by Stephanie Verni (Author)
Annabelle Marco and Michael Contelli are both only children of Italian-Americans. Next door neighbors since they were both five years old, they both receive their parents' constant attention and are regularly subjected to their meddlesome behavior. In high school and then in college, as their relationship moves from friendship to love, Annabelle finds herself battling her parents, his parents, and even Michael. She feels smothered by them all and seeks independence through an unplanned and unexpected decision that she comes to regret and that ultimately alters the course of her life, Michael's life, and the lives of both of their parents.Set in Annapolis, Maryland, New York City, and London, England, in the 1980s and 1990s, Beneath the Mimosa Tree examines both Annabelle's and Michael's journeys over the span of ten years as we hear their alternating voices tell the story of self-discoveries, the nature of well-meaning families, and the sense of renewal that can take place when forgiveness is permitted.
Author Biography
STEPHANIE VERNI was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and grew up in Maryland. Her teenage years and a portion of her adult years were spent living in Annapolis and Baltimore. A graduate of Towson University, she earned her first master's degree in Professional Writing from Towson University, and a second master's degree (MFA) in Creative Writing from National University. She spent thirteen years working in public relations and publishing for the Baltimore Orioles baseball club. For the past four years, she has been a full-time faculty member of Business Communication at Stevenson University outside of Baltimore where she serves as an assistant professor. She teaches feature writing, magazine writing, public relations writing, and advertising. She resides in Ellicott City, Maryland, with her husband and two children. For more information about Stephanie and her work, visit her author website at stephanieverni.com, or follow her blog, Steph's Scribe, at stephsscribe.com.