Interview with Author Ashlyn Macnamara and Giveaway

Today I am happy to welcome debut author Ashlyn Macnamara to RFTC. Ashlyn is gearing up for the release of her book A Most Scandalous Proposal and has stopped by to answer a few questions. Please give a warm welcome to Ashlyn.

They say that once you reach your forties, you undergo some sort of mid-life crisis. That must have been what happened to Ashlyn Macnamara when she finally made up her mind to set down some of the stories that had been accumulating dust in the dark recesses of her brain for years. As space becomes available, other plots and characters have developed the pesky habit of moving in to take their place.

Ashlyn lives in the wilds of suburbia outside Montreal with her husband, two teenage daughters, and one loudmouth cat. When not writing, she looks for other excuses to neglect the housework, among them knitting, reading and wasting time on the internet in the guise of doing research.

Places to find Ashlyn:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

First off, can you tell us a bit about you?
I’m tempted to protest that I’m too boring to bother with, but then no one will want to read about me. I’m married with two teenage kids and a cat. I’ve worked various retail jobs, the most recent of which I quit last year to write full time. I was born in the US but I live in Canada now—the French-speaking part. In fact, we speak more French than English at home, and my daughters grew up bilingual. I started out life with the intention of becoming a French teacher, but it didn’t work out that way. I am an ardent escapist, hence my love of reading, which eventually turned into a love of writing.

Did you always want to be a writer?
Ever since I was able to pick up a pencil, I... Actually, no.

Are you surprised to read that? I have always made up stories in my head. I can recall doing that at a very young age, but write them down? When I was a teenager, I used to run screaming from anything that even vaguely resembled creative writing—possibly because said creative writing usually involved writing a poem, and sticking to a set rhyme scheme and rhythm is way too disciplined for my taste.

I didn’t discover creative writing until I started writing fanfiction somewhere in 2001. At that point, I realized that some people, at least, liked the stories I made up. Eventually I tried making up my own characters, and I kept at it based on the spaghetti principle—write until I found a manuscript that stuck (and didn’t suck).

What kind of writer are you? Panster or Plotter?
I’m mainly a pantser. Part of the attraction is for me to write the story so I can find out what happens. I will often start in a situation, know a little bit about how the characters will get out of it, and as they start to extricate themselves, see a bit more. It varies from book to book how far ahead I can see.

Where do your ideas come from?
The shower, mostly. No, really. I get tons of ideas in the shower, and then I find myself frantically trying to finish washing so I don’t forget whatever lightning bolt of inspiration just struck. One of these days, I’m going to find myself writing plot points on the wall in shampoo out of sheer desperation.

A la Twitter style, can you describe your book (or series) in 140 characters or less.
Sense and Sensibility with sex.

I pitched A Most Scandalous Proposal to an agent via Twitter once, using the above. (Disclaimer: I did not, nor would I ever, do this out of the blue. The agent held a pitch session via Twitter.) My book, unfortunately, did not meet her needs at the time, but I eventually found an agent who was looking for what I write.

If that doesn’t give you enough of an idea, here’s the longer blurb:

After watching her beloved sister Sophia pine over the ton’s Golden Boy for years, Miss Julia St. Claire has forsworn love and put herself firmly on the shelf. Unfortunately, her social-climbing mother and debt-ridden father have other ideas, and jump at the chance to marry Julia off to the newly-named Earl of Clivesden…the man of Sophia’s dreams.

Since resigning his Cavalry commission, Benedict Revelstoke has spent his time in London avoiding the marriage mart. But when he discovers that the Earl of Clivesden has set Julia in his sights, Benedict tries to protect his childhood best friend from the man’s advances—only to discover more than friendship driving his desire to defend her. He surprises them both with the force of his feelings, but when she refuses him and her father announces her betrothal, he fears he’s lost her forever—until Julia approaches him with a shocking scheme that will ruin her for all respectable society…

…and lead them into an exquisite world of forbidden pleasures.

What are some of your favorite kinds of stories to read?
Anything where I can escape into another world. Naturally, I love this aspect of historical romance, and this is part of the reason I write it. But I also love high fantasy for the same reason. And I definitely prefer a happy ending.

Do you have a favorite book and if so what is it?
I’m going to have to go with The Lord Of the Rings here. Yes, I did say “the rings” and not “scoundrels.” I have never been swept into another world the way Middle-earth reached out and grabbed me. At one point in my life, I reread that book every year, along with The Silmarillion. I suppose I should have replied to the first question with something about being a geek.

What are the scenes that are the hardest for you to write?
Usually the one I’m working on right this moment. Unless it’s a love scene. I like writing those. :D

If you could have dinner with any three authors, who would you choose and why?
JRR Tolkien because he wrote my favorite book. Jane Austen so I could pump her for inside information about the Regency period, along with, hopefully some good gossip and snark. Laura Ingalls Wilder because her series was the very first series I fell in love with and read over and over again—plus she and I have the same birthday. Although I would probably scandalize all three of them when they learned what I write.

Last question, are you working on anything right now?
I’m madly working on revisions for my second book, A Most Devilish Rogue. The hero of my first book has a best friend, you see, and he’s a bit of a smart-aleck and a bit of a dandy, who has a penchant for landing himself into trouble. He’s in big trouble in his book and about to fall very, very hard at the worst possible time. It doesn’t hurt that he looks like a Regency version of Russell Crowe, either.


Why do you read? Is it to escape like me, or do you have a different reason?

After watching her beloved sister Sophia pine over the ton’s Golden Boy for years, Miss Julia St. Claire has foresworn love and put herself firmly on the shelf. Unfortunately, her social-climbing mother and debt-ridden father have other ideas, and jump at the chance to marry Julia off to the newly-named Earl of Clivesden…the man of Sophia’s dreams.

Since resigning his Cavalry commission, Benedict Revelstoke has spent his time in London avoiding the marriage mart. But when he discovers that the Earl of Clivesden has set Julia in his sights, Benedict tries to protect his childhood best friend from the man’s advances—only to discover more than friendship driving his desire to defend her. He surprises them both with the force of his feelings, but when she refuses him and her father announces her betrothal, he fears he’s lost her forever—until Julia approaches him with a shocking scheme that will ruin her for all respectable society…

…and lead them into an exquisite world of forbidden pleasures.

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |

Check out whats up for grabs.

Up For Grabs:

• 1 lucky winner will win a copy of A Most Scandalous Proposal

To Enter:

• Please answer Ashlyn's question: Why do you read? Is it to escape like me, or do you have a different reason?
• Please fill out the Rafflecopter form
• US/Canada Shipping ONLY

Good Luck =)

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