Meet Brian Lebeau | Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brian Lebeau and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brian, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.
The novel that had the greatest impact on me is The Great Gatsby. I read it all in one night while a freshman at Marquette University and knew from that day I would one day write. But I was determined to make money first in order to afford an artistic career. So, I focused on my known skills in math and logic to earn degrees in economics and political science and eventually went into business in 2003. I stepped down from a CEO position in September 2016 to learn to write and successfully published my first novel, A Disturbing Nature, in May 2022.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
First, I believe art, by its very nature, is entirely subjective. I’ve invested heavily and worked very hard in the development of my writing and hope it qualifies as art, at least one day. At the moment, I am focused on An Anxious Resolution, the second novel in a psychological thriller series that delves into the dark side of human nature. These first two novels have been emotionally draining as they use the historical accuracy of serial killers in the mid-to-late 1970s as a background, but break the traditional mold of modern suspense novels by steering away from the genre-conforming styles and blending elements of historical fiction, psychological thriller, and an artistic writing style that leverages an omniscient narrator to expose the inner thoughts of primary characters. In this way, I can explore the thin line between man and monster and raise questions about human nature and post-WWII America, what we have learned, and what we can leverage from our past. The writing is not intended to answer the questions that are raised, but rather to make the reader think about social, cultural, national, and universal issues that may sometimes be overlooked. By writing the extremes, readers may be encouraged to see where they fall in the spectrum. I’m proud of the tenacity it’s taken to get to the point of publishing a second novel under the constant stress of a rapidly evolving publishing market and the dedication of the folks that work with me to stick it out when the returns do not yet match the effort. All art comes from personal pain. There is no way around that. Tangent Inspired Stories will continue to write novels, some dark and some uplifting, and some inspiring. And the hope is my novels will provide intriguing stories with a message that varies for each reader based on their unique view of the world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, I’ve always been a big fan of Walt Disney as a creative and business genius, so I typically take visitors to Disneyland. I have watched adults cry when they enter the park because it’s a dream come true for them. For fifteen years, The Helping Out People Everywhere Foundation, which I founded in 2005, took foster children from all over Southern California to Disneyland and rose to more than 125 children by 2019. Sadly, COVID ended that effort in 2020, but I am hopeful we will resume again in the coming years. Now, with a week-long itinerary, I would include 2 days at Disneyland, a trip to the Midway Museum, and Seaport Village. We would also pay a visit to several wineries in the Ramona area, particularly Turtle Rock Ridge Winery, before heading down to Old Town San Diego to enjoy the shops, village, and authentic Mexican food at one of the wonderful restaurants there, go see a Padres game, and spend a day relaxing by the pool at my house. Locally, we would enjoy Mexican food at La Cocina and local farm-to-table fare at Marinade on Main. For a light breakfast and warm beverages, we would visit Main Street Coffee in Ramona. They were unbelievably helpful when we were advertising the launch of my first novel. I’m sure we would sit around the grill for a day by the pool, and enjoy Mexican fare down in San Diego, maybe at Casa Guadalajara or Old Town Mexican Cafe. Another fine option is a day trip up to Julian to peruse the shops and dine at one of my personal favorites, Quecho Elevated Mexican Eatery. 

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It takes the influence of so many people to make a person who they are that it’s hard to focus on any one person or organization. My parents were instrumental in the way they encouraged me to stretch my intellectual gifts. I’ve also had the good fortune of studying under a number of fabulous professors at several schools, each of whom provided mentorship and friendship over the years. Then there are all the people I’ve worked with and others who became employees at my first company, including a partner who shared the risk. And, of course, there’s the most important basis of love and encouragement, family. I’ve been blessed with an amazing family that includes my wife, Stephanie, and my two wonderful children, Jack and Lea, who have made certain I know how much they believe in what I’m doing, even as it does not contribute to our financial success, yet. Finally, there’s the extended family that is my two invaluable employees, Nicole Manley and Rea Stowell, whose efforts behind the scenes – editing, social media management, typesetting, bookkeeping, photography, and providing writing and editorial services for other outlets – keep Tangent Inspired Stories pushing forward.

Website: www.brianlebeau.com

Instagram: url: https://www.instagram.com/brianlebeauwriter/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ brian-lebeau-b7773a1

Facebook: url: https://www.facebook.com/Brian-Lebeau-101476895708631

Image Credits
Book Launch Turtle Rock Winery Ramona; Boston Common; Brian at Bar Harbor; Head and Shoulders Shot; Julian Library; SD Library; Tangent Team China; Van Gogh. I certify that Brian Lebeau has all rights and permissions for the personal images used in these photos.