"Between the Covers"

An SWFLOnline Article featuring Wendy Weiss written by Angelina Assanti

Wendy Weiss is a registered nurse and has had a career of tending to patients with chronic conditions, including mental illness and addiction. Embracing the “Write what you know” philosophy of all good writers, Wendy manages to effortlessly weave real knowledge into suspenseful and original plot-driven novels. So convincingly in fact that her debut novel was optioned (This is “Author Speak” for sold to a movie studio for the purpose of adapting it into a movie). That book is called, “Detached” and here is a snippet of the synopsis, courtesy of Amazon:

“Dr. Jason Smith, an anxiety-ridden medical director at a health insurance company, has anything but a perfect life. He works a low-level job, barely talks to his wife and has a daughter, Hanna, who’s been battling Leukemia since age six. When Hanna falls out of remission for the fourth time, Jason embarks on a criminal path, setting in motion a violent kidnapping and blackmail scheme to procure a medication that he believes will save his daughter. Jason’s choices test the boundaries of his marriage, job, and sanity while he struggles to keep his plan in motion for his daughter’s sake.”

Not bad for someone who never even intended on becoming a writer!

Ms. Weiss had written professionally for her job and when her work was reviewed by her peers, they suggested she had a real aptitude for writing and encouraged her to pursue writing.

Even with her many successes as a writer, Wendy still works a regular job behind the scenes at an insurance company. She travels a lot for work yet still manages to stick to her writing goals. When she’s not working, she likes to visit the beach and travel abroad with her spouse.

I asked Wendy about living the author life since it’s a stark contrast to her high-paced career taking care of others. She said she’s a mother to three grown sons so nurturing comes natural to her.

“I am driven. I set goals and work hard to achieve them. I love the creativity that comes with developing a complicated plot. It’s so exciting at the end when all the loose ends tie up in a neat little bow.”

I asked about her writing style since Thrillers and Mysteries are fast-paced genres. “My writing style is primarily plot-driven, however, I took a step outside my comfort zone with “The Normal House” – which is her new Young Adult manuscript and is currently being queried to agents.

Wendy has been a lifelong reader and never envisioned herself being able to complete one book, never mind having a sturdy backlist at this point. I asked her who some of her favorite authors who have influenced her have been. “I have very eclectic taste in books. Lately, I’m into British novelists; Ruth Ware, Alice Feeney and Catherine Steadman. I also read Stephen King, in addition to near-future Science Fiction. I’ve read all of Cormac McCarthy and loved Earnest Cline’s, “Ready Player One.”

Ms. Weiss misses her brother and sister, who still live in Boston. But Ms. Weiss loves the Southwest Florida weather and doesn’t regret the decision to leave Massachusetts six years ago.

When I asked Wendy how she would define success, this is what she said, “Sales and reviews. It’s an awesome accomplishment to publish a book, but it doesn’t mean as much until people read it and enjoy it. And people are reading her books! Wendy has wonderful reviews, including this one courtesy of Readers’ Favorite about her novel, “Detached”…

“This is a debut novel by Wendy Weiss, but it is expertly written, full of unexpected twists and turns, and is a totally compelling read. The plot is clever and I had no idea how it would end until the very last page, so well accomplished is the writing. The characters are believable and the story line totally plausible. There were no questions left unanswered, which resulted in a satisfying and complete reading experience. The author was able to build tension and introduce the unexpected. Whilst a complex story line, all sat well with a perfect arc, a good and clear timeline, and smooth and creative writing. The short chapters also helped to move the story along at a great pace. This is a memorable read and no doubt Wendy Weiss will be an author to watch in the future.”