CBC: The Sessions (a.k.a. The Review Book)

Interview with Leslie McAdam

Name: Leslie McAdam

Wattpad username: lesliemcadam

Favourite quote: "I will not compare myself to strangers on the internet."

Currently writing: The Stars in the Sky

Currently reading: I am a voracious reader and read constantly, with many books open at once. My mom is a retired teacher, and taught me to read before I turned three; I read incredibly fast. On my Kindle right now are "Her Billionaires" by Julia Kent, "Ride Steady" by Kristen Ashley, "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon, and "This Side of Paradise" by F. Scott Fitzgerald to counteract all the smut.

Currently eating/drinking a lot of: Coffee with six measured tablespoons of half and half, because one can't indulge too much.

Favourite non-literary hobby: Listening to Beck, reading to my children (considered non-literary since we're reading books about Minecraft), impressionist oil painting (www.lesliemcadam.com).

Authors who you love: Kristen Ashley, Madeleine L'Engle, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Mary Oliver, Alice Clayton, J.D. Hawkins, Katy Evans, R. L. Mathewson, Jodi Ellen Malpias, and many, many others.

Tell us about how you started writing:

When I was small, I wanted to be a children's book author and tried writing from time to time. Then, fifteen years ago, I remember buying a notebook and starting to write a fictional story (about going to the door and, wow, Cary Grant was standing there). Since then, I've written four full-length novels, two screenplays, tons of poems, short stories, and other miscellaneous work. Absolutely none of this writing has seen the light of day; a total of 3 or 4 people, total, had read any of it. In July I started a new novel, "The Sun and the Moon," and wrote it on Wattpad.

Would you like to write for a living? If so, why/not?

I would love to write for a living; it is a dream since childhood. I am a lawyer and I have been a lawyer for fifteen years. If I were a full-time writer, I would still stay a lawyer because the interactions with people are a great source of material, however, I would dial back my practice. Now, though, writing is so much in my spirit that I simply must write, no matter what, no matter if I lose sleep (hence the coffee).

Why did you pick this story to be featured?

The Sun and the Moon, although it's a "mature" rated romance that is quite consistently explicit, has, at its heart, a ChickLit theme: a woman's acceptance of herself and her sexuality, and her recovery from mental illness. My character comes from a place of depression -- past the crisis stage, but still numb -- and moves into a place of feeling, of vulnerability, and of openness and trust. I think that while my work is explicit, it is explicit for a reason: I want to talk about female sexuality and I want to talk about why it's taboo. I want to talk about resistance to opening up to sexuality. I understand that not everyone likes to read explicit sex scenes; however if you look beyond the erotica, this is a story of healing, recovery, and healthy relationships.

What inspired you to write this story?

After trying to be superwoman for way too many years, as a lawyer, mom, wife, and farmer (yes, I live on an orange tree farm in Southern California), I became seriously depressed and suicidal. It got to the crisis stage and my friends, co-workers, and family helped me to get checked into a mental hospital. It was embarrassing, because I'm a professional. I'm a polite, reserved and law-abiding citizen. I'm a mom. And I got strip-searched. I took six weeks off of work, temporarily dyed my hair purple (hence the profile pic), and got help. This book was the creative result of that very personal experience, and I am pleased to say that I have significantly recovered, from deep, suicidal depression, after a year and a half of diligently working on it through medication, exercise, therapy, saying "no," dialing down outside obligations, and pursuing creative things, like writing, that are soul-fulfilling.

What is your favourite relationship in this story?

My main characters, Amelia and Ryan, of course. I'm a hopeless romantic and I love the idea that he had a crush on her for a decade and once she noticed him, she felt the same way.

What do you think makes this story stand out?

It's a deep subject dealt with in a humorous way, narrated by a sassy and snarky narrator.

What do you hope readers take away from this story?

I hope for readers who will connect with the theme and the characters. If readers do not connect this way, then I hope, at least, they will be entertained by the funny parts (or turned on by the sexy parts).