Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it
part of a series?
The Secret Brokers is the first book in The Secret
Brokers Series. It sets the stage for the adventures of Dallas August,
owner of a company that has spies for hire gathering secrets that can be sold
to the highest bidder. He didn’t want to own the company, but the
responsibility was thrust on him after his previous adventures covered in
another book trilogy, The Nicci Beauvoir Series. Dallas is a broken man,
physically and emotionally. This is the story about how he heals himself and devotes
himself to his company.
Do you have a favorite character?
Dallas August. I love his dark side, and his attempt to make
himself a better person. He is an intriguing blend of angst, sexiness, and
warmth. I developed him in the previous Nicci Beauvoir Series in the
book Recovery, and I could never let him go. He flourished in that
series and The Secret Brokers is the result of wanting to take him in a
new direction.
Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one?
Did that change the direction of the novel at all?
Cleveland was a minor character in Sacrifice, the
final book in the Nicci Beauvoir Series, but I loved writing him so
much, I brought him back to be a regular character in The Secret Brokers Series.
He is a handful and filled with all the zest found in the residents of New
Orleans. He is a true New Orleans character.
Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e.
querying agents/publishers?
Yes, and eventually it worked, but only after I established myself as an indie author. The Secret Brokers is published by Vesuvian Books.
Yes, and eventually it worked, but only after I established myself as an indie author. The Secret Brokers is published by Vesuvian Books.
What factors influenced your decision to go with a particular
agent or publisher?
Chemistry, and their ability to listen to you as an author-something that is true in all business relationships. You need to find someone who makes you comfortable and allow you to write what you feel. If someone tries to put you in a box and only write what they feel is lucrative, find another agent or publisher.
Chemistry, and their ability to listen to you as an author-something that is true in all business relationships. You need to find someone who makes you comfortable and allow you to write what you feel. If someone tries to put you in a box and only write what they feel is lucrative, find another agent or publisher.
Are you currently under a traditional publishing contract
for future books or do you have manuscripts that you will self-publish? Are you
doing both?
I have several books under contract with my publisher,
Vesuvian Books, and I am also working on other ventures in the film industry.
What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do
you like silence?
I don’t have a process, but I do not listen to music. I just
sit and write. There is no routine, no set minimum of words I give myself. When
I am writing a book, it is usually eight to ten hours a day I spend at my
computer.
Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes
you?
I sometimes outline when working with a partner. Other times
I go with my muse, but usually I have an idea where the story will go.
Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between
marketing your current book and writing your next book?
Marketing is always a struggle, fortunately I have a fantastic
publisher who handles a lot of that. Still, it is an effort to market, and not
an exact science as many authors will tell you.
Besides writing, do you have any other passions?
I am a wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and
Fisheries, so when I am not writing, I am working with orphaned and injured
wildlife. Helping animals is my other passion.
What’s next for you?
My next novel comes out in October and is a Christmas love story
with a spooky ghost tale woven in. The Christmas Tree will hit in late
October and be a cozy and creepy holiday read.
The Secret Brokers
Alexandrea Weis
(Secret Brokers, #1)
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication date: April 7th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense, Thriller
Dallas August runs a dangerous business—an organization of elite spies for hire.
The secrets trade.
Nothing is off limits, and no price is too high.
When asked to uncover what recluse Gwen Marsh knows about a Mafia kingpin’s death, Dallas poses as a bodyguard to get close to his target, but the stubborn Asian beauty wants nothing to do with him. As the FBI and the Mafia close in, danger drives them together, but can he protect Gwen, or will Dallas be the one risking everything to discover what she is really hiding?
Dallas August is about to find out how dangerous life can be as one of the Secret Brokers.
Once you are in, there is no turning back.
Author Bio:
Alexandrea Weis is an advanced practice registered nurse who was born and raised in New Orleans. Having been brought up in the motion picture industry, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her award-winning novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story memorable.
A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured wildlife. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans.
GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for being on the tour! :)
ReplyDelete