Lee Adams
Author Interview - Lee Adams
Author of Love On Tour
Who knew a broken heel can change your life?
Though she has her dream job—finding new songs for singers in the booming country music industry—music executive Christine Matthews lives an unexciting life. That is, until a broken shoe sends her sprawling on the street right in front of Nashville singing sensation Austin Garrett’s tour bus, and Austin himself comes to her aid.
When Austin recognizes Christine as the woman who pitched him his recent number one hit, he invites her to be his date at the CMT Awards that night, and like that, Christine is catapulted from a life of solitude to the spotlight. Suddenly, she’s the subject of much speculation—and criticism. Some jealous fans think she’s not pretty or thin enough, and they begin to cyber-bully and body shame her.
But that’s not the only reason Christine thinks accepting Austin’s invitation to join him on tour and help him find another big hit might be a bad idea. She’s also developing feelings for his tour manager, Matt. And one of her online bullies has turned threatening, bringing up trauma from Christine’s past. Is the turmoil worth it? Or is her only real solution to walk away from all of it—even the man who might just be the love of her life?
Author Interview - Lee Adams
Author I draw inspiration from:
Tracey Garvis Graves is an author who greatly inspires me with her talent, but also by not taking no for answer. When she wrote On The Island, she received rejection notice after rejection notice for agent representation. She decided to self-publish and it worked. Her novel took off and became a best-seller. I remember seeing it in an airport, buying it, reading it, and loving it. When I dug in more to the author, I realized she'd done this on her own. A good story will find the reader, whatever the path may be. I reached out to Tracey, not knowing if she'd reply to a stranger, and she did. She made a personal connection with a reader, and that impressed me even more. I drew inspiration from her work ethic, her belief in herself and her characters, and her novel. While I've enjoyed all her books, On The Island and The Trail of Lost Hearts are my two favorites. The Trail of Lost Hearts came out when I was grieving the loss of my dad, and the beautiful, broken characters helped me heal.
Author Interview - Lee Adams | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
My favorite place to read is on a boat. I'm a water person and am happiest when I can relax on a boat with a good book.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Claire Fraser from the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I see myself in a hotel in the 1940's, when I see Claire in the lobby, recognizing her from when I had traveled through time, through the stones, and landed in the 1740's. She was a healer and had once helped me through a difficult illness. I'm reluctant to approach her in case she doesn't remember me or doesn't want to acknowledge that she recognizes me. Am I an odd time traveler who remembers my time on both sides, or do all time travelers recall the transition? She walks to the elevator, and I know my time to approach her is slipping away. Once she's on the elevator, I may not find her again. Is her name Claire in this life? I yell her name, but my voice is hollow, whispery, and she doesn't hear me. The door to the elevator opens and Claire steps in. It's now or never. "Claire," I yell, my voice loud and clear, as I run to her. She turns. She squints. I see her eyes widen in recognition as I approach her. "Lily?" she says. "Yes, Claire, it's me," I say. I step in the elevator, pushes a button and we start to rise. Three floors pass when the elevator comes to an abrupt stop. No alarms go off, but we seem suspended in time, between worlds. She holds out her hand to me. "How?" she says. "Same way as you," I say. She hits a button, and nothing happens. The elevator wasn't moving anytime soon. She smiled. "Let's talk," she says. I nod and say, "you first."
Author Interview - Lee Adams | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
I don't know that I can pinpoint a moment. It was a natural progression from my love of reading and of words. I tried to write my first book when I was 13, so that's my first memory of acknowledging it. The first time I successfully wrote a book from beginning to end was after donating my kidney. During the process of testing to be a donor, I tried to find a book that focused on living organ donors. I couldn't find one. My medical staff suggested I write one. I took all the emails and correspondence I'd had over the year and put it together with my thoughts and feelings and wrote the book. Once I'd proven to myself I could do it with non-fiction, fiction didn't seem like a stretch. My writing was born!
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
What I like about a hardback is the feel of it. It has a certain texture, a certain promise, that inside that large grouping of pages is a world I'm going to sink into and become a part of. I'm going to make friends here. However, I travel for a living and it's heavy. Paperbacks are smaller and more convenient to pop in a purse or backpack but they lack the appeal of the hardcover. The ebook is convenient, I can have many in one place, and it saves me carrying around multiple books when traveling. I also don't have that constant, "fear of a book ending without another one to start." All bibliophiles know that fear. However, it doesn't have that page turning, physicality to reading that is enjoyable with a hardback or paperback. Audio books are wonderful for when I'm driving and have a long trip ahead and want a great story to help get me there, but I miss the actual reading part. It stretches the genre of "reading," which is so much of what I enjoy.
The last book I read:
The last book I read was Crown Of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. Fantasy is not my "go to genre,” however, my dad convinced me to read Karen Marie Moning's "Fever" series, and I loved it. I've been looking for a similar series and finding the Maas novels has fit that format perfectly. The characters, especially the main female character, are strong and fearless and they challenge your thoughts of what I would do in that position. The characters are also flawed, insecure, and hopelessly human at times. Along with a well-imagined story line and imaginary world, it's a page turner that has kept me yearning for the next book.
Author Interview - Lee Adams | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I prefer to write on a computer. I have terrible penmanship and would never be able to go back and have a clue what I was trying to say. With a computer, I can edit as I go, save it in multiple places so I don't worry about losing it, search for a word that will help me refer to something already written, and it's legible. I wish I was better at doing outlines, post it notes, and the many writing styles I see from other authors. I get an idea, and I run with it until I’m finished. Then the editing begins.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
I think I'd be very good friends with Eloise from the Bridgerton series written by Julia Quinn. She's a no-nonsense female who wants to make her own way in the world without having to marry a man. She’s pragmatic and intelligent and would be a great conversationalist.
Author Interview - Lee Adams | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
My two passions are books and music. I'm currently working as the VP of Promotion for Broken Bow Records in Nashville. Songs are stories told in short form. And in some ways, books are songs in long form.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
I love the clothing from the Regency era. The men looked stately and the women exquisite. And who wouldn't want to wear a tiara?
Place I’d most like to travel:
I love to travel anywhere that has medieval castles and cathedrals. I'm fascinated by medieval times and anytime I can travel to a European country and tour castles and cathedrals, I'm happy.
My signature drink:
My guilty pleasure is a Mountain Dew. My non-guilty pleasure is a Starbucks Chai Tea Latte.
Favorite artist:
Willie Nelson is my favorite artist. His gift of music has been a gift to me since I was a young teen. He's a brilliant wordsmith, weaving music and lyrics into songs that can be fun, heartfelt, and full of stories.
Number one on my bucket list:
I have a trip set to hike the Pyrenees Mountains on the Camino de Santiago. I hear it's a difficult hike but a beautiful one.
Anything else you'd like to add:
I'm excited to have my novel, Love On Tour, coming out in June. As an avid reader, I know what it's like to open a book in anticipation of a great story. It's my hope that readers enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Find more from the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lee.adams.3532
Instagram: @LeeadamsBBR
About Lee Adams:
Author Interview with Lee Adams
Lee Adams was born and raised on the outskirts of Baltimore, MD. She has been active in the country music industry since the 1980s, working at a radio station before joining Decca/MCA Records and then Broken Bow Records, where she has been VP of Promotion since 2007. She has worked more than fifty #1 songs and is a current member of the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. Lee is a living organ donor, having donated her kidney in 2007. She and her husband of thirty-five years, Randy, adopted a teenager from Haiti in 2017. They live on the Potomac River in Falling Waters, WV.
