Ask the Author: Ashlee Willis
Answered Questions (16)
Ashlee Willis
I write in the fantasy/fairy-tale genre currently, anywhere from middle grade to young adult. My two published books are YA, the book I recently finished is middle grade. However, when it comes to what genre I like READING, the sky is the limit! :)
Ashlee Willis
Too, too many to count!! I'll never have the time for all the ones I'm longing to read :) Right now I'm in the middle of Iron Hearted Violet, and it is wonderful.
Ashlee Willis
I'm not sure I'm 100% qualified to answer this one. Although I did technically indie-publish my second book, I have a wonderful agency who represents me and to be honest, they did a lot of the tedious work for me! However, I do know that it is very important to do your homework thoroughly before you pursue self-publication. And if you spend money at all, spend it on a good editor! I highly recommend reading Molly Evangeline's book "Where Do I Start? An Overview of Indie Publishing." It is full of wonderful tips for beginners, written by a very successful and talented self-published writer.
Ashlee Willis
I recently finished the first draft to a middle grade novel. The idea emerged from a bedtime story I told my son one night about a year ago. I just kept thinking about it, and had that feeling that it just had to become a deeper, longer story. And so it has :)
I also wrote a flash fiction piece titled "A Choice" which will be published in Splickety Magazine next month (June 2017). It's historical fiction, which is something new for me, and it was so much fun!
What I've been working on MOST recently is a short story which is still very much morphing into itself. I'm probably 3/4 of the way through with the first draft. No idea what the title will be. No idea how to even explain it at this point. But it has me by the throat and I will be finishing it very, very soon!
I also wrote a flash fiction piece titled "A Choice" which will be published in Splickety Magazine next month (June 2017). It's historical fiction, which is something new for me, and it was so much fun!
What I've been working on MOST recently is a short story which is still very much morphing into itself. I'm probably 3/4 of the way through with the first draft. No idea what the title will be. No idea how to even explain it at this point. But it has me by the throat and I will be finishing it very, very soon!
Ashlee Willis
I do offer eBook copies for reviewers who have an active blog. If you're interested, feel free to email me through my own blog/site!
Ashlee Willis
I myself have this problem! Especially recently. I have begun taking a notebook in my purse everywhere I go. I write down story ideas, character traits, or even quotes that may pop into my head for whatever reason. Later at home, I go over them again and sometimes type the better ideas into a folder on my computer. When I was a stay-at-home-mom, writing time was plentiful, especially while my son was at school. However now, I must say I don't have much of a "plan." I take whatever moments present themselves to me, whether it's sitting in the car waiting for his school to be out, or at night after he's gone to bed. Occasionally I will make myself get up early on a Saturday morning (no matter how badly I want to sleep in!), so that I can get a bigger chunk of writing time all to myself. It is always worth it!
Ashlee Willis
There is a physical edition of A Wish Made of Glass...I hope you've been able to obtain one!! :D
Ashlee Willis
I'm realizing how far behind I am with these questions...can you tell I'm not on Goodreads often?! :D I've had many life changes these past 2 years, but I'm still writing. Right now I'm working mostly on short stories and even recently finished the rough draft for a middle grade fantasy novel. However, I am working a lot of hours while also trying to be a good mom to my 10-year-old....so a finished, publishable book may be a while coming. But I can assure you I have every intention of making it happen as soon as I'm able.
Ashlee Willis
I was in the process of moving when that happened. I hope you've received it by now though! Let me know if you haven't! I apologize for the delay.
Ashlee Willis
Thanks so much, Hillary! I'm not planning a sequel right now . . . to be honest, I'm not sure that will ever happen. Partly because I've got so many other projects going on, and partly because I never really intended a sequel from the beginning. I left the story a bit open-ended mainly because I myself don't like stories that are too neatly tied-off. I like to give a sense that the story world moves on, even though the pages of the book have ended and the story itself is over. I've got some hazy idea of what a sequel might look like if I ever did decide to venture into writing one - but I'm hesitant to think about it too much for fear I'll get excited about it and just HAVE to put off my other projects in order to write it! Haha.
So sorry it took so long for me to answer your question! I only just now saw it!! Eek!
So sorry it took so long for me to answer your question! I only just now saw it!! Eek!
Ashlee Willis
Yep :) As of now I've written the first draft of a new fantasy novel, and half of its sequel. My goal is to have them both finished and revised by the end of the year! Neither of these books are, alas, related to The Word Changers. But if I ever plan a sequel for it, you'll be one of the first to know! ;)
Ashlee Willis
It was something I realized gradually. Both of my parents are creative people, and both of them were writers at the time I was growing up. We also happened to be good friends with a children's writer who lived a few blocks away from us while I was growing up, and he was constantly encouraging my dream as well. Between all of those things, I had so much support in all my first writing endeavors that becoming a published author someday seemed like such an obtainable dream!
I have probably been my own worst enemy in the process of following my dream. I constantly second-guess the quality of anything I write, I go up and down between thinking a story I've written is good, and thinking it is worthless. But being a part of the online social network of writers, as I've been these past months, has made me realize these are problems every writer deals with - and it's helped make them a lot more bearable to me!
I have probably been my own worst enemy in the process of following my dream. I constantly second-guess the quality of anything I write, I go up and down between thinking a story I've written is good, and thinking it is worthless. But being a part of the online social network of writers, as I've been these past months, has made me realize these are problems every writer deals with - and it's helped make them a lot more bearable to me!
Ashlee Willis
I studied literature (mostly English lit) in junior high and high school (I was home-schooled and chose to study the classics). When I got to college, I kept up my independent reading, but got a degree in Children's Education. I found reading and studying literature very helpful, at all stages of my life!! Studying it as a youth, it expanded my dialogue greatly. I also learned so many things without realizing even realizing it, by osmosis, about the way stories are told, characters and their development, language use and flow, etc.
Ashlee Willis
I love the Twelve Dancing Princesses ... not sure what it is about that one. Probably the memories I have of reading it as a child. I also really REALLY like The Six Swans. I've read several re-tellings of that one as well, and just loved them all!
Ashlee Willis
It started with something I saw in my imagination ... just an image of something that sparked an idea. That idea grew bigger the more I thought about it. Details started to fall into place, characters announced themselves to me ... and it turned into a two-book story ... possibly a trilogy. We'll see.
Ashlee Willis
Inspiration is great, when it comes ... but I don't wait for it. I just write anyway :)
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