Interview with Anne Ashby

I love how small the world is and how big it is at the same time. Anne Ashby found me strangely enough to review her new book. I accepted and only figured out she was also a Kiwi when I started reading her story. I recommend you go and pick it up right now. A seriously good read.

Tell us about your latest novel.

“Return to Riversleigh” was released 3 January by The Wild Rose Press. It’s a clean contemporary romance, set in Southland and includes some updates on what Jase and Debra (from The CEO Gets Her Man) have been getting up to. My hero Luke is attempting to develop an adventure park and enlists widowed Shannon to help. While they work well together and agree on many things, they also find bones of contention which threaten their friendship and any chance of any closer relationship.

What got you started writing?

couldn’t really say. I used to write stories as a kid, often horrified to receive average marks at school for a 10 page work of art, when a 300 word exploratory essay had been asked for. My daughter warning me my brain would stagnate if I didn’t do something creative with it probably pushed me a little. I loved reading romance and guess I wondered if I could put together a story of my own.

I also didn't shine at school. Mostly because I'm terrible with shorter fiction. Schools aren't designed for creativity.

What challenges did you face when you first started writing?

A huge lack of confidence, oh yes, confidence was the biggy. While I was attending a “How to write a romance” at a night school course run by a multi published Loree Lough, she offered to read anything written by the students. During the 16 weeks, I diligently wrote my story and had it finished by the end of the classes. Every now and then Loree would again offer to read any work but I lacked the confidence to let her see what I’d written. On the final night, knowing it would be the last chance I had, I sat at my desk until everyone else had left and then finally found the courage to take my manuscript up to her. She read my story, edited it with a huge amount of red pen and patiently went through it with me page by page before telling me my book would sell. I will forever be grateful to her. She became my mentor and very good friend.

I had a similar experience with William Taylor. Changed my life.

Do you ever get the opportunity to travel for your writing? Either to market or to research.

I haven’t travelled to primarily market myself or do research, but as my husband and I spend a fair amount of time travelling, I can pretend to be researching at the same time. On a recent cruise, I did do a couple of presentations to passengers so I guess you could call that travelling to market myself and my books. I like to set my stories in NZ so researching isn’t that necessary as I’ve been fortunate to have a fair acquaintance with our great country.

Who in your life is your greatest cheerleader or support in your writing?

My husband. He willingly supported me through the first struggling years and continues to encourage my writing.

What is it like writing in New Zealand that would be different if you lived anywhere else?

Early in my writing career, living in NZ did impact. The need to submit via snail mail meant upwards of two years to get a contract, or that final rejection. But now, with emailing submissions, I don’t see it matters where you are writing. Yes, you aren’t close to attend numerous conferences etc, but other than that....

Where do you get your ideas? Is there anything about New Zealand that has inspired you to write?

I wish I was one of those lucky writers who have ideas suddenly arrive via a dream but alas, that’s not me. I do have ideas floating around in my head for possible stories but usually they come to nothing. Then suddenly, an idea will manifest and away I go. I’ve had stories come from places I’ve visited, articles I’ve read in magazines and through talking to people. Unfortunately, they don’t arrive to order and can’t be pushed. New Zealand inspiration? I loved writing a story set in the bush (Wilderness Liaison). I love the outdoors and enjoy trying to share some of our magnificent scenery with others. Romance might not lend to spending too much time on setting descriptions, but there’s enough to hint at the beauty around us.

Why do you think readers are fascinated by books written about New Zealand?

Hey c’mon, that’s an easy one. We’re fascinating people lol and live in the most picturesque country in the world. Lots of readers dream of visiting, hopefully our writing can entice them further.

Who is your favourite New Zealand author and why?

I grew up reading Essie Summers, I loved her books so much. I developed a very keen interest in genealogy and I soon realised many of her books touched on genealogy research. I guess that’s another reason I enjoyed her stories. They may show the change of time and social attitude, but she’s still way up there for me.

What advice would you give for other writers in New Zealand?

Never give up the idea of being a writer if that is what you truly want. And don’t cotton onto the idea that any book you write has to be set in US, UK or somewhere other than here (unless necessary ie Regency, cowboy). As many readers enjoy reading books from “foreign” places as those who insist on only reading “local” stories.

Do you get to network or meet up with other New Zealand authors?

I’m in Auckland so have access to the monthly RWNZ meetings. It’s just my bad memory and laziness which means I don’t attend as many as I would like to. I don’t belong to a critique group, which is something I often miss.

What was the first thing you did after your first book was published?

To be honest, I don’t remember. I think I probably hugged myself real tight and skipped around a lot. Then maybe went out to dinner with the family, not too sure. I do remember how I felt giving my mother, then 94, a copy. I’d always dreamed of showing her I could actually achieve this dream of mine. I was so lucky, she got to read seven more of my stories before she left us.

Do you read your book reviews? How do you handle the good and the bad ones?

Most definitely. And I wish I could figure out how to encourage more. I’ve found most (genuine) negative reviews give very good feedback. It’s great reading wonderful things about your stories, but it’s the less glowing reports that are truly helpful. It’s pretty easy to spot the objectionable review which is there merely to be obnoxious rather than to provide the writer with some advice.

Well, you can send me more books to review. I'll promise to always be glowing, I swear.

It seems like everything has Easter Eggs (surprise reference to your other work) do you have any Easter Eggs in your books?

I’ve tried to slip little references to other books characters a couple of times. Not sure how well it has worked, though. Four of my stories (2x2) are connected so that’s happened naturally with them. Worlds Apart and Worlds Collide share characters, and The CEO Gets Her Man and my new release Return to Riversleigh are set in the same area.

How long does it take you to write a book? Do you have any secrets to productivity?

I believe I could write a first draft of a book in a month (not that I do) easily enough. While I’m actually writing a story, I’m very happy if I can write 4-5000 words a day. Less happy if I only manage about 1000, but it all adds up. My trouble is, I write by the seat of my pants, so editing that first draft takes me probably more time than actually getting the story out. Do I have any secrets? No, and I’d probably not advise anyone to follow my haphazard way of producing a book for submission.

Where did you get the idea for your first and your latest?

Okay, that’s easy. I’m just glad you never asked me about some of the ones in between.

My first story was “Worlds Apart”. I wrote this while we temporarily lived in Maryland USA. I was so intrigued by the many cultural and physical differences between the two countries that hadn’t been obvious from television and movies. I wrote about a kiwi woman visiting and becoming involved with a US guy. I actually wrote the story while attending the night course mentioned above. An interested aside about this story, my editor suggested we mix up the different spelling. When the story had the kiwi POV, we had NZ spelling, when in the guy’s head, US spelling.

We did the same with another story I wrote with a secondary character from Worlds Apart. But by then my editor (from San Diego) had begun to “speak kiwi” so the editing wasn’t quite so fraught in “Worlds Collide.”

My latest “Return to Riversleigh” is a sequel to “The CEO Gets Her Man” which some

reviewers/readers suggested had finished too abruptly. I knew I needed to include these two characters in some other story just to round off their romance a little more. The idea of how I could do this came to me when a friend talked of dreams he had for turning part of his farm into a tourist attraction. I used some of his dream ideas, just shifted the location to my fictional town of Riversleigh and was able to have the main character as Jase McEwan’s schoolboy best friend.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Not any more, my husband’s retirement has destroyed all my discipline lol. Years ago I used to write only when my children were in school. No other time. Weekends, school holidays, kids sick, I never attempted to write. It was a great routine and one I kept up for years after school played no further part in my life. Into the office about 9am, out again around 2.30pm to prepare dinner. Now my writing time is much more disorganised.

If any of your books was to be made into a film, which one would you pick and who would you have play the main characters?

I’d love to see Wilderness Liaison as a film, most of it takes place in the bush so great setting. Who to star in it? Not too sure, but I’d want the female lead to be some kick-ass actress oozing confidence in her own ability.

How important do you think marketing is for authors today?

Vital! The days of publishers hugely marketing one’s books are gone. If a writer wants to sell, that writer must find every way she can to market herself and her brand of writing.

Do you have any book you have written that won’t ever see the light of day and why?

I’ve had only one rejection, with the advice if I wanted to re-write it and resubmit, they’d look at it again. It’s been about ten years, but I’m currently re-writing it now so have fingers crossed it will be better. Re-reading it has shown me just how much I’ve learned, it was quite amateurish.

Many authors have a word or a phrase they automatically use too often. Do you have one? According to my editor, I have a lot – one that immediately comes to mind is “dragged” – why, I have no idea.

What quirk or trope of your genre do you like or dislike?

I’ve had difficulty adapting to the concept of “clean” romance. I consider I write clean – hmm, a couple of times my publisher has demanded I move up to “sensual” - but I’ve learned there are levels of “clean” needing to be adhered to if you don’t want to offend readers. After much discussion with many readers, I decided to label my writing as “clean, suitable for 16+”

"Clean" is apparently doing well in the market with some growth on Amazon so a good choice. That was one of the things I liked as well. It is so hard to find clean romance.

Often writers get to approach some serious subjects. Which serious subject are you most proud to have written about or was the hardest to write about?

In one story I chose a woman who had escaped an abusive relationship. I worried that I glossed over her plight too much and did not give her enough credit for what she endured or how she managed to escape. But my voice does not lend easily to serious or dark topics and a light contemporary romance is not a great platform to explore too heavy a subject.

Well, it was a pleasure and thank you for stumbling onto me from the depth of the internet. Good luck on your next project.