Saturday 29 September 2012

Anyone For Tennis



Don’t know about you but I was glued to the coverage of the US Open, just as I am to all the Grand Slams. I so admire the dedication of the players and the excitement of seeing new blood come up through the ranks. Andy Roddick bowing out was pretty damned emotional, don’t you think?

As an author I find it far easier to write about what I know. Saves on all that pesky research and lends authenticity to the author’s voice. I was involved in a local tennis club for years, so I feel qualified to write about the sport – in a fictional capacity, of course. Tennis clubs are hot beds of gossip and intrigue, a bit like any group of people from different walks of lives thrown together by a common interest. There are natural leaders, bullies, suckers-up and cynics by the dozen. Sound familiar?




In Topspin, published by Musa, we get to know the members of an up-market tennis club on the Isle of Wight in England. It could be anywhere in the world though since the above principles apply.

Jack Regent is a reformed gangster who’s retired to the Island to spend his time playing tennis, drinking too much and brooding. A bit of a hunk, he’s a magnet for all the single women, and some of the married ones too, but Jack isn’t interested in long-term relationships. Still married to Tania, the love his life, he’s smarting over her adultery and doesn’t want to go down that road again.

Then there’s Claire, the most attractive woman at the club, married to an older, successful Cardiologist. Outwardly the devoted spouse, she has voracious sexual appetites which she satisfies through a series of supposedly discreet affairs. Part of her knows it will all end in tears but she can’t seem to help herself, until it’s too late to stop the rot.

Angie is tight-lipped about the father of her fourteen-year-old twins, until he turns up unexpectedly, with devastating consequences for more than just Angie. And we mustn’t forget Ed, who bullies his wife and is determined to take control of the club for his own financial gain.

When the new coach turns out to be the man Tania cheated with, Jack is forced to confront the issue he’s worked his way through countless bottles of scotch trying to forget. Reunited with Tania under the most violent of circumstances, for the first time he has reason to doubt his position as the injured party. He’s spent years trying to hate Tania for what she put him through. That’s never going to happen, but is it too late to put the past behind them and start again…

Topspin by W. Soliman now available from Musa Publishing or Amazon.com http://amzn.to/PV6U1n
Leave a comment, let me know what you think of tennis. Do you love it or hate it? One person will win a copy of Topspin. Good luck!

Find out more about me and my books at my website: www.wendysoliman.com or on Facebook at Wendy Soliman – Author. Follow me on twitter @wendyswriter.

Wendy


31 comments:

  1. My only experience with tennis so far has been the PE class I took in college. Had a really hot Dutch instructor with amazing thighs. Hi Kees! :D

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  2. Don't tell me the thighs made you attend that class. LOL

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  3. "pesky research"? As a librarian, I love writers and their pesky research...LOL.
    catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

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  4. I love owning research books, Catherine. Heck I love all books, but when writing I prefer to be able to write from personal knowledge.

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  5. Congratulations on the one-year anniversary of Musa. Have a great blog hop!

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  6. Love all the intrigue you've imbued in your novel. I've never belonged to a tennis club. This makes it sound fascinating.
    Patti, a fellow Musaling

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  7. Thanks, Patricia. Not all tennis clubs are quite this bad, but it would be fun if they were!

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  8. Wendy--I share your love of tennis. Actually, to be accurate I'd say I'm kind of obsessive about it. There's a slight difference in that I'm used to playing on (sometimes crappy) public courts and not at private clubs. But that sounds like a world I'd like to learn about.

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  9. Private clubs are far more accessible nowadays, Paul. Thanks for stopping by.

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  10. I love when authors weave what they know into their books. Congrats on your success! :D Here's to another year with Musa.

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  11. Annemarie, Thanks so much for stopping by. Lovely to see you here.

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  12. I'm not too much into sports, but I love to read! Thank you for the opportunity to gain another entry in the Musa contest and congratulations on your writing success!

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  14. I love sports but I have discovered tennis is not for me. I swung the racket like a baseball bat and the ball beamed my partner in the head and gave her a concussion....oops!
    Yvette
    yratpatrol@aol.com

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  15. Thanks for the comments, everyone. Yvette, I know how your partner felt. A male partner of mine once caught me in the ear with his first serve. Ouch!

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  18. Writing from what you know definitely adds authenticity and improves the book, in my opinion. It always shows if the subject of the book is poorly researched. I've never played tennis but I definitely know how group dynamics can sometimes seem like an episode of Gossip Girl. Thanks for participating in this awesome blog hop

    Donna @ The Happy Booker
    ahappybooker at gmail dot com

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  19. Thank you, Donna, for your constructive comment. Much appreciated.

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  20. I like tennis! It is such a demanding sport because you have to use your brain to predict a logical outcome or trajectory of the ball as well as having to be physically fit for the instances of chasing the ball. I think I would read this book on the plane when I go to the Australian Open 2013. I'll post back with my review at a later time. Thanks for the idea.

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  21. Thanks so much for your positive comments, Giana. I hope you enjoy the book.

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  22. honestly I don't like to watch it but I think I would like to play it.

    vampiremistress2010(at)gmail(dot)com

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  23. I like to watch it occasionally and even though I'm not too good at it I love to play it :)
    Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
    cassandrahicks1989@yahoo.com

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  24. Thanks for stopping by, Cassandra and BLHmistress.

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  25. I played at playing tennis when I was a lot younger. Was never really very good at it. I just had fun trying to hit the balls over the net instead of missing them. My forearm would ache for days afterward. I've watched tennis on tv, but it's not a favorite to watch. However, reading about tennis is something different. Topspin sounds like a great read.
    luvfuzzzeeefaces at yahoo dot com

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  26. I too have always had more enthusiasm than skill, Julianne. Thanks for stopping by.

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  27. I'm not a tennis player by any means. I can't seem to serve without sending the ball over the fence and outside of the court altogether. I have more control at volleyball. Thanks fo the blog hop and the chance to see your upcoming books. I love your historicals!

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  28. Thanks so much A.S.F. for stopping by and for your kind comments about my books.

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  29. Any sport with moving objects is bad bad bad. :P I'm a klutz. I don't hate it, but I don't like to watch it as a spectator, so mostly I just don't know or do much with tennis. Sometimes I like to watch the players move though, there's some awesome body flexion as they swing those rackets.

    Cia Nordwell
    email: anordwell@live.com

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  30. Hi!! Happy Anniversary! Very awesome! I dont really like tennis. Never really been into it. Thanks for letting us celebrate with you! And thank you for the fun hop and giveaway!! Many blessings to you!
    shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

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