Told through multiple points-of-view and alternating between past and present, Alex Finlay’s Every Last Fear is not only a page-turning thriller, it’s also a poignant story about a family managing heartbreak and tragedy, and living through a fame they never wanted.
We chat with author Alex Finlay, which is the pseudonym of an author who lives in Washington, D.C. Born in Opelika, Alabama, Alex’s formative years were spent traversing the globe, from a tropical island in the Pacific to a small village in the UK to a remote region in the Far East. But it was on a vacation in Tulum, Mexico that Alex was inspired to write Every Last Fear.
Hi, Alex Tell us a bit about yourself!
By day, I race cars, day-trade stock, have four-martini lunches, and practice Brazilian jiu-jitsu. By night, I play guitar in an Alice in Chains tribute band, moonlight as a sous-chef, binge watch The Bachelor, then tap on a computer in the dark and make up stories. Okay, only that last thing is true.
After the chaos that was 2020, have you set any goals for this year? If so, how are they going so far?
I ended 2020 by getting COVID on New Year’s Eve (not kidding), so that set a low bar for 2021. My goal is for my family to stay healthy. My hope is for the world to get through this, learn something important from it, and for life to start to resemble something like Before.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
I was a late reader and my first memory of being excited to read was in elementary school when I lived in the UK. I’d sprint out of the school bus to get to my comic books and salt-and-vinegar potato chips. In high school, I spent a short period in Leavenworth, Kansas (I could see the famous federal prison from my house), and A Separate Peace by John Knowles was a book that really spoke to me, though I don’t remember why. A book I couldn’t stop thinking about is The Road, which makes an appearance in my novel, Every Last Fear.
Every Last Fear is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Five words: My kids’ only college fund. (Yes, I’m not above guilt purchases).
What can readers expect?
I hope they can expect the unexpected, something different from a thriller. And if they shed a tear through the twists and turns, I’ve done my job.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
The best advice came from Strunk & White: “Omit needless words.” Worst: “Write what you know.” What I know is pretty limited and boring. “Write what you can imagine” is better.
What’s next for you?
Celebrating the release of Every Last Fear on March 2 after years working on it, begging my editor for an extension to turn in the manuscript for my next book, and thanking The Nerd Daily for always keeping me entertained and informed.
I finished Every Last Fear today. Lots of twists and turns for the Pine family. I would love to know who the real Alex Finlay is. That being said, I would anything else written by him.
Right up there with Harlan Coben for suspense! Almost missed Thanksgiving dinner and then stayed up way too late to finish this book. Never imagined that ending!
Loved the book. Could not put it down till finished.
I just read this book and loved it. Couldn’t put it down.