Interview With Author Adrienne H. Lee
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Adrienne and I am a new author! I am an artist and freelance art historian by trade, so I give lectures, teach art history classes and even lead art-themed book discussions. I have written quite a bit of nonfiction over the years, whether for local arts publications or for my personal blog (thewanderingarthistorian.wordpress.com). I was really struggling during the pandemic. Weren’t we all? I couldn’t pick up a paintbrush and I desperately wanted to create something, anything. To say I was uninspired would be putting it mildly. I decided that I wanted to create something truly authentic, a real “Adrienne H. Lee” piece of art. Turns out, I was working in the wrong medium. Writing has unleashed a creative force in me that I haven’t experienced in a long time.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut novel is titled The Autobiography of an Infinite Being or How I Turned into a Bird on My 80th Birthday. They say “write what you know,” so I decided to tell my trauma story by way of a strange and modern fairy tale. I love myths and legends and I wanted to add my personal story to the pantheon of human storytelling.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I really like creating an atmosphere when I write. For me, this means candles and scents. Aromatherapy does wonders for my writing time and helps keep me focused on the story at hand. I do my best to choose the right scents for the right moments to generate the feelings I want to come through in my writing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I did research on Magical Realism and fairy tales and legends before writing my debut novel. A few of the books that helped me are The Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer, The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, Women who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D, and When Women Were Birds by Terry Tempest Williams.
What are you working on now?
I am working on my next novel and a bunch of short stories!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
There is a huge bookish community on Instagram, so I post a lot there. I also share quite a bit on my personal blog (thewanderingarthistorian.wordpress.com). Since its inception in 2017, I have published more than 600 posts!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day! Whether it is a little or a lot, write something. Even if it has nothing to do with your project – write. Also, be willing to do the work. We are all connected to the same Internet. You can find a lot of information online if you are willing to do the research.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When you get stuck on a problem or a puzzle you can’t seem to solve, do something completely different. Go for a walk outside, watch a movie, complete a crossword or go fishing; just do something different and take a break from the puzzle or problem you are trying to solve. Doing something completely different shifts the activity in your brain so that when you come back to the issue, you have a new perspective and new insights.
What are you reading now?
I am currently reading The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am focusing on writing daily and getting a few more short stories out of my head and onto paper. Then, it’s back to the next novel.
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?
I would bring The Lord of the Rings trilogy and I think I’d be set for life.
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