Chillin' with Zoe Adams

Things have been hopping over at Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing in 2013!  In a little over 14 months, the company has grown to three imprints and 137 active publications, with more in process. Not bad for a small Indie Pub run by one incredible woman.

With all of the new authors and books, and me being so busy with a hectic home life and a few too many creative projects, it's not uncommon for scatterbrained me to miss a new face or title. When Zoe Adams joined the CHBB family, I'm embarrassed to say, I wasn't really paying attention. When her book release was announced, (May 31st, 2013, so get ready for it!), I woke right up!

Those who've been following my writing know that I have a published novella titled "Best Served Bloody", so the title of Zoe's CHBB debut, "Best Served Chilled",  grabbed my attention right away!   I had to learn more about the author and the book!

Zoe kindly agreed to an interview here, and despite delays and internet glitches, it's finally ready for all of you to read. I have to commend Zoe's patience. While I was nearly...

... Zoe was pretty "chill" about the whole thing. I couldn't let you miss the opportunity to meed Zoe, though. So grab a drink, maybe a snack, and settle in. You're about to meet a fascinating author, with a unique premise. You won't regret this.

Zoe Adams hails from a seaside town on the east coast of England. Books and writing are her passions, and this has led to her gaining a degree in Professional Writing. Zoe takes inspiration from different cultures and their rich mythology. This is evident in the Shōjō series, beginning with Best Served Chilled. When not reading or writing, Zoe indulges in a healthy obsession with anime, spending time with her family, and listening to a wide variety of influential music. Amongst other things anyway.

With her alternative mind, who knows what she will write next?
When you were just a little girl...

What’s the first book you remember reading, or having read to you as a child?

I will always remember my Mum reading me J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit to me at bedtime. She used to put on different voices for the characters and used to sing me ‘That’s What Bilbo Baggins Hates’. It’s a memory that will always remain with me. She’s a huge Tolkien fan. I think it really cemented my love of fantasy for me, even though it had been years since I returned to The Hobbit and other Tolkien books. 

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I was a really strange child! I went through wanting to be a fairy, a cat, a pop star, a Sailor Scout from Sailor Moon… I wanted to be a teacher and recite lessons to my teddy bears… And then I decided to be Matilda – the protagonist of the Roald Dahl classic, Matilda.
Quickie questions

 Non-alcoholic beverage of choice?

Tea! I love a cup in the morning, it helps me function. Some people have coffee, for me it is tea! The only problem is when I’m writing and I’ll make a drink… It either gets left in the kitchen or it’ll be on the coffee table. Cold. Yuck! 
No, no, NO! Wrong Adams!

Word that always makes you giggle?

Titmouse! It’s just something that gets me every time! My partner’s said it randomly in conversation to me, and I was like a schoolgirl giggling. You think that now I’m an author, I would become more mature but I’m really not. Titmouse. Haha!

Favourite dessert? 

I love vanilla ice cream, with chocolate crushed in it. Malteasers, Cadbury’s chocolate, Galaxy, Smarties… It is so unhealthy, but it tastes so yummy! Especially when you’re feeling grumpy or your day’s gone downhill, you can just crush whatever chocolate you have (or in my case smash it up with a rolling pin) and sprinkle it on top of some tasty scoops!

Musician crush?

I have had a crush on Wil Francis for eight years, and it will never fade. He was all Gothed up fronting Aiden. Then when he began the William Control side project, he began to look very suave… He’s also my idol and I’ve met him on three separate occasions (Sheffield William Control concert, Manchester Aiden concert and Download Festival William Control signing tent). He’s signed any merch, chatted and we’ve even had breakfast. He’s a genius of song writing.

Item you always misplace? 

A pen! Guaranteed that I have a stack of them in my pencil case when I start writing and I’ll go to make a note, and I won’t be able to find hide nor hair of a pen or pencil case. It’s either that or the cats steal them and hide them under the sofa or I’ll find them chewed up in pieces…

Fashion addiction? 

I don’t know whether it counts but cosplay! I love the art of the costumes and the accessories. I’m an otaku, which in Japanese means ‘person with obsessive interests, particularly anime and manga’. I have a habit of getting costumes, or partially costumes. I like to dress as the characters – I have been a neko-girl (cat-girl), Misa Amane from Death Note and have cross-played (dressed as the opposite gender) as Luffy from One Piece. My latest fashion addiction is Tony Tony Chopper’s hat from One Piece. It’s a big pink medical hat with antlers, because he’s a reindeer doctor!
Finish the sentence and explain

You could never pay me enough money to … 

Go cage diving with Great White Sharks. I absolutely hate them! I saw Jaws when I was little and have been terrified since of sharks. I thought I could get over my fear, writing about them at university, but sadly it didn’t work… I had a dream last night about the little buggers and I woke up in a real sweat!

The strangest dream I ever had was …

When I dreamed entirely in anime… Everyone was stylised as characters from animation and it was berserk! I felt like I had landed in one of my favourite shows, but it was still strange. The good thing is that it led to an idea for a novel I would one day love to write.
Either/Or

Morning person or night owl?

I’m a real… Night owl! I feel so alert and I can get loads of work done in an evening.

Green thumb or black thumb?

Just lately I’ve had a real interest in gardening, leading to my… Green thumb! I’ve planted my own vegetables and now how to care for various plants. Just hate the insects…

Bedtime! A little light, or total darkness?

At bedtime I like… Total darkness. It’s when all the ghoulies and ghosties come out to play! I like to be scared so being in the dark is great when you hear a noise outside.

Camera! Pose or run away?

When there’s a camera, I can’t help but… Pose! I love it when I’m in costume and can act like a character, it’s more fun. You forget everything and become immersed in who you are portraying. I would love to try alternative modelling, or even just modeling, but I’m quite insecure about my weight…

Hot tub or pool?

I would love my home to have a… Pool! My Mum always said I was a water baby. I might not be the best or the fastest swimmer, but I love spending time in it in the pool. I spend most of my time on holiday in the pool!
About "Best Served Chilled"

Life hasn’t been easy for Hiraku Michiyo. Struggling with the misery that dwells in her past and her present, she’s spending more time with a wine glass than real friends. One night, she meets the charismatic, Shoichi. Intrigued and a little frightened, she invites him home.

Yet little does she realise that the real horrors are just beginning. And escape is certainly not at the bottom of any bottle.

Who was your favourite character to write?

I loved writing Shoichi! He was so evil and vindictive. He is the evil voice in my head, the source of negativity to others, so putting those thoughts onto paper was a great experience. I wrote him to appear like a Harajuku Japanese model, so I spent a good deal of time researching male Japanese fashion and converting it into Shoichi. Being evil was great fun!

Which character has the most in common with you?

Hiraku is perhaps most like me. She’s an alcoholic, suffering from deep depression from her past. There were a lot of problems going on in my personal life when I began writing the novella, and I felt like it was all pouring out of me. Her thoughts are sometimes mine.

Why THIS story and not one of the others roaming around in your head?

That’s difficult to answer, because I start multiple stories all at the same time. I began writing the first chapter in a scriptwriting lecture and I only wrote a few hundred words. I’d sent it to a friend and he told me to continue, that I had talent. He was a Muse – keeping me going and focused on the novel. Now I see that it was all about my thoughts coming out and knowing out there, someone has had it tougher than me. And escape. Everything was escapism…

Will this be a series?  If yes, can you give us a teaser about where this is going in the next book?

This is the first in a trilogy! And I’m so thrilled about it. In the next book, Hiraku has been admitted to another mental institution and Shoichi just won’t leave her alone… Mentally and physically.

Do you write with music? If you do, can you give us the title and artist of five songs you feel had the most impact on your plot?

Ordinarily, I write with music. But for the novel, I wrote with the television on. When I look back at where I was mentally, there are five prominent songs for the novel… In no particular order:

1.  SCANDAL – SCANDAL BABY . A feisty little J-Pop track that gets me in the mood to write anything! Also featured as the title for the first professional university script I wrote.

2.  Sixx AM – Help is on the Way . A real rock track with a hell of a lot of meaning. Definitely how Hiraku feels at times…

3.  Bullet for my Valentine – Waking the Demon . Title is self-explanatory really. Inspirational for a certain naughty chapter.

4.  Black Veil Brides – Rebel Love Song . It was my song of the month. Not everyone likes them, but I do, and the song holds meaning to me. And potentially the character Ed too.

5.  UVERworld – D-Technolife . A J-Rock track that makes me want to punch and kick the world. Features in the anime Bleach and always makes me think of fighting. This track was at the forefront of my mind for a later chapter. 

If some Hollywood big-wig decided to make your book into a movie, who would be your dream-cast for the (3-5) main characters?

I would love Johnny Yong Bosch to appear as Shoichi, because he is such a talented voice actor! From evil to good, he’s great and has tons of experience.
Michelle Ruff as Hiraku, because her voice can be so solemn and emotional. She acted across from Bosch in many animes and games, so they’d have perfect chemistry.

And finally as Ed, I would have Troy Baker. He can portray so many emotions all at once and I think he could be a shoulder to cry on. Ruff and Baker have worked across from each other in the video game Catherine, so it would be good to reunite them.

Did you get into any kind of ritual while you were writing this book? Tell us about it. (Standard drink, snack, preparation etc.)

I didn’t have a ritual but I formatted the pages in Double Line Spacing, no line gaps, Courier New, 12pt, page numbers at the moment, draft number at the top. It was a habit I had got into at university, and it really rubbed off on me.

So what's next from the mind of Zoe Adams? 

At the minute, I’m working on Best Served Within, which is the second in the trilogy. After that, the last book which will be entertaining to write. And then, who knows? Maybe I’ll try and write about zombies or go real high fantasy? Only time will tell!
Connect with Zoe via:
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