Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an introvert by nature, happiest when I’m spending time alone, being a hermit in a space of my own. But inside of me lurks the soul of a gypsy. So after a career in television and a stint as the co-owner of a mail-order catalog business, three years ago, I decided to pursue my lifelong ambition to travel the world and write about it, and live as a nomad for as long as I possibly can.
I have just published my first book, ‘Enchanted Summer’, and am currently “building” the story for my next book, ‘On the Way There’, as I attempt to travel the globe in this uncertain pandemic-ravaged world.
In the words of my friend Christopher from Oxford, I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on the list.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is my first book, entitled “Enchanted Summer: A Journey in the Footsteps of ‘Our Hearts Were Young and Gay’.” As the subtitle suggests, ‘Our Hearts’, my all-time favorite book, is what inspired this story.
Published in 1942, ‘Our Hearts’ recalls the true account of Cornelia Otis Skinner’s and Emily Kimbrough’s bold and brazen journey to Europe as unescorted young women in 1922.
Told in Cornelia’s marvelously witty voice, with her droll, self-deprecating humor, this book has been adored by fans ever since its publication in 1942. What makes this story especially addictive is that it is a work of non-fiction, as Cornelia and Emily attest at the beginning of the tale:
“Lest the reader should be in any doubt, we wish to state that the incidents in this book are all true and the characters completely non-fictitious.”
The first time I read Our Hearts Were Young and Gay, I was in high school. Their captivating coming-of-age story of remarkable adventures and laugh-out-loud misadventures fueled my sense of wanderlust and inspired my own travels throughout the years. And always on my sojourns, my second hand copy of ‘Our Hearts’, circa 1942, has traveled with me.
Then as luck would have it, in the summer of 2017, I had the opportunity to live every reader’s dream, and step into the pages of my dearly-loved book, brushing up against Cornelia’s and Emily’s glamorous 1920s world as I “traveled with the girls”.
Ninety-five years (almost to the day) after the girls made their journey, I followed in their footsteps, recreating their travels, seeing those sights they marveled at, discovering what of their world still exists, and I wrote about what I learned from their journey, all while having my own set of bizarre, joyful and downright embarrassing experiences.
In short, it was a fascinating time, a glorious adventure — truly enchanted days.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I would love to claim to have any writing habits at all! I write more “term-paper” style, going for long stretches without touching the keyboard, then holing up for marathon writing sessions (as in weeks), where I stay in the same clothes for days at a time and stop showering. It’s pretty unseemly, but the process seems to be what works for me.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Erik Larson’s ‘The Devil in the White City’ is one of the most sizzling, beautifully-crafted books I’ve ever read. My galpal Cornelia Otis Skinner’s ‘Madame Sarah’ is the best biography I’ve ever read. And Elizabeth Gilbert’s ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ showed me it’s possible to write a personal travel memoir that is compelling, relatable, and even inspiring.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one other author: Tom Fremantle. His books recounting his Indiana Jones-like adventures around the world are what gave me the idea for ‘Enchanted Summer’. And it is to his book, ‘The Road to Timbuktu’ which I owe a debt of gratitude for serving as a guidepost when it came to putting to paper the tale of my summer with the girls.
What are you working on now?
My second book, ‘On The Way There’. It began life last summer as ‘A Twirl Around the World’, with the idea being that I would use dance as a way to immerse myself in a culture, and get to know a place and its people. What I felt would make it an interesting story is that I am a terrible dancer.
But then sometimes life gets in the way. This single, nomadic, “International Woman of Mystery” wannabe, met someone in my travels that made me consider recalibrating my plans. Then the worldwide pandemic hit, and like for everyone else, my world was upended. I’m separated from my new beau by an ocean, with no idea when we shall see each other again. I realize that my life as a nomad, which is the most exciting thing I’ve ever done, is essentially over, taken away abruptly and irrevocably. So now I find my story evolving and writing itself in these moments.
So here I am, you’ve caught me mid-story. It sort of feels like I’ve answered the front door in my dressing gown (okay, who am I kidding? I’ve just answered the front door in boxer shorts and a t-shirt stained with chocolate).
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Oh, dear. I’m really not the best person to ask this question to. I’m a wretched salesperson — the whole concept of promoting my book makes me anxious. And as a self-published author, all I know to do is throw every idea I have at it, explore every avenue I can come up with — from Facebook groups who might be interested, to my alumni newsletter to utilizing every book promo website I qualify for.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Only the advice I’ve been given by other authors who have helped me along the way, and that is to take heart and know that there isn’t one set path to success, and that one’s success has to do with tenacity as much as talent.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
All-time favorite piece of advice is from Morgan Freeman:
“Don’t take criticism from people you would never go to for advice.”
The best part of these sage words is that when I read them, they come into my head in Morgan Freeman’s voice. Talk about a win!
What are you reading now?
“Master Georgie” by Beryl Bainbridge. Just finished “Julie and Julia” by Julie Powell — after my travels with the girls, I can relate a lot better to her story.
What’s next for you as a writer?
The dreaded promotional “book tour” — i.e. loading up the trunk of my car with copies of ‘Enchanted Summer’ and driving around North America, couch-surfing with friends and speaking to any group who is willing to let me come and gas on about my book. Of course, all of this is predicated on the world getting back on its feet a bit more.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Our Hearts Were Young and Gay by Cornelia Otis Skinner and Emily Kimbrough
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (going on the assumption that I could be stranded there for a while)
Author Websites and Profiles
Adrienne Crow Website
Adrienne Crow Amazon Profile
Adrienne Crow’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile