Alex Six received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Vince Taplin.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Alex Six, 2020.
What’s the book’s first line?
Her office was sparsely decorated with a pair of Route 66 signs and a painting that looked like it was created in the style of “Realism by 8-year-old.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
How far wound someone go to get what they want?
Alexa and Francis were wealthy executives who had everything, except for kids. When he tragically passed away, she gave up hope for being a mother… until she met Vick Miller, a simple family man, and a nearly perfect doppelganger of her husband.
She pays him handsomely for his donations to produce a child who resembles her beloved husband. The offers grow more enticing, and Vick’s marriage begins to strain.
Alexa wants his genes… his looks anyway. She is wealthy, attractive, powerful, and utterly obsessed.
He has no idea she is watching him.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
I wanted to write something that pushed my boundaries. A thriller I wanted to read.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
If you enjoy dark, offensive psychological thrillers like gone girl and verity, this is your jam!
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
I would say the cast of [the move] Fatal Attraction is the most similar.
If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
Ben afflac would make a good Vick (MC #1). Olga Kurylenko would be a fantastic Alexa (MC#2)!
When did you first decide to become an author?
I started writing in 2001 after watching Lord of the Rings. I realized then I wanted to write, and to learn the craft!
Is this the first book you’ve written?
It’s the first book I’m proud of, if that counts. I’ve written a lot of garbage, as any new author has. In ten years I’ll likely say the same about this… but it’s a constant learning process.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I own several small businesses and have a wife and two small children. My time is divided to say the least!
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
I spend about ten hours a week writing… which is why Alex Six took so long to produce!
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The hardest part is getting the first 50 reviews. Those are HARD. No one wants to read an untested book. It’s a difficult road. The best part is having complete control of the book, pricing and my schedule!
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Prepare to suck. Prepare to fail. Keep going. We all get better and better until we write something decent… then you just keep getting better! Read a lot. Write a lot. Delete a lot.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
I’d like to say no… but it depends on the size of the check!
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
These days I do everything so that my kids can someday think “If my stupid dad can do it, I can do it”. Businesses. Inventions. Books. Whatever. I want to do it all and make sure they see that any schlep with a computer can do almost anything with a little practice.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
Stephen King. He is so down to earth and helpful. He wrote “On Writing” with the intent to help writers succeed. He is Awesome.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
Rich Dad Poor Dad. So much energy and magic in that book. Inspirational.