Today we’d like to introduce you to Ama Adair.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Like many of us, my life changed dramatically on September 11, 2001. One moment, I’m slacking off on my college classes and working in retail, the next, I’m enlisting in the Navy. Before that day, joining the military wasn’t even on my radar. But I discovered a lot about myself in the fallout of 9/11, and I was determined to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. It was quite the culture shift for me, but eventually, I found my footing.
For 21 years, I was an intelligence professional. I didn’t just thrive in this world; I excelled. As the first female to graduate from the most challenging school in the Department of Defense, I took the path less traveled and kicked open doors for all those who came after me. I was an interrogator, spy, and counterintelligence agent, and I loved every minute of it. However, it all took a toll, both physically and emotionally. Then, I found an outlet for “the voices in my head” in writing and decided to try my hand at penning a novel. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that was the start of my next adventure.
When I finished my first book, I decided to give publishing a try and haven’t looked back since. I retired from the Navy in October 2022 and became a full-time writer and independent consultant. With time to devote to all my passions, I found new avenues to tell stories: screenwriting and acting. While I have no intention of making a career out of acting, I love doing it, and more importantly, the insight it gives me into filmmaking. Every second I spend on a set provides opportunities to learn and grow as a screenwriter. I’m a firm believer that if something I create is a foundation for someone else to be able to do their job, I want to make sure it works. What better way than to do it myself? Seeing what it takes to go from the page to the screen makes me a better screenwriter and storyteller, and will serve me well as I continue my journey.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The list of challenges and obstacles I faced is an exceptionally long one. But I have a stubborn streak a mile wide, and every time someone or something stood in my way, I found a way to push forward. While it wasn’t always pretty or had the desired results, it taught me mental fortitude and resilience.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a multi-award-winning author, screenwriter, and veteran. My life has been one that few experience, doing things most people only read about. It was filled with action, adventure, intrigue, and everything that comes with it, both the good and the bad. Now, I write thrillers filled with action and characters that walk the line between right and wrong. I’ve published four novels (three awards), a novella (one award), and a graphic novel, and have two short stories in anthologies. My first feature film screenplay won at the Female Film Festival, and was a semi-finalist for the Nashville Film Festival and the “Table Read My Screenplay – Cannes 2025” contest.
What matters most to you?
While it may sound cliché, my family and the ability to prioritize things as I see fit matter most to me. Mainly because for a couple of decades, my priorities weren’t mine. And then when my family came along, they often had to be secondary to what the Navy needed. Making them, and myself, a priority again has been healing in so many ways. It wasn’t an easy transition, but our life is what my husband and I hoped it would be when we decided to retire from the Navy at the same time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amadair.com
- Instagram: @a.m.adair
- Facebook: @AmaAdair
- LinkedIn: @a-m-adair
- Twitter: @AMAdair6
