Into the Fire Blog Tour: Interview with Ashelyn Drake

Today we're taking part in the Into the Fire blog tour by chatting with author Ashelyn Drake. Get comfy and put your feet up as we get to know Ashelyn and this amazing sounding book!

Hi, Ashelyn! Welcome to We Do Write. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a New Adult and Young Adult romance author. While it’s rare for me not to have either a book in hand or my fingers flying across a laptop, I also enjoy spending time with my family. I believe you are never too old to enjoy a good swing set and there’s never a bad time for some dark chocolate. I'm represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

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So excited for INTO THE FIRE. Tell our readers a bit about the story.

Seventeen-year-old Cara Tillman’s life is a perfectly normal one until Logan Schmidt moves to Ashlan Falls. Cara is inexplicably drawn to him, but she’s not exactly complaining. Logan’s like no boy she’s ever met, and he brings out a side of Cara that she isn’t used to. As the two get closer, everything is nearly perfect, and Cara looks forward to the future.

But Cara isn’t a normal girl. She’s a member of a small group of people descended from the mythical phoenix bird, and her time is running out. Rebirth is nearing, which means she’ll forget her life up to this point—she’ll forget Logan and everything they mean to one another.. But that may be the least of Cara’s problems.

A phoenix hunter is on the loose, and he’s determined to put an end to the lives of people like Cara and her family, once and for all.

How did the idea of the story come to you?

I’m a big fan of the original Dark Shadows TV series. I grew up watching reruns of it with my mom. While I loved all the supernatural characters and plots on the series, I remember a few episodes that featured a phoenix named Laura Collins. She just stuck with me over the years, and one day while I was jotting down book ideas, I thought about Laura Collins and knew I needed to write about a girl who had the ability to be reborn. From there I did a lot of research.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a plotter. I need to know where the story is going. Although, I love when my characters take over and I can ditch my notes.

I need to high-five you, because that sounds exactly like me. What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

I get a little...okay VERY intense when I’m drafting. I want to get the entire story down as quickly as possible, which makes me lose sleep.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

A notebook where I chart my story’s timeline. I’m always afraid of losing track of time in my books, so I chart it by chapter. I also use the notebook to write snippets of dialogue or anything else that comes to me while I’m drafting.

Good tip. What are you reading right now?

I’m reading an ARC of The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris. Love her.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted to fly. I remember I had a vivid dream once—I was probably about six years old—and I was convinced I could really do it. It was a sad day when I realized it was only a dream.

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

“How to escape from a coffin” That was for one of my paranormal novels I write as Kelly Hashway.

Um, hello. That's like my worst nightmare. Ever. *shudders* Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

playing with my daughter.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Oh wow, there are so many people I need to give shout outs to. Here we go in no particular order: my street team (Kelly’s Coven), my CPs and beta readers, my family, my awesome agent Sarah Negovetich, my agency sisters, my YA Bound sisters, my friends, the team at Swoon Romance and Month9Books, the book bloggers who support me and the industry, and of course my readers. I love you all. ♥

Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Ashelyn! I can't wait to read Into the Fire!

And now for our readers: Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below to win a copy of Ashelyn's book!

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