Serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist Mathilde Vuillermoz, the 35-year-old CEO of multimillion dollar company MV Worldwide Group, is on a mission to entertain, with the launch of her publishing house Anthea Press and its first action-adventure title:  WTF – Thief for Hire.

In this exclusive article, she reveals why she decided to invest in publishing when her peers advised against it, and why she is confident that an unashamedly male hero, a “fun blend of James Bond, The Transporter and Californication”, will prove an entertaining hit with both male and female readers.

Q. As a serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist, what led you to launch a publishing company, Anthea Press?

Mathilde Vuillermoz (MV): “When I first let my inner circle and trusted contacts know that I wanted to launch a publishing company, nearly all of them told me to ‘stop right there … it will fail. It's way too risky’.

“I could literally fill a book with all of the feedback I received to kill the project before it even got off the ground.

“I have, however, never been someone who puts too much stock in negative or over-cautionary advice – especially when I have a very clear vision and a plan of action to achieve it.

“I am well aware, of course, that publishing is a high-risk business and, ultimately, a complete financial gamble.

“But I also have total confidence in myself, my business capabilities, and, most importantly, the passion that drove me to this project.

“Having worked extremely hard for many years to achieve balance and stability with my other business ventures – and with my background as a literary & talent agent and film financier – the timing to launch my new publishing company with this specific book series just made sense.

“Publishing is an area that I have always wanted to explore. In my early twenties I started my career as literary and film agent who specializes in brokering book to screen deals.

“I wanted to be able to take projects further than simply being the middle person. I no longer wanted to relinquish all creative control once the publishing and screen rights have been either sold or optioned through my network of contacts.

“Publishing brings me complete marketing control, which is something I have always wanted.

“It took me years of work in other business ventures, unrelated to the literary world but which brought me the experience of highs and lows I needed as an entrepreneur, to get to that stage, where I was finally feeling ready to dabble in publishing.

“Even though I acknowledge this is a risky venture, I have never made spontaneous or impulsive decisions when it comes to business (although most of the projects I tackle do, invariably, tend to be high risk in nature).

When her network of trusted contacts warned that it was too risky to launch a publishing company, serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist Mathilde Vuillermoz said “WTF”, knowing that new action-adventure WTF – Thief for Hire will steal readers’ hearts.

“For my new publishing house, Anthea Press, I knew that I wanted an exciting action-adventure book – albeit with a new spin.

“From experience in the literary world, I know that works of this genre are tried and tested, but WTF – Thief for Hire gives the action & reluctant hero genre a bold, daring, and refreshing angle that I am convinced will appeal to both men and women.

“I was specifically looking for material that was fun, clever, original, and marketable – and with WTF – Thief for Hire I got just that! William Trevor Francis (WTF) was a character I wanted to invest in!

Q. WTF – Thief for Hire is centred around William Trevor Francis (WTF) as the main character and reluctant hero. He has a penchant for excessive drinking, strip clubs, gambling, and robbery amongst other questionable habits. What drew you to this character and why, in this modern age, do you think such a character will appeal to both male and female audiences?

MV: “For a start, I found it fascinating that the author, Marc-Allen Barker, and his alter-ego character in the book are so similar.

“He’s poured himself into this persona. While the book itself is fiction there is so much truth, honesty, and authenticity behind the character that as a reader I just wanted to keep turning the pages.

“It’s fun, it’s clever and relatable. The characters are ‘real’. On top of that, William Trevor Francis is a ‘likable’ rogue with an honourable code of ethics.

WTF – Thief for Hire by Marc-Allen Barker is timeless escapist entertainment at its best.

“His integrity is never questionable. Yes, he is a (deeply) flawed character, but instead of trying to hide his flaws or apologize for them, he fully embraces them.

“He makes no excuses for his vices, habits or choices because he enjoys them too much. That’s just who he is – and he doesn’t care. As a character he is sincere … I felt I knew him. I felt I understood him. In my mind, William Trevor Francis exists!

“In addition, I believe Marc-Allen Barker has also successfully avoided the typical pitfalls of using characters that are nothing more than stereotypical clichés. His characters (both male and female) are strong, intelligent, and capable.

“The other huge appeal to me was Marc-Allen’s use of European locations and his vivid descriptions of capitals and major cities as he takes the reader on a journey across France, Germany, Hungary, and England. You really feel like you are traveling with him!

“The story itself revolves around two central characters: William Trevor Francis and his Interpol counterpart Monique Lefort. Equally accomplished, skilled, and resourceful, Monique Lefort sets out to track and apprehend her international thief for hire as he blazes through Europe on a personal quest for answers to a robbery and murder that he did not commit.

“Ultimately, this becomes a battle of wits between the two players with a resolution that will leave readers wanting more.

“WTF – Thief for Hire leaves the possibility for future adventures with the same two characters: a new job, a new set of problems, and a new villain to overcome.

The cat-and-mouse chase and the ‘will they, won’t they’ connection between the protagonist and antagonist will be a fun common thread uniting them throughout future storylines – with a refreshingly unique spin.

British author Marc-Allen Barker wowed Anthea Press founder Mathilde Vuillermoz with WTF – Thief for Hire, and she is confident that the book – the first in a planned series of classic action-adventures – will be just as well received by readers.

“As a woman and successful entrepreneur in my own right, I am interested in seeing the audience's reaction to a strong, old-fashioned male character who is tough, confident, and ruthless where it counts – but who is also fair and respectful to women.

“William Trevor Francis does not feel threatened by Monique Lefort’s power, position, and authority. Instead, he embraces it and admires it.

“He welcomes the competition and acknowledges her as a worthy opponent – his equal. I found this to be an important, relevant, and refreshing detail.

“In today’s world, people have a consistent stream of content coming at them from all platforms. You only get one chance to make a first impression.

“In the world of publishing, readers are overwhelmed by the amount of new material being submitted every day.

“The challenge to stand out is very real but I believe WTF – Thief for Hire has everything it takes to do just that!”

WTF – Thief for Hire by Marc-Allen Barker (Anthea Press) is out now on Amazon, priced £11.79 in paperback, £8.42 as an eBook, and £16.85 as a hardcover.  For more information, visit www.antheapress.world.

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