Hello, readers.  Welcome to Heather Ashby’s interview about Never Forget, the third installment in her “Love in the Fleet” series. Here’s a photo of the USS New York and a little something about Never Forget:

With 7.5 tons of World Trade Center steel melted into her bow, what if there are more souls aboard the USS New York than the sailors and Marines stationed there? And what if those souls can help the troops defeat al-Qaeda this time?

When Royal Navy officer Gwyn Pritchard reports for exchange duty aboard New York, she’s the only person who sees 9/11 spirits roaming the decks. The daughter of a famous Welsh psychic, she learns the ghosts must complete a mission in order to pass to the other side. The sole survivor of an IED blast in Afghanistan, Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Adam Connor is wrestling with his own issues, but when he learns Gwyn is seeing ghosts aboard their ship, he becomes her confidant…and her lover.

Passions rise to fever pitch when the New York rushes to liberate hostages in North Africa. Can the spirits provide the right intelligence for the Marines to save the prisoners? Can Gwyn help the ghosts move on to the light? And can Adam and Gwyn find the love they’ve searched the world over for?

Hi, Heather.  Thanks for joining us today.  How excited are you about the release of your third book?

I’m beyond excited to release Never Forget—which happens to be the motto of the USS New York. This is a 9/11-related story, so I’m thrilled that Amber House Books was able to launch the book on September 9. Never Forget is about healing—both for troops who’ve fought in the War on Terror and for victims of 9/11. I figured that by empowering the spirit characters with some control over the ship, the crisis, and their destiny, it would allow them to move from victim to victor. Just so you know, I’ve worked on this book for two years and I still get goose bumps.

Tell me, is that a firebird I see rising on the New York‘s crest?

 It certainly is, Catherine. It’s a Phoenix rising from the ashes, just as New York “rose from the ashes” of the World Trade Center. There is an amazing amount of symbolism in the crest, which includes the Twin Towers, the three departments that lost first responders, the state of New York, and Navy and Marine Corps swords, since amphibious assault ships transport Marines. The ship’s full motto is “Strength Forged Through Sacrifice. Never Forget.” By the way, there are two other 9/11 tribute ships. The USS Arlington was built from salvaged material from the Pentagon crash site in Arlington County, Virginia. The same goes for the USS Somerset, named for Somerset County, Pennsylvania, the crash site of Flight 93. This banner that hangs in the hangar bay aboard New York contains all the names of those lost that day.

This must feel like you’ve come full circle.

It really does, Catherine. On the morning of September 11, 2001 I had just dropped my 5th graders off at Music class when I was pulled into the front office and told about Flight 11 hitting the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Although shocked, it was not clear this was an act of terrorism until Flight 175 hit the South Tower at 9:03.

At 9:05 it hit me that my son would be going to war.

He had recently joined the Army because college hadn’t worked out for him. Did he know there was an impending war? No. Did he know he’d be sent to Afghanistan to search caves for Taliban? No. Did he know he’d help take Baghdad a year later? No. Did the five scariest years of my life begin on 9/11? Yes. So, yes, I have come full circle to not only write books in thanksgiving for his safe return, but to write one with a positive and healing 9/11 story line. The icing on the cake is the cover art for this series.

I love your cover.  Your first two books are also available with new covers now.  Can you tell us something about that?

When I changed publishers this past June, I was able to take everything for the first two books except for the cover art. It was imperative that Never Forget have an ultra-respectful cover due to the story, so my editor and I agreed on military uniforms. I asked her, if I could get all the players to cooperate, could I shoot the cover photos for the series? Here’s how it went down: My Marine Corps advisor, Christopher Bergeron, just happens to be a semi-professional photographer with studio equipment. My son – the one I’m thankful for his return from combat – just happens to be extremely fit – and okay, handsome…and he agreed to pose for the covers.

This left Chris and me scrambling around Jacksonville, Florida collecting all the correct uniform pieces for the photo shoot. Chris and I giggled our way through the Navy base uniform shop and thrift shop, grabbing the various items we would need, and lo and behold, all the puzzle pieces came together. The photos were shot in my dining room, and with my editor’s brilliant touch at Photoshop, the new covers emerged. What is very special is that the uniforms—including ribbons (a.k.a. “fruit salad”) and other accruements are accurate for the service, age, experience, and expertise of the hero in each book.

Well, you guys did an amazing job!  So, what three words best describe Never Forget?

Hot, Harrowing, and Healing. Funny, I said the same thing about Forget Me Not. Am I sensing a theme here?

It’s a great theme :-) Do we see any of the characters from the first two books?

Absolutely. Although Never Forget is a stand-alone novel, it’s fun to have read the first two books in the series so you know the other players. Philip and Sky’s third buddy from the Naval Academy, “Nick” Nikolopoulus makes his debut in Never Forget. Needing to leave town before his ex-fiancée arrives for duty, he applies for an officer exchange program with the Royal Navy. Leaving his position aboard the USS New York, Nick heads to the HMS Atlantic in Plymouth, England where he falls in love with his assistant engineer – a no-no.

Meanwhile, Royal Navy Lieutenant Gwyn Pritchard takes Nick’s place aboard the New York. (Poor thing has no idea that spirits await her.) Philip has been cleared for sea duty after his brush with the bad guys in Forgive and Forget and lo and behold – he’s the new Chief Engineer aboard New York. So what could be more perfect than to have Sky and Mikey fly their Seahawk helicopter on board to deploy with him! An interesting fact is that Nick and his brother, Mikey, decided to join the Navy after their favorite uncle – a New York City firefighter – was killed on 9/11. What are the odds that “Uncle Frank” might be one of the spirits aboard New York?

So, between two hot love stories, a spirit-filled subplot, a consulate take-over by terrorists in Tangiers—which will draw both the USS New York and the HMS Atlantic—along with Philip’s calm reassurance, Sky’s brand of humor, and Mikey setting up his own love story for Book #4, I think there’s plenty in Never Forget to keep the reader occupied.

Thanks for a great interview, Heather! 

Thank you for letting me share my story, Catherine. I’ll be spending 9/11 with a box of tissues and a notepad as I watch footage of that dreadful day. This helps me understand my characters better. It helps me celebrate the heroes of that day. And it helps me to remember the families left behind.

 I’d like to ask the readers if there is some special way they honor 9/11 or perhaps they’d like to share where they were and how they reacted on September 11, 2001.

Just remember, never forget.

BIO:

Heather Ashby is a Navy veteran who taught school and raised a family while accompanying her Navy husband around the United States, Japan, and the Middle East. In gratitude for her Army son’s safe return from Afghanistan and Iraq, she now writes military romance novels, donating half her royalties to benefit wounded warriors and their families. Heather lives in Atlantic Beach, Florida with her husband and two rescue cats. Never Forget is Heather’s third novel in the “Love in the Fleet” series. See heatherashby.com for more information.