Leaving for convention, and when I get back...

I'll be at an all week party beginning tomorrow, Tuesday 4/24. I'll return Monday April 30th.

I'd like to invite you to our Beltane Bash at the league of amazing writers on Tuesday May 1st. I'll be posting excerpts of my May 2nd release, Being Randy, and giving away a copy to one lucky reader!

Here's an excerpt!

“I don’t want you to go, you know,” she whispered.

What kind of silly game was this? I pulled back so I could see her face. She seemed one hundred percent sincere as tears rolled down her cheeks, making lighter streaks through the dust of the road that had settled there.

“Then why are you kicking me out of your life? I don’t understand.”

“Because this is the life you want and I love you enough to let you go to it.”

You could have knocked me over with a chicken feather at that moment. I’ve heard that women sometimes say one thing and do another, confusing the hell out of men in general, but this coyote was completely stumped. “You love me?”

“Of course. Absolutely. I don’t make love to every coyote I come across you know.”

“How many coyotes…?” She tried to smile and I realized she was attempting to make a joke.

Forest blew the horn and rolled down his window. “Come on. We don’t have all day.”

Sky let go of me. “You can shift now. Please—just know that I’ll never forget you.”

“If that’s what you really want…”

She paused, then nodded.

“Okay.” I walked to the side of the road and squatted there. Concentrating on my other form, I closed my eyes and tried to shift. When I opened them and looked down at my body, I was still a man. Hmm…

Sky stood there waiting. I guess I’d have to try harder.

I balled my fists, scrunched my eyes shut and held my breath as I concentrated. Opening my eyes, I looked down and saw that apparently I had failed again. Sky cocked her head and watched me curiously. I held one finger in the air.

“Third time’s a charm, right?”

Oh my God! Brad Pitt is my friend!

Check out myspace and see. No lie!

www.myspace.com/ashlynchase


Ash

Interesting article!

This has nothing to do with romance. In fact it's quite the opposite. If you have a few minutes, this article might really surprise you! Medical doctors have found a possible genetic reason for the famous Hatfields vs. Mc Coys feud that's been going on since the Civl War.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070405/ap_on_he_me/hatfield_mccoy_secret

Ash

No, this isn't an April fool's joke!

I've had the most amazing weekend!

Friday night I had an incredible review for Heaving Bosoms, comparing my 'madcap comedy" to Jennifer Crusie and Janet Evanovich! Holy...!

Then, Saturday morning I received another contract from Ellora's Cave for my novella, Demolishing Mr. Perfect! I'll post more on this as soon as I have a release date.

Saturday evening, just before I went to bed, I checked my email inbox and found a reivew for Vampire Vintage. It's a must read according to Paranormal romance!!!

OMG!!! I was too excited to sleep much last night. I just had to try not to bounce in bed, which would have kept my hsband awake. LOL.

So far, Sunday is a delightful day too. The sun is shining and it's about 60 degrees here in New Hampshire. My dh got the spa tub up and running after the long winter without it and I already enjoyed it once. I may go in again this afternoon! I was reading a book by Delilah Devlin in there and couldn't put it down...except to get out, dry off, and avoid getting pruney.

Ash

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

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.

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