10 Big Questions With Emma Adams

1. Can you tell us about your debut novel The Puppet Spell?

The Puppet Spell is a quirky fantasy tale for all ages, in which teenager Lexa’s life is thrown off-kilter when her rebellious twin sister Lucinda steals an invisibility potion from their uncle’s store room. Accompanied by her nerdy partner-in-crime Marlon – and her uncle’s unreliable, not to mention dangerous, chimera - , Lexa is pulled into an unknown universe threatened by a man with a grudge known as the Puppeteer. With the world’s politicians turning into sinister puppet-creatures, Lexa needs to find her sister and escape the puppet spell.

2. Where did the idea come from?

I wanted to write a traditional fantasy adventure with a modern twist.  I’d been working on another book series for years but it just wasn’t working out, so it was refreshing to invent a whole new set of characters. The original idea for this was in an old notebook I found in my room. I’d written the beginning of a story about a hidden laboratory a few years back, and I started thinking about how I might finish it. One idea led to another and The Puppet Spell was born!

3. What does a typical day devoted to writing look like for you?

I wish I had a whole day to devote to writing! As I’m a student with an unpredictable workload, I tend to write whenever I can, in the gaps between lectures and deadlines and other things that come up last-minute! I’m a night owl so I write best in the evening, and sometimes in the early hours of the morning. If I get stuck, I’ll read a book for a bit or go on Twitter or Goodreads. I don’t have a strict routine but I like to get at least 500 words a day.

4. I’ve read that you enjoy video games, so what are you playing right now?

Right now I’m playing Pokemon White 2 (at 21, I’m still a massive Pokemon nerd!) I’m also playing Lego Lord of the Rings.

5. Do you think playing video games helps with the writing process in any way?

It actually gave me some ideas for The Puppet Spell, in which a lot of the magic is based around illusions and imaginary worlds, which are like a kind of virtual reality.

6. Darkness Watching is the first book in your new Darkworld series. What has the process of bringing a new series to life been like?

I’ve had the idea for years, so I had quite a lot of background material to begin with. It definitely made it a lot easier, and it was really fun coming up with a new cast of characters and getting to know them. It’s certainly very different from The Puppet Spell – and certainly not for a young readership! But it’s been a very fun process, and I’m currently having a lot of fun writing the third book in the series!

7. Did your writing process change in any way between your first novel and your newest?

I actually spend less time on planning than I used to. I spent years planning the first book I wrote, even going as far as to outline every scene on a spreadsheet – but when I finally started writing the book, it turned into something completely different. I still work from an outline, but I also like to be surprised when I’m writing – which tends to happen whether I like it or not!

8. Is there a particular movie that you preferred over the book version?

I actually prefer the film versions of The Lord of the Rings, much as I admire Tolkien. It looks so much more epic on the big screen!

9. Who would play the Puppet Master in a film adaptation of your novel?

Argh…I never know how to answer these questions! Someone who could play a sinister villain who’s also slightly unhinged.

10. Where do you see writing taking you in the next few years?

Hopefully to a lot of places I’ve never dreamed of! I have lots of ideas for new books in the making, although I’m currently focused on the Darkworld series. But it’s about the journey, and I’m loving it!