1--What is the title of your latest release?
THE BODY BROKERS
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Attorney Jason Feldman's world is shattered when his girlfriend dies of a fentanyl overdose. His journey to the truth will take him into the belly of the beast, where life is cheap and the reality, catastrophic.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I grew up in Pittsburgh, and being intimately familiar with its beauty, quirks, and nuance, the primary setting was never in doubt. I chose Kensington (Philadelphia) because I am very familiar with the community struggles around fentanyl. With its proximity to Pittsburgh, it was the perfect choice.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Yes. As a lawyer in addiction recovery like Jason, I understand the chaos and uncertainty that can accompany it. That creates shared experiences. He is also a Pittsburgh guy to the core, so we’d have lots to talk about and similar local interests like Pittsburgh Pirates games and great local food.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Defiant, methodical, pragmatic
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
The most interesting/compelling characters can be secondary. I love my protagonist but also found that “Doc” just as fascinating and complex.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I don’t send it to my professional editor until I’m finished, but I edit chapters on the go using various tools.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I’m a big fan of sushi and Mexican. Growing up in Pittsburgh, there was a shortage of the latter, but in Dallas, it’s a smorgasbord!
9--Describe your writing space/office!
I a very messy desk in an open home office where I have stacks of books to be read; also do my vocal practice and often cut cringy karaoke. I’m a huge Billy Joel fan.
10--Who is an author you admire?
Bonnie Hearn Hill would be my top choice.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
It’s a nonfiction book entitled The Broken Mirror. I’ve struggled with body image issues for much of my life, and this book gave me good insight into the whys of it.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I had a deal for publication before writing it. It’s a small Simon and Shuster distribution press so I also had a degree of input over a mutually agreed upon publication date which we agreed to be after the election to soften some of the news cycle problems.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Being a lawyer, I gravitate to legal thrillers but have recently gotten into crime-fiction.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
Schindler’s List. I’ve lost extended family in the Holocaust, so this movie resonates to the bone.
15--What is your favorite season?
In Texas, there’s only one season to enjoy. Fall!
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
An interesting question because it’s changed over the years. I’m in recovery from cocaine and alcohol addiction. There was a time when I’d be in Vegas or Miami snorting my brains out. Over seventeen years into recovery, it’s a quiet dinner with my wife.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
Dopesick, starring Michael Keaton. The most heart-wrenching, realistic “based on a true” story coverage of the genesis of the opioid epidemic. If it were a movie, he’d deserve an Academy Award.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Mexican is number one. Sushi is a close second.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
I sing! Two years ago, I started taking lessons with a vocal coach. Had never sung a note outside the shower in my life. It’s been a journey that has given me a lot of insight into myself, particularly around vulnerability and fear of failure. Learning to sing is like running a marathon (I’ve run eight of them). It takes years of minuscule steps forward and backward. Few things felt more “naked” to me than posting a karaoke video for the first time. It’s also like the writing process moving from “paper” to publication for the world to see.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
I’ve started a new crime-thriller about that will be part of The Ambulance Chaser (my first) trilogy but will retire some characters as well. Stay tuned!
When his girlfriend dies of a drug overdose, lawyer Jason Feldman goes undercover to ground zero of the fentanyl epidemic to prove she was murdered.
Lawyer Jason Feldman finds his girlfriend, Emily, dead of a fentanyl overdose. She was the best thing that happened to him since being forced to rebuild his life, struggling to stay sober after being falsely accused of murder, and being suspended from the practice of law.
When the police write Emily’s murder off as accidental, Jason and Emily’s roommate, Delaney, begin their own investigation. Together, Jason and Delaney uncover a dangerous secret that endangers not only their lives, but the lives of those around them. Their journey catapults them into the corrupt addiction treatment centers that will go to any lengths to keep them from learning the truth.
Their only chance of survival lies in Doc, a former physician, who holds the key to Emily’s past and Jason’s future. Will they be able to uncover the truth and expose the powers that be?
Thriller Legal [Post Hill Press, On Sale: December 3, 2024, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9798888451588 / eISBN: 9798888451595]
Brian Cuban, the younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, is a Dallas-based attorney, author, and person in long-term recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. He is a graduate of Penn State University and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
His book, The Addicted Lawyer: Tales of the Bar, Booze, Blow, and Redemption is an unflinching look at how addiction and other mental health issues destroyed his career as a once successful lawyer, and how he and others in the profession redefined their lives in recovery and found redemption.
Brian has spoken at colleges, universities, conferences, non-profits, and legal events across the United States and in Canada. His columns have appeared—and he has been quoted on these topics—online and in print newspapers around the world. He currently resides in Dallas, Texas with his wife and two cats.
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