Local author, team, bring novel to Barnes & Noble, Amazon

BOARDMAN

Readers nationwide soon may be able to pick up copies of a book that, from cover to cover, is the product of Valley talent.

Laura Markovitch, 49, of Boardman published her first book, “The Waiting Room,” on March 18.

Thanks to its success on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com, and after she got it on shelves at the local Barnes & Noble, Markovitch hopes to distribute the book nationally.

The book chronicles the life of character Taylor Collier.

“She’s 30 years old and her life is out of control because she’s never faced her past,” Markovitch explained. “It takes you through her [therapy] sessions and flashes back to high school, college and the years after college.

“There’s some shocking things that happen, and the reader won’t see the ending coming,” she said. “I think Taylor’s story is pretty interesting. There are some dark parts. ... But I think her journey to healing, her journey to forgiveness — people can understand.”

Taylor is entirely fictional, Markovitch said, but she found a real-life model to pose as Taylor for the book cover: Boardman High School senior Ireland Blume.

Blume modeled for the cover, high-school senior Tyler Calpin took the photos and their teacher, Alyssa Birch, did the design and layout.

“It was just a cool experience — because I’m on a book!” Blume said.

Read more about the book's eight-year journey to bookstore shelves in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.