Q&A With Adriane Leigh 

Heather Drucker, a publicist from Harper Collins Publishers, has connected me with several great authors for interviews! One of these authors I’m interviewing now is USA Today Bestselling Author Adriane Leigh! Adriane is the author of multiple novels and novellas. One of her famous works is the series The Influencers. One of Adriane’s solo works is Society Women. Adriane has appeared in famous publications which are Vogue Magazine and The Montreal Gazette. Adriane also hosts the podcast, The Rebel Artist!

Q: Adriane welcome to Book Notions! Would you please give a brief description of your work starting off with The Influencer Series? 

A: Thank you so much for having me — I’m thrilled to be here.

The Influencer Series is my dark, psychological thriller universe that explores power, perception, and the dangerous performance of authenticity. It begins with The Influencer, which introduces readers to Shae Halston — a woman who understands one very important truth: the person who controls the narrative controls everything.

Across the series — including The Imposter, The Icon, and the upcoming The Idol — I follow Shae as she reinvents herself again and again, manipulating systems, relationships, media, and even belief itself. She’s charismatic, intelligent, deeply wounded, and morally unbound. What fascinates me about her isn’t just what she does — it’s how easily the world wants to believe her.

Each book peels back another layer of influencer culture, curated identity, trauma as currency, and the way society rewards the best storytellers — even when those storytellers are dangerous. The series blends psychological suspense with social commentary, asking uncomfortable questions about fame, victimhood, redemption, and the stories we choose to consume.

If readers love morally complex women, unreliable narrators, slow-burn manipulation, and twists that make them question what they thought they knew — this series was written for them.

At its core, The Influencer Series is about power — who has it, who performs it, and what happens when a woman decides she will never give it up again.

Q: Before you sit down to plot, write and edit your work, do you begin the day with breakfast, a cup of coffee or a walk around the neighborhood?

A: I spend every morning at my favorite local coffee shop. I can’t write at home–too many distractions between dishes, the kids, the dog–so I sip lattes and play with the villains in my head! I also like the background buzz of conversations–it helps my creative juices flow! 

Q: How many hours a day do you spend plotting, writing and editing? 

A: I spend 5-6 hours a day working on stories and 2-3 hours on the weekend. Late afternoon I either spend time with my kids or work on the business side of things, like marketing, making teaser graphics, drafting newsletters, etc. 

Q: The Icon is the fourth book in The Influencer Series and it will be released on June 9^th! What can fans expect in book 4 and do you plan on writing anymore books in The Influencer Series & are you also juggling other projects outside of that series?

A: I’m always juggling multiple books, each in different phases of the process. I’m usually writing one, editing another, promoting a third, and oftentimes have vague plot ideas for a fourth in my mind at any given time. 

I’m actually planning to release The Icon early, I’d hoped to release it at the end of 2025 but this story needed more time to get just right. I spent four months reading and re-reading it, tweaking and polishing and adding more of Shae’s signature dark humor with every pass. The Icon is set three years after The Intruder and Shae has been through a lot and she’s evolved in ways I don’t think the reader will expect! 

In book four, fans can expect everything to escalate — emotionally, psychologically, and publicly.

If the earlier books explore Shae’s ability to manipulate individuals and systems, this one examines what happens when she begins manipulating belief itself. The stakes expand beyond private deception and into something far more dangerous: influence at scale.

Readers will see a new version of Shae — more controlled, more strategic, and even more aware of the power she holds. The question is no longer whether she can reinvent herself. It’s how far she’s willing to go to protect the version of herself the world has chosen to worship.

This installment leans heavily into themes of identity, perception, and devotion. It explores the seductive pull of curated healing and the power it holds over the vulnerable, the hunger for redemption narratives, and the unsettling reality that people often prefer a beautiful lie to an uncomfortable truth.

Fans can expect tension that builds slowly but relentlessly, moral lines that blur in ways that feel uncomfortably intimate, and an atmosphere that feels both alluring and quietly ominous.

Above all, book four asks one central question:

What happens when the audience doesn’t just follow the story — they start believing it?

Q: Other than entertaining your readers, what are some lessons and reminders you hope readers learn once they turn the last page? 

A: My first job is always to entertain. I want readers turning pages at midnight, feeling that delicious mix of tension and curiosity. But if they close the book and sit in silence for a moment after the final line — that’s when I know I’ve done something meaningful.

More than anything, I hope readers walk away thinking more critically about the stories they consume — online and in real life. We live in a culture where authenticity is curated, trauma is monetized, and perception often matters more than truth. I want readers to question why they believe what they believe — and who benefits from that belief.

I also hope the series reminds readers that power isn’t always loud. It’s often subtle. Charisma can mask control. Vulnerability can be weaponized. And the most dangerous people aren’t always the ones who look unhinged — sometimes they’re the ones who look perfectly composed.

At the same time, I’m deeply interested in resilience and reinvention. My characters, especially the women, are complex. They’re flawed. They’re wounded. They’re ambitious. And while not all of their choices are admirable, their refusal to disappear is something I find fascinating.

If there’s one quiet takeaway, it’s this:

Pay attention to the stories being told — and ask yourself who is telling them.

Because influence isn’t just about followers. It’s about belief.

Q: Congratulations on The Influencer series currently being adapted for television! How much creative control do you have with the show and has the casting process begun yet?

A: Thank you! I can’t say much at this stage, but I’m thrilled that this story has resonated with so many readers in such a profound way! We’re currently in the process of assembling a creative team and the producers have been wonderfully collaborative through each step so far! I feel a lot of responsibility to the readers who have loved this character through all her ups and downs and can’t wait to see every suspenseful moment unfold on screen!

Q: Does Hollywood have the rights to the rest of your novels and novellas? 

A: A few production companies have shown interest in my latest release, Society Women. That story is set in elite New York City society and is packed with twists! I think the screen adaptation would be riveting. 

Q: What made you start your podcast The Rebel Artist? How do you juggle writing by doing the podcast, and what is your advice for anyone wanting to do one or both? 

A: I started The Rebel Artist because I couldn’t find the kind of creative conversation I wanted to hear.

There’s so much noise in the creative space — formulas, trends, hustle culture, “write faster, publish more.” And while I respect strategy, I’m deeply interested in the inner life of an artist. The psychology. The identity shifts. The fear. The reinvention. The moments when you burn down what worked because you’ve outgrown it.

The Rebel Artist grew out of that tension. I wanted a space to share honestly about building a creative career without losing your voice — and without waiting for permission.

For anyone wanting to start one or both, my advice is simple: start before you feel ready. You do not need the perfect mic, the perfect branding, or the perfect niche. You need clarity about why you’re doing it. If you’re chasing validation, you’ll burn out. If you’re building something aligned with who you’re becoming, you’ll sustain it.

And finally — don’t split your identity. You’re not “a writer who also podcasts.” You’re a storyteller. The format is just the vehicle.

Build the body of work. Protect your voice. And be willing to evolve in public.

Q: Would you please provide links to your social media accounts and your podcast? The readers of the blog and I would love to follow you! 

A: Sure!

I’m most active on Instagram: @adriane.leigh.writer

My Facebook is: https://www.facebook.com/adrianeleigh

And you can listen to The Rebel Artist on Apple Podcasts or Spotify: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rebel-artist-with-adriane-leigh/id1456299936 // https://open.spotify.com/show/41R6NNdwrI5X2ybqJakor9?si=4ec8c7e2a563485a 

Q: What’s it like being featured in the publications Vogue Magazine and The Montreal Gazette?

A: Being featured in Vogue and The Montreal Gazette was one of those surreal, full-circle moments.

Vogue has been my favorite magazine to flip through each month since I was in high school. I can still picture sitting with it, studying the images, the tone, the confidence in the storytelling. It wasn’t just fashion to me — it was world-building. It was power. It was narrative wrapped in beauty. So, to one day see my own name associated with a publication that shaped my sense of ambition and aesthetic so early on felt incredibly meaningful.

The Montreal Gazette was equally special in a different way. There’s something grounding about being featured in a respected publication rooted in culture and journalism. It feels less glossy and more legacy-driven — like your work is part of a larger conversation.

Both experiences reminded me that storytelling moves across mediums. Whether it’s a thriller novel, a podcast episode, or a magazine feature, what resonates is clarity of voice. I’ve always believed in building a brand that feels cohesive — dark but elegant, bold but intentional — and seeing that recognized in those spaces was affirming.

At the end of the day, though, the real work still happens quietly — at my desk, in the early drafts, in the edits no one sees. The features are beautiful milestones. But the craft is constant.