Writester.net

Name: Clint Adams
Website: www.ClintAdams.com
Contact: Clint Adams (+039) 339-7422018

Questions:

Q: Where are you originally from?
A: I was born in Oakland, California, and after not having lived there for many, many years I moved back for a brief period (10 months) before moving here to Italy permanently.

Q: Can you tell us your latest book news?
A: After spending much of my lifetime waiting for an editor or literary agent to become excited about something I’d always been excited about, I’ve decided to do it all on my own. This summer I’ll be releasing four books with the help of the printer Lightning Source UK, and their parent company, Ingram (Book) Wholesalers. The books are FEAR AIN’T ALL THAT, DON’T BE AFRAID OF HEAVEN and their Italian-language counterparts: LA PAURA NON E’ NIENTE and NON AVERE PAURA DEL PARADISO. The themes remain the same throughout; all things are possible with the elimination of fear.

Q: How old were you when you first started writing?
A: I never liked writing, and English was always my worst subject in school. I loved writing letters on the typewriter though.maybe there was something more to that than I’d imagined. I didn’t begin writing seriously until I was in my mid-thirties.

Q: When did you first realize you had the potential to be a writer?
A: When I felt the overwhelming need to tell a story, and when I realized that no one else was going to tell it for me. I had to do it; this is how it all began.

Q: What was your inspiration to write your first novel?
A: Honestly, to get the truth out. I desperately needed to divulge the truth about something that was kept hidden, covered up, during my childhood years. This drive was overwhelming. Now I write to tell what I’ve learned about life since then.living without fear.

Q: Is there anyone or anything that inspired you to write?
A: As I said, I wasn’t particularly fond of English class in school. But, when I was forced to read books in school and discuss them, I became very, very fond of teen-voiced protagonists who were different and struggled. I became enthralled with THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING (Carson McCullers).

Q: How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?
A: In Creative Writing 101, you learn to write what you know. My entire life, especially the last 13 years, have given my volumes to write about. And, in terms of my upbringing, I was unintentionally taught fear (amongst positive things), and I’ve spent the rest of my life trying to unlearn it. I believe it’s an unnatural, learned behavior. We weren’t put her to be afraid of doing the things we want to do.

Q: Do you have a specific writing style?
A: Yes, I write simple with tons of dialogue, in the exact opposite proportions I was taught: “Every novel should contain 80% exposition and 20% dialogue.” In my novels, the proportions are reversed. I figure that a simple-tongued 12-year old protagonist would not necessarily know a very extensively descriptive vocabulary. I also love writing in the voice of a child; I cannot imagine writing any other way.

Q: What genre are you most comfortable writing?
A: Teen/Young Adult; this genre complements the content and level of sophistication appearing in my books perfectly.

Q: How do you come up with the title(s) for your book(s)?
A: Well, I hope I’ve learned from my mistakes. I’ve been criticized often for selecting the title “Just Say Mikey.” It offers the prospective book buyer nothing in terms of a clue; “Don’t Be Afraid of Heaven” is
self-explanatory

Q: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
A: ABSOLUTELY!!! It’s the entire reason I have chosen to write in the first place: “Fear is deadly.get rid of it. When you don’t have any, anything is possible.”

Q: How much of the novel is realistic?
A: A lot. But, the protagonist in my books has a fatal form of a skin-blistering disease called E.B. I don’t have it, nor do I have children who have it. I have chosen to continue writing about a boy with it though as a tribute to the fantastic heroes have met who live with E.B. daily; they’re remarkable!

Q: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your life?
A: Yes, too many to mention. They are fictionalized to add more flavor to otherwise ordinary events and occurrences.

Q: What books have most influenced your life?
A: THE COLOR PURPLE, BASTARD OUT OF CAROLINA, THE CELESTINE PROPHECY (taught me that spiritual novels can certainly attain mainstream success).

Q: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
A: My first creative writing instructor Myrna Elena Hughes; she taught me that everything I write is right.that’s what makes creative writing unique and independent from English (class). I loved learning this.

Q: What are you reading now?
A: SNOWBALL FIGHT! by Jimmy Fallon.

Q: What new author has grasped your interest?
A: Lisa Yee, author of MILLICENT MIN, GIRL GENIUS.

Q: Is there anything additional you would like to share with your readers?
A: When things get toughest, do whatever you can to KEEP GOING!!!