Interview with Alexandrea Weis, author of Death by the River

What can you tell us about your new release, Death by the River?

Death by the River is an entertaining and riveting in-depth look at a man’s descent into depravity and the psychological instability he suffers from. How he manifests his fantasies by hurting the innocent also ignites the need for revenge in the women he harms. How his mental illness develops, and how it affects others, is the crux of the story. Beau Devereaux is a fascinating and complex character.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

Having grown up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, titans of literature such as Tennessee Williams would frequent my father’s office. Being an author was always something I knew I would do since the age of eight. I could express myself with words best and always felt comfortable with a pen and paper in hand.

What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?

The Nature of Alexander by Mary Renault

The Shining by Stephan King

The Sun Also Rises Ernest by Hemingway

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The Three Musketeers Alexandre Dumas

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

Edgar Allen Poe. I would want to know where his stories came from and what he thinks is scary in literature.

What’s your favorite thing about writing?

The creativity of it. Letting my mind go and create a story. I never plot, and where the story takes me is a captivating process.

What is a typical day like for you?

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.

What scene in Death by the River was your favorite to write?

The scenes between Beau and his father, Gage, are my favorite. Much of what his son is and does is the result of his father’s browbeating. I felt their relationship was crucial for getting into Beau’s mind.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

Never, ever give up. Keep going, and don’t ever stop trying.

Alexandrea Weis is the author of the new book Death by the River

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