ben vendetta-wivenhoe park

Set in the mid-1980′s, Wivenhoe Park chronicles the adventures of Drew, a former track star, who has become a pill popping, dope smoking, heavy drinking, rock ‘n’ roll-obsessed student with writing aspirations. He moves to England on a whim to escape various demons, such as a goth ex-girlfriend he can’t seem to shake out of his system. Experiencing the ascent of a new indie music scene that includes The Smiths, Jesus and Mary Chain, and Primal Scream, he befriends a cast of characters, including a star Melody Maker journalist, a smooth mod from New York City, and several enticing British girls. Will Drew find peace, love and understanding or will it all burn down like cigarettes?

Ben Vendetta has been writing about rock and roll for his entire adult life for a number of publications, including The Big Takeover and Skyscraper. He published Vendetta Magazine from 1995 to 2002 and was the director of publicity at Dionysus Records before co-founding independent record label, Elephant Stone Records, with his wife Arabella Proffer-Vendetta. He’s also a serious Masters Division runner. His debut novel Wivenhoe Park, forthcoming on Cooperative Press Trade, is his first work of fiction.