An Interview with Zach Adams
Zach Adams has had a passion for writing and storytelling their entire life. However, they didn’t decide to pursue it as a profession until they realised that working in retail was completely draining their remaining life force. And so, Adams set out to create a fascinating and captivating universe, which they achieved in their debut novel and album, Dead Man Walking.
Having a general distaste for their current reality, Zach aspires to escape into the science fiction and fantasy worlds that they create. And by doing so, they aim to share this escapism with their readers (who are probably also incredibly tired of the current state of things).
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
I’ve always read everything I could get my hands on ever since I first learned how, but my earliest influences were actually Marvel and DC Comics, as well as video games like Final Fantasy (VII, IX, and X in particular) and Kingdom Hearts. I started reading books like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, and The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan around middle school, when most of the characters and concepts for the Ivyverse also started.
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
I’ve bounced between jobs since I was eighteen, mostly retail. Readers wouldn’t know from the book alone, but I’m also a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter.
Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
The title went through a few variations before I settled on the final version. I’m glad I didn’t save them because I can only remember they were embarrassingly bad.
What part of publishing your book made it feel real for the first time?
When my first printed copy arrived in the mail and I was able to hold it and read what I had written, and find all the mistakes I missed, leading to it being re-released two years later.
If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?
It actually has two. There’s a public playlist on my Spotify profile full of songs that influenced the book, one of which I released a cover of (Once in a Lifetime by Talking Heads), and on August 1, 2025, I released a self-produced album of original music, also called Dead Man Walking, to accompany the book.
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
I hope the whole thing sticks with them so they’ll be eager to read/hear the sequel, A World Apart.
What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?
After all the time it took me to construct the world and write the story, the most rewarding part was the moment the first draft was finished.
What creative projects are you currently working on?
At the moment, I’m writing book number two, A World Apart, while also brainstorming ideas for its companion album.
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