Samuel A. McAdams

A self-proclaimed 21st Century Absurdist Author

​Samuel anointed himself the 21st Century Absurdist. The fact his writings do not match the traditional absurdist definition matters not to him, for he insists the term “traditional absurdist” is an oxymoron. He stakes his claim to the title because absurd, along with fun, are the most common words used to describe his work:​
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Comments from his critique group further cemented his affirmation of being an absurdist author:

  • One insisted he does all his writing under the influence of controlled substances.
  • Another suggested that upon his death, “Samuel should donate his brain to science, because it clearly doesn’t work like everybody else’s.”

Samuel denies the allegation of writing under the influence, claiming he lives a dull and boring life so he can continue donating his highly sought-after O-Negative blood. His only public comment regarding brain donation: “I’m still using it.”
21st Century Absurdist
​​Gallery of Samuel's Novels:
Some are born into greatness.
A few have greatness thrust upon them against their will,
while many arrive at greatness via hard work, determination and perseverance.
Then there are those brought to greatness through a series of incredibly painful operations and bizarre scientific and chemical experiments performed by a purple skinned space alien. 
This is their tale …
​Reviewer comments of BarnYard Heroes - The Havarti Travel Bureau Conspiracy (a 2020 Page Turner Award Finalist):

  • Readers’ Favorite® review: "A fantastic story that readers of all ages will love. You will find humor, action, drama, and adventure that make this story a true MVP. Fantastic, funny, and entertaining!"​
  • BookBaby: "The tone of the story is fun and light and absurd. It reminds me of Jasper Fforde’s style."  
  • Page Turner Awards: "Well written, humorous, good action. Great opening paragraph."​​​​
​​It’s a Shaun of the Dead and Men in Black sandwich, with a side order of Animal Farm.

A secret agency protecting Earth from intergalactic threats entices the BarnYard Heroes to become agents. The agency believes these superpowered animals will be the key to defeating the Havarti Travel Bureau’s plans to exterminate humans. The animals can’t wait to use their abilities for greater good, but their flawed superpowers are on full display in their first mission. The cow blames the failure on her poor leadership and vows to redeem herself and the team, but her attempts at redemption result in the one-by-one disappearance of the other animals. She soon finds herself alone and a full-fledged cow zombie at the center of a cow zombie apocalypse she unwittingly started.

Will she fend off zombiism, save her fellow BarnYard Heroes, and prevent the double-crossing agents from unleashing a human zombie apocalypse or will she decide it’s time for the BarnYard Heroes to save themselves and flee to the safety of a secluded farm?
The opening chapter of "BarnYard Heroes: The Havarti Travel Bureau Conspiracy or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Cow Zombie Apocalypse" was a 2020 Page Tuner Awards WRITING AWARD FINALISTS!

Click here to see the submission.

 BarnYard Heroes: The Havarti Travel Bureau Conspiracy or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Cow Zombie Apocalypse​​
​Status: Coming Soon!!!! 

BarnYard Heroes​

​​A Novel Series by Samuel A. McAdams​​

Desperate to prove their worthiness and become agents of GIBOD, the rabbit and duck set off on a quest to prove a rival gang of enhanced backyard animals are frauds and become the only ones who can stop the BackYard Heroes' master plan. Will these surfer dude heroes be up to the task?​

​​​Status: Draft complete​​

BarnYard Heroes: The Power of Steel Wool
​Status: Draft complete

The cat, blinded by her love of invention and problem solving, helps an evil space alien create an army of killer sheep, who believe it is their obligation, as the greatest beings of all time, to enslave the entire universe. 

Will the cat pull off a Doctor Who moment and thwart the killer sheep’s attempt to conquer the universe?

BarnYard Heroes: See the Future - Be the Future
​Status: Draft complete

The dog accidentially triggers a hidden power to time travel. With the inability to control the power, the dog gets lost in time. Will he master the art of time travel in time to stop a narcissistic robot from the future from annihilating humanity and save the lives of his fellow BarnYard Heroes without creating a space-time paradox?

BarnYard Heroes: A Pig Tale
​Status: Draft complete

​​The pig imagines himself as the swine version of James Bond and believes he can singlehanded bring down the crime lord recently elected President of the United States of Africa. Will he learn to except help in time to stop the President’s plans for mass destruction and world domination?​​

BarnYard Heroes: The Legend of Pooh Manchu
​Status: Draft complete

The fish had been given one rule by his space alien creator; never get wet. He learned why when his attempt to save his fellow BarnYard Heroes failed and he ended up a boiling puddle of goo oozing down the kitchen sink drain.

What appeared to be the end of the fish, turnout to be a new beginning. He emerged from the sewer reborn as a fat tailless turkey with duck legs, muscular human arms, and a lizard head. More importantly, he had new powers. He could run as fast as the chicken, control the cat’s tornados, lift objects 10 times his weight, and instantly heal his wounds. Despite his new powers, the fish still fears the responsibility of saving the day, preferring his former role of hiding in walls.

​Will he confront these fears, save his BarnYard Heroes friends, and stop every villain the BarnYard Heroes ever faced, who each plan mass destruction they believe will lead them to the glory of world domination.
Background Image by William Sturgell from Pixabay 

BarnYard Heroes: A Half-Baked Origin Story

BarnYard Heroes: A Half-Baked Origin is a blend of a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy novel and a Marvels Avenger movie, with a dash of the Muppets.

Is it silly? Of course.
Is it a bit absurd? Absolutely.
Is it socially relevant? Not a bit.

Thanks to a space alien’s experiments and the sudden corporate cancelation of his project, a band of misfit barnyard animals have malfunctioning superpowers, a thirst for adventure, and delusions of grandeur.

This origin story features the chicken, the last to join the space alien’s experimentation. She has yet to demonstrate a superpower, prompting the others to call her Half-Baked. But in order to save her fellow BarnYard Heroes and prevent the space alien theft of Earth’s cows, she will need to overcome her inferiority complex and activate her superpower. Who knows, she may even learn how to fly.​​

Paperback available at:
​eBook at:​

Please give it a review on Amazon or Goodreads


BarnYard Hereos: A Half-Baked Origin is featured in the latest Reader Views Book Review Blog. 

BUY IT NOW!!​
​​Other Works in Progress:

The Rodentia King
​Status: 2nd Draft in progress

Eric had no intention of seeking adventure, love, danger, and least of all the International Squirrel Conspiracy. If he hadn't gone searching for his lost dog, he would have stayed home and tended to the injuried animals in makeshift wildlife hospital. ​​

But now he knows too much and the Rodentia King leaves no witnesses. When faced with an us or them scenario, with this true animal lover be able to take the life of another creature.​​

The Last Engineer
​Status: 2nd Draft in progress

In a robotic future, where humans no longer need to work, a frustrated engineer must overcome his hatred of Artificial Intelligence and cooperate with the comfort droid inside his head in order to prevent the world’s elite corporations from exterminating the masses by unleashing a robot swarm.​​​​​
As a co-leader of a The Writing Journey, a Suburban Chicago writing group, Samuel runs a monthly editing accountability group, organizes weekly “Shut Your Trap & Write” sessions, provides writing critiques, gives writing advice, and has presented workshops on the writer’s voice, editing, humor, time management, and the use of naps to find your eureka moment.
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He was a regional NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) Municipal Liaison from 2015 to 2023. He loved encouraging fellow writers to complete the challenge of writing a 50,000-word novel in the month of November. He brings his absurd fun to the writing meetups with his legendary Bowl of Doom prompts.​
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Here are some of Samuel's writing roles and accomplishments:
Bio:

Comedy writing has been a lifelong passion for Samuel. He enjoys the craft, including the endless edits. He hopes fans enjoy reading his novels and stories as much as he enjoys writing them.​
Samuel's Blog shares the offbeat fun he seeks out in his daily life and travels, complaints about Chicago Sports franchises,  rants about movies/shows/books he loves or hates, and occassionally he'll provide editing and life advice.​​​

Samuel's Words to live by:

  • Life is too important to be taken seriously
  • Learn to laugh at yourself, or others will do it for you
  • Retirement is wasted on the old
  • Never put off until tomorrow what can be forgetten about completely​
  • Comedy is serious business​
  • In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man speaks gibberish
  • Remember to go pee-pee in the potty before you go bye-bye.
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