Leonardo Lanci

This is the second post about the process of writing my first fiction book. Because a character’s style and believability are key to keeping readers engaged, the main protagonist should be likable and possess traits that resonate with readers. The antagonist should also be believable, but more because they are appreciated for their disagreeable skills. Understanding the antagonist’s desires and opposition to the protagonist’s needs adds depth.

This post focuses on the novel's main protagonist, Leonardo Lanci, in the working title “Deadly Wedding in Tuscany." Leonardo's name was chosen for its recognition and Italian origin, while the surname Lanci adds a rhythmic quality. 

Leonardo Lanci’s character has a lineage that traces back to his grandfather, a partisan who assisted the liberation in the boot of Italy in 1943. Leonardo’s distinctive speech style is often slightly flippant, relishing clever phrases. He had a privileged upbringing and training, merging a professional warm engagement with an operative’s analytical precision, all interspersed with dry humor and clever quotations. Watch out for the chapter when he says to his police assistant as they are about to confront a criminal, “I’ll take the charm, you take the arrest warrants.” 

He has several objectives to fulfill: whether he will continue as an undercover operative, recover his kidnapped assistant, stop the merger of the mafia families, and most importantly, meet his mother’s deathbed request about the massacre of her extended family, which included Leonardo’s grandfather. He drives the blood red Maserati Indy, which his father bought to celebrate Leonardo’s birth. The following post will be about Gina, his red-haired videographer’s assistant.