| Interview with Lenora Adams |
First off, thanks so much for joining us for an up-close and personal interview for TeensReadToo.com! My
name is Jen, and I'll be your server toda...oh, wait, wrong job! Anyway, thanks so much for taking time out
of your writing schedule--which I'm sure is busy!--and answering a few questions for your readers and
fans.
Let's get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you
wanted to be a writer?
I think it was about two years ago that I really accepted and embraced the notion that I wanted to be a
writer. Although I had been writing all of my life I never thought of myself as a writer. In elementary school I
used to write plays and poems and I continued writing poems off and on throughout my life. After
graduating from college I worked as a television news reporter where once again I had to write. But it
wasn't until after I wrote my first manuscript (3-4 years ago) that the idea began brewing. However it wasn't
until I took a writing class that I actually said, "My name is Lenora Adams and I am a writer."
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
Well, 3 or 4 years ago I wrote a manuscript, submitted to an agent, Sara Camili; she agreed to represent
me. I thought great I have an agent; publishers will have a bidding war for my book. Ha, ha--great fantasy!
Some publishers liked the story, but not the fact that my manuscript was a series, so it was rejected--and
rejected and rejected. Never giving up, I continued to write and wrote my second manuscript which hasn't
been submitted because soon after finishing that story I wrote Baby Girl. While writing Baby Girl I had a
feeling that it was going to be my first published piece.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing
about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
I honestly don't know what will be released next. I believe it will be my first manuscript about two high
school girls and the trials that they endure during their freshman year as they try to adjust to high school
life.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
My now eight year old daughter has been my inspiration. When I began writing it was because I wanted
her to be able to read stories with characters (African-American) from middle class backgrounds that were
similar to hers. However the characters in Baby Girl couldn't be any different from the life my daughter has
now and the one I envision for her.
Let's hear about your family, who I'm sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
I have a husband and three children--two boys and my daughter is in the middle. Yes, everyone is very
proud of me--my daughter wants to go on a book tour or just to New York with me. Oh, and she wants to
star in the movie. See in her young world I am super-mom capable of choreographing all of her wishes
and desires!
Now for some fun facts. What's your greatest comfort food?
Um, that's a hard one. I love most foods--sometimes it's nachos with all the works, macaroni & cheese,
popcorn with loads of butter and Old Bay Seasoning, and cookies and milk--Oreos, sugar, oatmeal, it
doesn't matter I enjoy just about any homemade cookie.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
I thank God for blessing me with another day; pet my dog--who sleeps on the floor by my bed and listens
for any movement and then exhales--"ew, dog breath" on me; and then I stretch in the bed before getting
up to use the bathroom.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what's the one thing that would surprise
me the most?
How many boxes still aren't unpacked since we moved to North Carolina last year. If I were bolder I would
throw the boxes away seeing as I haven't had much use to any of its contents, but I cannot do that--not yet.
Everyone asks the question about "if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?" so I want to know: If
you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
If I could be a color I would be yellow. Yellow is my favorite color, it warms me like the sun. I don't enjoy
dark and cold winters and I love when the days get longer and the sun seems to shine brighter.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
My favorite an old one from when I was a little girl--Felix the Cat. To cartoon character is me Felix was
much cooler than Jerry from Tom & Jerry. Sometimes Penny Proud reminds me of myself in elementary
school and in 9th grade.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world ("Beam me up, Scotty!"), during any time in history,
where and when would it be--and why?
I really want to visit Italy; see the country side, taste the food and meet the people. I'd want to go back to
the late 80's early 90's and have a twenty-something body but with my thirty-something wisdom.
So what's your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while
you're writing?
I like a variety of music--classical relaxes me, R&B makes me want to dance & wish I could sing. I don't
have a favorite musical artist I actually enjoy different people at different times. For instance right now I am
listening to John Legend. His voice, his vibe reminds me of a young Marvin Gaye. I don't listen to music
when I am writing, but I do listen to certain artists that I feel may express either what I am writing about or
the character's moods when I am processing (not writing but thinking throughout the day & night how to
make a scene better).
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie
you saw at the theater?
My favorite TV show is The Office and I hate to admit it but MTV's Sweet Sixteen and Run's House. As a
family we watch Remember the Titans at least 3-4 times a year. I can watch Carmen Jones and Breakfast
with Tiffany over and over again. The last movie I saw was Unaccompanied Minors.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
I would tell them not to take themselves too seriously. Things happen we make mistakes; it's not the end of
the world--and the entire world or student body really isn't paying attention to you. I would also say dare to
be different! When you are free to do that you will be exactly who you are.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
I have something concerning dating violence another story about some runaways that I think is one of my
best pieces of work thus far--and I am currently working on a story about a high school basketball player
and some trouble that she encounters.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
name is Jen, and I'll be your server toda...oh, wait, wrong job! Anyway, thanks so much for taking time out
of your writing schedule--which I'm sure is busy!--and answering a few questions for your readers and
fans.
Let's get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you
wanted to be a writer?
I think it was about two years ago that I really accepted and embraced the notion that I wanted to be a
writer. Although I had been writing all of my life I never thought of myself as a writer. In elementary school I
used to write plays and poems and I continued writing poems off and on throughout my life. After
graduating from college I worked as a television news reporter where once again I had to write. But it
wasn't until after I wrote my first manuscript (3-4 years ago) that the idea began brewing. However it wasn't
until I took a writing class that I actually said, "My name is Lenora Adams and I am a writer."
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
Well, 3 or 4 years ago I wrote a manuscript, submitted to an agent, Sara Camili; she agreed to represent
me. I thought great I have an agent; publishers will have a bidding war for my book. Ha, ha--great fantasy!
Some publishers liked the story, but not the fact that my manuscript was a series, so it was rejected--and
rejected and rejected. Never giving up, I continued to write and wrote my second manuscript which hasn't
been submitted because soon after finishing that story I wrote Baby Girl. While writing Baby Girl I had a
feeling that it was going to be my first published piece.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing
about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
I honestly don't know what will be released next. I believe it will be my first manuscript about two high
school girls and the trials that they endure during their freshman year as they try to adjust to high school
life.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
My now eight year old daughter has been my inspiration. When I began writing it was because I wanted
her to be able to read stories with characters (African-American) from middle class backgrounds that were
similar to hers. However the characters in Baby Girl couldn't be any different from the life my daughter has
now and the one I envision for her.
Let's hear about your family, who I'm sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
I have a husband and three children--two boys and my daughter is in the middle. Yes, everyone is very
proud of me--my daughter wants to go on a book tour or just to New York with me. Oh, and she wants to
star in the movie. See in her young world I am super-mom capable of choreographing all of her wishes
and desires!
Now for some fun facts. What's your greatest comfort food?
Um, that's a hard one. I love most foods--sometimes it's nachos with all the works, macaroni & cheese,
popcorn with loads of butter and Old Bay Seasoning, and cookies and milk--Oreos, sugar, oatmeal, it
doesn't matter I enjoy just about any homemade cookie.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
I thank God for blessing me with another day; pet my dog--who sleeps on the floor by my bed and listens
for any movement and then exhales--"ew, dog breath" on me; and then I stretch in the bed before getting
up to use the bathroom.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what's the one thing that would surprise
me the most?
How many boxes still aren't unpacked since we moved to North Carolina last year. If I were bolder I would
throw the boxes away seeing as I haven't had much use to any of its contents, but I cannot do that--not yet.
Everyone asks the question about "if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?" so I want to know: If
you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
If I could be a color I would be yellow. Yellow is my favorite color, it warms me like the sun. I don't enjoy
dark and cold winters and I love when the days get longer and the sun seems to shine brighter.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
My favorite an old one from when I was a little girl--Felix the Cat. To cartoon character is me Felix was
much cooler than Jerry from Tom & Jerry. Sometimes Penny Proud reminds me of myself in elementary
school and in 9th grade.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world ("Beam me up, Scotty!"), during any time in history,
where and when would it be--and why?
I really want to visit Italy; see the country side, taste the food and meet the people. I'd want to go back to
the late 80's early 90's and have a twenty-something body but with my thirty-something wisdom.
So what's your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while
you're writing?
I like a variety of music--classical relaxes me, R&B makes me want to dance & wish I could sing. I don't
have a favorite musical artist I actually enjoy different people at different times. For instance right now I am
listening to John Legend. His voice, his vibe reminds me of a young Marvin Gaye. I don't listen to music
when I am writing, but I do listen to certain artists that I feel may express either what I am writing about or
the character's moods when I am processing (not writing but thinking throughout the day & night how to
make a scene better).
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie
you saw at the theater?
My favorite TV show is The Office and I hate to admit it but MTV's Sweet Sixteen and Run's House. As a
family we watch Remember the Titans at least 3-4 times a year. I can watch Carmen Jones and Breakfast
with Tiffany over and over again. The last movie I saw was Unaccompanied Minors.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
I would tell them not to take themselves too seriously. Things happen we make mistakes; it's not the end of
the world--and the entire world or student body really isn't paying attention to you. I would also say dare to
be different! When you are free to do that you will be exactly who you are.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
I have something concerning dating violence another story about some runaways that I think is one of my
best pieces of work thus far--and I am currently working on a story about a high school basketball player
and some trouble that she encounters.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
