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.
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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.
