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Sunday, October 17, 2010
Seducing the Duchess with Ashley March
DRD: Welcome back to Hero Hot Seat! Yes, it's been a while. The last hero was a little too hot, so the fire marshal got involved, and there was that whole four-alarm blaze thing. But I know you're going to love today's guest, Philip Burgess, Duke of Rutherford, the hero of SEDUCING THE DUCHESS—
*Captain Jack Sparrow saunters onto the stage, blowing kisses to the audience*
DRD: Hey! I'm in the middle of a show!
Captain Jack: Perfect! *faces the camera and bows*
DRD: *yanks Captain Jack up by his collar* Look, I know you're big on impromptu appearances after that recent school visit, but I already have a guest today.
Captain Jack: But I'm here!
DRD: *tries to look sad* So sorry! *puts hand to corner of mouth* Psst! Security. *tilts head in Captain Jack's direction*
*two burly security guards lift him by the arms, his legs bicycling madly in the air as they head backstage*
*loud crash offstage*
DRD: *presses finger to ear mike* He did what? *looks at the camera* It looks like our guest is going to be delayed. Fortunately, we have his creator, debut author Ashley March, standing by. Because who could possibly know a hero better than his author!
Audience: THE HEROINE!
DRD: Well, yeah, but—give a big round of applause for Ashley March! Ashley, can I get you something to drink? We have a fully-stocked bar, along with a coffee maker, an espresso maker, a French press coffee maker. . .
Ashley: *cranes neck to look in the direction of Captain Jack* Is he on the menu? No? Are you sure? *gives audience salacious wink* Could he come back and serve my beverage?
DRD: Well, um, sure, but he can't even compare to Philip, your hero. I recently spent the night with him—er, well, I read his story, SEDUCING THE DUCHESS, in one night. *fans face and takes a sip of ice water* Tell us more about him.
Ashley: Ah, Philip. *eyes glaze over wistfully* Well, he looks a bit like Clive Owen. Tall, dark, handsome, of course. Also rather like Captain Jack…without the dreadlocks. The kind of man that makes you want to rip off his clothes and…I mean…*clears throat* He makes you want to rip off his exterior masks and reveal the man beneath. You see, on the surface he’s not hero material. He’s arrogant, manipulative, and can even be deceitful at times. But he’s desperately in love with his wife, Charlotte, and that’s what redeems him. For her, he’ll do anything. Even change from the villain of the story into a hero, if need be.
DRD: *sighs* This is a "reconciliation story", which sounds tough to write, because there's a history between the characters, as well as emotional obstacles in place. You did it wonderfully though because I was a nervous wreck the last third of the book! What was it like writing this kind of story?
Ashley: *still looking toward the back for Captain Jack*…Oh! What was that? Reconciliation story. Right. It warms my heart to hear you were a nervous wreck. *smiles* In some ways, it was easier to write such a story because there was a history between them. The emotions and attraction were already there, and all I had to do was get them on the page. At the same time, however, that’s also why writing the book was difficult. I had to balance the vulnerability, anger, resentment, attraction, etc. in a way which would be believable for readers. This meant I couldn’t make it easy for Philip to get Charlotte back, and Charlotte had to give as good as she got. Although their love story isn’t very neat or pretty, it shows that failures can be overcome, hearts can be healed, and even the worst marriage can be redeemed by love and forgiveness.
DRD: Did the idea for the story come first, or was it the hero?
Captain Jack: *pops up between DRD and Ashley* Did someone say hero?
DRD: *shrieks and puts a hand to her bosom* Eyes up, Captain! Or I'll pop them out with a fork.
Captain Jack: *winces* I merely wanted to ask this lovely lady a question. *lifts Ashley's hand to his lips* Your heroine Charlotte was quite the saucy wench. Perhaps even a bit of a pirate in another life. You must have created her with me in mind, no?
Ashley: *grabs DRD’s ice water and holds it to her forehead* Well…not exactly. *mouths to DRD “He kissed my hand!”* Although I’m sure she likes rum, too, I, um, created Charlotte as the perfect heroine opposite of Philip. She was inspired by Scarlett from Gone with the Wind, and--
Captain Jack: Oh. I thought--perhaps I might help inspire your next hero then. *attempts a seductive pose*
DRD: *snorts* I'm sure she's already created her next hero. Ashley, can you give us a hint of who that might be, and how long we have to wait before we see him on the shelves?
Ashley: *blushing as she looks back and forth between Jack and DRD* Sure. Sebastian Madinger, the Earl of Wriothesly, is my next hero. He’ll be appearing in Romancing the Countess, set to release in Fall 2011. It’s a story about Sebastian and his best friend’s wife, who are drawn together after their spouses die in a carriage accident and it’s discovered they were having an affair. It’s a sweet, sexy, emotional book…that’s currently lacking any pirates. *smiles at Jack* But perhaps I can convince my editor to let me make one last change.
Captain Jack: *preens* Ashley, everyone loves to hear those Port of Call Stories. So. . .when might I call upon you?
DRD: *shakes her head* Could you tell us your Call Story, either with your agent, or editor, or both?
Ashley: *leans over and whispers something in Captain Jack’s ear before turning back to DRD* Ahem. My Call Story. Yes, of course. How about with my agent? I had started SEDUCING THE DUCHESS before I got pregnant with my first daughter, and then the nausea hit…and then my hips ached…and then all I wanted to do was sleep. After she was born, I still hadn’t finished the manuscript. I had about 80 pages to go. However, being quite sleep-deprived and assuming it would take forever before I got an answer, I decided to go ahead and query a couple of agents anyway. One read the first ten pages I was allowed to submit with my query and a few days later asked for the FULL. Shocked, I asked for advice from my writer friends and replied with an email saying I needed about three weeks to “polish” the story. Two weeks and five days later, I submitted the full. The following Wednesday she emailed me, said she loved the story, and asked if she could call me the next morning. I said yes, of course, didn’t sleep at all that night, and was surprised that I even let her say two words the next day before I accepted her offer of representation. It was a fantastic day.
Captain Jack: *lays head on Ashley's shoulder* That was lovely, although we should probably talk about my pants now.
DRD: *glares at Captain Jack* He's always a bit of a flirt when we have guests, but he's quite taken with you, Ashley. I hope you don't mind. And I dearly hope he’s asking if you're a plotter or a pantser.
Ashley: No, no. I don’t mind…at all. *blushing again* Becoming a published author who submits proposals has forced me to become more of a plotter. I’m still a pantser at heart, though. I basically plot out all the major points of the story, then pants it the rest of the way. I usually don’t know exactly what’s going to happen in the next chapter until I’m finished with the current one. *bats eyelashes at Captain Jack* And may I say, Captain, your pants are quite lovely.
Captain Jack: *prances down the stage like it’s a catwalk and spins before falling off*
DRD: Ashley, thank you so much for stepping in when Philip, uh, well, became indisposed. Now it's time for questions from the audience. Hopefully Ashley can stay around for a bit, or stop by later, so fire away! Uh, forget I said fire. . .And don't forget to stop by www.ashleymarch.com for more info!
*Captain Jack Sparrow saunters onto the stage, blowing kisses to the audience*
DRD: Hey! I'm in the middle of a show!
Captain Jack: Perfect! *faces the camera and bows*
DRD: *yanks Captain Jack up by his collar* Look, I know you're big on impromptu appearances after that recent school visit, but I already have a guest today.
Captain Jack: But I'm here!
DRD: *tries to look sad* So sorry! *puts hand to corner of mouth* Psst! Security. *tilts head in Captain Jack's direction*
*two burly security guards lift him by the arms, his legs bicycling madly in the air as they head backstage*
*loud crash offstage*
DRD: *presses finger to ear mike* He did what? *looks at the camera* It looks like our guest is going to be delayed. Fortunately, we have his creator, debut author Ashley March, standing by. Because who could possibly know a hero better than his author!
Audience: THE HEROINE!
DRD: Well, yeah, but—give a big round of applause for Ashley March! Ashley, can I get you something to drink? We have a fully-stocked bar, along with a coffee maker, an espresso maker, a French press coffee maker. . .
Ashley: *cranes neck to look in the direction of Captain Jack* Is he on the menu? No? Are you sure? *gives audience salacious wink* Could he come back and serve my beverage?
DRD: Well, um, sure, but he can't even compare to Philip, your hero. I recently spent the night with him—er, well, I read his story, SEDUCING THE DUCHESS, in one night. *fans face and takes a sip of ice water* Tell us more about him.
Ashley: Ah, Philip. *eyes glaze over wistfully* Well, he looks a bit like Clive Owen. Tall, dark, handsome, of course. Also rather like Captain Jack…without the dreadlocks. The kind of man that makes you want to rip off his clothes and…I mean…*clears throat* He makes you want to rip off his exterior masks and reveal the man beneath. You see, on the surface he’s not hero material. He’s arrogant, manipulative, and can even be deceitful at times. But he’s desperately in love with his wife, Charlotte, and that’s what redeems him. For her, he’ll do anything. Even change from the villain of the story into a hero, if need be.
DRD: *sighs* This is a "reconciliation story", which sounds tough to write, because there's a history between the characters, as well as emotional obstacles in place. You did it wonderfully though because I was a nervous wreck the last third of the book! What was it like writing this kind of story?
Ashley: *still looking toward the back for Captain Jack*…Oh! What was that? Reconciliation story. Right. It warms my heart to hear you were a nervous wreck. *smiles* In some ways, it was easier to write such a story because there was a history between them. The emotions and attraction were already there, and all I had to do was get them on the page. At the same time, however, that’s also why writing the book was difficult. I had to balance the vulnerability, anger, resentment, attraction, etc. in a way which would be believable for readers. This meant I couldn’t make it easy for Philip to get Charlotte back, and Charlotte had to give as good as she got. Although their love story isn’t very neat or pretty, it shows that failures can be overcome, hearts can be healed, and even the worst marriage can be redeemed by love and forgiveness.
DRD: Did the idea for the story come first, or was it the hero?
Captain Jack: *pops up between DRD and Ashley* Did someone say hero?
DRD: *shrieks and puts a hand to her bosom* Eyes up, Captain! Or I'll pop them out with a fork.
Captain Jack: *winces* I merely wanted to ask this lovely lady a question. *lifts Ashley's hand to his lips* Your heroine Charlotte was quite the saucy wench. Perhaps even a bit of a pirate in another life. You must have created her with me in mind, no?
Ashley: *grabs DRD’s ice water and holds it to her forehead* Well…not exactly. *mouths to DRD “He kissed my hand!”* Although I’m sure she likes rum, too, I, um, created Charlotte as the perfect heroine opposite of Philip. She was inspired by Scarlett from Gone with the Wind, and--
Captain Jack: Oh. I thought--perhaps I might help inspire your next hero then. *attempts a seductive pose*
DRD: *snorts* I'm sure she's already created her next hero. Ashley, can you give us a hint of who that might be, and how long we have to wait before we see him on the shelves?
Ashley: *blushing as she looks back and forth between Jack and DRD* Sure. Sebastian Madinger, the Earl of Wriothesly, is my next hero. He’ll be appearing in Romancing the Countess, set to release in Fall 2011. It’s a story about Sebastian and his best friend’s wife, who are drawn together after their spouses die in a carriage accident and it’s discovered they were having an affair. It’s a sweet, sexy, emotional book…that’s currently lacking any pirates. *smiles at Jack* But perhaps I can convince my editor to let me make one last change.
Captain Jack: *preens* Ashley, everyone loves to hear those Port of Call Stories. So. . .when might I call upon you?
DRD: *shakes her head* Could you tell us your Call Story, either with your agent, or editor, or both?
Ashley: *leans over and whispers something in Captain Jack’s ear before turning back to DRD* Ahem. My Call Story. Yes, of course. How about with my agent? I had started SEDUCING THE DUCHESS before I got pregnant with my first daughter, and then the nausea hit…and then my hips ached…and then all I wanted to do was sleep. After she was born, I still hadn’t finished the manuscript. I had about 80 pages to go. However, being quite sleep-deprived and assuming it would take forever before I got an answer, I decided to go ahead and query a couple of agents anyway. One read the first ten pages I was allowed to submit with my query and a few days later asked for the FULL. Shocked, I asked for advice from my writer friends and replied with an email saying I needed about three weeks to “polish” the story. Two weeks and five days later, I submitted the full. The following Wednesday she emailed me, said she loved the story, and asked if she could call me the next morning. I said yes, of course, didn’t sleep at all that night, and was surprised that I even let her say two words the next day before I accepted her offer of representation. It was a fantastic day.
Captain Jack: *lays head on Ashley's shoulder* That was lovely, although we should probably talk about my pants now.
DRD: *glares at Captain Jack* He's always a bit of a flirt when we have guests, but he's quite taken with you, Ashley. I hope you don't mind. And I dearly hope he’s asking if you're a plotter or a pantser.
Ashley: No, no. I don’t mind…at all. *blushing again* Becoming a published author who submits proposals has forced me to become more of a plotter. I’m still a pantser at heart, though. I basically plot out all the major points of the story, then pants it the rest of the way. I usually don’t know exactly what’s going to happen in the next chapter until I’m finished with the current one. *bats eyelashes at Captain Jack* And may I say, Captain, your pants are quite lovely.
Captain Jack: *prances down the stage like it’s a catwalk and spins before falling off*
DRD: Ashley, thank you so much for stepping in when Philip, uh, well, became indisposed. Now it's time for questions from the audience. Hopefully Ashley can stay around for a bit, or stop by later, so fire away! Uh, forget I said fire. . .And don't forget to stop by www.ashleymarch.com for more info!
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71 comments:
*LOL* This interview is hilarious!
Ashley, it is wonderful to meet you; and your debut book--or hero, as most of us care more about--sounds yummy!! I love reunion/reconciliation stories.
You compare your heroine to Scarlett, who is definitely one of those literary characters you either love or hate. (I don't know if I love her per se, but I do understand her and I can respect her.) Was it a challenge to show a sympathetic side to your heroine? Was there anything specific you did to show a more sympathetic side to her?
Brilliant interview! Captain Hellion, yer gonna have ta keep that man chained up when we have guests aboard!
Ashley, wonderful call story. I must look fer yer book and please...have a Mighty Mast, one of our signature drinks here on the Revenge... I do apologize fer Jack. He's very...intent!
A heroine based on Scarlet, I must run off and contact me mate, Jane. She's a huge Gone with the Wind fan and she might find your book just up her alley!
Good morning, pirates! Thanks for the compliments on the interview -- Ashley is a delightful interviewee, and Captain Jack is, well. . .
Anywho!
I'm going to finish my coffee. But, Chance, I hope you can tell us the ingredient list in the "Mighty Mast". (It IS a drink, right?)
This was a fun interview to *watch*. LOL! I've been seeing this cover and you, Ms. March, all over the blogs and am so happy you included us on your tour. I could help but read that call story and think, "She had to wait overnight!" Who could sleep waiting for that call?!
I'm moving in less than 2 wks so I'm not buying any books before then, but this is going on the list for sure. I'm going to need something to calm my nerves once all the boxes are unpacked.
Terri, I shudder at the thought of packing. I'm still UNPACKING from a move a year ago. LOL
You could read the first chapter on Ashley's website. That's how I got hooked. :) Of course, it might change your mind about not buying any books til after the move. (Not that I'm an enabler or anything. LOL)
Donna - I'm actually not reading anything right now, so don't be tempting me. Then again, I could maybe get it on my eReader. That wouldn't give me anything else to pack, huh?
I kicked butt on the packing front this weekend. Storage room is significantly defeated. I'm going to need more boxes, but we're not nearly as far behind as we were before the weekend started.
Mmm, I think that's a good idea about the eReader. And I like that it can kind of "disguise" your activities. . .I wonder if I need to let Santa know how much I *need* one of these. LOL
Good for you on the butt-kicking packing. Maybe you should come up here once you're all settled in. LOL I've got a few projects for ya!
Loving this interview - thanks Ashely and Donna! I personally ADORE reunion stories, especially those that take place within a marriage. I think because it gives you such a valid reason to hate the other person *g*. You can dislike a stranger, but you can really play with some fun emotions when they have a a convoluted history.
So yeah, I'm totally going to track down this book. Congrats on your release! (and as someone who is currently 25 weeks pregnant, and spent six of those weeks lying on the couch and praying for sweet death, I loved your call story :))
Hal, that's an excellent point about having permission to "hate" on a person -- I hadn't thought about that! I'm trying my hand at a reunion story and I haven't gotten too far in yet, but I think it's going to be interesting to see how they resolve their issues. I hope I can actually do it!
Ashley is actually expecting her second child in the next few weeks, so you two will have plenty to chat about!
Ahoy, mateys!
=) Okay, now that that's out of the way...
Thanks for having me today! I've wrested the laptop away from my daughter (at 1 year old she's already in love with technology), and am ready to go.
Hellion--I knew when I first started writing Charlotte that she wasn't going to be easy to like at first. I think for a lot of women, the temptress heroine (as I've dubbed her) is hard to sympathize with. The way I tried to make her likable, though, was to show that beneath her strength and seductive appeal, she was really fragile and vulnerable when it came to Philip. I feel as a writer that I succeeded in doing this, but I do look forward to readers telling me what they think.
@2nd Chance--
I like intent Jack. ;)
And am anxious to hear what's in the Mighty Mast as well.
Hello Bo'sun!
I'm so excited Donna invited me. =) Good luck on the packing...and unpacking. The last time we moved was three years ago, and I think there really is something to be said for hiring movers.
As for relaxing--I'm told that SEDUCING will make you giggle. =) So relax away.
Donna & Bo'Sun:
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm leaning toward getting an e-reader soon, too. I think I'll always prefer having a good ol' book in my hands (plus, there's something about the smell of books *sigh*), but the convenience of being able to download a book when the nearest bookstore is 45 minutes away...How could I say no? =)
Hi Hal:
Oh, yes, I do feel for you. Congratulations on your pregnancy! I've never been on bed rest, but it doesn't sound like a lot of fun. People sometimes ask me what advice I would give to other writers, and so far the best piece of advice I'm come up with so far is..DON'T GET PREGNANT. =)
Ashley, I'm glad you won the battle over the laptop! We're so glad you're here today!
I thought your heroine Charlotte showed a lot of vulnerability -- although I liked how she tried to keep it hidden by giving Philip such a hard time. :)
Chance is on west coast time, so we may have to wait a little longer to hear the secrets of the Mighty Mast. LOL I think I just came up with a new book title: The Secrets of the Mighty Mast.
I'm leaning towards an e-reader, mainly because I want something to take with me when I'm out and about that I can use to work on my WIP -- I don't really want to take my laptop. I think of an e-reader as a wallet, and my laptop a wall safe. LOL
I keep waiting to see what they do for prices at the holidays -- that may be when I finally succumb. :)
Thanks, Donna. =) I've seen posts from some readers that still couldn't identify with her, so I'm learning that it just depends person to person, but I really did love getting into her head.
I think that's a FANTASTIC book title. Seriously. And it really makes me want to go to the ocean now.
Mmm, that's interesting about readers not identifying with her. Of course, all of us here have WILDLY different opinions of characters in books. . .it can cause a bit of mayhem at times. LOL
I'm willing to go to the ocean, but only if it's in the tropics. I'm so tired of being cold, and it's not even REAL winter yet. LOL
I live a few minutes from the ocean. Come on over (eastward). My eReader was a gift so I admit I probably wouldn't have one if it had been up to me. LOL!
Most all of our drinks start with rum, and then you add a little more rum and a fancy glass. That's pretty much the recipe for all the drinks here. You can imagine what the Mighty Mast glass looks like.
BTW - I'm all for that "Don't get pregnant!" advice. Except that applies to my entire life, not just writing. :) I have one and I'm done. Congrats to you though. YOu're the 4th person I've "talked to" this morning who is pregnant. Whatever you do, do NOT leave anything contagious on this ship.
Donna--I hear ya! Moved to Colorado 7 years ago, and I'm STILL not used to the snow and cold. The summers are great, but don't think it's worth it.
Bo'sun--We're planning on making a trip to an East Coast beach next year. Any particular place you'd recommend?
RE: Mighty Mast--Lol. If I weren't pregnant, I'd definitely take you up on that offer. Today is my post-deadline day for my second book, and oy! I need something a little more powerful than Vitamin Water.
Thanks for the congrats on the pregnancy. =) I'm just trying to convince my husband right now that we might want to consider sticking with two. He wants to go for a boy, though..MEN. =)
Aye, the Bo'sun about gave it all away 'bout the Mighty Mast. But don't let that scare ya. It be good rum and a mighty fine glass!
I love me e-reader and almost never buy print anymore!
Dead Reckoning...you be lookin' at an iPad if yer lookin' at being able ta fiddle wit' yer manuscript as ya go.
LOL about not leaving anything contagious on the ship -- if I *were* to catch pregnancy at this age, my financial future would be set, being a medical marvel and all. LOL That would be a great book for me to sell!
Ashley, I love Colorado -- but I've only been there in the summer and fall. I'm pretty sure winter would do me in permanently. Heck, New England is about to do me in. I'm meant to be in a tropical climate.
Chance, I think the Sony e-readers can do Word docs, but they're pricier than other e-readers. The iPad is a beauty though. Verizon is offering them now too, at the end of the month.
Mmm, where's my Sugar Daddy? Maybe he left his checkbook for me here somewhere. . .LOL
I'm trying to figure out how to make a virgin Mighty Mast fer Ashley... You know, I need to add some mixers to my drinks!
Chance, maybe it could be a Mighty Mastless? LOL
I can "write" on my Sony Reader - with that nifty little electronic pencil thing, but I've no idea about the Word docs thing. I'll check it out tonight and report back.
Of course you belong in the tropics, who ever heard of an Arctic pirate? LOL!
Re: Beach recs - Depends on what you want for the vacation. I'm in Va Beach and I love it, but gets very crowded with tourists. With two little ones, I'm thinking lots of night life is not on your agenda. You should try the Outer Banks. I love it down there (about a 2 1/2 hour drive for me at most.) Plenty to do, plenty of nice cottages and houses in which to stay, but laid back and perfect for the little ones.
"Donna the Arctic Pirate" -- another great title! LOL
When I look at the Sony tech specs, they always list Word docs as something they handle, and I notice other e-readers don't. I don't know how much WRITING I'd get done on it, but it would be nice to have the whole manuscript there -- even if I took notes on paper -- just so I didn't have to cart my laptop with me.
DONNA THE ARCTIC PIRATE - A story so hot, it'll speed up Global Warming.
I'm sure you could put the whole MS on the Reader. I thought you wanted to mark it up with corrections, and I'm not sure what the limits would be. And, of course, now I need to try this.
2nd Chance-- still waiting for my mastless drink. Jack over here keeps trying to ply me with rum.
Bo'sun--I've heard wonderful things about Virginia Beach, but you're right about the tourists. The Outer Banks sound great!
Donna--My ideal house is located on the beach...with an invisible bubble that keeps it safe from storms and hurricanes. =)
Loved the interview, Donna and Ashley. Hilarious! Captain Jack Sparrow is one of my favorite characters. And Charlotte and Philip sound like great characters.
The trick to avoiding the hurricanes - for vacation - is to come in the late spring when it's warmer but not meling hot and the crowds haven't hit yet. But I wouldn't mind having one of those bubbles.
LOL about speeding up the global warming -- maybe we could start HERE, in my place?
I'm pretty sure agents/editors read submissions on Sony -- but let me know how it goes when you do it. It'll be like field research!
Anita, thanks for stopping by! Philip and Charlotte really were lovely characters -- I might have to read them again. . . :)
Where DID Chance go? Do we have a backup bartender? I mean, I can slosh some rum into a glass, but other than that. . .
Ashley, I would love a house by the beach. Does that bubble accessory keep the tourists away too? LOL
I can't believe we haven't even talked about writing!
So Ashley, while you're waiting for your beverage. . .I always like to know how a book forms in the writer's mind. Did you start with a certain scene, or a bit of dialogue? Or was it one of the characters?
I can add a question to that. Was this your first MS or do you have a few others under the bed?
Man! The line at the Tortuga Liquor Barn was hair-raising! All those Halloween parties bein' planned. Then I got laughed at when I said I needed somethin' without alcohol in it. I ended up at the 7-11evses for some Root Beer.
I gots some RRRR&W Root Beer, regular or sugar free! Let me gets ya a clean glass, Ashley and ya'll be all set!
I've read PDF on me Sony, but as me normal MO, I haven't looked to see if I could put me word docs on it. I do knows how ta change me doc to a PDF and take it along wit' me... I'll have ta look inta this word stuff.
Or...jus' let Bo'sun and Dead Reckonin' figure it out and tell me how ta do it...
Wow, Chance, the things you do for us as the Official Bartender! (LOVE the RRRR&W -- LOL)
I accidentally typed "barftender", which I suppose could happen if somebody gets overserved. Ewww.
I'd love to figure it out, but I don't HAVE an e-reader yet. LOL So Bo'sun, I nominate you to do the research for us. LOL
I forget! You're me beta for the new windows OS, Donnaroo!
Must remember to charge that bad boy tonight. Full report will come, but possibly not in the next two weeks. LOL! The insanity starts tomorrow morning!
I'm still figuring some things out, Chance. LOL It LOOKS purty though!
So you're going to be packing like crazy the next two weeks? Yikes. That sounds so much harder than WRITING. LOL
The biggest chunk of packing and disposing of stuff is done. The next two weeks are walk-thrus and handing over lots of money to different people and painting and cleaning and I'm sure there's something else.
Oh yeah, planning this freaking company holiday party that I've been ignoring and am now WAY behind with.
You sure you don't want a free trip to the beach? I'm sure I could keep you busy down here. LOL!
Mmmm, you do present a tempting offer. . .maybe if I could see the Navy SEALs, er, I mean, if I could see what you had in mind for me to WORK on. LOL
Isn't it crazy that it's time to think about holiday stuff?! What do you usually do for your holiday party? Is it similar each year (so you can use some of last year's ideas)?
I've been planning the party for five years now, black tie optional. This year, they decided to combine and have a party for our company and our sister company, which grew the size of my party from 100 people to 600+ people.
The phrase PAIN IN THE ASS is an understatement.
Throw a rock you'll hit a military dude. Seriously, they're not that hard to locate.
Bo'sun - You ought to take Donnaroo as a guest to your Christmas party... ;-)
Good Lord -- I nearly fainted at the thought of 100 people to plan for -- but 600+? Yes, PITA doesn't even come close to describing it. I'm sure you have a huge staff of volunteers to help you, right?
*ducks so I don't get smacked*
So do you have your outfit picked out? (I wanna make sure I don't wear the same thing! LOL)
No volunteers. I have two helpers at the other company. One is happy to help, the other is happy to let us do the work. *sigh*
I haven't even thought about the dress! I'll definitely send you a pic so we can coordinate. :)
LOL about the unhelpful volunteer -- that sounds about right though. :)
When you're picking out a dress, remember that *I* like red. So pick something else out! LOL
Thanks to you I've been looking at Macy's online. I found one I really like in merlot. Fingers crossed they have this one in the local store in November.
Thanks to me, you've gotten an item off your To Do list! LOL
I wonder if Ashley sneaked off with Cap'n Jack. . . LOL
Donna--I'd have to say that I usually start out with the characters. In SEDUCING THE DUCHESS, I already had Philip and Charlotte from a previous (unpublished) manuscript I'd written, and I just couldn't wait to write their story. I have tons of ideas waiting to be written, and if for some reason one of them starts out with a plot first, if I don't connect with the character in my mind (i.e.,I think they're boring), then the plot just doesn't work for me, either. To me, character is everything.
Bo'sun--this was actually my third manuscript. The first one...really, really, really bad. =) The second one was alright, and it finaled in a couple of contests, won one contest, but I think my voice and style changed from it to the third (which is now Seducing the Duchess).
Sounds like a great drink for me and Captain Jack to share over here... ;)
Holiday party? Would anyone like to plan to babysit the new kiddo? =)
Thanks, Anita! Hope you enjoy the book! :)
Ashley, that's intriguing that Philip and Charlotte were in a previous book. And I agree that the character is everything -- even if I don't know all that much about them when I start writing their story! I have to twist their arm sometimes to get them to let me know more. :)
Maybe the new kiddo could have a Pirate holiday outfit!
I'm late today, so I may be speaking to a ghost ship. Fun interview! Congrats, Ashley, on your debut release and all the good buzz it's getting.
I love reunion/reconciliation romances. That could be one reason Eloisa James and Sherry Thomas are among my favorite writers. I'm always excited to hear about another romance that uses that theme.
As for ereaders, I've been wishing for one for a couple of years, but since I have now read a number of ebooks on my computer, I'm not sure an ereader will solve my storage problems. If I read an ecopy of a book I love, I still want a paper copy. Ebooks don't give me the same sense memory that is part of rereading for me--and I always reread favorites.
I'm still smiling, Donna and Ashley...and all the others. Dammit! another book for my TBR pile. I can't resist brooding dark heroes with a soft spot.
Janga, I'll be the resident ghost. LOL
I read an e-book on my laptop recently, but by the time I got to the black moment, the laptop was WAY too heavy. LOL And I couldn't lay down like I wanted to! But I think I'd be like you, and have paper and e-copies of books that I want to re-read.
Liz, thanks for stopping by -- I'm glad you enjoyed the interview. We all (three) enjoyed doing it!
Sorry to add to your TBR pile. LOL Mine's bad enough, but then I have the TBRR (re-read) pile. I'm never going to catch up!
I read the first chapter on Ashley's website, and thought I was going to have a fit waiting a week for the book to come out!
Hi Janga! Still here! =) Glad you enjoyed the interview--it was a lot of fun.
Liz--I for one am glad for you to add another book to your TBR pile. =)
Donna--I think when you write a first chapter like that, and you know it works, it's very intimidating to keep it up through the rest of the book. Will be interested to see what you think of the first chapter in my next book. ;)
I'm looking forward to your next book! I'm already hooked on the premise. :)
Great interview. Very different, made me giggle. Ashley, I finished the book and I loved it. It was great. I can't wait to get my hands on the next one. Quick ?, is the next one set in the same world as this one or is it set in it's own?
Music to my ears: character is everything.
And though it's shameful to admit, it was also sorta music to my ears this was your third manuscript since your Call Story was entirely too awesome without enough suffering for my liking. I mean you really need to flair out these stories--talk about the YEARS of struggle and angst and how you were THIS close to being pitched out of your apartment and your agent told you, "You'll never make any money writing children's books" and then boom! Everyone knows about the boy wizard who goes to school and you'll never go hungry again, as God as your witness....
*pauses*
I tangled up some story lines didn't I?
No matter, I'm still glad there were three manuscripts.
Thank you, thank you, Ashley for visiting us today and introducing us to your yummy hero and your devilish heroine. :)
Oh, and BEST writing advice ever. I'm totally going to tape that on my wall and freak out all my friends.
Hi Danielle!
I'm so glad you liked it. =) The 2nd book will still be in mid-Victorian England (1849, to be exact), but it will be completely unrelated to the first book. With that being said, I'm about to start working on the third book, and have yet to determine whether or not that will be related to the first book. Hope you're not as confused as I am! =)
LOL @Hellion. It was painful, every step of the way. Pure, unadulterated torture. ;) Honestly, I think I got really lucky with my first agent because she had just been promoted to literary agent, so she was working on building her list of clients. Really lucky. =)
Re the writing advice, I think you should put it in your office and in your car, too. =)
Thanks, everyone for chatting with me today! I had a rum ol' time!
Re the writing advice, I think you should put it in your office and in your car, too. =)
Good reminder. I do have a lot of sex in my car.
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