Sam Adams (Author name: Isabel Sterling)/Photo Credits: Megan Adams
An author who lives in the city of Cortland is getting set to release the fourth book of her career.
Sam Adams, also known as the author Isabel Sterling, will see her newest book “The Coldest Touch” hit bookshelves on Tuesday, Dec. 7.
Adams is also the author of “These Witches Won’t Burn,” (released May 2019) its sequel “This Coven Won’t Break,” (released May 2020) and a short prequel to the first two books named “This Spell Can’t Last,” (released April 2020). The series has sold over 35,000 copies worldwide and can be read in different languages too, which shows that there’s a captive audience who enjoy Adams’ work.
Adams’ first two books are considered a “duology”. The two-book series, plus the prequel, tells the story of a “witch in modern-day Salem Massachusetts,” she added. Adams mentioned she mixed in a “bit of that local stuff” when one of the characters from the series visits Ithaca, goes to Ithaca College and sees a professor at Cornell University.
Adams will break off from witches in “The Coldest Touch” and center on vampires, adding that her third full-length novel is a “new and separate story.”
“It’s a different world we’re building, with a bit of extra magic,” she said.
Adams, who has been writing since 2012, said it was “very exciting” when her first book came out in 2019.
“I finally achieved my dream,” she said.
The fourth book of her career, however, felt different for Adams.
“I’m super, super excited for this book, because I really leveled as a writer through the process of this book,” she said. “I’m proud of my other books, but this one is so much better. Anyone who loved my first few books is going to go completely bananas for this (new) one.”
Adams noted how she likes the “emotional underpinning” of all of her books. She added that her books are “super real and relevant” and has that “magic element.”
“But it’s still so much about people and the choices that they make,” Adams said. “It’s really more about finding your people, overcoming loneliness, and trying to figure out how to deal with these unexpected life circumstances that have been set before you.”
Growing up, Adams was a fan of the Twilight books. While reading the books, she noticed one flaw: the relationships throughout the series were “controlling.”
It’s what led to Adams creating a distinction between “toxic relationships” and “healthy, collaborative relationships,” and as she described it: “switching the narrative.”
“In my first book, there is a part where characters are toxic and try to have this push/pull in the relationship,” she said. “They make it clear the reasons why it doesn’t work because this person is controlling and wants things her way.”
Fans of Adams’ book have reached out to her “from all over the world” praising her books.
“They tell me how much this book means to them and how important it is to see someone like them having healthy relationships or getting out of unhealthy relationships,” she added.
Adams noted that her books are “heavily populated” with LGBTQ characters and brings relationships from that community to light.
“It’s showing the likeness of relationships in those communities, and being able to make those characters exist,” she said. “It’s something nice for readers, especially readers who maybe are in areas that aren’t as accepting and can say ‘Oh that character is just like me.’’”
Looking ahead, Adams mentioned she is “working on something with ghosts, but it’s still very much grounded in the reality of that piece.”
For now, Adams is basking in the notion of “knowing there’s someone in (the city of Cortland) doing this publishing thing.”
“It’s fun. The people who are into books, there is an author among you,” she said.
Adams, who is also a life coach for writers and teaches them “how to navigate in the industry,” gave some advice to those who are inspired to publish their own novel or work.
“Anyone who has a dream of going into a bookstore and seeing their book on shelves, it does take time but it’s totally worth it,” she said. “It’s worth the effort.”
To purchase one of Adams’ books, click here.
