ASHLEY SUZANNE

Author Interview  
with 
Ashley Suzanne 

Please welcome the brilliant and talented author behind MIRAGE, Ashley Suzanne

Tell us a little about yourself?

 I'm a little bit of everything; mom, wife, sister, daughter, cheerleader, support system, short order cook, housekeeper, taxi driver, referee, couch potato, reader, writer, advocate, birth mother, Christian, collector, hoarder, and over spender LOL

How would you describe your books? 

 My first series The Destined Series is a 4 novel, 1 novella collection that would be considered in the New Adult Genre.  It follows the lives of best friends through struggle, tragedy and happy endings.  My stand alone Raven is a coming of age tale of a young woman who falls in love with her childhood best friend, only things can never be easy for her.  Calling Card, my next book coming out, could be considered Erotica.  He's a man whore, she's a good girl, there's a child involved.  It's a shit show.

What genre is your work mainly? Do you tend to stay in the same vein or are you hoping ( if not already ) to explore new ventures? 

Well, I've written more NA than I have anything else, but I stay within Romance ... for now anyway.  Hopefully, I'll gain the confidence to move into horror, which is a passion of mine.

Share with us a quote from one of your favourite characters in your books?  

"We're not just a little while kinda thing, Rian.  We're gonna be the ones that make it.  We're forever." -- Garrett, Raven

Is it hard to come up with new idea's and / or plot's? 

 No.  My mind is always running and my husband is great with brainstorming with me too.

What inspired you to write your book?

 it was a passion I've had since I was younger.  I lost it somewhere between getting married, having kids and a full time job.  But, no worries, I found it.

Who is the easiest character to write for and Why? Hardest and why?  

Skylar will always be the easiest for me to write.  He's my favorite. And I think that Dexter, the man from Calling Card has been the hardest.  He wasn't easy to get to know in the book and he wasn't easy for me to get to know, either.

Without giving anything away, what is / are your favourite scenes in your book(s)? 

 I love the crazy, twisted, WTF is she doing moments!!!

Do you have any hobbies? 

I watch my son play football, read, crappy reality TV

Do you have a specific writing style? 

 I'v e been told I do, but I'm not

 sure about it.

How did you come up with the title? 

 I brainstorm with friends and keep a thesaurus handy.

How much of the book is realistic? Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life? 

 My books are 100% fiction *wink wink*

What books have most influenced your life most? 

 Every book I read touches me in some way or another ... they've stayed with me and helped mold me into who I am today.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor? 

 Madeline Sheehan HANDS DOWN.  

She's my Yoda.

What book are you reading now?
  

An ARC of a book by Alexis Noelle

What are your current projects?

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your books?  I'm always working on like 4 or 5 things at a time.  The most recent is a collaboration with my dear friend Pamela Ann ... we're working on a 2 or 3 part serial.  And I'd never change a thing!

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? 

 An over active imagination as a child.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?
  

Sure .... it's called Calling Card.  About a man who is a terrible human being, until he realizes where he went wrong.  He's sexy, steamy and loveable.  And it comes out September 4th.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

um .. keeping on pace?  Not getting distracted?  Telling the characters who aren't supposed to be talking to you to be quiet?  I think all of those could work LOL

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?  

I don't have a favorite author.  I have so many that I love dearly that bring something different to my life.

Who designed the covers?  

Sommer Stein from Perfect Pear Creative has done the graphics for all my covers.  Toski Covey and Don Shepherd have done the photography.

What was the hardest part of

writing your book?

keeping my attention on the story and not playing on FB

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it? 

 I learn something new every day 

Do you have any advice for other writers? 

 if writing is what you love, keep doing it ... don't do it for any other reason than you don't know what to do with yourself if you're not writing.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

THANK YOU!!!!

What is your favourite genre to write?

  New Adult

What is your favourite genre to read?

  Coming of Age, Contemporary, New Adult, Erotica

How long have you been writing for? 

 since before I can remember ... but professionally, for about a year and a half

What is your favourite  movie?  

Dirty Dancing

How  difficult is it to come up with one of your amazing plots?

  

not at all & lt;3

How about characters? Are they easily born and developed?

Each character takes on a mind of his/her own and then turn into what you see on paper .

How long does it take you to complete a novel from concept to completion?

Depends .. if I'm in my zone, about 5 weeks ... if I'm dicking around on facebook, 2-3 months

                                                                          

                                                                           

                                                                           

What was your first published piece? And how was it to publish your first book? 

 Mirage was my first published book and it was the greatest high I ever felt

Have  you ever trashed a novel or story before or after finishing it, feeling it wasn't turning out as you planned?

 Nope .. if I start it, I finish it

Out of all your brilliant  characters  Which ones were you favourite?  

Skylar is my favorite male and Rian is my favorite female

Do you have a special time or place to write?

 I can only write at night time and I have to be on MY spot on the couch

Any funny experiences or quirks you'd like to share with your readers?  

ummmmmmmm have you met me?  I'm hilarious.  So what if I climb on tables and chairs at signings and drink fireball whiskey under the table ... nobody needs to know that at my first signing, i was so drunk I passed out in a pile of dicks ... dick candy that is <3

Which one of your awsome  books would you like to see be made in to a movie? 

 OMG .. The entire DESTINED SERIES!!! That would make one kick ass movie .. I'd even pay to see it

What was the worse job you ever done? 

 I worked at Chuck E. Cheese ... it was terrible.

Do you ever get any ideas at random moments, and if so how do you hand on to them? 

 I do ... there's times where I'm driving and something will hit me and I'll have to pull over on the highway to jot it down so I don't forget.

Can you write on demand and under pressure, or do you need time and space before the creativity starts to flow and how do you over come writers block? 

 I can write on demand and I operate best under pressure ... writers block is a bitch, but usually a hot ass shower, 90's boy bands on my stereo and a bowl of chocolate ice cream will fix it