Today we’d like to introduce you to Veranice Berry.
Hi Veranice, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started writing short stories when I was in grade school. I would use my classmates’ names and make up an adventurous story about them. My family had moved from Chicago to Minnesota to Las Vegas in a 3-year period, so I was the new kid in town so I used writing as an outlet. The teachers would allow me to read my short stories to the class, and everyone enjoyed it. In creative writing class in high school, I wrote everyone’s papers. The teachers knew it was me and let it slide because students actually liked to read their papers aloud. Around the same time I started writing, I was also learning about the Ancient Egyptians. Later on, I put my two hobbies together and started my first manuscript. I started writing the first book, Amulets of Princess Amun-Ra in 2013. It was just something to do after my daughters went to sleep. In 2010 I had my first daughter, and by 2013, I had another. I was writing screenplays at that time. I had never given up writing, although I was working full time and raising two children along with completing my master’s degree. I thought I was under a lot of stress then; I had no idea what was coming. In 2014, I was diagnosed with Gulacoma and lost 10% of my vision in my left eye. I could no longer write. Not because of the vision but because I finally gave up. It took 6 eye surgeries to get my eyes stable, and by then I just wanted to focus on my girls. In 2018, I packed up and headed to San Diego for a change. By 2020 my writing works remained untouched documents. The pandemic hit, and I was working in health care. Seeing how the world was not operating and how depressed humanity was motivated me to reevaluate my life. What was my purpose? So, I opened those untouched documents. I completed 5 screenplays and 3 manuscripts. On 2/22/22, I self-published 2 books, and now… I cannot stop creating.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Is there a such thing? Almost losing my eyesight was the biggest struggle for me. The thought of not being able to watch my girls grow up was a depressing. Reading and writing are my first loves, and the thought of not being able to do what I love was hard. The biggest lessons learned… I have no idea! Haha. But my advice is to try to stay positive even during the darkest hours. There is light ahead, just keep going.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
By day I work at Lakehouse Resort in San Marcos, and by night I write whatever comes to mind. My book series, An Egyptian Tale, is a 6-part historical fiction series based on the Egyptian Gods. As I mentioned earlier, I was learning about the Egyptians at a very young age. The culture has always fascinated me. All mythology and folklore tales have. Some of my favorite books are The Hobbit, Game of Thrones, and of course, Harry Potter. I look at those worlds, and they are incredible, and so I created a magical realistic world that represents a different band of heroes and villains. This is what sets my writing apart. What I have created has not been done yet. My next two novels are available May 9th, 2023.
What matters most to you?
Being true to myself. I spent so many years tending to others’ needs and trying to be who they need/want me to be. I will never stop giving and helping others when they need me, but I have learned to set boundaries and check in on my own emotional and mental health now. The airline staff say it the best, “put your mask on first, then help the person next to you.” Oh, and my two girls! I did not get a bachelor’s and master’s degree for me, I did it for them. So that they know being a single mom is not a barrier, a hurdle, a struggle, or a mistake. They actually motivated me to get this far.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Veranice-Berry/author/B09R4C2VXZ?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veetellstales/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/veetellstales?lang=en
