Interview With Ashley Andrews

My next guest for the Blogger Book Fair is Ashley Andrews, author of The Heaven I Found in Hell.  I met Ashley online when she contacted me about her book.  She is such a great lady and I have to say I was interested immediately when I read her book’s Amazon summary:

(available for free on Amazon Saturday July 28) Alexandra Levi is a world–renowned supermodel, gracing the covers of various magazines and mall billboards. She has walked down the runway at the top fashion shows throughout the globe. Then, everything changes when she is forced by her parents to attend boarding school. This means taking a year off from her jet–setting and celebrity lifestyle, in order to focus on her academics and to consider her future.

While in boarding school, she meets friends, makes enemies, and of course, finds love in the form of her roommate’s attractive and charming twin brother. However, everything isn’t as easy as it seems. She’s having a hard time getting his attention and her supermodel lifestyle poses a problem in the search for Happily Ever After.

So, who is Ashley?  Here is a little about her from her personal blog:

Ashley Andrews was born in New York to Canadian parents.  She moved to Canada when she was a very young child. She currently resides in Toronto. For years she has been a teacher, writer, and actress. She can normally be found in a coffee shop typing away at her latest work. She is the author of Bleeding Love, The Heaven I found in Hell and Breaking the Arm, Healing the Heart.

I want to thank Ashley for taking the time out of her busy schedule to do an interview with me.  Thank you, Ashley!

Now, on with the interview!

I can actually be quite shy when I am in the spot light.  The success of my books so far has meant I have had a lot of people interested in me and my books.  Sometimes it is a bit overwhelming!  

I was always the dreamer, fantasy type as a child.  If anything I was more involved with the drama club and acting in school rather than becoming a writing, was just putting those ideas down on paper from my imagination.  I never really thought of myself as a ‘writer’ type, but rather someone who just wants to share what my imagination was thinking.

Carmen, from Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego.   I was what you called a ‘granola head’ in school, which meant I really liked geography with the possibility of traveling the world one day when I was older.  I loved watching the Carmen Sandiego TV game show when I was younger.  The winner of each show would could choose a trip to anywhere in North America as their prize.  My dream was to go on that show one day.  Sadly, that dream never materialized but I did dress up like Carmen for Halloween last year!

The older YA audience. Some guys are now reading and telling me they like the books too. 

I probably would never have published a book in the first place had it not been for ereaders like the Kindle.  I guess my inspiration was that anyone nowadays can make something and upload it to the internet where thousands of other people can share in what you have made.  For an indie author like me it was something I could take advantage of without having to go the traditional route of book publishing where you need a publisher, book deal, physical books to distribute, etc.  

Not really. 

My readers and some of the other indie authors I have chatted with since publishing.

The more technical parts of publishing a book; lots of tricky little technical details like formatting I don’t really get.  

My local coffee shop.  I’m always working (or at least look like I’m working) during the day time.  I normally a nice big mug of coffee, or two, and maybe some food like a bagel, or peanut butter cookies if I have a sweet tooth that day.

Just go out and publish your first book.  It has never been easier for an indie writer to upload and sell their material on the internet with amazon, smashwords, etc.  Even if your first book is not ‘good’, you will learn so much from the process of creating something that will stay with you.  You don’t really know in life until you try. 

Ironically since I’ve been writing so much I haven’t had any time to read lately!  I did read a bit of E L James 50 Shades at my friend’s house and it seemed really exciting.  I’ll probably download the trilogy soon on my kindle. 

I’m putting the final touches on my latest work Sunnyside up with Red Ketchup.  Red is a secret agent who on her first undercover mission to protect arrogant, rich Zane Noble from a planned kidnapping. Innocent Red is Zane’s new target and he wants her out. Can she gain his approval?
I am aiming to have it published in less than a month from now.  I’m looking for reviewers to read it over when it comes out and offer their opinion.  I can be reached at ashleyandrewslp@gmail.com

That’s great!  Congrats, Ashley!  I, for one, can’t wait to start reading your books!

Tags: Ashley Andrews, Blogger Book Fair