Stephanie Verni's Blog, page 98
September 13, 2013
Book Review: The Art of Fielding
Once again, I’ve crafted a review to share with my Feature Writing students as they prepare to write a creative critical review of their own. Here are my thoughts on “The Art of Fielding” as promised. The Art of Fielding: Book Review It is rare for me to be at a loss for words, to be left with the inability to articulate why I was left feeling blasé about a piece of work that The New York Times Book Review […]

Published on September 13, 2013 06:12
September 12, 2013
For all writers who have gone though the process…
A little writing humor today… Filed under: On Life Tagged: Creative Writing, writer's quotes, writers, writing, writing the novel

Published on September 12, 2013 14:07
September 9, 2013
The Monotony of Making Lunches
Today it dawned on me: My kids are old enough to be making and packing their own lunches. Why has it taken me this long to implement this ingenious idea? And, why haven’t I enforced it sooner? Honestly, I’ve made the threats. “You two need to make your own lunches!” and “Why am I standing here making lunches, causing myself have an aversion to provolone cheese because it’s 6:45 a.m.?” I’ve said these things aloud. I’m guessing you have too. […]

Published on September 09, 2013 15:04
September 8, 2013
The True Meaning of Friendship
Last Friday night, I organized a reunion. It wasn’t a high school or college reunion. It was a reunion of people who worked together in Baltimore for a baseball team called the Orioles. Having spent many seasons as an employee of the club, and having many friends who did the same (some of them still there enjoying last year’s great season as well as this one), we decided it was time for a big get-together. Many folks may say that […]

Published on September 08, 2013 13:02
September 6, 2013
Thick Skin
This week in classes we’ve talked a lot about the craft of writing…what goes into it, what makes a good piece, what makes a good novel. One thing I’ve learned in life, love, and writing is that we have to have thick skin. If we can’t take criticism well—either to heed it or let it roll off our backs—we’re not going to enjoy being in the writing world. We’re not going to enjoy the beauty of putting something out for […]

Published on September 06, 2013 09:53
August 30, 2013
Remembering An Icon: Princess Diana
The year was 1997, the year I was to marry. My soon-to-be husband had taken a job in New England, and on the weekends I would travel by Amtrak from Baltimore to Stamford, Connecticut, where my fiancé (now husband) would pick me up at the station. After eating dinner, we stopped at a convenience store to pick up some items for the morning. In the parking lot, the car radio gave us the news. “Princess Diana has been injured in […]

Published on August 30, 2013 18:02
August 27, 2013
Learn from Conflict & Experience and Be In Process
“I am a woman in process. I’m just trying like everybody else. I try to take every conflict, every experience, and learn from it. Life is never dull.”~ Oprah Winfrey Oprah said these words, and only recently did I read them. I especially love the first part of her quote: “I am a woman in process.” It’s empowering to think of ourselves that way. Life is a process. Things change. Things are always changing. I am in process. When we […]

Published on August 27, 2013 16:07
Learning from Conflict Is Anything But Dull
“I am a woman in process. I’m just trying like everybody else. I try to take every conflict, every experience, and learn from it. Life is never dull.”~ Oprah Winfrey Oprah said these words, and only recently did I read them. I especially love the first part of her quote: “I am a woman in process.” It’s empowering to think of ourselves that way. Life is a process. Things change. Things are always changing. I am in process. When we […]

Published on August 27, 2013 16:07
August 21, 2013
Above All Else, It Takes Optimism
Dear Readers, I enjoyed my break from blogging, but am now eager to come back. While I won’t be posting as often as I used to, I am at least going to commit to one post a week. I couldn’t wait to write this post, as I’m excited for the beginning of the semester next week. Best of luck to all returning and new college students, and to all those going to school to learn and grow. Have a great […]

Published on August 21, 2013 13:23
August 16, 2013
It’s My Party, And I Won’t Cry. I Don’t Want To.
Dear Readers, Yes, I know. I am supposed to be on hiatus, hiding from the blogging world as I attempt to accomplish some other forms of writing and spend time with my family. But it’s tradition that I blog on my birthday. It’s my rite of passage, and it’s a time when I can reflect on some aspect of the last year that I have lived. For what is a birthday if not to celebrate life? Today’s birthday post will […]

Published on August 16, 2013 07:19