Chasing the 400

About the Book

Two African American siblings from a working class neighborhood on Philadelphia´s Main Line try to make their dreams come true in the 1950´s despite the obstacles that "the 400"--Philadelphia´s Black Bourgeoisie--throws in their way.

Praise for Chasing the 400:

“Sheilah Vance is a fresh, humorous, and necessary voice with great insight into human nature, class struggles, and what it takes to chase your dreams.”

--Benilde Little, author of Good Hair, The Itch, and Who Does She Think She Is

Brief Summary:

The oldest of 10 plumber’s children, sassy and sexy Vera Marshall wants to leave her working class Main Line neighborhood and secure a place in “the 400”—1950’s Philadelphia’s black bourgeoisie. When hired as a department store model, Vera thinks she’s on her way.

Bobby Marshall dreams of college and a life different than his father’s.

But will Ned Daniels, the snobby son of their town’s only Negro doctor, ruin their plans?

Join the Marshalls and a cast of characters as they chase “the 400” all over Philadelphia and the Main Line, hoping that the game is worth the chase. Dear Reader:

Please enjoy this brief summary of Chasing the 400 and a sneak peek look at the first chapter.



Introduction to the sneak peek first chapter:

I want to give you a sneak peak into my novel, Chasing the 400, so I’ve included here the first chapter. Hopefully, this look into the world of Vera and Bobby Marshall will interest you in reading the entire book.

Because…
If you’ve ever wanted to change your life so that the abundance of your reality matched the size of your dreams, then this is the book for you. If you’ve ever wanted to rise above your circumstances and live your dreams big—especially if people tell you that you can’t—then this is the book for you.

And, if you want characters that you can cheer for, laugh with, sympathize with, grow with, and even loathe, then this is the book for you.

This is a work of fiction that is squarely placed in the very real towns of Philadelphia and Ardmore in Pennsylvania. The characters are fictional, too, but bits and pieces of the Marshalls are lovingly drawn from my own family. I didn’t grow up in the period that I write about, but I heard all sorts of stories from the members of my family who did. Chasing the 400 doesn’t recreate their reality; it pays homage to it. I hope you find that homage well deserved.

Enjoy my book, and let me know what you thought of it. I would love to hear from you. Please email me at sheilahvance@TheElevatorGroup.com or write me at PO Box 207, Paoli, PA 19301.

Love, Peace, and God Bless,

Sheilah Vance

Now, Chapter 1: