MY INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR ALEXANDREA WEIS

MY INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR ALEXANDREA WEIS

What’s your name and what genre would you consider your books to be?

I am Alexandrea Weis and I write in romance, horror, paranormal, thriller, historical, and YA.

Tell me about your book. How did you come up with that (story, angle, idea)?

Death by the River was a collaboration with Lucas Astor who came up with the story. I added to the setting, developed the characters, and helped bring his vision to life.

What kind of research did you do for this book?

I am a nurse, so my years of nursing gave me experience with working with sexual assault victims and individuals with mental health issues.

What’s a typical working day like for you? When and where do you write? Do you set a daily writing goal?

I get up, take care of animals—both domestic and the wild that I rehab—and then I sit and write. I spend several hours a day writing, so it has become a habit for me. I never set a goal. I just see where it goes.

Do you have a new book in the making and if so, what’s the name of your upcoming book?

My next novel is already completed and will be out in May 2019. Realm is an historical YA novel about the wife of Alexander the Great—Roxana. The daughter of local governor in Bactria, Alexander married her and took her with him on his travels across Persia and India. It is an epic tale of love, conquest, and the plight of women in ancient times.

How important are character names to you in your books? Is there a special meaning to any of the names?

Gage and Beau are my favorite names in Death by the River. We wanted names to express their roots and complexity. They were challenging to write. The scenes between Gage and Beau are my favorite in the story. I felt their relationship was crucial for getting into Beau’s mind.

Where do your ideas come from?

Anywhere. I get book ideas at the drop of a hat.

Is there a genre that you’ve been wanting to experiment with?

I have covered all the genres I like to write in, especially horror, paranormal and historical.

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

There are not enough hours int eh day to get what I want done when working on a book.

What do you think of book trailers? Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book? There is a book trailer for Death by the River.

What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?

The many books I have written and working as a wildlife rehabber.

What’s the best thing about being an author?

The creativity. Being able to let your creativity run free when creating a story and see where it takes you. It always surprises me.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Still writing books and taking care of animals.

Have you always liked to write?

Ever since I was eight. It was the only thing I ever felt where I used 100% of my brain.

What writing advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Keep writing. It takes a lot of writing to find your voice and nothing happens overnight in this business. And accept you will always change and grow as a writer.

If you didn’t like writing books, or weren’t any good at it, what would you like to do for a living?

I would have been an archeologist. I love history.

Do you read reviews of your book(s)? Do you respond to them, good or bad? How do you deal with the bad?

I read them but I do not respond. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I don’t pay attention to the bad ones. I remember them, but I never respond.

What is your least favourite part of the writing / publishing process?

After you have gone through the editing process and the book is finished and you do the last read through before it goes off for formatting. It’s the last time it is just your book. After that, it becomes the readers.

What are you working on now?

I am working on Seize: The Magnus Blackwell Series Book 3. This is another collaborative series with Lucas Astor. This next novel will come out sometime in March 2019.

Can you give us a few tasty morsels from your work-in-progress?

A face appeared on the wall. It came through the thick covering like a hand punching through a plastic sheath. But as the face took shape, so did the color on the cheeks and highlights in her honey-colored hair.
Her smile was the same earth-shattering one he remembered from their life together.
“You need to come home, Magnus. Come and rest with us. I miss you.”
The face may have belonged to Francis, but as he studied her features and depth of her brown eyes, something was missing—her fire.
The woman he knew would never have come across as so lifeless.
He motioned to the face in the wall. “That’s not Francis McGee.”
“Francis O’Connor, you mean.”
He glanced back at Maman Brigitte. “You created her to tempt me. Just like you created my father and brother. She’s not real.”
“I didn’t create the spirits, Mr. Blackwell. They exist in my world, and are waiting for you to join them.” She crept closer. “Think of it. The peace you could experience. No more worry, no more heartache. Just existing with those you love for eternity. The trials of life forgotten.”
Magnus grinned, his resolve hardening. “Life is never forgotten by the dead, Mistress. It’s the iron which forges their spirit. And all the dead have left to cling to.”
“She will cast you aside soon.” Her flowery voice grew colder. “Kalfu wants you gone. He is her advisor, her guide now. You are just a pest waiting to be squashed.”
Magnus seethed. He tightened his grip on his cane, suppressing the urge to bash it over the attractive woman’s head.
“Lexie is all that matters to me. I will never leave her. Give up this masquerade before she finds out. Do you want the Mambo of New Orleans as an enemy or an ally?”
Maman Brigitte collected her black rooster cane and swept the thick folds of her mesmerizing gown behind her.
“When you are ready, I will be waiting.”

Why did you choose to write in your genre? If you write in more than one, how do you balance them?

It is not so much the genre I have to balance but the story. Considering the characters, I can stay within the confines of each story and that fits into the genre.

Where did your love of books come from?

I’ve always loved to read ever since I was little.

Do you have any favorite authors or favorite books?

Anything by Mary Renault, Charles Dickens, Stephan King, or Dean Koontz.

Of all the characters you have created, which is your favourite and why?

Magnus Blackwell in the Magnus Blackwell series because he is so much fun to write.

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Always energizes me.

What is your writing Kryptonite?

Walmart—when I have to break away from writing to go grocery shopping. Otherwise, I am always writing or editing.

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I write for me. You can never survive if you write for fads or try to anticipate what a reader wants.

What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?

I’m very close with Mary Ting. We help support each other through the ups and downs of this business.

If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?

Buried Beneath the Fur.

What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

Is writing a passion or a business to you?

I think it is an important question to ask because for me it is a passion that has become a business. As long as there is passion in what I write, then I will continue. If it just becomes a business, I’m not sure I will feel the same way. Writing has to be all you want to do. This work can take a lot away from your life because many people will not understand a passion. It takes a lot of commitment to follow that passion and build on it.

Where can your fans find you and follow??

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoralexandreaweis/

Webpage: http://www.alexandreaweis.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexandreaweis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandreaweis/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1211671.Alexandrea_Weis

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