LIZ ASHLEE
When did you first start writing? What made you want to be a writer?
The first time I remember writing and enjoying it was when my second-grade teacher, Ms. McGrath, started exchanging letters with me. I can’t explain how special that made me feel about myself and my writing - like what I had to say really mattered to her. From there on, I can’t ever remember not wanting to be a writer. Writing was just a part of me. So just a reminder to all of the teachers out there - your work matters, you’re changing lives every day.
What inspired you to write your book?
I think touches of things that happen in my life always inspire my books. Granted, I can’t say that I’ve experienced any of the backgrounds or situations my characters have, but there’s always a thread to real life - like emotions. For example, Step Toward You was born out of the grief of losing my grandpa. I think Crashing Sidways came from the fear of death I’ve always felt - that fear of the unknown. For me, writing has always been an outlet for my anxiety or depression or any emotions really. It doesn’t even have to be the sad things - I would also the love I feel for my husband and the joy I experience with him also come out in the way my characters interact.
Are you a pantser or a plotter?
I wish I was a plotter. When I write, it’s utter chaos. I have an idea of the ending, some scenes living in my imagination, but otherwise, it’s the Wild West.
Do you have any writing rituals or special processes you complete before sitting down to write?
For some reason, I like to write in the dark. It’s quiet and calming. There’s also a playlist on Pandora I’ll die before I stop listening to because it’s tailored to me; it plays the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, the Pride & Prejudice soundtrack, and instrumental versions of Disney songs.
What authors inspire you?
The answer to this one is constantly changing, depending on which author’s books I’m currently devouring. The two authors who’ve inspired me the most are Mia Sheridan and Carian Cole. I love the way they write, the stories they tell, and the chemistry that builds between their characters. Their books are beautiful. I also find myself constantly inspired by Abbi Glines - especially as she’s recently been putting out a book a month! Her books have the best drama. Otherwise, I’m also inspired by authors who I’ve banded together in a coven with: Delaine Walsh, Dani Galliaro, Chrissy Hopewell, Eden Knox and Hannah Ledford. Their kindness, their support of one another, and their general badassery is astounding.
If you could only write in one genre for the rest of your career, what genre would you choose? Why?
100% romance. I wouldn’t ever want to write anything without love and a happy ever after.
Which of the characters in your current release is your favorite? Why?
Hands down, Pritch in Crashing Sideways is my favorite character. About ten years ago, when I got the idea to write Counting Backward, he was the loveable, wild, enigmatic character who felt real. I couldn’t get him out of my head. When I decided to give him his own book, I loved giving him more depth and background. He felt so different than any other character I’d written and both he and Paisley made me excited to write again.
Are any of your characters modeled after real people? If so, which ones?
I have a difficult time just writing characters out of thin air; I always need a picture, then I can assign a personality. That means, a lot of time on Pinterest - honestly, my Pinterest board probably makes me look like a creep! So, none of my characters are based on real people, but their looks are! In Moving Forward, I pictured Cain to look like Alex Pettyfer and Max to look like Kim Shaw. In Counting Backward, Beau resembles a model named Byron, while Jessa looks like Alexandra Daddario. In Crashing Sideways, Pritch looks like Serge Henir and Paisley was always a mixture of Emily Browning and Annabeth Nass from Heart of Dixie.
What music was on your playlist while writing your novel?
Other than the Pandora playlist I mentioned, Wonderland by Taylor Swift was always the inspo for Crashing Sideways.
Morning person or grumpy bear?
Morning person, unless I didn’t get at least 10 hours of sleep!
Tell us one thing it would surprise us to know about you?
I always spoil everything. Movies, TV shows, etc. I read the last page of a book before I read the first. I like going into things knowing what to expect!
What is next for you?
I’m currently working on a new series!
Do you have any unique skills or talents? If so, what?
Hmmm…this one’s difficult! I really enjoy cross-stitching. I think my unique skill is that I can dedicate a year to a single pattern without giving up! I’m not the most patient person, so I count it as a win.
If I were to look in your closet right now, would I find frills and lace or demin and tees?
Okay, never denim. Always tights. Otherwise, my closet is frills, lace, and tees. At home, I’m always in a T-shirt or sweatshirt, but I always overdress when I go anywhere.
The first time I remember writing and enjoying it was when my second-grade teacher, Ms. McGrath, started exchanging letters with me. I can’t explain how special that made me feel about myself and my writing - like what I had to say really mattered to her. From there on, I can’t ever remember not wanting to be a writer. Writing was just a part of me. So just a reminder to all of the teachers out there - your work matters, you’re changing lives every day.
What inspired you to write your book?
I think touches of things that happen in my life always inspire my books. Granted, I can’t say that I’ve experienced any of the backgrounds or situations my characters have, but there’s always a thread to real life - like emotions. For example, Step Toward You was born out of the grief of losing my grandpa. I think Crashing Sidways came from the fear of death I’ve always felt - that fear of the unknown. For me, writing has always been an outlet for my anxiety or depression or any emotions really. It doesn’t even have to be the sad things - I would also the love I feel for my husband and the joy I experience with him also come out in the way my characters interact.
Are you a pantser or a plotter?
I wish I was a plotter. When I write, it’s utter chaos. I have an idea of the ending, some scenes living in my imagination, but otherwise, it’s the Wild West.
Do you have any writing rituals or special processes you complete before sitting down to write?
For some reason, I like to write in the dark. It’s quiet and calming. There’s also a playlist on Pandora I’ll die before I stop listening to because it’s tailored to me; it plays the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, the Pride & Prejudice soundtrack, and instrumental versions of Disney songs.
What authors inspire you?
The answer to this one is constantly changing, depending on which author’s books I’m currently devouring. The two authors who’ve inspired me the most are Mia Sheridan and Carian Cole. I love the way they write, the stories they tell, and the chemistry that builds between their characters. Their books are beautiful. I also find myself constantly inspired by Abbi Glines - especially as she’s recently been putting out a book a month! Her books have the best drama. Otherwise, I’m also inspired by authors who I’ve banded together in a coven with: Delaine Walsh, Dani Galliaro, Chrissy Hopewell, Eden Knox and Hannah Ledford. Their kindness, their support of one another, and their general badassery is astounding.
If you could only write in one genre for the rest of your career, what genre would you choose? Why?
100% romance. I wouldn’t ever want to write anything without love and a happy ever after.
Which of the characters in your current release is your favorite? Why?
Hands down, Pritch in Crashing Sideways is my favorite character. About ten years ago, when I got the idea to write Counting Backward, he was the loveable, wild, enigmatic character who felt real. I couldn’t get him out of my head. When I decided to give him his own book, I loved giving him more depth and background. He felt so different than any other character I’d written and both he and Paisley made me excited to write again.
Are any of your characters modeled after real people? If so, which ones?
I have a difficult time just writing characters out of thin air; I always need a picture, then I can assign a personality. That means, a lot of time on Pinterest - honestly, my Pinterest board probably makes me look like a creep! So, none of my characters are based on real people, but their looks are! In Moving Forward, I pictured Cain to look like Alex Pettyfer and Max to look like Kim Shaw. In Counting Backward, Beau resembles a model named Byron, while Jessa looks like Alexandra Daddario. In Crashing Sideways, Pritch looks like Serge Henir and Paisley was always a mixture of Emily Browning and Annabeth Nass from Heart of Dixie.
What music was on your playlist while writing your novel?
Other than the Pandora playlist I mentioned, Wonderland by Taylor Swift was always the inspo for Crashing Sideways.
Morning person or grumpy bear?
Morning person, unless I didn’t get at least 10 hours of sleep!
Tell us one thing it would surprise us to know about you?
I always spoil everything. Movies, TV shows, etc. I read the last page of a book before I read the first. I like going into things knowing what to expect!
What is next for you?
I’m currently working on a new series!
Do you have any unique skills or talents? If so, what?
Hmmm…this one’s difficult! I really enjoy cross-stitching. I think my unique skill is that I can dedicate a year to a single pattern without giving up! I’m not the most patient person, so I count it as a win.
If I were to look in your closet right now, would I find frills and lace or demin and tees?
Okay, never denim. Always tights. Otherwise, my closet is frills, lace, and tees. At home, I’m always in a T-shirt or sweatshirt, but I always overdress when I go anywhere.
BUY LINKS:
Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKD8YYJZ
KOBO- https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/crashing-sideways
BN- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crashing-sideways-liz-ashlee/1146444342
Apple- https://books.apple.com/us/book/crashing-sideways/id6737152827
Blurb:
He’s her dream man. She’s his confessional.
J.D. Pritchard had no intention of stepping foot in Paisley Kelley’s hospital room, let alone visiting her for the next three years. But once he starts, he can’t stop.
When Paisley wakes up after her three-year coma, she remembers fragments of Pritch’s one-sided conversations—but was he real or was that just her imagination running wild? It isn’t until a chance meeting that she realizes the man of her dreams is a living, breathing, tattooed and sexy playboy.
None of the men in Pritch’s family have lived passed their forties and he knows his time on Earth is limited. Except the more time he spends with Paisley, the more he realizes he can’t push her away. He may not be able to promise her a lifetime of love, but he can promise to give her everything else.
The final book in the Love in Motion trilogy has all the feels you have come to love in a Liz Ashlee book—flawed characters, gripping storyline, and tempestuous love. The happily ever after will have fans of Asher by Carian Cole and Repeat by Kylie Scott falling in love with CRASHING SIDEWAYS.
EXCERPT
The hairs stand up on the back of my neck.
I’m not alone.
I turn slowly to find a pair of haunting eyes staring back at me. One green, one blue, both vibrant. I’ve never seen someone with eyes like that—it’s both unsettling and like a siren’s call, beckoning me forward. But with sirens, there’s always a shipwreck, isn’t there? And this man... he screams peril ahead.
He’s sitting on a half-wall, his back against the brick of the building. No, not sitting. Lounging. As if one false move won’t send him falling toward the concrete two and a half stories below. There’s a paperback resting on one thigh and a steaming mug on his other, held by a strong, tattooed hand. A blue star flower rests in the book, stem tucked away in the seam. His white-blond hair is cut short on the sides, and long on the top in a pompadour style, and he’s wearing a leather jacket and jeans.
He’s easily the most handsome man I’ve ever seen, but it’s his mouth that takes me aback. His lips are turned up in a smirk, like he’s caught his very own canary. That smile alone is something the older church ladies would likely deem sinful. It’s definitely... devilish.
He’s all confidence and charisma.
“S-sorry, I didn’t realize anyone was out here,” I manage.
His eyes become hooded as his gaze roams over me. No one—not even Cameron—has ever looked at me so closely that it feels as if my blood will boil in my veins. I’m not dressed like any of the other girls at the party. Not just because some of them are showing a lot of skin, but they’re fashionable. Me? I settled for my usual style, which looks as if I was peeled off the cover of a 1950s cookbook. I’m wearing a short-sleeved cream sweater tucked into a pair of high-waisted, teal corduroy capris. I’ve even got a headband on. I belong in a supermarket searching the aisles for cream of mushroom and Jell-O, not here.
“I’m willing to share my balcony of solitude with a lady in need,” he tells me in a voice that rolls over me like the sunrise on a chilly morning. Warm. Comforting. It takes on a rumbling tone as he murmurs, “Little bird.”
My heart tumbles in my chest. That voice.
This is the man from my dreams.
Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKD8YYJZ
KOBO- https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/crashing-sideways
BN- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crashing-sideways-liz-ashlee/1146444342
Apple- https://books.apple.com/us/book/crashing-sideways/id6737152827
Blurb:
He’s her dream man. She’s his confessional.
J.D. Pritchard had no intention of stepping foot in Paisley Kelley’s hospital room, let alone visiting her for the next three years. But once he starts, he can’t stop.
When Paisley wakes up after her three-year coma, she remembers fragments of Pritch’s one-sided conversations—but was he real or was that just her imagination running wild? It isn’t until a chance meeting that she realizes the man of her dreams is a living, breathing, tattooed and sexy playboy.
None of the men in Pritch’s family have lived passed their forties and he knows his time on Earth is limited. Except the more time he spends with Paisley, the more he realizes he can’t push her away. He may not be able to promise her a lifetime of love, but he can promise to give her everything else.
The final book in the Love in Motion trilogy has all the feels you have come to love in a Liz Ashlee book—flawed characters, gripping storyline, and tempestuous love. The happily ever after will have fans of Asher by Carian Cole and Repeat by Kylie Scott falling in love with CRASHING SIDEWAYS.
EXCERPT
The hairs stand up on the back of my neck.
I’m not alone.
I turn slowly to find a pair of haunting eyes staring back at me. One green, one blue, both vibrant. I’ve never seen someone with eyes like that—it’s both unsettling and like a siren’s call, beckoning me forward. But with sirens, there’s always a shipwreck, isn’t there? And this man... he screams peril ahead.
He’s sitting on a half-wall, his back against the brick of the building. No, not sitting. Lounging. As if one false move won’t send him falling toward the concrete two and a half stories below. There’s a paperback resting on one thigh and a steaming mug on his other, held by a strong, tattooed hand. A blue star flower rests in the book, stem tucked away in the seam. His white-blond hair is cut short on the sides, and long on the top in a pompadour style, and he’s wearing a leather jacket and jeans.
He’s easily the most handsome man I’ve ever seen, but it’s his mouth that takes me aback. His lips are turned up in a smirk, like he’s caught his very own canary. That smile alone is something the older church ladies would likely deem sinful. It’s definitely... devilish.
He’s all confidence and charisma.
“S-sorry, I didn’t realize anyone was out here,” I manage.
His eyes become hooded as his gaze roams over me. No one—not even Cameron—has ever looked at me so closely that it feels as if my blood will boil in my veins. I’m not dressed like any of the other girls at the party. Not just because some of them are showing a lot of skin, but they’re fashionable. Me? I settled for my usual style, which looks as if I was peeled off the cover of a 1950s cookbook. I’m wearing a short-sleeved cream sweater tucked into a pair of high-waisted, teal corduroy capris. I’ve even got a headband on. I belong in a supermarket searching the aisles for cream of mushroom and Jell-O, not here.
“I’m willing to share my balcony of solitude with a lady in need,” he tells me in a voice that rolls over me like the sunrise on a chilly morning. Warm. Comforting. It takes on a rumbling tone as he murmurs, “Little bird.”
My heart tumbles in my chest. That voice.
This is the man from my dreams.
