Writing a good book isn't always smooth sailing. We face various difficulties and glitches getting the story, so clear in our head, down on paper. Sometimes the transition isn't always smooth.
Ashlyn shares with us some of difficulties she faced transitioning from writing novella sized books to full length novels. Speaking of glitches, Ashlyn's characters face many on their way to Happy Ever After.
Sounds like a Harry Potter title, doesn’t it?
Well, I was asked to share any glitches I may have encountered while writing
The Vampire Next Door and I can only think of a couple.
First, I didn’t know if I could write it at all! Based on
book 1, my editor contracted 2 sequels. The frightening part was writing a book
that long. I’m a novella girl. That’s my favorite length to read as well as
write. I don’t get into pages of flowery description. I like my writing tight
and my pace fast. Loads of detail can really bog down the reader.
Strange Neighbors was a mass-market paperback and had to be
about 90,000 words. Do you have any idea how hard it is to come up with a story
complex enough to sustain it for over 350 or so pages? Eek! I was so out of my
comfort zone, I had to add a note at the end of book 1 to crow about it.
(snicker)
So, book 1 felt like a fluke. Then book 2 was my second
miracle, but could I do it a third time? Odds were against it. To my sheer
delight, my characters were old friends by this time and practically wrote the
book for me. Whew! Once it got going…
There was a second almost
glitch. I didn’t know which witch would be my vampire’s heroine. They both
wanted him. Either one would have been great fun to write, but I had to let the
hero decide. It didn’t take long before he made his choice. I knew Sly was a
smart cookie and he’d choose well. He did. He looked past the superficial
younger, prettier witch and picked the one who was a better match for him
intellectually and emotionally. Fortunately, he considered her beautiful and
made her realize she was every bit as pretty as her vivacious, flirtatious
cousin.
I love men like that. I’m sure a lot of guys start out
drooling over the pretty young things, but as they mature other things become
important in a real relationship. Perhaps because my husband overlooked a lot
of younger prettier women to be with me, I’m partial to this type of hero. He’s
13 years my junior, but we were right for each other when he was a mature 23
year old, fed up with fickle, flighty, giggly girls.
We’re still right for each other many years later. Mine is a
very happy marriage, so I believe they can and do happen. What I think is key
to a happy relationship is maturity. Age has nothing to do with it. I’ve seen
emotionally immature seventy year-olds.
- So, what do you think is the key to a true and lasting love?
THE VAMPIRE NEXT DOOR BY ASHLYN CHASE – IN STORES AUGUST 2011
Room for Rent: Normal need not apply
This old Boston brownstone is not known for quiet living… first the shapeshifter meets his nurse, then the werewolf falls for his sassy lawyer, but now the vampire is looking for love with a witch who’s afraid of the dark… and you thought your neighbors had issues!
Undead Sly is content playing vigilante vampire, keeping the neighborhood safe from human criminals, until Morgaine moves in upstairs. Suddenly he finds himself weak with desire, which isn’t a good place for a vampire to be. And Morgaine isn’t exactly without her own issues—will the two of them be able to get past their deepest fears before their chance at “normal” slips away? Excerpt
You can see the trailer of her first book, Strange Neighbors here.
