In the classic film Sunset Boulevard, silent-movie queen Norma Desmond was portrayed as a
pathetic character—old, out of touch, and long forgotten by the fans who once admired her now-
faded beauty. The age of this pitiable has-been?
Norma Desmond was 50 years old.
Luckily, times have changed.
In case you hadn’t heard, 50 is the new 30! Fifty-year-old women are not young, but they’re not
old either. They’re savvy. They’re complex. They’ve been around the block. That’s why it’s my
favorite age for fiction characters, like the spirited narrator in my new “gray divorce” novel, My
Year of Casual Acquaintances.
Margaret (“Mar”) Meyer—engineering journal editor, fitness enthusiast, and youthful-looking
50-year-old, is attractive but also cranky, quirky, and often disappointed in the people around her.
Picture the temperament of Olive Kitteridge in the body of Sutton Foster.
When we meet Mar, whose husband recently divorced her, she has abandoned everything in her
past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it’s not easy starting over, she’s ready for
new adventures—as long as she can keep things casual. Each month, Mar goes from one
acquaintance to the next, learning something from each encounter.
On the surface, the premise is light—a divorcee reinventing herself with a carefree lifestyle.
“Fun, fun, fun, with no commitments—that’s what I want my life to be now,” she proclaims in an
early chapter. But the book digs deeper as our heroine finds that a casual lifestyle can be fraught
with complications.
No surprise, given that Mar herself is complicated. She exemplifies a modern woman in
midlife—complex, layered, and fraught with contradictions. She’s fiercely independent but full
of self-doubt, professionally confident but socially insecure, decisive in her tastes but indecisive
about her path in life. Over time, that path becomes clearer, and Mar acknowledges: “Maybe I
can find a way to sift through the good and bad parts of my previous life and hold on to the
things that are worth keeping.”
As Mar takes up with a new acquaintance each month, her episodic story chronicles the pain of
loneliness, the value of honest communication . . . and the importance of human connection.
This coming-of-age novel about a woman in middle age teaches us that there’s lots of life to be
lived after 50. And it’s never too late to pursue second chances, make meaningful changes, and
even embrace new love. I hope readers will enjoy Mar’s journey and be entertained and inspired
by what Indies Today calls “an optimistic novel about looking for the best in everyone, including ourselves.
About the Author
Ruth F. Stevens likes to create stories that will make readers laugh and cry. A former public relations executive in New York and Los Angeles, she is a produced playwright and author of a previous novel, Stage Seven, which was a featured selection of national online book club and Alzheimer’s awareness organizations. Ruth is a proud member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the Dramatists Guild of America and serves as a volunteer and acquisitions editor for AlzAuthors.
Ruth lives in Torrance, California with her husband. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, hiking, hip-hop and fitness classes, yoga, Broadway musicals, wine tasting, leading a book club, and visiting her grandsons in NYC. Visit Ruth at https://ruthfstevens.com and consider signing up for her monthly newsletter to receive publishing updates, book reviews, and special offers.
Website: https://ruthfstevens.com/
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Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ruth-f-stevens
WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING TOUR
OF
My Year of Casual Acquaintances
Book Summary
When Mar Meyer's husband divorces her for another woman, she reacts by abandoning everything in her past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it's not easy to start over, Mar is young-looking, fit, and ready for new adventures - as long as she can keep things casual.
With each passing month, Mar goes from one acquaintance to the next. Among them: a fellow gym member down on her luck, a flirty hip-hop instructor, a bossy but comical consultant, a kindly older gentleman . . . and Charlie, a handsome best-selling novelist who wants more from Mar than she's able to give. She learns something new from each encounter. But can she change enough to open herself up to happiness and true connection?
Surrounded by an ensemble of quirky, endearing characters, Mar follows a tortuous and unpredictable path as she navigates the first year of her reinvented life. My Year of Casual Acquaintances is packed with laugh-out-loud moments mingled with scenes of loneliness and self-doubt that will put a lump in your throat.
Publisher: Black Rose Writing (September 26, 2024)
ISBN-10: 168513484X
ISBN-13: 978-1685134846
ASIN: B0D43GW5XZ
Print Length: 322 pages
Purchase a copy of My Year of Casual Acquaintances on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. Add to your GoodReads reading list.
Blog Tour Calendar
September 23rd @ The Muffin
Join us at The Muffin when we celebrate the launch of Ruth F. Stevens' book My Year of Casual Acquaintances. We'll be interviewing the author and giving away a copy of her book.
https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
September 24th @ The Faerie Review
Join by Lily's blog for a spotlight of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://www.thefaeriereview.com/
September 25th @ Words by Webb
Visit Jodi's blog for her review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://www.jodiwebbwriter.com/blog
September 27th @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
Stop by Lisa's blog for an interview with author Ruth F. Stevens.
https://lisahaselton.com/blog/
September 29th @ Book Review From an Avid Reader
Visit Joan's blog for her review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://bookwomanjoan.blogspot.com/
September 30th @ Just Katherine
Visit Katherine's blog for an excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://justkatherineblog.wordpress.com
September 30th @ Choices
Visit Madeline's blog for a guest post about how casual acquaintances play an important role in our life.
http://www.madelinesharples.com/
October 1st @ A Storybook World
Visit Deirdra's blog for a spotlight of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://www.astorybookworld.com/
October 2nd @ Create Write Now
Visit Mari's blog for a guest post by Ruth F. Stevens about why fifty is nifty for a fictional character.
https://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog
October 3rd @ Knotty Needle
Visit Judy's blog for a review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com/
October 5th @ What Is That Book About
Stop by Michelle's blog for an excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://www.whatisthatbookabout.com
October 6th @ Storey Book Reviews
Visit Leslie's blog for a review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://storeybookreviews.com/
October 7th @ Life According to Jamie
Stop by Jamie's blog for a review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://lifeaccordingtojamie.com/
October 9th @ Beverley A. Baird's blog
Stop by Beverley's blog for her review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com
October 11th @ Beverley A. Baird's blog
Visit Beverley's blog for an excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com
October 12th @ Author Anthony Avina's blog
Join Anthony for his review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/category/blog-tours/
October 13th @ Rosh's Reviews
Visit Roshni's blog for her review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://roshreviews.blogspot.com/
October 15th @ Frugal Freelancer
Visit Sara Trimble's blog for a guest post by the author about whether AI is a friend or a foe.
https://saratrimble.wordpress.com/
October 18th @ A Wonderful World of Books
Visit Joy's blog for an excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/
October 20th @ Chapter Break
Visit Julie's blog for an interview with author, Ruth F. Stevens.
October 23rd @ Boys' Mom Reads!
Visit Karen's blog for a review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://karensiddall.wordpress.com/
October 26th @ Boots, Shoes, and Fashion
Visit Linda's blog for an interview with author Ruth F. Stevens.
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