Vincent R. Alexandria

Vincent Alexandria

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Vincent Alexandria is a nationally published author, who resides in Houston, Texas and was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. He is also an actor, producer, director, composer, lyricist, screenwriter, vocalist, and musician. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Rockhurst College and a Masters degree in literature from Baker University.

He is the founder of the Brother 2 Brother Literary Symposium which will be held in Houston, Texas October 3rd and 4th, 2008 at Texas Southern University (TSU). Its mission is to enlighten men and women in reading and comprehension in order to enhance their quality of life. Nationally published authors show a commitment to their communities by giving back to their readers in gratitude of what they have done for them and their careers. The website for the symposium is www.b2bls.com.

He has completed four award winning murder detective mystery novels and has signed national book contracts with BET/Harlequin-Kimani Press for the titles; “Black Rain,” “Black Heat,” “Black Vice,” “If Walls Could Talk,” “Postal Blues,” and “Ain’t Nothing Like Loving an Ugly Woman,” and “Love Don’t Come Easy,” with Parker Publishing. His novels, “If Walls Could Talk” & “Black Rain,” are in negotiations for movie options.

Vincent has a children’s book series entitled, “Marvelous Martin and the Case of Mr. Bean” & “Marvelous Martin and the Case of Freddy Freeman and the Freckled Faced Bully” which has been picked up by Marimba Books Publishing (Kensington) and will be released October 2008.

He completed his award winning poetry book, “Poetry from the Bottom of My Heart” and is working on his second volume of work. He is also writing two stage-plays with comedian, Rickey Smiley.
He is part of the anthology by Donna Hill, “On the Line,” and “Crimes of Passion,” by Literary Wonders and Yolanda Johnson. He has won awards for Volunteer of the Year with the Boys and Girls Club of Kansas City, Missouri and the YMCA of Greater Houston Minority Achievers Award.

Black Rain
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Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Kimani Press (September 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0373830432
ISBN-13: 978-0373830435

A story of betrayal, treachery, and greed.

Detective Johnson goes against the decision of his partner, his wife, and leaves his dying father’s bedside to risk death for the FBI agent he which he is indebted.

FBI Agent Cheryl Chase in fear of her life feels her cover will be blown as quickly as were her partners, as they secretly work deep undercover in a black ring of assassin cops.

A single phone call sets off a chain of events that catapults Detective Joe Johnson into the most difficult case and life decision of his life.

Will Detective Johnson be able to save FBI Agent Chase, his marriage, his life, and stop the black ring of dirty cops?

Or will he be consumed in Black Rain?

Poetry from the Bottom of My Heart
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ISBN: 0974956422
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: March 2004
Publisher: We Must X-L Publishing

This is a poetic compilation of soul stirring, moving, and provocative emotions from a romantic man of chivalry. “The Light of Day” and “Dallas Deportment” are two erotic stories in the back of this poetry book that you will need a cup of ice to read. They are sensually hot. The poetry promises to be a passionate treat.

Postal Blues
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Format: Paperback, 227pp.
ISBN: 0966650336
Publisher: ShanKrys Publishing, Incorporated
Pub. Date: March 2001

Detective Joe Johnson and his partner, Vernon Brown, are thrust into a chaotic situation with tense consequences as they find out what going postal is all about.

While planning his partner's twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, Detective Johnson finds himself protecting his partner's wife, Gertrude, when they are taken hostage in the middle of a bloody massacre at the main postal facility in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

This Postal drama intensifies when the two detectives are assigned to the Missouri River Serial Killer case and team up with the beautiful, intelligent, and seductive FBI Agent, Cheryl Chase. They soon discover there are postal ties to the serial killer.

Once the Missouri Governor gets involved, the Mayor of Kansas City promises swift results at any expense. Will these cases of murderous, intellectual, cat and mouse end in a dead letter, another body, or a headline which reads, Postal Blues?

If Walls Could Talk: A Detective Murder Mystery
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Format: Paperback, 181pp.
ISBN: 1890622567
Publisher: Leathers Publishing
Pub. Date: January 1999

About the Book
from Vincent Alexandria

"I have written, directed and produced three musical stage plays prior to this project. In this book is the actual case of a Kansas City Murder in which a mother kills her children, this is the first time anyone is walked through the actual events of the crime scene. I was the person that found the children and I let you see, what I saw. I try to write, so you can visualize the story and I try to use as many senses as possible to thrust you into each chapter. Oprah Winfrey's, Harpo Production and Spike Lee's, Forty Acre's and a Mule Production, have received copies for review for a screen play. I hope you will enjoy and look for my next book, "Postal Blues." It will be about a mass murder in the post office and a serial killer in Kansas City."

Peace and Love, Vincent Alexandria

Black Heat

Black Vice

You may also order this book directly from the author

Vincent R. Alexandria
c/o We Must X-L, Inc.
10900 Fuller
Kansas City, MO 64134

Phone Orders 1-888-888-7696 or 1-913-498-2625
Fax orders 913-498-1561

All it takes is a handshake and that’s a commitment believes Vincent Alexandria, author of two self-published titles If Walls Could Talk and Postal Blues. Alex, who has been working on his craft since he was 7 years old, says that in addition to having a good product, networking is crucial when it comes to selling a self published book.

The father of five has sold over 12,000 copies, a respectable number even for some major publishing houses with entire staffs devoted to marketing, publicity and sales. And outstanding for an author working alone selling books from Missouri, the state known more for rolling country sides and Kansas City jazz than the literature being produced there.

Alexandria says he learned to write mysteries from reading other writers whose work he admired and from consulting texts on novel writing. But in order to learn how to sell, he sought the help of professionals who were currently in the business beginning with bookstore owners.

“I’d go to them and say ‘think you can wise a young brother up?” he said in a recent telephone interview from his home on Memorial Day. At the time he and his family were getting ready for a barbeque. Not only is his immediate family rather large, Alexandria is the youngest of 15 siblings.

Alexandria got hip to the book biz quick. Shortly after publishing If Walls could Talk he convinced Clara Villarosa of the Hue-Man Bookstore, then located Denver, to take a look at his book. After reading his work Villarosa invited him to be a featured writer at Book Expo America (http://www.bookexpoamerica.com) formerly known as the American Booksellers Association Convention & Trade Exhibit, a huge event that serves the book market globally.

This was indeed a learning experience for the first time author. At the expo, Vincent went about setting up his stand complete with a sign announcing the price he expected to receive for each book. The problem was that when you are a featured writer at BEA you give books away, you don’t sell them.

One minor stumble. The rest of the ride was quite smooth. Alexandria was networking from the time he walked in until he left at the end of the weekend. “Everyone’s there,” he said. “The book stores, the literary magazines, writers.”

And to make the experience even sweeter, at one point Walter Mosley, one of Alexandria’s favorite writers, came over, told him that he’d heard about his book and requested a copy.

Aside from BEA, there are other venues where writers can market their work. Alexandria works two jobs during the week and then travels to a different city about every other weekend to hawk his books. Alexandria will be at the annual Black Writers Reunion & Conference, which will be held this year from August 3-5 in Dallas Texas. The event features a 50-Author Expo, a well-publicized event that is open to the public. The conference is an extension of the Black Writers Alliance (http://www.blackwriters.org), which was founded on Juneteenth 1998. The BWA provides information, support and encouragement to its members while promoting fellowship among the writing community.

“You are your best seller,” says Alexandria. He advises authors who are networking at events to not let anyone walk by without shaking their hand.

Attending book club events is another great way to sell books, according to Alexandria. When we talked he was planning on traveling to Richmond, VA to the Go On Girl Annual Awards Weekend in early June. 2001 marks the 10th Anniversary of the Go On Girl Book Club, (http://www.goongirl.org) which boasts over 200 members over 32 chapters. The club was founded by Monique Greenwood, Lynda Johnson and Tracy Mitchell-Brown who decided to turn their office chat about the latest offerings from Black authors into formal book discussions.

For all of those authors that don’t have the funds to travel, Alexandria says there are a number of ways to promote books for free. Another outlet authors should be aware of is the local radio station. “You give away books,” said Alexandria. “One for each of the DJs and then give one away to a listener. Then at the end of the year, you write the books off on your taxes.”

And for those authors who simply want to produce, but not promote their work, Alexandria advises them to think of publishing as a business. “You have to be smart about it,” he said. While keeping tight control of the finances, Alex is still true to his art. The former musician studies the writing of other mystery writers like Agatha Christie, and Arthur Flowers in order to determine what he calls his own “fingerprint” or unique way of telling sleuthing tales.

“I use romance and jazz. My work is sensual,” he says

The following is a sample from If Walls Could Talk:

Sierra opens the curtains and lets the night-lights and moon shine through the fourteenth floor hotel room. She turns off the lights and commences massaging my back and humming a soft melody.

“You’re remarkable, Sierra. Thank you for being here,” I say in a very humble and relaxed voice.”

“Don’t thank me. I’m here because I want to be.” She kisses me on the back of my neck.

“You are so jazzy,” I say as I close my eyes and let the humming soothe my mind.

Want to read more? Visit: http://www.vincentalexandria.com.

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Vincent Alexandria holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Rockhurst college. He is currently working on his Masters degree in literature at Baker University. He has received numerous awards for outstanding service with the Boys and Girls Club of America. He is the youngest of 15 children, married & the father of 5. Vincent has written, produced and directed three musical stage plays, "His Eyes are on the Sparrow", "The Changing of an Uncle Tom" and "If She Only Knew."

Related Links

Official Website
www.vincentalexandria.com

Brother 2 Brother Symposium
www.theliteraryevent.com/symposium