JA Adams, author of three psychological suspense novels--Chameleon, Purple Haze, and Unfinished Business--uses personal and professional experiences to bring awareness to psychological issues that affect our relationships.
Adams actively writes and volunteers with numerous organization bringing awareness to teen dating violence and women issues, as well as, advocating against intimate partner and family violence.
Adams resides in Austin, TX with her husband and children nearby. For more information visit http://www.jaadamsauthor.com/.
How did you start out your writing career?
My first work, a poem, was published when I was in third grade in an anthology published by the local school district.
What did you learn while writing this book?
That the book industry is a tough business.
What did you hope to accomplish with this book?
Lessons in forgiveness
Which character did you have the most fun writing about?
Alison. She's a kick butt, take names later sort of woman.
What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?
The negative sleazy side of the business. People will exploit you and your creativity ideas and give you no credit or recognition.
What aspect of writing do you love the best, and which do you hate the most?
I love developing characters, but hate editing my own stuff. I don't mind doing it for other people, but I hate doing for myself (it is not easy because your eyes tend to glaze over things when you attempt to edit for yourself).
What are three things you wish you'd known before you reached where you are now?
The ends and outs of publishing, how to do book trailers, and starting out younger when the publishing companies were grapping up African-American writers.
Can you give us one do and one don't for those aspiring to be a writer?
Do - continue to prefect your craft. Work on it daily, even if it is just through journaling or blogging.
Don't - jump on the band wagon of the first publisher interested in your work without thoroughly checking them out and understanding the small print of your contract. Make sure to get everything in writing. If they say they are going to provide something (a service) and it is not in the contract, they are under no obligation to grant that service. And trust me, they likely will fall back on the cliché, (as in my experience) it's not written in the contract.
What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?
If you don't buy the hard copy of the book, the author gets no credit for the sell when it comes to book rankings. For example, the reader buys the book, but then loans it out to 6 other people to read. The author misses out on 5 counts toward a book's sales ranking. If 10 people do the same thing, that's 60 counts toward the book's ranking that the author will never receive. For authors under contact with small press or self-published, this really hurts sale rankings. Especially for African American authors. I once had a reader say in front of me at a book signing to her friend who was also going to buy a book, "You don't need to buy a book. You can read mine when I am finished." To readers out there, please never do that to an author. We need all the sales we can get. Authors do not make a lot of money as people think. Even when you make a contract to have your book turned into a movie. Readers do not understand that most writer's income from books goes right back out to marketing.
If you could be a character from any book you've read, who would you be?
In actuality, I really like being just who I am. So, my answer to that question relates to a future book. I would be a character from my memoir (myself).
When you're not writing, what do you like to do in your spare time?
Cook, spend time with my family, read
What do you do to interact with your readers?
Facebook and I enjoy meeting readers at events.
Our theme for this month is BOOK READERS. Give a shot out to five book clubs who have featured your books.
Readers with Attitude of Richmond, VA,
Circle of Friends,
Page Turners of Los Angeles,
My Delta Sorors of Novel Party of Marshall, TX, and
Phenomenal Women of Houston.
Oprah always asks, What do you know for sure?
That one can find love again after trauma.
Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book?
Pineview's Secret will be out end of 2011. Readers will venture back to Pineview, TX where the future of Pineview's leading citizens is at the mercy of an eighteen year old adult telephone entertainer who has no idea of the power she truly holds.
How can readers get in contact with you?
The best means of contacting me is my website www.jaadamsauthor.com or Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorjaadams.
Residents of Pineview, Texas suspect no foul play when a popular young couple dies in a car accident. However, years later, when another friend of Landan and Janda (the Colquin twins) turns up dead, the twins mull over the possibility of a killer in their midst. Fearing for their lives, can the twins and their friends figure out the identity of the killer before there is another murder? For all involved, they soon learn life is seldom played by its precedent rules as a haze between the world in which we live and the one in which we wish we did emerges.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider becoming a member of SORMAG's community - Join Today
Do you need help with your promoting? - http://sormag.com/advertise.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment