I have always needed to visualise my characters when writing their stories. Their hair colour and style, what they might wear, a cheeky glint in their eye, that sort of thing.
So, when writing the Delvecchio trilogy, it was easy. When writing about Marco, I visualised Ray Liotta (who else - he is a long since crush of mine!). Sarah, not so easy but maybe someone like Kate Beckinsale and Vinnie could be Daniel Craig. (Great Bond, BTW!)
But now, these characters are older it has become trickier and perhaps that is why writing the third book has floundered somewhat. I need to know what these people will do when they move about or make a decision. How they react to certain situations.
Grace, Giorgio and Adam are now all adults and most of the other characters have been written out (grisly death or plain ole retirement) so the Delvecchio siblings are the main protagonists. I have struggled to visualise who they are as adults.
But that has now changed and each of them have been brought to life in my head and my minds eye. So now, I hope, the words will flow. I shan't be telling you who I see these three as, that is for you to decide when The Shadow Side is finished and you read it! Please, do tell.
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
Thursday, 31 July 2014
OMG!!
Oh my goodness!
I have just found five minutes to check my blog and I have noticed, to my chagrin, that I have not posted ANYTHING for 6 months! What sort of writer does that make me?
Well, we have now relocated to the country and enjoying every minute. The ideas for stories are piling up in my head and are about to flood forth onto paper. Thanks to an idea from my friend, George, I have a fantastic and unexpected POV for my third and final book in the Delvecchio series, The Shadow Side. For those that don't know, the Delvecchio books are stories about my fictional Mafia family who live in sunny Florida, both the books have had good reviews, so if you haven't read them yet, get on Amazon now and buy them!
The next book which I am writing in tandem with The Shadow Side will be my first foray into childrens stories. I need to borrow the head of an eleven year old boy to get some accuracy in this as kids today are a different species from when I was that age. Plus, I am not a boy!
So enough of this and on to the real writing!
Ciao xx
I have just found five minutes to check my blog and I have noticed, to my chagrin, that I have not posted ANYTHING for 6 months! What sort of writer does that make me?
Well, we have now relocated to the country and enjoying every minute. The ideas for stories are piling up in my head and are about to flood forth onto paper. Thanks to an idea from my friend, George, I have a fantastic and unexpected POV for my third and final book in the Delvecchio series, The Shadow Side. For those that don't know, the Delvecchio books are stories about my fictional Mafia family who live in sunny Florida, both the books have had good reviews, so if you haven't read them yet, get on Amazon now and buy them!
The next book which I am writing in tandem with The Shadow Side will be my first foray into childrens stories. I need to borrow the head of an eleven year old boy to get some accuracy in this as kids today are a different species from when I was that age. Plus, I am not a boy!
So enough of this and on to the real writing!
Ciao xx
Friday, 3 January 2014
Reasons to be cheerful 2014
I have been a bit quiet on the writing front over the last
few months. I have had a lot to deal with.
In June 2013, I finally made a visit to the doctors,
entirely fed up with having constant nagging pain in my abdomen. I knew what it
was; four miscarriages had already revealed the state of my female bits. Fibroids. And the pain was getting to be more
than just a nuisance.
After more scans, biopsies, prodding and poking, it was
decided that the best course of action was to have a hysterectomy so, knowing
that it was only a matter of time before it became more than necessary, I took
the option for an elective hysterectomy.
On the 31st October 2013, I went into hospital and
they performed a sub-total hysterectomy. This was the removal of my uterus
only; I still have my ovaries and the PMT that will now follow! I was only in
St Peters Hospital in Chertsey for 3 days and I could not have been asked to be
treated any better, in kindness and care.
My recovery at home was long and slow. I was in a fair
amount of pain for a while and had no energy which, even now, I am struggling
to regain. I am so inspired to write my story even if it is to help other women
facing the same but when I sit down to write, my brain becomes a foggy mess and
I seem unable to know where to start.
I had also started the third and very final book on the Delvecchio
saga which sees Giorgio having taken over the Family business and trying not to
make a mess of things but I seem to have too many missing pieces in the puzzle.
(Don't forget, the first two can still be bought on Amazon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wendy-Newman/e/B0034PPDCS/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1388748810&sr=1-2-ent ) This is the same of my almost finish ‘chicklit’ story, Kissing Frogs, where we
read about Lily and her total lack of judgement in finding a suitable chap.
Rest assured, it will all follow and I hope to sort myself
out by the end of January and get back into the flow of writing. My brain is about to explode with unwritten
words.
Friday, 8 November 2013
Reviews for Too Close to the Sun
Since Too Close to the Sun was self published in August, it's had a few decent reviews!
These are they, pasted from Amazon's website AND ALL 5 STAR!!!
The family you have to love,6
Nov 2013
These are they, pasted from Amazon's website AND ALL 5 STAR!!!
The family you have to love,
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How is iit possible to like gangsters and murderers, it seems you can with the
Delvechios. Never got bored for an instance. Looking forward to the next one.
What a great read,
I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see if there is a another one to
make a trilogy!
The characters were solid, interesting and very visual. I enjoyed it so much that I have purchased the author's first book to read!
I want to know what happens next,
Great book am really hoping the author does a follow up as I would love to know
what happens next
Exciting read with a real twist!,
This well written book had me captivated from the beginning. I couldnt stop
reading as I was desperate to find out what happened next. I highly recommend it
along with the authors previous book Malavita. Can't wait for part 3...
excellent read!,
Love this book and this family! After reading malavita I've been waiting for
this sequel and it has not been disappointing. Can't wait for more...
I am, naturally, chuffed to bits with all of these reviews and am so glad that I have made at least five people happy with my book. It is still for sale as ebook on Amazon at £2.49
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Monday, 19 August 2013
Too Close to the Sun NOW RELEASED
Finally, I have done it.
I have got Too Close to the Sun 'out there' and very proud, relieved and happy in equal measure.
Now, you just have to read it...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Too-Close-Sun-ebook/dp/B00EMZYK14/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376913753&sr=8-1&keywords=wendy+newman+too+close+to+the+sun
When you have read it, I would be very grateful if you were to put a review, good or bad on the Amazon website. After all, there is no such thing as bad publicity.
I have got Too Close to the Sun 'out there' and very proud, relieved and happy in equal measure.
Now, you just have to read it...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Too-Close-Sun-ebook/dp/B00EMZYK14/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376913753&sr=8-1&keywords=wendy+newman+too+close+to+the+sun
When you have read it, I would be very grateful if you were to put a review, good or bad on the Amazon website. After all, there is no such thing as bad publicity.
Saturday, 17 August 2013
Opening chapter of Too Close to the Sun - Wendy Newman (me!)
A taster of the book - out 19 August 2013
Marco Delvecchio drove with a steady determination down the dark street. He kept to just below the speed limit, not wanting to be the centre of any unwanted attention. It was already late and he wanted to get home after a long and crappy day, home to his wife and a hot shower, both at the same time if his luck was in. He brought his mind back from the hot steamy shower scene playing through his head and instead tried to concentrate on his pending meeting. He was concerned that he would be unable to keep his temper in check but at the same time, knew he needed to avoid lashing out at all costs. His anger was already bubbling around the surface and he wasn’t in the right mood for this meeting, but he had somehow convinced Gabe, his number two to let him go out alone and he knew it had to be now or never. He had told Gabe he was meeting with Jimmy Caruso and that he would, of course be fine to meet with his old friend alone. Marco was aware that it was doubtful that he could convince his right hand man to let him meet with anyone without back up again, whether friend or foe. It went against protocol and there had been too many times of late. And, he thought, he was getting too old for all of this.
Sighing heavily in increasing agitation, he pulled up in the large, near empty parking area of the supermarket. It was near closing time and only a few hardy shoppers were still milling around and Marco found a spot with ease to wait. He could see the entrance from this spot and would know when his visitor arrived.
After ten minutes of waiting, Marco began to huff, tut and sigh in growing anger and impatience. His fingers tapped in irritation on the steering wheel and he was fidgeting in his seat. He could feel the tightness of rage building up inside him and it was something he always struggled to control, like a caged beast that would always threaten to break free and when this happened, the consequences were never good. Marco Delvecchio was not a man to be kept waiting but he knew why it was happening now. The mongrel he was meeting with would think he had gained the upper hand over Marco, some perceived psychological advantage over the king of mind games. Well, let him think that, was Marco’s thought on the matter. He tried to calm himself by taking deep breaths and was just about to start the car up and go home when he watched the shiny white Honda pull in, slow down and appear to check the place out before parking up next to Marco’s black Lexus. Marco waited for a moment before he opened the window to speak.
“You’re late!” Marco growled. The young man he was expecting got out of his own car and slipped into the seat next to Marco’s.
With no apology, the boy just turned to Marco. His smile was cold and false. “What did you want to meet me for?” His voice stayed light as he toyed with Marco. He knew how to press the older mans buttons.
“This has gone on for long enough and I’m bored with it. I need to know what you want from me and my family.”
A humourless laugh erupted from beside Marco. “What can you possibly give me now? What do you have that I would want? You have already taken the most important thing from me, what else is there?”
“Looking at you, I’d say quite a lot. A job or maybe money. If I can do it, you can have it.” Marco said, ignoring the implication of the boys words.
“Are you scared of me Marco? Of what I might do to you?”
Now it was time for Marco to laugh. He was finding the whole situation quite absurd. “Me? Scared of you? Sonny boy, you clearly haven’t done much homework on me and so you don’t know me too well, I can tell. Just let’s suppose for one minute that I am scared of you. Don’t you think I would have an army of men with me and just take you out? Believe me, that would be by far the easiest thing for this now boring situation.”
“So why don’t you just have me killed then?”
Marco sighed. “Just tell me what you want; what I can give you to make you happy.”
“I haven’t quite decided yet. Maybe we should meet on Sunday night and I might have made up my mind by then.”
"Maybe you shouldn’t waste my time. I have better things to do than keep meeting with you."
“Sure, like tell your precious family about me? Have you done that yet?” The visitor grinned. “What will that sexy wife of yours think? Or your playboy son and heir? You know what, Boss? I don’t think you’ll tell anyone. I think that you will meet me at nine o’clock on Sunday, back at the first place we met. I don’t want to keep coming all the way up here. So I guess I’ll see you then, Marco!” With obvious derision, the boy got out of the car leaving Marco fuming. Maybe he should just take the little bastard out after all – just put a bullet through his head and walk away. Marco decided that he would enjoy that, enjoy seeing his blood and brains splattered.
He sat in the car for a short while after he’d watched the kid drive away, his tail-lights long gone and he wondered how he’d got himself into this mess. What had started out a few months back with one problem had now ended up with an entirely different one. Marco had had a chance meeting with an associate from many years ago and it had led him here, on this Thursday evening when he had better things to do and bigger problems to worry about. He decided there and then, as the rain began to drum a heavy beat on the roof of his car that Sunday night would bring an end to it, whatever else happened. He started up his engine and with the anger still raging through his veins, he headed home.
Marco Delvecchio drove with a steady determination down the dark street. He kept to just below the speed limit, not wanting to be the centre of any unwanted attention. It was already late and he wanted to get home after a long and crappy day, home to his wife and a hot shower, both at the same time if his luck was in. He brought his mind back from the hot steamy shower scene playing through his head and instead tried to concentrate on his pending meeting. He was concerned that he would be unable to keep his temper in check but at the same time, knew he needed to avoid lashing out at all costs. His anger was already bubbling around the surface and he wasn’t in the right mood for this meeting, but he had somehow convinced Gabe, his number two to let him go out alone and he knew it had to be now or never. He had told Gabe he was meeting with Jimmy Caruso and that he would, of course be fine to meet with his old friend alone. Marco was aware that it was doubtful that he could convince his right hand man to let him meet with anyone without back up again, whether friend or foe. It went against protocol and there had been too many times of late. And, he thought, he was getting too old for all of this.
Sighing heavily in increasing agitation, he pulled up in the large, near empty parking area of the supermarket. It was near closing time and only a few hardy shoppers were still milling around and Marco found a spot with ease to wait. He could see the entrance from this spot and would know when his visitor arrived.
After ten minutes of waiting, Marco began to huff, tut and sigh in growing anger and impatience. His fingers tapped in irritation on the steering wheel and he was fidgeting in his seat. He could feel the tightness of rage building up inside him and it was something he always struggled to control, like a caged beast that would always threaten to break free and when this happened, the consequences were never good. Marco Delvecchio was not a man to be kept waiting but he knew why it was happening now. The mongrel he was meeting with would think he had gained the upper hand over Marco, some perceived psychological advantage over the king of mind games. Well, let him think that, was Marco’s thought on the matter. He tried to calm himself by taking deep breaths and was just about to start the car up and go home when he watched the shiny white Honda pull in, slow down and appear to check the place out before parking up next to Marco’s black Lexus. Marco waited for a moment before he opened the window to speak.
“You’re late!” Marco growled. The young man he was expecting got out of his own car and slipped into the seat next to Marco’s.
With no apology, the boy just turned to Marco. His smile was cold and false. “What did you want to meet me for?” His voice stayed light as he toyed with Marco. He knew how to press the older mans buttons.
“This has gone on for long enough and I’m bored with it. I need to know what you want from me and my family.”
A humourless laugh erupted from beside Marco. “What can you possibly give me now? What do you have that I would want? You have already taken the most important thing from me, what else is there?”
“Looking at you, I’d say quite a lot. A job or maybe money. If I can do it, you can have it.” Marco said, ignoring the implication of the boys words.
“Are you scared of me Marco? Of what I might do to you?”
Now it was time for Marco to laugh. He was finding the whole situation quite absurd. “Me? Scared of you? Sonny boy, you clearly haven’t done much homework on me and so you don’t know me too well, I can tell. Just let’s suppose for one minute that I am scared of you. Don’t you think I would have an army of men with me and just take you out? Believe me, that would be by far the easiest thing for this now boring situation.”
“So why don’t you just have me killed then?”
Marco sighed. “Just tell me what you want; what I can give you to make you happy.”
“I haven’t quite decided yet. Maybe we should meet on Sunday night and I might have made up my mind by then.”
"Maybe you shouldn’t waste my time. I have better things to do than keep meeting with you."
“Sure, like tell your precious family about me? Have you done that yet?” The visitor grinned. “What will that sexy wife of yours think? Or your playboy son and heir? You know what, Boss? I don’t think you’ll tell anyone. I think that you will meet me at nine o’clock on Sunday, back at the first place we met. I don’t want to keep coming all the way up here. So I guess I’ll see you then, Marco!” With obvious derision, the boy got out of the car leaving Marco fuming. Maybe he should just take the little bastard out after all – just put a bullet through his head and walk away. Marco decided that he would enjoy that, enjoy seeing his blood and brains splattered.
He sat in the car for a short while after he’d watched the kid drive away, his tail-lights long gone and he wondered how he’d got himself into this mess. What had started out a few months back with one problem had now ended up with an entirely different one. Marco had had a chance meeting with an associate from many years ago and it had led him here, on this Thursday evening when he had better things to do and bigger problems to worry about. He decided there and then, as the rain began to drum a heavy beat on the roof of his car that Sunday night would bring an end to it, whatever else happened. He started up his engine and with the anger still raging through his veins, he headed home.
Sunday, 4 August 2013
Self publishing update
I know.
It's taking ages.
But it has to be right and it has to be right first time.
But the manuscript is now in the correct format for uploading. I am reading it through one last time with the most critical eye I can possibly imagine and have already made some changes to the text. I have 'shown', not 'told' many paragraphs and feel it is better than ever. I have given myself until next weekend to finish it once and for all. I could edit and re-write a thousand times and not be happy, like most too-self critical writers so I have to give myself a cut off date and get on with the business of marketing and finishing off other stories as well.
Not to mention Book 3 in this Family epic!
It's taking ages.
But it has to be right and it has to be right first time.
But the manuscript is now in the correct format for uploading. I am reading it through one last time with the most critical eye I can possibly imagine and have already made some changes to the text. I have 'shown', not 'told' many paragraphs and feel it is better than ever. I have given myself until next weekend to finish it once and for all. I could edit and re-write a thousand times and not be happy, like most too-self critical writers so I have to give myself a cut off date and get on with the business of marketing and finishing off other stories as well.
Not to mention Book 3 in this Family epic!
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