The following is an interview with Parker Adams regarding the upcoming release of the thriller novel, The Lock Box, through Crooked Lane. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Adams about his creative experience in bringing the world and characters to life on the page, what he hopes that readers may take away from the story, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of The Lock Box! For those who may be unfamiliar, how would you describe the book’s premise, and what inspired you to tell this story?
Parker Adams: The premise is pretty simple: L.A.’s finest—and most discrete—safecracker, Monna Locke, is kidnapped and forced to participate in what might be the heist of the century.
The book was inspired by several things, including my love of heist movies, watching the COVID lockdowns play out, and a couple of other things I don’t want to mention because they might give away important twists in the book.
BD: You have deftly intertwined non-stop action with the twists and turns of a dramatic heist story. How would you describe your creative process in weaving these elements together while bringing the story and characters to life on the page?
PA: I start every book with a 2-4 page outline. That doesn’t tell me everything that’s going to happen, just the beginning, the end, and a few key points in between. Some of those might be character moments, or bits or dialogue, or action scenes that I know I want to write. I also go in having a fairly detailed sketch of each of the main characters. That gets me on my way.
As I work to connect the dots between the points in the outline, I learn some things, I figure some things out. I take notes as I go about all the things that need to be changed or fixed. Then, when I’m about halfway through the manuscript, I jump back to the beginning. I make a pass through the first half, fixing and tweaking those things, and then I make a mad dash to the end.
Obviously, after I’m done with the first draft, that’s when the heavy editing begins, and, oftentimes, we’ll add a scene or two that are needed to flush out some character details.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Monna’s stories may connect with and impact readers?
PA: I’d like to think that Monna is a pretty unique character in adventure/crime fiction. Between serving in the Army and being a safecracker, she has taken on two male-dominated careers and succeeded. Although she often gets called to work in the ritzy parts of Hollywood, Malibu, and Beverly Hills, she’s a very down-to-earth, blue-collar person. And a lot of the challenges she faces on a daily basis are ones we all can relate to, like balancing home and work as a single parent, trying to navigate the pandemic, and keeping herself and her family safe.
When it comes to the themes of the book, Monna’s story is really one about perseverance. She faces some incredible odds, but she keeps fighting for herself and those that are counting on her. So, I hope all your readers can see something of themselves in Monna.
BD: Do you foresee expanding the novel into subsequent books or even into other entertainment mediums, if given the opportunity?
PA: I would love to write more Monna Locke stories, or to see her stories play out in other mediums. But really that’s up to the fans and how they react to her. If fans like her and make that known, we’ll get to do more.
BD: Are there any upcoming projects on which you are currently working that you would like to share with our readers?
PA: I have started researching and thinking about what a second Monna adventure would look like. And then, I also have plans for more adventures in my first series (featuring air marshal Seth Walker) and at least one other new series I’m working on.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about The Lock Box and your other work?
PA: Readers can always check out my website, https://josephreidbooks.com (Parker Adams is my pen name, but https://parkeradamsbooks.com, leads to the same domain), and while they’re there they can sign up for my free newsletter that comes out several times per year. It’s got the latest book news, along with some fun things I do for each issue. I’m also on Instagram as @josephreidbooks and Facebook as @josephreidbooks1.
