Hey y’all… I’m Ashley. Thanks for stopping by.
Where to begin? I am an umpteenth-generation Appalachian from South Carolina, but my Dad worked for a high level government agency and I have also lived in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, Virginia, Washington D.C., Washington state and Arizona. I’ve met a lot of people, made a lot of mistakes, and am just now finding my way. Better late than never.
I had a great career in HR, until it wasn’t so great anymore. So I walked away. I was never meant to work in an office.
I began writing in 2022 after a series of personal blows. Whatever exists below rock bottom (liquid magma?) that’s where I was. But sitting on my couch crying, God found me. Big time. He gave me words, and I’m putting them to the page just for you. If I could say one thing to you it would be this: there is a path only you can walk, people only you can reach, words only you can speak. God loves the broken. I know this first-hand because I am one of them. Just a girl, with some words, and a page. But I am loved. Healed. And forgiven. I hope if you read my stories, that is what you will find.
—Love,
Ashley (the Second-Chance Storyteller)
Author Q&A
Why do you write?
Writing is the way that God has helped me work out my past mistakes. I’ve been following Jesus for the past few years, and in 2021-2022 I developed a fierce longing to know Jesus, and to be known by Him. Writing these novels is how I’ve done that.
I have been through a lot of really tough things, survived a lot of hard things, and done a lot of things I regret. Jesus listens to me through my writing and gives excellent feedback. I wake up every morning before 6:00 a.m. to write, and I cannot wait to talk with Him.
Why do you write Historical Romance?
Mostly because I am a huge history dork. I love learning about how people survived, lived, and loved, in times past. Love is the greatest command and a fundamental human need. I really wanted to marry these two interests in my writing. Although romance is in every book, you’ll find many kinds of love— friendships, familial relationships, hurts, healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, self-sacrifice, and yes, even enemy-ships (because we’re called to love them too).
I decided to base my writing world in medieval Scotland and Ireland because it was such a vibrant time in history, especially in the church. Also, my family roots are in Donegal, Ireland, and the Scottish Isles. I play traditional Irish/Scottish music for fun, and so a lot of my interest comes from studying those musical styles.
Where did the idea for the Hebridean Shield Series come from?
The inspiration was an answer to a specific prayer. The idea came in part, from wanting to understand: Why does God choose the unlikeliest people to accomplish His plans? And why do His plans often seem like total nonsense to us? This series seeks to answer those questions.
I also love teams. I am a former Human Resources professional, and I’ve seen a lot of incredible teams that were made up of the most unlikely people and a lot of terrible teams that were made up of the most qualified professionals.
What type of research did you do while writing the series?
Lots, and lots, and lots. I did an in-depth study of first-hand sources through Canmore, written clan histories, 14th-century church records, Christine de Pizan’s 14th-century court writings, and language research in Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic, Latin, and French… just to name a few. I have binders full of indexed research.
But, my goal is not for this series to read as a historical account. Rather, a historically-inspired account of friendships, love, and adventure, that anyone (even the history-phobic) can enjoy.
What do you hope readers find within your novels?
I hope that, as my friend Heidi puts it, God will use my words to find the one person who needs to hear them. If I could tell you one thing about Him — God is a big God. He knows where you’ve been, He knows who you really are, and He will move heaven and earth to show you who He is.
What are you working on now?
I’m writing book 4, The Swiftness of Wind. I have 9 books and possibly some novellas planned, and I cannot wait to see where God takes me.
Is there a book from your own childhood that still resonates with you today?
Anne of Green Gables. Anne Shirley is my inspiration for unlikely heroes that want to be better but are very relatable during the sanctification process. :)