Dyslexia, chronic pain, severe asthma, a lengthy technology career that spanned Silicon Valley and Microsoft, three awesome kids and a loving wife, and 25 years of writing short stories that I did nothing with... these were all ingredients that in 2014, brought about the hit young adult series, The Yellow Hoods.
Adam's unique world brings not only a new take on steampunk inventiveness, but also brings fairy tales to life as real world events and people. In a world where there is a secret society named The Tub (lead by a butcher, baker and candle-stick maker), they are about to invent the first steam engine.
Adam's built a reputation for having immersive worlds and deep rich characters, and strong female characters in particular. He has a science fiction book due in April 2016, The Man of Cloud 9 so I await that and its reviews, with interest!
I started writing as a way to explore the worlds I had in my mind. I loved playing Dungeons and Dragons with my friends, but while I was almost always the dungeon master (the one running the story), sometimes I didn't get to explore the worlds the ways that I wanted. Also, it allowed me to explore worlds that I just couldn't create a gaming scenario around. That lead to writing short stories off and on for 25 years. : another D&D fan! what's not to love
In 2014, I started writing and publishing my own novels. This started because I decided I wasn't going to hope to be an author one day, I was going to start executing a five year plan. On January 4th I started writing my first of those novels, Along Came a Wolf (The Yellow Hoods #1), and in April I released it. I haven't looked back.
What 3 things (not including paper, computer, pens) would you like to facilitate a good days writing?
Tea, music and a good place to write. If my sons are running around screaming, there are only certain things I can write. But if I have the house to myself, or if I'm at the coffee shop, then I'm able to immerse myself in my own worlds a lot better.
Do you write to a schedule, eg every day or three times a week, set times, etc or do you write as and when the mood strikes?
I have a different perspective, and I have to. As of January, 2016, life's a lot different. I'm taking care of getting my daughter (the eldest) off to school, getting my elder on off to kindergarten two days a week, and my littlest guy off to pre-school for 2 hours every day. I can write episodes of The Wizard Killer when they're home, but I can't write something like The Yellow Hoods or The Man of Cloud 9, so I have to use my evenings. : Sounds a lot like how I fit my blogging in!
My perspective is that every day has to advance the cause, the cause being my author career. I write some evenings, on weekends when I'm not doing book-signings, I'll take off for an hour or two to write. Almost every day I find I write something, whether that's for a novel, my serial or a blog entry. I've watched my ability to produce words increase over the past two years, but I've also become a lot more cognoscente that you can't just go flat out year after year after year, or else you'll be burnt out and have no marriage left, never mind no relationship with your kids.
What are your favourite biscuits?
Having to be dairy and egg-free, almost anything that meets those requirements. However ginger-snaps are a long time favourite.
Where do you do most of your writing?
Probably more at the coffee shop than anywhere else, though the kitchen table is a close second. : and few biscuit temptations at a coffee shop no doubt, or do you sneak in your own nibbles?
What book(s) are you reading at the moment?
Being a dyslexic, I don't read fiction that much. However, I've been making time for my friend Luther Siler's book, Skylights. I'm enjoying it.
Have you had a good or bad 2015 and why do you think it was good (or bad) ?
The year was very good to me. I went full-time as an author back in January 2015, got two novels and a novelette out, won a battle with depression (the war never ends). I sold a lot of books and saw my fanbase increase significantly.
At the end of 2015, I feel like I finally found my 'full-time author' footing. I started my free online serial, The Wizard Killer, I wrote my second book from start to finish as a full timer, etc. So it was easily a good year.
Do you have writing plans for 2016? Are they secret or could you share a teaser?
The Man of Cloud 9 comes out in April 2016, which is my first science fiction novel. Whereas the Yellow Hoods are targeted for kids aged 9-15 and adults (it's a layered series), The Man of Cloud 9 is that classic science fiction audience. The story's about a Steve Jobs/Elon Musk type of character in the not-too-distant-future who invents a new generation of nano technology that takes possibly too far, can he bring us back before it's too late?
In October 2016, I'll be bringing out Book 5 of The Yellow Hoods. This will resolve the Pieman storyline that started in book 2. But will it be the end of The Yellow Hoods series, or is there more before I jump 10 years and write the sequel series?
The Wizard Killer Season 1 will be released, compiling all of the individual episodes in a nice compact format. Look for that around May.
And you'd think that'd be enough, wouldn't you? Well, keep your eyes open for The Man of Cloud 0, the prequel novelette and maybe, just maybe, a Yellow Hoods companion story.
If you could genetically cross an animal with a fruit or vegetable what would you choose and why? I'm currently thinking of a bushbaby kiwi fruit, hard to find in the trees, and too cute to eat when you did.
Um... hmm. I'm finding myself now in Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2, thinking of the waterm-elephant, and the PBandJellyfish and the susheep...
If reading and writing were banned on pain of death, what would you do instead?
Act and put on improved plays. The stories would still get out, one way or the other. :great idea, it seems authors agree that the story cannot be contained!
If you could take any fictional character out for lunch, who would you choose and why? And where do you think you'd go to eat?
I'd take Marcus Pieman out for dinner, he's one of my key characters. He's in his seventies and brilliant on many levels. We'd need to go somewhere quiet with fine cuisine and a good wine list. :cunning, now anyone who hasn't read your books will have to buy a copy or 4.
And if you do need to grab a book, they are available on Amazon, Kobo and iBooks
His books are also on Goodreads.com. Signed copies available at TheYellowHoods.com/Store
Why not
Adam's Blog: AdamDreece.com
Twitter: @AdamDreece
Facebook: AdamDreeceAuthor
Thank you to Adam for answering all my questions and sharing his 2016 news too! Do let him know if you like his books, and make sure you pop reviews on Goodreads etc.
