energy to again . Editing filled a void , it gave me purpose , but deep down I knew something was missing .
I had a business , but no dreams of the future . And so my business was just a series of tasks . It was a means to an end . It was a way for me to prove that I was actually capable of running a business , but I wasn ’ t in love with it , even though I found joy in helping authors edit their work .
Fate finally had a little sympathy for me and invited destiny to come for coffee . I gave in , stopped fighting , and let myself begin to imagine the life I wanted for myself . Like the clouds clearing after a storm , my life began to fill with possibilities . And people . Amazing people who always seemed to know exactly how to help me . How to inspire me . How to remind me that the girl who used to dream about flying to the moon or starring on Broadway was still alive .
And at long last , the future I want has taken shape and form again . And I call it Storyteller Alley .
This new dream is the perfect marriage of the retail business love from my past and the book joy that comes from my current work with independently publishing authors . It has made me the owner of an online book store and the leader of a pack of voracious readers who critique each book we sell to make sure it good enough for our virtual shelves . And it has given me that shiny pearl in the form of our Author Discovery Boxes . These “ reading experiences in a box ” combine a signed copy of a double-vetted book and small business goodies selected to help bring the story to life .
I have been lucky in so many ways in my life , and I still have a lot of work to do . Even after all of the business ups and downs , even after all I have learned , I certainly can ’ t claim to be a business guru .
I don ’ t have a million dollars . I don ’ t live in a mansion .
I drive a minivan and I still have a day job .
But I ’ m walking in the clouds again . And that fantastical future is getting closer by the day . Or rather box by box
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Veronica Jorden is a serial entrepreneur and a military spouse jack-of-all trades . Born a military brat , her childhood was spent traveling the world , always with book in hand . Now married to a career Army soldier , she has worked in a myriad of industries – including everything from non — profit to manufacturing , and human resources to government contracting . But no matter where she ’ s lived or the job bringing in the paycheck , the desire to be free from the corporate grind has been a constant .
When the desire to write and help authors tell their stories grew to strong to resist , she returned to school and earned a BA in English and Creative Writing . Since then , she has worked with dozens of independently publishing authors to help the polish and perfect their books for publication .
Veronica Jorden
When she ’ s not working ( which is rare ), she enjoys baking cupcakes , crochet , action movies , hard cider , GoT , the Walking Dead , and planning a never-ending list of home improvement projects .
She lives near Annapolis , MD with her husband Dave , her three children , Kaylin , Noah , and Jess , and their crazy goat-cat-ninja Shih Tzu named Q .
storytelleralley . com � �
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