depending on how firm you like the Brussels sprouts.
Boil Orecchiette pasta for desired time according to packaging.
Remove baking dish when it is done baking, add dash of salt & pepper, and add drained pasta to mixture in dish. Toss all together. Add 1 1/2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and toss again. Sprinkle with Feta cheese and serve.
(Adapted from Weight Watchers recipe).
June 28, 2019
Fashion Friday: Summer Maxi Dresses & A Versatile Duster
[image error]
*
What is STYLE? 
June 26, 2019
Recipe of the Week: Chip’s Zucchini Bread
Yesterday, when Leeanne, Chip, and I got together to work on the second edition of our textbook, Chip presented both Leeanne and me with homemade zucchini bread. When I got home last night, I made a cup of tea and sliced myself a piece of this bread. I still had a lot of Weight Watchers points left, and the one slice cost me 6 points. Let me tell you, it was well worth it. This recipe is delicious. She used Splenda in her version, but said it’s a little more moist with regular sugar. Either way, it’s a win-win, it’s so tasty.
When I asked Chip if she wouldn’t mind sharing her recipe that’s “in her head,” she agreed and sent it to me. Here’s a summer winner you won’t want to miss.
Thanks for sharing, Chip!
Chip Rouse’s Zucchini Bread
Preheat oven to 325.
3 eggs
2 c sugar or 2 c Splenda Stevia
2+ c shredded zucchini
1 small, lunchbox container of applesauce
3.25 c flour
1 c oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Grease bottom and sides of 2 bread pans, or spray with non-stick spray. Beat eggs til foamy. Stir in zucchini, sugar, oil and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients. Blend by hand. Spoon into pans.
Cook for 50-60 minutes at 325. Cool for 10 minutes in pans.
Remove from pans.
Makes 2 loaves.[image error]
June 17, 2019
Recipe of the Week: The 3-Ingredient Ice Cream Cake
[image error]Do you have friends popping by for a quick visit? The kids want to host their friends after dinner for dessert? It’s a hot summer day and you just need something cool, but the Carvel store doesn’t have your favorite flavor?
No worries, my friends. I’ve got you covered.
In the summertime, you should always have these three items on hand:
1-Your favorite ice cream flavor (How wonderful! You can make them for people based on favorite flavors!)
2-One large package of Oreo cookies
3-Half a stick of butter
If you’ve got these three things, a spring pan, and a rolling pin, you are in business. This is the simplest, most delicious recipe for those spur-of-the-moment gatherings.
[image error]
[image error]Directions
In a large pan, melt 1/2 stick butter on stove.
Let your favorite 1/2 gallon of ice cream sit on the counter and let it soften.
Meanwhile, put Oreo cookies in a freezer bag. Seal bag. Crush Oreo cookies with a rolling pin until they are ground up to form the base of your ice cream cake in the spring pan.
Add the cookies to the melted butter in pan. Lower the heat. Toss until moist.
Dump cookie mixture into the spring pan and press down with spatula or spoon until it is fitted at the bottom of the spring pan as your cookie crust.
Pour ice cream on top of cookie base. Push into place and smooth out the top of it using spatula or spoon.
Cover with aluminum foil and put in freeze for an hour to harden.
Serve and enjoy!
[image error]I used Mint Chocolate Chip. What’s your favorite flavor?
[image error]
[image error]
June 13, 2019
Scientists Say This Helps You Look Sexy
June 9, 2019
Writing About Women + Friendship in Little Milestones
For the past several years, I’ve watched a PBS show called Call the Midwife. It’s a series based on the memoirs entitled Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End by Jennifer Worth, a district nurse and midwife who was living in the East End of London during the 1950s. The show intermingles birth and birth issues experienced by a group of midwives consisting of nurses/midwives and nuns, with the theme of women friendships at the core of all these characters who live together in Nonnatus House.
[image error]Call the Midwife on PBS.
When I first came across this show, I was mesmerized. In my own life, I’d experienced some ill-fitting friendships and was feeling pretty down about friendships in general. This show highlighted what REAL women friendships should and could be like, and that a sense of understanding and forgiveness is at the foundation of every true friendship in life. At the heart of it all? We may not agree sometimes with people or their actions, but if we care about them, what we can do as their friend is to love them. And at a deeper level, sometimes we don’t know the full story behind their actions. At one point in my novel, one of my characters says, “Who am I to judge?” realizing that she didn’t fully understand what was going on behind closed doors between two of her friends.
[image error]
Over the past few years, I’ve written some short stories about friendship, some of which I featured in my collection The Postcard and Other Short Stories & Poetry that I published almost a year ago. Delving more into what constitutes strong friendships, and understanding that it takes two people to make a strong bond (lopsided friendships never work), I decided to take a run at writing a novel about the ways in which we navigate and need friends in our lives.
Little Milestones, my newest work which I hope to release in September, is a positive story about friendships and love, but at the very core, it’s about how both family and friends give us a sense of belonging. Set once again on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, our main character, Olivia Bruno, must find what has been missing in her life, and what that just may be is a connection to people and a place that she never knew she missed.
[image error]Little Milestones, my new work, is set in the picturesque town of St. Michaels, Maryland.
June 7, 2019
A Little Teaser for My Upcoming Novel: Little Milestones
[image error]***
Well, I’m officially getting excited!
As I posted a few weeks ago, I finally decided upon the name of my fourth novel, LITTLE MILESTONES, and I have a first draft of the cover. When it gets to this point, it begins to feel as if things are coming together.
I’m sharing the first cover design I’m considering. As I plan for a September release, LITTLE MILESTONES is a book that focuses on friendships among women with a little dash of romance thrown in, because as most of you loyal readers know, I’m a sucker for a good romance.
[image error]I’ll also be taking you back with me to the Eastern Shore where we’ll spend some time with the characters in St. Michaels and Oxford. And if you’re wondering if anyone from my previous novel, Inn Significant, will be making an appearance in this book, I’m hoping you will be pleasantly surprised!
I’m heading back to St. Michaels and Oxford next week for another photo shoot, so we’ll see what I come back with from that trip. Because the two books tie together (though not necessarily as a sequel to Inn Significant, but rather as a connection to that book), I want to revise the cover for Inn Significant, so the two tie together seamlessly. That’s the beauty of self-publishing, my friends. Changes can always be made.
[image error]
I’m sitting on my porch right now editing and writing. Is it weird that I get a high from doing this?
I’ll keep you posted on what develops during the homestretch of publishing book number 5.
Have a good weekend, and thanks for following along with each of my books with me on my storytelling journey. I’m thankful to have you in my life!
Xx
Save
May 31, 2019
Treating Your Hair To A Day Out
[image error]I have a few complaints about the middle-aged years, such as my bad back and newfound wrinkles, but one additional item for the list is how your hair changes as the greys come in. So today I DID A THING! I got the Keratin treatment on my hair and it’s amazing! Nancy at Park Salon & Barber in Severna Park, Maryland, pulled it off again, and I love it!
When I was in Savannah, Georgia, a few years ago, a woman in a salon said to me, “You would be a good candidate for a Brazilian blowout.” My hair was gigantic from the humidity, and I’ve thought about doing this for a couple of years now.
I finally bit the bullet, saved up for it, and had it done today. I can’t tell you how great it feels so far! For curly, unruly hair, it’s recommended a couple of times a year. You can bet I’ll be trying to sell a few extra books just to have this done again.
THANK YOU, NANCY!
[image error]
