Questions with New York Times & USA Today’s
Bestselling Author Cherry Adair
1. What is the best part of being a writer? What is the worst?
Best- The people I create can’t tell me “No!” lol I love writing the second (3rd, 4th, 5th lol) draft. For me, writing the first draft is like building a house half a brick at a time with one arm tied behind my back and a blindfold on! Slow and painful. Unfortunately at this stage of the process I have the attention span of a water newt, and can’t seem to sit still for more than 15 agonizing minutes at a time. But once the walls are up, I’m filled with gusto, and then I’m obsessive about getting all the finish work done. Once a decorator, always a decorator.
I love the process of polishing and rewriting. I love the minutia of the last tweak, that last spit polish before sending it off to my editor. I even love revisions from my editor, because that gives me yet another shot at making the book shine.
Worst- That first draft. Erk! Not my fav. And having to be disciplined. It’s hard on an Aries to plant her behind in that chair. I love to write, but sometimes the process of sitting down to write is painful.
2. Why do you write?
I can’t. . .not. If I didn’t get it all down on paper the voices in my head would mean I was crazy instead of creative.
3. Name one eye-opening thing you learned from your book research.
Snakes have two penises. (peni?) Not something that comes up in the normal course of conversation that often. (book: Dark Prism)
4. Do you have a favorite motto?
Two. I love Mark Twain’s: My books are like water; those of the great geniuses are wine. (Fortunately) everybody drinks water. And Gary Player’s: -The harder you work, the luckier you get.
5. Do you have a favorite fictional hero? Favorite fictional heroine?
I’m pretty fickle. Whichever character I’m wring at the time is always my favorite. I must admit though that I do have a soft spot for Marc Savin (The Mercenary) because he was my first hero. We always remember our first. But currently I’m mad about Gideon Stark in GIDEON. He’s the brother of Zak Stark (HUSH) I couldn’t wait to see what really happened to him in the jungle when he and his brother separated after the kidnapping. And for much of the book, he doesn’t know who he is or how he ended up where he ended up. SO much fun to write. I love writing jungle books (HIDE & SEEK, NIGHT FALL, TROPICAL HEAT, HUSH AND GIDEON. So far. Lol)I love exotic locals because to me the location is as much a character as my people.
As for a heroine, I adored Teal Williams. She was such a great foil for Zane, I’ve never written a heroine who is shy before. It was fascinating to get into her skin and see how she ticked.
6. Which fictional character would you hang out with?
Any of my heroes.
7. What is one of your favorite book covers, your own or someone else’s?
I love the cover of UNDERTOW - Him- the watery colors- him- the shiny band with the title-him-the crashing waves- oh, yes, him.
8. What would readers be surprised to learn about you?
I’m pretty much an open book, so probably not much. I used to be an Interior Designer, I’m originally from Cape Town, South Africa. I love to read, enjoy playing in my garden (preferable after someone else has done the sweaty work) and can’t not write every day. Spare time? What spare time?!
9. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever learned by Googling your name?
I’m a stripper. A fruit. A rude connotation A blossom. And a bomb. lol
10. If you could go backward or forward in time which would you chose? Why?
Back, because I’d know what was coming next.
11. Which do you find is most important to you as a writer, voice or story? Why? Hmm. Both. But if I had to chose one - voice. Even if a story is well written, if the voice is dull and draggy, the book will be a snooze.
12. I know this is a difficult question with there being so many amazing authors out there to choose from but who are some of the GOT-TO-HAVE authors in your TBR pile?
I used to read a book a day. Now I’m lucky if I have time to finish a book in a month! That’s the downside of doing what I do. I love being an author, but it’s left me no time to enjoy one of my greatest pleasures. Some of my fav authors in no particular order - Ann Stuart, Maggie Osborne, Linda Howard. . .and dozens of others.
13. Are there discussion guides available for your books? Also, do you participate in author phone chats? And if so, how would my readers go about scheduling one?
Cherry: Yes, each book has a discussion guide available. Me, talk? Of course! (see above re: moderation)! I love talking with readers. The best way for you to get the discussion guides or arrange phone chats, or workshops is to contact me at Adairsupport@msn.com
14. You have so many awesome books out currently. How many have you published and when did you start your writing career?
A: I’ve published- hang on I have to count them. . . .43 I started writing long before I published. I wrote (and shredded) 17 books before The Mercenary came out in 1993
15. Since you live in the Northwest, where do you get your inspiration? Do you travel to the places in your books?
A: I have traveled to many of the exotic locals in my books, but not all of them. I don’t like creepy-crawlies or not being anywhere near a shower or a flushing toilet! (and observant readers will notice that my heroines don’t like the same things)
16. What other type of research do you do in order to start a book? Esp with the Black ops elements in your T-FLAC series?
A: I do extensive research - it’s one of the most time consuming, and fun, aspects of writing for me. I’m lucky enough to have fans and friends in interesting places who fill me in on some of the local color first hand. When I’m doing research I try to find an expert in that field who is usually happy to answer all my question. Over the years I’ve made a lot of fascinating contacts because of my writing. (and a few very scary people, too!) I know several black ops guys who are incredibly monosyllabic in their answers, and it’s like pulling hens teeth to get any kind of direct information out them. But once they got what I was writing, and that not only didn’t I need to know troop movement in Iraq (or wherever, I really didn’t want to know classified Intel) they were great at giving me other interesting factoids to make my operatives fun and interesting.
I met an interesting Ph.D nuclear physicist who helped me with info in CHAMELEON. A Venezuelan “business man” who loves my books, and has offered to help me with whatever I need (Let’s leave it at that. Lol) Jacques Cousteau’s grandson, Fabien Cousteau (who is as yummy and delish as one of my heroes!) has helped with research for several of my books over the years. And I found a fascinating treasure hunter named Dr. Lubos Kordac who is helping me with details on salvaging for the Cutter Cay books. Over the course of 30 plus books I’ve collected a fascinating little black book filled with incredible and invaluable contacts. If I told you where I hide it I’d have to have one of my heroes (talk!!??) to you.
17. Is the T-FLAC series done now or will you continue those at some point?
A: I love my T-FLAC operatives, and yes, I will write them as long as readers love them as much as I do. My latest T-FLAC book is GIDEON, and I’m working very hard (OK obsessively!) on the two new trilogies which are not T-FLAC. (Although readers might see a familiar operative pop up where they least expect them.)
18. Do you have a favorite character you’ve written? Who gave you the most trouble?
A: I’m pretty fickle. Whichever character I’m wring at the time is always my favorite. I must admit though that I do have a soft spot for Marc Savin (The Mercenary) because he was my first hero. We always remember our first.
19. Who do you read? Favorite authors? Are you reading anything now?
A: I used to read a book a day. Now I’m lucky if I have time to finish a book in a month! That’s the downside of doing what I do. I love being an author, but it’s left me no time to enjoy one of my greatest pleasures. Some of my fave authors in no particular order - Ann Stuart, Maggie Osbourn, Linda Howard. . . and dozens of others.
20. I know you like to take walks, what else do you do in your spare time?
A: I don’t like to take walks! <g> I walk because it’s good for me, and get’s me away from my computer for a bit of fresh air. Lol And what spare time?
21. Hollywood is calling!!! Who is playing the main characters in any one of your books?
A: The yummy and delicious Alex O’Loughlin (Hawaii Five-0) is my new TV crush. I’d pick him to play the role of Zane Cutter. (Book: UNDERTOW) (I’d pick him to play…with me.)
Cherry, please tell us where we can find you in cyber world. For desperate readers like me, we just have to know…
I have lots of fun with readers on my Facebook , and Twitter pages, and I love hearing from readers through my web site www.cherryadair.com (where you can see pictures of ALL my heroes, read excerpts from my books, and find my complete booklist.)
And if any readers would like a bookmark and/or personalized signed bookplate, they can send a SASE to Cherry Adair Free Stuff, P. O. Box 8591, Covington, Wa 98042.