First, A Little Background About What's Been HappeningHello. It's been quite a while since I've communicated with you. To say that my life has changed dramatically in the interim would be an understatement. As most of you know, several months ago I developed a hole in the macular level of my right eye which significantly impacted my vision. That necessitated surgery and follow-up limitations on my mobility. Subsequently, the vision in my right eye is slowly improving but is still nowhere near what it use to be and a significant distortion remains. While my left eye had compensated for most activities, close work like reading and writing were a significant stain and to a lesser degree, still are. As a result, I curtailed my writing activities and filled my time instead by tackling long delayed home projects and, more importantly, by spending increased time communicating with family and friends. In the process, I have reconnected with people I care deeply about and found a renewed sense of calmness and peace that I had almost forgotten. The more I did, the more I realized how much of my life has been dictated by the pressure of the schedule and the clock and the less I wanted to return to my previous way of living. My priorities have now shifted and I realize that if I return to writing, it must be because I want to write rather than feel I have to. The same is true for my social media. I want to communicate when I feel I have something I want to share rather than post things because of some notion that if I don't, people might lose interest. That being said, I will no longer be posting every month, but rather on those occasions when I have something to share that I believe warrants your time and attention. While I still desire to finish my next and perhaps last book, "Black Hell Drowning," I also plan on writing it at its own pace rather than rushing to finish it in order to get the "next book" published. And at this point, I am inclined to periodically share what I write directly with you rather than wait until it is finished in book form. We will have to see where that goes. That should be enough background for now. Now here is what is currently Up and Coming. New Reviews for Wounded AngelsWhile I have been limiting my writing during my recovery, thankfully, people and been reading and reviewing Wounded Angels. People tell me on a fairly regular basis that they have read or are reading the book and have very much enjoyed the experience. In addition, I get write-ups of formal reviews of the book and was especially pleased with this most recent review from Online Book Club. Review by alyssajanel13 -- Wounded Angels by Chuck Miceli Post by alyssajanel13 » 02 Aug 2020, 08:03 [Following is a volunteer review of "Wounded Angels" by Chuck Miceli.] 4 out of 4 stars Share This Review 1 There can be a sweet delight in a safe, well-written story of romance. In Wounded Angels by Chuck Miceli, the author has created just that. This novel tells the story of Maureen and Frank. We first meet them as roller-skating sweethearts, before World War II changes everything. The novel follows Frank and Maureen as he goes to war, and comes back, with various issues coming back with him. Together, they build a life. The pair raise two daughters, with the conflict in Vietnam coloring their daughters’ lives, just as WWII did for them. But they carry one, and grow closer and more in love. Inevitable things happen, as no couple is together forever and someone has to pick up pieces. Miceli does a great job of creating layered imagery throughout the story. His descriptions are so skilled that you can fell the cold on your nose and the texture of the hand-written letter in your fingers. The story bounds forward, covering decades as the couple ages and raise their family. Not an easy task but the plot keeps pace and doesn’t lag or linger. The biggest draw of the story, for me, was authentic emotion. There is love oozing from the pages. For each other. For the family the star characters created. For the life they have built. When you have that much perfection, some disaster can only be around the corner. And there is a lot to be thrown at these two over a lifetime. Different backgrounds. War. What is left in Europe when soldiers return and what other dark shadows come back with them. And then. the ultimate challenge. The moments of loss are heart-breaking. Miceli is more than capable of juggling these years and characters. I loved the inclusion of different writing styles, such as journal entries and letters, to bring interesting perspectives. I would have enjoyed more if these offerings. The story flows well, briskly, and is deftly edited. There are only a few fiddly bits. I would have preferred a bit more dimension from our Maureen. She stated to annoy me, she was so perfect. The change from her abject loss to bright-eyed optimism seemed abrupt after such a prolonged time without any progress. There was some late addition of characters that seemed a bit forced. But, when it comes to Doris, she’s a force of nature herself, so that seemed spot on. She was an injection of brisk, jolting energy. And the plot made it necessary to keep her closed up until later in the story. The early dialogue seemed a bit stilted. This could be the author finding his flow, or an accurate attempt to try and capture 1940’s speech patterns that may sound formal and stiff to modern ears. Overall, a 4 out of 4 star read. Even if a little romanticized, it presented a beautiful love and lovers, and made me want to find a special someone with whom I could share morning eggs and coffee. Wounded Angels Will Be A Featured Novel in the Upcoming September "Great Indi Books Worth Discovering" Publications of Kirkus ReviewKirkus Review, one of the oldest and most prominent review publications in the country, contacted me several months back about featuring Wounded Angels in their print and on-line "Great Indi Books Worth Discovering" promotion. The book will be featured in several publications to be distributed to readers, libraries, agents, film and audio producers, and more. I don't know what, if anything, will come of the feature, but I am happy to be included in such prestigious publications. Here is a copy of one of the ads they designed for the promotion. That's All For Now FolksThat should do it for now. If you have the time and inclination, I welcome your questions, comments and feedback.
I am hopeful that a vaccine will be available soon and I can once again participate in some of the author events like book readings and signings, book clubs, the Big E, etc. Just before the virus struck, however, I ordered many paperback copies of Wounded Angels. If you or someone you know would like a highly discounted autographed copy for only $10, tax and shipping included, contact me at [email protected] to arrange to order copies and I will be delighted to ship them out. In any event, I wish you and yours all the best for your continued health and happiness. Until the next time. Warmest Regards, Chuck.
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AuthorChuck Miceli works like hell to write heavenly novels Archives
January 2021
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