Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Finished another one!

I've rewritten and expanded a short story for your reading enjoyment! My editor already saw the original and liked it, so I hope she likes the new version. I think it's better because the length allowed me to expand on relationship building...and add more love scenes! Oh, yeah.

Watch for news of a contract, (hopefully!)

Ash

Friday, March 23, 2007

What's in a name? by Ashlyn Chase

I'm one of those 'new-agey' people that make certain skeptics roll their eyes. That said, let me tell you what a difficult time I had choosing my pen name.

First of all, it had to correspond to my destiny number numerologically. (Skeptics: insert eyeroll here.) Next, I had to like it. After that, I had to google it to be sure there weren't 5,000 other things that would pop up before me. And finally, I had to look in the mirror and see if the name fit.

It took days and days of going through my New Age Baby Names book, the telephone book, computer lists, etc. Then after coming up with some possible combinations, one of those four things I mentioned knocked the name off my list. Color me frustrated!

Finally I googled baby names, or something ridiculously simple. I wound up on a mothers-to-be blog where they had been discussing the subject and putting together their 10 favorite names for each sex. I lurked. Yes, I know, it's rude to eavesdrop, but I was desperate!

Well, Ashlyn was in the girl's column and Chase was in the boy's column. I liked them both and I liked them together. The numbers matched. (Yay!) And the only thing Google brought up was a road in North Carolina! Terrific! Then there was the mirror test. Did I look like an Ashlyn? I'll be darned. I certainly did! In fact, I looked more like an Ashlyn than I did my own first name! Ha!

Then someone suggested Ashley. It passed the number test, but Google had a couple hundred Ashley Chase connections, and I don't look like an Ashley. I'm serious. I just don't. So, Ashlyn it was. And is! I love my new name. It's not new agey at all. It's not 'romancey' either. But, it's me.

I like reinventing myself. I've done it a lot--not always with a new name, but what a terrific opportunity to be what you've always wanted to be...or to be who you always wanted to be. I think they're connected. But that's just me.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Is comedy dead?

Well wrap me up and call me fish. I never thought I'd see the day.

I've been working my butt off trying to 'brand' myself as a writer of comedy. Now I'm told that's a bad idea because comedy doesn't sell. Who told me this? Someone who'd know and must remain nameless. Don't even ask.

So, from now on I write "fun, lighthearted, entertaining stories in a variety of genres." Got that? Not comedy. Oh no, not me. Hmmm... I'm going to have to retitle my blog. Any suggesstions?

Ash

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Heaving Bosoms out now!

My Heaving Bosoms came out today!!! Er...
I mean the book, of course!!! LOL

www.cerridwenpress.comRead the excerpt there, or the whole first chapter on my website.

I just got my first review and here's what the reviewer had to say:Heaving Bosoms was a fun read. Tonia was a well-written and hysterically funny character; she and Raphael fit well together... He was continually attempting to save Tonia from herself. Once Tonia and Raphael got together sexually...they had amazingly erotic sex. I was aroused right along with them. There were several secondary characters who were absolutely necessary to the plot. They were interesting and fun, with wild twists and turns. Ms. Chase has an intense sense of humor that she used well in Heaving Bosoms. I hope to be able to read other books by Ashlyn Chase!

Reviewer: Marcy ArbitmanThe Romance Studio

Woo Hoo!!! Not a single bad word to say about it. I love reviews like this!

Ash

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Woo Hoo!

http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419908460

It's my birthday! Well, not really. It's my characters' birthday!!!
Go and see!!!

Ash *Too insanely happy to say much more.

Friday, March 9, 2007

"I must be nuts' time is about to start!

Ever taken on waaaay too much? I can't be the only one. If I don't have repetitive motion syndrome by the end of this week, I'll be amazed!

Sunday and Monday, I need to send out excerpts to the reader's loops and invite everyone to my guest blogger day at Love is an Exploding Cigar. (Isn't that a cute name? I love it.) The authors there are kinda famous so I'm nerrrrvvvousssss. Come and support me! Please!

Tuesday is the above mentioned guest blogger day. www.loveisanexplodingcigar.com Oh! And I'm babysitting my neice that day.

Wednesday is release day for Vampire Vintage at Ellora's Cave! www.ellorascave.com
Will be doing cartwheels all day.

Thursday is the release day for Heaving Bosoms! www.cerridwenpress.com
Please try one of them and see how much fun my books are to read! Also on Thursday is the first of three 'Ashlyn Chase and friends' e-mail chats. That one will be at Love Romances Cafe. www.loveromancescafe.com

Friday will be the second Ashlyn and friends e-mail chat at Cerridwen Press chat loop. Sign up at www.cerridwenpress.com

Saturday is my wine tasting book-launch party at a winery here in New Hampshire. It's to celebrate Vampire Vintage--hense the wine.

Sunday is the last Ashlyn and friends chat at ebooklove. www.ebooklove.com
Joining these loops a day or two in aadvance is recommended. They moderate members for a little while to be sure they're not spammers.

I'd have my nervous breakdown after that, but I can't. Monday is a live chat at Writer's space.
http://writerspace.com/chat/readers/

Tuesday is a promo day at Joyfully reviewed. http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/

Wednesday, I'll be speaking at the Goffstown Library in Goffstown, NH.

Thursday I have a chat with a couple of friends at the Ellora's Cave chat loop. Sign up at www.ellorascave.com

I'm so glad I didn't register for my RWA chapter conference, which begins Friday. That's when I'll have time for a nervous breakdown!

Monday, March 5, 2007

It's all about me month!

LOL. I'm not kidding. It's beginning to feel that way!
Here's the handy link to my Featured Author article at The Romance Studio.
http://www.theromancestudio.com/blue/who2.php

I think they did an awesome job. Tell me what you think?

Ash

Sunday, March 4, 2007

My first public humor workshop

I did it! I got up in front of a roomful of writers and spoke for an hour and a half on adding comedy to a manuscript. I chose the Rhode Island Romance Writers for my 'test run' since I knew those wonderful ladies would be kind to me. I hope they had fun. I know I did!

I wasn't even nervous until--dunt dahhh--the famous authors walked in! Eek! Jess Anderson may write for Harlequin Intrigue, but in person, she's funny as hell! Annette Blair, my hero, writes the best romantic comedy and is a national bestseller! Then, Hannah Howell bowled me over by appearing! Oh, dear lord. She may be writing serious scottish vampires, but she kills me with her sense of humor too! I never thought she'd drive almost as far as I did for this!

Whew! I'm glad it went pretty well. I figured, if it didn't and I couldn't never show my face in that state again, at least Rhode Island's small. I'd miss the beautiful beaches, but...oh well. New Hampsire has about three inches of coastline... LOL.

Ash