Guest post by Lynn Steward, author of 'A Very Good Life'

I am often asked if I have ever suffer writer’s block or experience vague anxiety before sitting down to write, and I am happy to say, no, at least, not so far!  I think there may be two reasons: I am writing what I know very well, and, before I start writing the book, after the outline and synopsis are written, I organize a filing system of inspirational photos, archived stories, and timely events to quickly access when I am inspired at the keyboard, or when there is an opportunity to insert an historical fact.  Your mind cannot possibly keep everything readily available; you can quickly lose your train of thought or momentum when struggling to remember. My iPad is tremendously helpful for note taking and cross-referencing; I constantly use it in conjunction with my computer.  I also started this journey writing a TV series, and I created picture boards to set the tone of each season, adding photos of actors or models that captured a character’s expression, seasonal locations, and interiors. I am often inspired by these photographs, as well as music. 

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About the Book

Although Lynn Steward’s debut novel, A Very Good Life, takes place in 1970s New York City. it has a timelessness to it. Dana McGarry is an “it” girl, living a privileged lifestyle of a well-heeled junior executive at B. Altman, a high end department store. With a storybook husband and a fairytale life, change comes swiftly and unexpectedly. Cracks begin to appear in the perfect facade. Challenged at work by unethical demands, and the growing awareness that her relationship with her distant husband is strained, Dana must deal with the unwanted changes in her life. Can she find her place in the new world where women can have a voice, or will she allow herself to be manipulated into doing things that go against her growing self-confidence?

A Very Good Life chronicles the perils and rewards of Dana’s journey, alongside some of the most legendary women of the twentieth century. From parties at Café des Artistes to the annual Rockefeller Center holiday tree lighting ceremony, from meetings with business icons like Estée Lauder to cocktail receptions with celebrity guests like legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland. Steward’s intimate knowledge of the period creates the perfect backdrop for this riveting story about a woman’s quest for self-fulfillment.

Purchase on Amazon.

Lynn Steward is a successful business woman who spent many years in New York City’s fashion industry in marketing and merchandising, including the development of the first women’s department at a famous men’s clothing store. Through extensive research, and an intimate knowledge of the period, Steward created the characters and stories for a series of five authentic and heartwarming novels about New York in the seventies. A Very Good Life is the first in the series featuring Dana McGarry.