Michelle Adams
Author Interview - Michelle Adams
Author of Little Wishes and Hidden Treasures
“On her favorite day of the year, Elizabeth Davenport awakens in her cottage on the wild and windy Cornish coast, opens her front door, and discovers a precious gift: the small blue crocus and a note that begins I Wish . . . They are not signed, but she knows they’ve been left by her first and truest love, Tom Hale. Each of these precious missives convey a simple wish for something they had missed, and the life they might have shared. She has kept them all.”
Author Interview - Michelle Adams
Author I draw inspiration from: I tend to be inspired by books that have really moved me, or whose writing I find beautiful. So in that respect, I am inspired by many different authors, too many to list here. But standout authors who have inspired me include Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, Donna Tartt, Hanya Yanagihara, and Jojo Moyes.
Author Interview - Michelle Adams
Favorite place to read a book: I always loved to read at the beach, although most of my time at the beach nowadays is spent playing with my toddler. But I love a quiet afternoon, rain against the window, curled up on the sofa with a good book.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: I'm going to have to go for a character that I read only recently, and choose Daisy Jones from Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I fail to see how she wouldn't have a way of making that time enjoyable.
Author Interview - Michelle Adams
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: Like most authors, I had loved books from when I was really young. I don't remember when I was first introduced to reading, or who it was that inspired my interest. But I remember the first time I had access to what I'd call an adult fiction novel. Along with my parents when I was about nine years old, we went to a family friend's house, who had the most eclectic bookcase. I pulled out a Stephen King book, Gerald's Game, and asked if I could read it. This was at the height of 1980s fame for Stephen King, so even the non-readers knew who he was and had an opinion on his work. The consensus was that I shouldn't read the book, that it was full of warped and twisted things, which to my nine year old self only made it more appealing. However, all of the adults were discussing not only the book, but the author too. Somehow, they seemed to think there was something also wrong with him. I turned the book over, and looked at this photograph, and thought to myself that it was sort of magic that as a writer he had convinced them of something about himself without them even reading the book. To me it was just a story. I did borrow that book, and I'm sure most of the content went over my head. But that incident left me thinking that books, and writers, weaved a certain kind of magic, and after that, I decided that one day I would be a writer too.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: I buy a mixture of everything. I love hardback books, and if I read something I really love in another format, I'll definitely buy the hardback too. And I love signed first editions. But I love ebooks for their ease and speed of delivery, especially because I don't live in a country where there are lots of English books available. Audiobooks are great for the ease of reading while I do other things like driving and cooking.
The last book I read: Strangers, by C L Taylor. Before that, Normal People by Sally Rooney. Both great.
Author Interview - Michelle Adams
Pen & paper or computer: I write on my computer. Sometimes I write four of five first drafts, so the workload for that would be too much if it was all on paper. I did think of getting a typewriter at one point, thinking it would slow me down a little and improve thinking, but ultimately I don't think I can stand the idea of having to then write it up into Word. But I love pen and paper for planning.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: Well, she would probably think I was pretty lame, but I have to choose Katniss from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
Author Interview - Michelle Adams
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: Scientist. I worked for 12 years as a cardiac physiologist, and I liked it, so it's an easy choice. I'm also studying for a post grad degree in psychology at the moment, so maybe a psychologist if you ask me the same question in a few years time.
Favorite decade in fashion history: Oh, absolutely the 1990s. I was born in 1981, so the 1990s are my teenage years. I wore some crazy things. I flipped between being quite grungy, and looking a little bit like a spice girl. The clothes were a lot of fun. Also the makeup in the 1990s was amazing. We were inventive, and it was simpler than it is now. We didn't do anything like contouring back then. It was all about a mask of foundation and dark lined lips. The only problem is the eyebrows. We all plucked them into near nonexistence, so mine have never really grown back.
Place I’d most like to travel: There are so many places I want to go, including many cities and beautiful beaches like Thailand or Bali. But what I am most drawn to are dramatic natural landscapes and nature. I'd like to go on safari in a place like Kenya, and visit mountainous regions like the Himalayas. Also, the idea of going to Iceland really appeals.
My signature drink: That depends on the time of year. In the summer I like a white wine, especially a spritzer with lots of ice. But in the winter a gin hot toddy is the best. Gin, warm water, honey, lemon, and cinnamon. It is like Christmas in a glass.
Favorite artist: I love William Turner's work, and am fascinated by the work of Botticelli and the colours he used. I think they are very beautiful, and like the brightness of the colours. But I also love the work of Spanish painters, like Goya or those based in Spain, like El Greco. Unlike the work of Botticelli, what I am drawn to in these works is the darkness of these paintings, and whenever I visit a museum I am drawn to these paintings. I think colour overall is what I'm drawn to in art, be it light or dark.
Number one on my bucket list: I don't really have a bucket list anymore. I used to, and I did do some of those things. I used to be a bit of an adrenaline junkie, so did things like swimming with sharks and parachute jumps. I'm not really like that anymore, and would say I'm fairly content to do what I'm currently doing. But I suppose something I'd love to do, although absolutely never will, is climb Everest. That would be amazing.
Find more from the author:
Instagram, facebook, and twitter handles are all @MAdamswriter
Author Bio: Michelle is a writer and novelist. She is the author of two psychological thrillers, My Sister (2017) and Between The Lies (2018), and now writes heartwarming women's fiction. Her debut women's fiction title, Little Wishes will be released in November 2020, and will be followed in 2021 by Hidden Treasures.
Michelle contributed to the 2020 anthology about motherhood, The Best Most Awful Job with an essay entitled Learning To Be A Mother, an account of her experience with adoption.
Her novels have sold in 20 territories, including UK, US, Germany, Greece, and China. She has also written for The Guardian newspaper and The Daily Mail.
Michelle is British, but now lives in Limassol, Cyprus, with her husband and their children.
