Crowd of One

If Samantha (Sami) Monroe has nothing else, she has memories. Unfortunately, some of the same memories that give her comfort also complicate her life in unexpected ways. After surviving the loss of her family and being tossed aside by her fiancé, Sami leaves her home, her job, and her best friend for a destination unknown. And although she often feels alone, she never is. Sami braves her new adventure aided by a comedic angel with a sassy tongue and a lot of attitude. Along her journey she makes some surprising encounters and some shocking decisions. As she tries to let go of her past, an unraveling of lies keeps her connected to it; and the only thing more devastating than the lies may be the truth. Crowd of One is about the memories and traditions that shape who we are and who we hope to be. Sami learns the meaning of love by reading about her parent’s relationship in a diary and witnessing the life-long devotion of her maternal grandparents. Her hope to continue her family’s tradition of “true love” is brought to an end when her fiancé abruptly ends their relationship. Devastated, but determined to move on, Sami starts a new life and opens herself up to new opportunities. When a new romance blossoms, secrets from her previous relationship threaten to destroy her faith in “happily ever after.” Disappointed again, she finds herself spiraling towards a deep depression with seemingly no way out. With the help of her wayward angel, Sami comes to understand that difference between observing love and experiencing it. Crowd of One has all the components that make for a great love story, i.e., betrayal, grief, forgiveness, and love. What makes it different is that it’s laden with drama and humor. What makes it great is its poignant expression of emotions—allowing readers to be touched and entertained. Crowd of One strikingly portrays the antics and struggles one woman faces in trying to move beyond her pain and fears to accept true love.

If Samantha (Sami) Monroe has nothing else, she has memories. Unfortunately, some of the same memories that give her comfort also complicate her life in unexpected ways. After surviving the loss of her family and being tossed aside by her fiancé, Sami leaves her home, her job, and her best friend for a destination unknown. And although she often feels alone, she never is. Sami braves her new adventure aided by a comedic angel with a sassy tongue and a lot of attitude. Along her journey she makes some surprising encounters and some shocking decisions. As she tries to let go of her past, an unraveling of lies keeps her connected to it; and the only thing more devastating than the lies may be the truth. Crowd of One is about the memories and traditions that shape who we are and who we hope to be. Sami learns the meaning of love by reading about her parent’s relationship in a diary and witnessing the life-long devotion of her maternal grandparents. Her hope to continue her family’s tradition of “true love” is brought to an end when her fiancé abruptly ends their relationship. Devastated, but determined to move on, Sami starts a new life and opens herself up to new opportunities. When a new romance blossoms, secrets from her previous relationship threaten to destroy her faith in “happily ever after.” Disappointed again, she finds herself spiraling towards a deep depression with seemingly no way out. With the help of her wayward angel, Sami comes to understand that difference between observing love and experiencing it. Crowd of One has all the components that make for a great love story, i.e., betrayal, grief, forgiveness, and love. What makes it different is that it’s laden with drama and humor. What makes it great is its poignant expression of emotions—allowing readers to be touched and entertained. Crowd of One strikingly portrays the antics and struggles one woman faces in trying to move beyond her pain and fears to accept true love. Get ready to laugh, get ready to cry, get ready to become a fan!

Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Naceema Samira spent her formative years in Laurel, Maryland. While attending college at James Madison University, a literature professor urged her to pursue writing as a career after he read her critique of Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary. She ignored his prompting and opted for a Bachelors Degree in Psychology. After obtaining her Masters Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Radford University, Naceema next set her sights on the corporate world. She began honing her writing skills by writing technical documents and manuals. During this time, she also co-authored her first academic article in the Violence Against Women journal, Sage Publications. Eventually, Naceema branched off on her own to start Tri-Group Consulting, a business consulting firm. Unable to suppress her creative side, Naceema enthusiastically returned to her passion for writing with her debut novel, Crowd of One. In Crowd of One, Samantha Monroe struggles to accept the one thing she wants most—love. With characters that are easily relatable and comedic interjections throughout, the storyline keeps the savviest of readers engaged.