AUTHOR INTERVIEW - ADA ADAMS

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

My name is Ada, and I’m from Toronto, Canada.

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

I’ve always enjoyed writing. Ever since I learned to read, I’ve had a great passion for creating my own unique worlds. There is something so intimate and magical about reading other authors’ works and getting a glimpse into their minds. I was inspired to explore my own (very overactive) imagination and write stories about the characters that lurked in there.

When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?

I don’t believe that one has to write a thousand-page novel or land on the “bestseller list” in order to be considered a writer. I think that as long as you truly have a passion for writing and pursue it actively, you are a writer. Of course, there are different levels and milestones in every writer’s career, but overall, I have always considered myself to be a writer.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?

My debut novel is called “ReVamped”. It is a YA Paranormal story about a vampire girl, Dawn, who is responsible for revamping a group of misfits (think about everything you know about vampires and then reverse it and you get this gang). Upon Dawn’s arrival to a small town of Angel Creek, she realizes that there is a lot more going on than meets the eye. Throw in a couple of hot guys, an evil villain and a secret from the past, and Dawn soon finds out that she’s in for a lot more than she bargained for! That was probably more than 20 words…Oops!

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

I’m currently working on the second and third books in the “Angel Creek” series. The second book, “ReAwakened”, takes the readers on a more intimate journey into the characters’ lives. We will get to see Dawn grow and develop her relationships with Ethan, Sebastian, and the misfits, as well as learn more about the secondary characters and their pasts. A couple of new characters will also be making an appearance and causing havoc in Dawn’s life. Of course, there is another very big threat looming in Angel Creek! I do have some other works planned for the next couple of years in different genres—MG Fantasy, YA Contemporary/Romance, etc.

What genre would you place your books into?

“ReVamped” is a YA Paranormal novel about vampires. It’s an action/adventure story, with a fun mystery and a hint of romance.

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?

Dawn, being the protagonist, is definitely one my favorite characters. At the start of “ReVamped”, she seems like a pretty tough, straightforward kind of girl, but once she’s faced with the events in the novel, things quickly unravel for her, showcasing more of her weaknesses. I enjoy writing in character weaknesses, as I don’t believe in perfect characters. At the same time, she definitely changes and grows—though she still has a long road ahead of her. I also really liked writing about all of the misfits. In the first novel, we only touch on their pasts, so throughout the series, readers will get to find out a lot more about them. Whenever I wrote the scenes with the misfits, I always had a huge smile on my face, as they are a group of very eclectic personalities.

Where do you get your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration?

I’m inspired by various things—from people I know and meet, to events that occur in life, as well as scenes and settings in nature. However, a lot of the time it’s simply my imagination that comes into play. For “ReVamped”, for example, (aside from being inspired by our society’s love of all things vampire) the plot and the characters were a complete creation of my mind.

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

I usually work in my office (I call it my “sky office” because it’s painted a blue/grey and is 20+ stories high—great for inspiration). While I’m inspired by music, I can’t have anything playing in the background while I write. I prefer to work in complete silence, so that I’m alone with my thoughts and characters. I also prefer to work on a specific keyboard because it’s smaller and squishier. :)

Do you gift books to readers to do reviews?

I do send out copies of the book to bloggers for review. I also occasionally try to surprise readers by gifting them a copy if I see that they have added it to their wish-list on Amazon.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

I try my best to read reviews from bloggers who forward a link to me. If they can take the time to read my book and write a review on it, I think it’s only fair that I stop by and thank them. I do sometimes miss certain reviews, so an @Ada_Adams Tweet is always appreciated. I also often have readers contact me to let me know their thoughts on the book. I love getting to know my readers and am very grateful for their support!

What was the toughest/best review you have ever had?

I appreciate all reviews. Of course, as an author, you always strive to create a story and characters that readers will enjoy. Reading a great review makes me extremely happy, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for authors to dwell on any negative/tough reviews. There will always be people who don’t click with your work. It’s important to understand that and keep writing for yourself (and those readers who love what you do)!

Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?

Definitely not. As an author, if you put a piece of work out into the world, you have to be ready for someone to not like it. It’s their personal opinion, and I don’t agree with infringing on that. After all, we’re such a diverse group of readers and writers—what one person loves may not appeal to someone else and vice versa.

How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the Cover of your books?

The title kind of found me. I knew that the book was about a group of misfit vampires and a girl responsible for training/revamping them. Since they are vampires who undergo a lot of changes (as does Dawn), “ReVamped” kind of jumped out and stuck. I have tried to change the title countless times, but “ReVamped” just seems right.

As for the cover, since I’m the type of person who judges a book by its cover (I know, I know!), I wanted to play a very hands-on role in designing the cover. My team and I considered various cover options (especially the gazebo which was very important to the story), but I always knew that I wanted the focus to be on Dawn’s eyes. Their unique color plays a significant role in the story, so the cover had to be purple! We didn’t use all of Dawn’s face, because I wanted the reader to be able to imagine the character in his/her own mind as they see fit. When I read books, I always like to put my own spin on the characters’ appearances. A talented photographer/graphic designer by the name of Olga Barkhatova (www.olgabarkhatova.ca) did the photography and graphic design for it.

Do you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?

I believe it’s important to plot the story before setting out to write it (especially if you’re writing a series). At the same time, I do think that having some freedom while you write is important. Rigid structuring can impede on the story’s growth and development. Sometimes, you have to allow your characters to surprise you. Some of my best scenes have resulted from unplanned character actions.

How do you market/promote your books?

I enjoy doing book and swag giveaways, and I know that my readers like that as well.. I also rely on word-of-mouth for marketing. I take the time to get to know my readers, and love to interact with them on a personal level. Not because I’m interested in selling to them, but because I truly want to know who they are and what kind of things they enjoy reading/doing.

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")

I believe that YA novels should have positive messages, but I don’t think that those messages need to be forced onto the readers. I think that young adults are clever enough to pull a message from a book if they wish to do so. I do think that a big message in “ReVamped” is about the importance of friendship. Whether we are young or old, human or vampire, we all need a good friend (or group of friends) we can count on.

Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favourite/worst  book to movie transfer?

I adore books and I love movies, but when I read a certain book, I sometimes have a preconceived notion of exactly how things should be. Directors and screenwriters may interpret entire scenes differently, so I often try to keep an open mind when watching book adaptations on the big screen. I really liked the way “Lord of the Rings” was done—from the characters to the world itself. I also enjoyed “The Hunger Games”. I think Jennifer Lawrence did a great job!

Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?

I think that ebooks will continue to gain popularity, but I don’t think that they will ever completely replace printed books. I think most readers love ebooks for their convenience, but there’s something special about print books. Holding a copy of the book in your hand, smelling its freshly-inked pages (does anyone else love this smell or am I just weird?), displaying its pretty cover on the shelf—that could never be replaced.

Did you read a lot at school and write lots of stories or is being a writer something newer in your life?

I have always been a reader. I would devour entire libraries! I used to take out 20 books every 2 weeks and my librarian would just shake her head skeptically. I have also always enjoyed writing. I have journals full of stories dating back to when I was five years old. Mind you, they may need a little bit of editing before they’re ready for publication! When I was 12, I spent a few months just writing boo synopses. I think I assumed that if I wrote the “back of the book” first, the entire book would write itself.

Do you have a treasured book from your childhood? If yes, what is it?

“Love you Forever” by Robert Munsch. My mom used to read it to me all the time when I was little, and it’s kind of become a special thing between us.

Where can readers follow you?

Your blog details? www.revampedbook.com
Your facebook page? www.facebook.com/revampedbook
Your Goodreads author page? http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5757476.Ada_Adams
Your Twitter details? www.twitter.com/Ada_Adams