Experiencing My Thriller’s Story Setting — The New Dawn
How amazing, crazy, beautiful it was.
I’d dreamt of going to Rome and its surrounding countryside for so long, and I finally made it. The Eternal City, as it’s called, was humbling, staggering, ethereal. Looking past all the construction and tourists and souvenir racks, I tried to imagine the time before myself. The vast histories. The thousands of lives lived and lost. The sheer amount of humans those sand-hued walls have witnessed come and pass. The intimidating traffic and crowds were worth it, especially when I got to taste an Aperol spritz at a rooftop bar overlooking city, the Colosseum in sight.
But one of my favorite moments was the train ride out of the city, because that is the setting of the last half of my intelligent espionage conspiracy thriller, The New Dawn. I’ve written my main character, Caterina Ellis, traveling through the countryside outside of Rome, with its lush hills and neat rows of grapevines, to a villa atop a hill.
When I first wrote the book, I’d never been to Italy, so I did my research through books and internet searches. Honestly, I was scared coming to Italy, scared that I would find my settings way off from the real thing. But it wasn’t the case! It’s just how I envisioned it! And I dare say, even more beautiful. I added a few new details as I went through my latest round of line edits, like integrating the beautiful red poppies I saw along the roads and train tracks, but otherwise I was relieved to find that I was well on target.
Sampling My Story Food
Sadly, I did not get to try all of the foods I mention in my book. I missed out on the delight of tasting a maritozzo because the pasticceria I’d chosen was closed on the one morning I was in the city. But I did try carbonara in Rome. And while in Italy, I had the pleasure of drinking wines in their local regions (YUM!).
The Grand Inspiration of Italy
But back to the countryside. While speeding in a train going 205 kilometers an hour, I listened to my favorite Italian group, Il Volo—their Ad Astra album (international edition). The grandness of their music made sense having just visited Rome and witnessing the seemingly supernatural scenery of the land. How can your art not be bold and grand and deep with inspiration such as that?
It also made me grateful that I live in Washington State. We aren’t Italia, but we do have stunning hills, valleys, and mountains of our own. We have some pretty good vineyards too. Plus, in Washington, I can expertly understand the primary language, which is very nice!
Overall, my jaunt through Italy was overflowing with inspiration. How could it not? And I feel closer to my characters having been there. Caterina grew up in Rome until she was nine, but she returns every year to visit the graves of her parents, still haunted by their unsolved murders. And Andrè, he runs through the ancient streets, thirsts in the August heat, and uses the chaos of the city to his advantage. I can see the scenes even more viscerally now, and have input a few more details to make my settings even more true to life. I started this novel over a decade ago, and now it’s time for the finishing touches.
Meet Caterina and André in my blog post, “Meet the Characters of The New Dawn, A Thriller”
The Beginning of the End
Over ten years is a long time for a book project. I’m reminded that God’s timing is everything. It took me twelve years from starting The New Dawn to make it to Italy, and there is a reason why this book is not published yet. Maybe it’s so I could experience these settings, maybe a million other reasons. It’s hard to be patient, but there is a time for everything, and who am I to say I know better? There are way more pieces working together for this book project to be published and successful than me. I can be patient, just like the Roman stone statues waiting to watch the next generation step into the world.
Have you ever read a thriller where the setting felt so real, it pulled you straight into the action? Or is there a city you think makes the perfect backdrop for a high-stakes conspiracy? Let me know—I’m always curious what settings captivate thriller fans!
This thriller is not yet published. Publishing journey updates are posted on this book page.
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S.J. Siedenburg is a thriller & fantasy novelist, an editor, and a bibliophile with a passion for stories and helping writers finish their novels. She’s the author of the guidebooks Character Presentation, Before the First Draft, and the How to Write a Novel online course. Six of her short stories have been published through writing contests. Sarah lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” —John 1:5