Welcome to a strange little place called Belvidere.
A book called Belvidere.
Belvidere is a mysterious journey; an ephemeral olla podrida of romance, racism, raw erotica, graphic violence, heathenism, bigotry, and vulgarity, all buoyed by the hope, strength, and providence of friendship, love, and kindred souls. It’s a contemporary novel, set mostly in the Highlands region of northwestern New Jersey in a town called Belvidere, a quaint, historic hamlet in a largely rural/pastoral section of the State.
Synopsis.
A mysterious man with a checkered past is sent to a strange, little dead-end town called
Belvidere – to do what and to whom – he simply does not know. That is part of the game. SHE decides ‘when’, the DARTS decide ‘where’ and IT decides ‘why’. And they are all joined by a malevolent puppet hiding in his head – who is always with him, always watching – to ensure the rules are followed and the game is played.
The game exists simply to be played. If it isn’t, then there is no game. And that is simply not allowed. It’s all part of a dangerous dance that he neither understands nor controls. Along the way, he befriends those he will, in the end, likely betray… and there will certainly be trouble if he does not.
Why Read Belvidere?
People who read fiction like to see themselves, the people they know and the situations they've experienced in life, good and bad, described on the page – it's that shared experience that makes them feel one with, and part of the novel experience. It feels comfortable, like you belong between the pages, alongside the characters. They are the family, friends, and nemeses you know.
Mix in taboos about sex and violence, love, friendship and fantasy, and now you have a story that we believe people will truly want to immerse themselves in, with characters they want to know, because, in a sense, they know them already, either across the table, or staring back at them in the mirror.
2,800 Pages are awaiting your binge-read.
Belvidere Book I is comprised of 8 installments in a progressive novel series spanning more than 2,800 pages. All are published and ready for your binge-reading pleasure.
Reminiscent of Beat literature.
This novel may be a grammar and sentence structure nightmare to people who obsess about such things. The writing is vaguely reminiscent of Beat literature, which can be described, by some, as a rejection of standard narrative and linguistic values, including, but not necessarily limited to, syntax, punctuation, sentence structure, and morphology. The writing style is idiosyncratic; it is how the author thinks, and how the author believes this fictional account should be told. And just as important, it’s how real people speak and communicate in the real world, which is rarely textbook or correct. It is real, or at least how this author perceives reality.
A story of sex, violence, love, friendship, bigotry, and racism with a bit of romantic fantasia mixed in.
All that and more is rolled into an amazing tale with characters that will have you laughing, crying, cringing, smiling, and reading with rage from one page to the next.
The characters are flawed… they are us.
Belvidere is made up of a tapestry of characters… some are warm, loving, and beautiful. Others are fragile, broken, and wicked. And there are those who are evil, malevolent, and mysterious. The one thing they all have in common is… they’re offbeat… and all flawed. You will come to know them as family, friends, and foes.
A long winding road journey.
The series is the culmination of a long, winding road journey, with an array of complex and flawed fictional characters who call this novel home. It is all they have to offer, and they wish to share it with whoever wants to gamble on a saunter beside them. Both they and the author hope you find it worth the walk.
A fictional tale, yet very ‘real’.
The story and the characters are fictional, but there are references to people, places, and things that are very ‘real’. The descriptions of the landscapes, architecture, and characters are vivid… and visceral.
Written by an anonymous author.
The unnamed author, born and raised in NJ, makes the story telling that more intriguing. Is it a Male? Female? You decide. The writing is offbeat, colloquial… it’s vaguely reminiscent of Beat literature, it’s how real people speak and communicate in the real world, which is rarely textbook or correct. The author has chosen to remain anonymous, simply, and aptly, designated by X-Sans Nom, because this story is, and always has been, about the cast of characters – it was produced and is dedicated to them, and them alone.
There will be a second novel series… BOOK II.
The author is currently penning Belvidere, Book II, which will be both a prequel and sequel to the first 8 installments that constitute Belvidere.
ins the nature and composition of the 8-volume series.
The Cast of Characters.
In any tale worth telling, there exists a small cadre of primary players, who form the backbone of any great story. In this instance, the clan consists of five characters (six, if you include Kristine in the crowd):
Their account will stand or fall on whether they capture the hearts and souls of the reader; the author simply listened to them and committed their story, hopes, and dreams onto the leaf between the end-pages. It took 15 years; now it is time to share them, and their story, with the real world.
These flawed characters simply mirror the rabble who wander amongst us, whether we like it, or them, or not. And if we turn an honest eye inward, aren’t we all, some certainly more than others, damaged, defective, imperfect, or broken? Who knows, maybe you’ll spy a bit of yourself, and those around you, in the faces of the characters who reside in this strange little neck of the woods called Belvidere.
Cord Brin. A Mysterious Outsider.
A hero to Earl, and an antagonist to just about everyone else. Cord Brin…at least that’s what he calls himself now, is the main character in the 8-volume serial novel. He is a mysterious, mercurial man with an obscure, checkered past that no one can quite decipher. He is sent by unknown parties, some real, some imagined, to a strange, little dead-end town named Belvidere. What he is to do there, and to whom, he simply doesn’t know… as always, it will be revealed over time. Along his journey, he befriends those he will, in the end, likely betray; there will certainly be trouble if he does not. Cord befriends Earl, Lilly, and Carol…and of course, there is always Kristine, waiting in the wings.
Earl Liddell. A Kindred Spirit.
Our one true hero! Earl is a beast of a man – six foot eight, 380 pounds, but lean and ripped. And while he could easily break you in two, he has the heart, and mind, of an innocent child. He is incredibly shy, rarely speaks to anyone other than his sister Lilly, and has never had anything close to a girlfriend – the thought frightens him to death. But he is madly in love with the landlord, Carol Crowe, from the first day she stepped foot in Belvidere and his eyes met hers, much to the consternation of his sister Lilly, who would just assume stick a fork in Carol's chest. When Cord Brin shows up in Belvidere, to the surprise of many, Earl befriends him. But the two become the best of friends...kindred spirits, thanks to the prodding of Earl’s mom, who has been dead for decades.
Lilly Liddell. A Beautiful & Broken Woman.
Yet another antagonist because life usually deals more than one. Beauty is power and a smile is its sword, that, in essence, is Lilly. But despite her looks, Lilly is a fragile, broken woman. She’s haunted by her mother’s death, hidden behind a sarcastic tongue and a wicked temper. Lillian is a manipulative big fish in the small pond called Belvidere. She simply must be the center of attention in any room she enters. Lilly believes every man wants her, and most women…and she's usually right. Although fiercely protective of her younger brother, Earl, she mistreats him just the same, as big sisters oftentimes do. She has complicated relationships with Button, with Cord, with Marty, with Sam...with just about every man in Belvidere. Oh, and she loathes Carol Crowe, who is a big fish trying to swim in Lilly’s little pond. We suggest you never get on Lilly's wrong side; you could end up in a world of hurt… literally.
Carol Crowe. A Manhattan Hedge-Funder.
The love of Earl’s life and Lilly’s nemesis. From humble roots, Carol is self-made and an uber-wealthy single-by-choice executive. She owns and manages her own hedge fund and has a personal net worth just shy of a billion greenbacks. She spends most of her time in the fund circuit and the elite Manhattan social scene until, by fluke, she finds a pied-a-terre in the little blackwater of Belvidere, in the western wilds of rural northern New Jersey. Soon thereafter, she becomes the owner of L’antre du Lion (the Lion’s Den) where she spends many weekends on the front porch overlooking Belvidere’s central green. Here she interacts with the locals and meets our protagonist, Cord Brin, and his best friend Earl. Note to self: Stand clear when Carol Crowe and Lilly Liddell occupy the same space; it is downright dangerous.
Button Pierce, A Little Black Book.
An antagonist of the worst kind, Button was born in Belvidere and Lilly’s long-absent squeeze is one of the five primary players in Belvidere. He is a gorgeous ladies’ man – every woman wants to be his…but ladies, be careful what you wish for. Button is evil incarnate...a malevolent spirit. When you delve into the series, you'll agree...Button doesn't deserve top billing, but if we feature the other primary players and omit him...we fear, along with Cord Brin, we too may be added to the already-long kill list in his little black book.
As you dive into the series, we are sure you’ll agree there is at least one character that deserves to be put down; others you’ll want to throttle on one page, then hug a few pages later – how many of our own family and friends fall into such a category?
And then there’s Earl – if you don’t love Earl, there is no cure for you.
For more information, contact:
Kristine Chiorando, Author Representative
321-662-2620