Ashley Ladd - November 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
All about Ashley Ladd
I like to work out - walk, swim, ride bikes, roller skate, dance, and take karate. I'm also the target...uh...catcher, for my daughter during her pitching lessons. She's really getting good - so just teasing, sweetie. Since she's a much better pitcher than I am catcher, I get hit a LOT with the balls. But I'm getting better with practice, too.
I'm intoxicated with American Idol. If only I was younger, I could try out....if I could sing. Maybe my little guy will be THE American Idol 2015. If he could sing... Oh well, I still love to watch and I love to listen to all the idols music as I cruise around town. I never knew I would love country music until Carrie Underwood and Kellie Pickler came along. Thanks guys!
In another lifetime, long long ago and far far away, I served in the US Air Force. I'm an alumni of University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg and of Nova Southeastern University. I hold a BSBA in Accounting and an MBA. I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio.
I've been married to my hero for 27 years and we have five fantastic children and two beautiful grandchildren.
How Ashley got into Erotic Romance
I wrote pretty hot love scenes since I started writing romance. Then one day, Lora Leigh IM'd me and asked if I'd ever thought of writing erotic romance since I was so close. She complimented me and told me she likes my stories. Wow! She's awesome so I was thrilled.
Then I started watching the success of the erotic romance authors and publishers and decided it was the place to be. So here I am.
The Scoop!
I'm working on several Harlequin NEXT and EVERLASTING type books for exciting women my age. I'm also working on some of the naughtier and kinkier stuff for Total-e-Bound. Lately I've been fond of ghosts and time-travels so we'll see…
Book signings and news - I'm camped out in my local Borders and Barnes and Nobles several days weekly. However, those aren't for formal booksignings. Unfortunately, as the mother of five, with two still at home, I'm usually at the softball field doing the mom thing if I'm not at the day job or bookstores writing or the gym trying to keep from letting my butt get too big from planting my butt in chair to write so much. I'll try to get to RT this year, and if not this year, next.
What Ashley likes to read...
Total-e-Bound books,
Stephen King,
Stephen White, Sherryl Woods, Harlequin NEXT, Harlequin Everlasting.
INTERVIEW
The Sensible Questions:
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1. What made you start writing erotic romance?
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Several times readers told me that my stories had hot love scenes and perhaps I should think about writing hotter. I had my eye on a romantica publisher that had a glowing reputation, and I finally submitted. Here we are.
Or really, (not sure you want to publish this answer) my vicarious love life grew hotter as my real love life waned. Hubby and I are in our mid-life years and I don't get as much of the real stuff and so I live, and love, vicariously.
- 2. What inspired you to write your first book?
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I've been a writer for as long as I can remember. I used to devour Harlequin and Silhouette romances from the time I was about twelve. I'd gobble up all the new releases and chomp on the bit for next month to roll around. A few years later, my dad took a job in downtown Cincinnati and sometimes he'd take me and I'd wander through all the marvellous shops. Christmas time was my favourite. All year round, my favourite shop was this huge used bookstore on the outer limits of my boundaries, on ninth or tenth street, I think. I would carry home monstrous shopping bags spilling over with previously read romances. Usually they cost me 10 cents a piece. When I couldn't get downtown for awhile, Dad would bring home a big bag of my books.
After reading so many and loving to write, I decided I could write romance, too.
However, I didn't start my first full-length romance novel until I was in college and had one weekend with nothing to do. That's pretty unbelievable as I studied constantly - hubby thought I was anal and was jealous that I had almost straight A's. So I finally put pen to paper and out came a really horrible book. But it was the start.
- 3. What's your process for writing a book?
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I'm not very rigid and so don't always follow the same method (unlike studying). Sometimes a story will percolate in my mind for months or years. I'll write down the idea or even the first several pages of the book to keep on file.
Other times, I'll brainstorm by myself or with a critique partner(s). Especially if there's a project in which I wish to participate.
I get obsessed with a story, so I keep a steno pad with me at all times and I capture any spare second to write. Lots of times I sit in the car and write if I get to work early. If I get caught at a long traffic light, I'll write. If my kids are playing in a sporting event, I'll write. If my husband's driving the car, I'll write. I'm not a believer in wasting time. There's too much I want to accomplish.
I work with critique partners, so once I get a critique back, I may take a day or a few days to mull over comments, and then I'll edit those chapters. Sometimes it's a big revision, sometimes a few commas.
I used to hate to edit, but now I enjoy polishing the book.
- 4. What do you enjoy about writing?
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Research. I love history and studying other cultures. I love creating characters and making them unique. At least I try very hard.
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5. What really p's you off about writing?
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The rare critique partner who gets bent out of shape when I don't take their suggestion. One partner years ago said I was wasting her time because I didn't jump to make her suggested changes.
It's usually understood in critiquing that the suggestions made are just that. I don't throw a fit if my suggestions aren't taken. I'm not God.
Anyway, this particular time was funny (not funny ha ha) because after a couple weeks I decided to make a major revision based on her comments just in case she was right even though I wasn't 100% convinced that time. But by then, she'd ridden off in a huff, refusing to speak to me again. If I recall correctly, I had been polite and thanked her for her critique, asked a few questions, and took my usual few days to mull over something of consequence.
My day job's in customer service so I think my biggest peeve in general are people like this - ones who get offended over tiny little things, or nothing, and make such a big stink.
- 6. Who would you count as your biggest supporters?
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My critique partners, my anthology partners - the Yarnspinners, my friends at work. Oh! I know. My dad. Although the rest of my family is embarrassed by even sweet romance, my dad is proud of me. He not only reads my books, he's made some editorial suggestions and saves back up copies for me on his computer. He cheers me on. I'm sure my mom would, too, if she was still around.
- 7. How do you celebrate when you finish a book?
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LOL. I've finished so many I don't necessarily celebrate anymore. I'm always busy starting the next. When a new book comes out, I'll treat myself to dinner (usually Subway) or buying a new dress. Hubby's become so blasé, he does nothing. Sometimes one of my friends will take me out to celebrate.
I keep telling myself I'll take a couple weeks off after finishing a book, to have an exercise marathon to lose the pounds I gained when gluing my butt to my chair to finish the book. To date, I've not kept that promise to myself. Next book...
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8. Describe your writing space.
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Lots of writing tables, deep cushy armchairs, a store full of books and several book lovers browsing around. The aroma of brewing coffee, frapucinos, and toasting bagels tickle my nostrils until I just have to succumb to a bagel with cream cheese.
I usually take my lap top or steno pad to my local Borders or Barnes & Nobles to write. The family distracts me too much at home to get much writing done. Cats walk all over me and my keyboard (maybe they want to write their stories?). The kids argue. The hubby wants me to wait on him…
The Naughty Questions:
- 1 How many toys do you have in your toy-box? (and we don't mean Barbie dolls!)
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a.  you mean like Barbie?
b. giggle…a few
c. batteries baby... I need lots of -˜em!
d. my toy box could get me pregnant! And has, more than five times - we have five children.
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2 What or who does your ideal man look like?
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a. younger!
b. slightly older - I used to only like older men, but as I get older, most of the older ones aren't so hot anymore. I'm not finding myself attracted to younger men.
c. a little older than that
d. older guys do it for me!
Joseph Fuentes who played Shakespeare in "Shakespeare in Love" looks like my ideal man. I love his very dark hair, his intensely dark, twinkling eyes, his five-o-clock shadow. Men who look like him have just always turned me on. I've known a couple. I have my eye on one right now… What can I say?
Oh! And I think Kevin Sorbo is also really hot, even though he's not my normal type. However, I make an exception for him.
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3 Top or bottom?
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a. top
b. bottom
c. do I have to choose, can't I have both? - what's life, or love, without variety? It just depends on my mood. I want my cake and eat it, too.
d. you mean if it's just him and me right?
- 4 Short shorts or short skirts?
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a. shorts - I'm bootylicious
b. short skirts - ease and tease
c. neither!
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5 How would you describe you sex life?
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a. Sex, what sex? I live vicariously through my characters. - Since I'm married (going on 28 years) I can't say I don't have one, but with the hubby being diabetic, etc., let's just say I get more vicariously. But it used to be answer D.
b. This one time...when the kids were at camp.
c. Real or imaginary?
d. We could make Hugh Heffner blush.
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6 Have any of your toys accidentally gone "public"? Tell us all about it. (We won't tell)
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Toys? Nope. Or maybe I don't comprehend the question. However, read my story "Price of Fame" where the heroine's mother dives under her bed and comes up with one of her toys in front of the hero, embarrassing the heroine to death.
Competition
Ashley's Reader Competition
Submit your original fan review of any one of Ashley Ladd's books and your name will go into a drawing for a Florida t-shirt and seashells. Please submit the competition answers to me at: chinara@aol.com
Releases
Ashley Ladd's Releases
Wishcraft
Felicia likes to dabble in love potions, but when she brews one for her old enemy Acacia, it goes awry when Acacia's intended, Jeremy Knowles, falls for Felicia.
Jeremy pursues Felicia and although she fears it's only spell-induced, Felicia can't resist his charms. She only hopes that she won't be forced to turn Acacia into a toad to keep the secret so that Jeremy won't find out, before she can confess her sins.
Read An Excerpt:[Click here to expand/collapse]
EXCERPT:
Drawing together her brows, Felicia checked her mental agenda as she gave her potion one last stir, and then went to see who was brave enough to venture here without an invitation. No one was scheduled, and her clients were well schooled to ring before venturing here. No one visited the Heks' house unless they were an out-of-town salesman or a lost traveller who hadn't been spoon fed the gruesome, if made up, stories about human sacrifices and demonic rituals.
"Felicia, open up! I hear you scuttling around in there," Acacia Pangbourn's voice shrilled through the house just before the floorboards creaked suspiciously. Mere seconds later, the door slammed testifying to an illegal entry.
Blimey! Acacia was one of Felicia's ex-classmates, a ghastly creature who'd made her secondary school years a constant misery. Not only had she made goo goo eyes at every man in whom Felicia had shown an interest, she'd committed the unforgivable crime of trying to steal Jeremy. The other woman had never known how close she had come to being turned into a chalkboard eraser.
To her dismay, Felicia discovered the woman was already through the front door and well into the house before she could catch her. Swearing under her breath, she followed the whispery sound of her nemesis' footsteps on the throw rugs.
After her father had expunged Jeremy's memories of their beautiful night together and had made Felicia swear never to date another Naggie, not even to talk to another one, the embers of the dead flame had blazed to life. Of course, she had done a little fanning. Okay, more than a little.
No matter what her father had decreed, no matter how much she respected her pop, she couldn't live her life without Jeremy. She'd had to face the facts-”she was a Jeremy addict. He had been as heroin in her blood. His presence intoxicated her and she savoured every memory of their cherished night.
And so, unable to live without him, she'd won back his love.
One summery night after they had graduated, they slow danced under the moonlight, wrapped in each other's arms. Lost in love, teetering on the precipice of ecstasy just holding one another, they'd gazed into each other's eyes.
"You're a vision," he'd murmured against her lips, his breath minty and highly
stimulating.
With a halo of moonlight making his dark hair gleam, he was the vision. As if struck by lightning, she'd sucked in a ragged breath and huskily murmured, "So are you." Then, with her heart hammering with such force she feared it would spill from her chest, she'd stood on tiptoe and pressed her mouth to his.
Without hesitation, he'd accepted her gift, drawing her up to him. Plundering each other's lips, they'd let their tongues finish the tango. Fevered, she'd moulded herself against him, noting how perfectly they fit. Only a brief twinge of guilt had crept in to dim her bliss. How could a magical person, or "Maggie," as they called themselves, fit so well with a Naggie?
According to her father, this was impossible-”and more than distasteful.
She'd found it anything but distasteful. Jeremy was the most luscious man she'd ever met, his touch the only one that had ever made her senses whirl.
"I only feel alive when I'm with you. All I ever want to be is with you." It had taken a lot of courage for her to admit this to herself, much less to him. Her father would have disowned her.
Her family would have mourned the unholy association. They'd sooner have seen her copulate with a demon.
"I can't believe what a lucky bloke I am, to have such a beautiful woman in love with me."
He'd stroked her hair away from her flushed cheeks and then nibbled on her ear. His hands had roamed her back and settled on her bottom before he pulled her hips tight against his.
Only later in retrospect had she noted that he hadn't declared undying love for her. Wryly, her lips twisted. Had it all been one-sided? Oh, sure, he'd been consumed with lust. But love? If it had been love, would any spell have vanquished it?
She didn't know, but she shook her head.
Now, as then, Jeremy wouldn't go away. Rather, the memory of him refused to leave her in peace.
The Perfect Gift
Bianca's on the search to find the perfect gift for Ty this Christmas. But then she discovers a hidden stash of gay male porn under Ty's side of the bed. Stunned, and scared, she needs to find out if Ty's more interested in men than in her.
She arranges an illicit night for Ty with her handsome gay co-worker Brendan. To her astonishment and delight, the night turns into a menage-a-trois, and all three lovers end up benefiting from this special gift.
Read An Excerpt:[Click here to expand/collapse]
EXCERPT:
Whistling, a merry jaunt to his step, Ty ducked snowflakes and the neighbor kids' snowballs as he made a dash to the house. He loved Christmas and this year was the most special yet for it was his first living with Bianca. She'd made their apartment into a cozy home, brimming with Christmas magic, overflowing with love. He didn't know what he'd ever done to deserve her, but he sure was grateful. He counted his blessings daily.
He was excited about his special gift for her-”a diamond ring and first class tickets for Bianca's dream trip-”their honeymoon trip to Hawaii. Now she'd not only go to paradise, but honeymoon there-”with him.
Shaking with the excitement, he couldn't wait to see her expression.
Juggling packages that towered over his head, Ty managed to navigate to the twinkling tree in the corner of the living room and set down his packages without breaking anything.
Basting turkey filled the small apartment with homey, delicious smells that made his mouth water. The scent of candy canes blended with a trace of wax told him she was burning more Christmas candles. Blinking lights glistened off every reflective surface.
Everything was in place, except his lady. "Bianca? Are you home? Where are you, sweetheart?"
Only the whir of the heater broke the silence.
Worried she'd fallen asleep in the tub again, he checked the bathroom. Luckily, he found it empty and breathed a deep sigh of relief.
"Okay, are you waiting for me in the bedroom?" With a very special Christmas gift? Maybe she awaited him naked wearing only a large bow around her waist like last year. His cock flexed and his blood surged.
Excited as a little boy getting a shiny new bike, he rubbed his hands together and opened the door wide.
There was a naked body curled sexily on a brand new red and green satin bedspread, wrapped in a big red velvet bow only it wasn't Bianca. It wasn't even female!
Gulp!
"Merry Christmas," Brendan, the hottie from Bianca's office earlier that day, drawled huskily.
Jealousy battled with lust. A conflicted mess, Ty looked around for Bianca. "What's the meaning of this? Where's Bianca? Is she screwing around on me?"
Brendan laughed throatily and rolled his eyes. "No silly. I'm her Christmas gift to you." He pointed at the bow, just above his huge cock that was swiftly showing signs of life. "Don't you see the bow?"
Dumbfounded, his gaze glued to the man's beautiful cock, and his mouth going dry, Ty echoed Brendan's words. "You're my Christmas gift from Bianca?" A million thoughts crashed into one another. "Why?"
Ashley Ladd's Backlist
Please Note - Some of the following links will take you to other publishers websites. Total-e-bound is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Shipwrecked
- Genre Contemporary
ISBN 978-1-906328-02-3
- Publisher Total-e-bound
- View Book
American Beauty
Genre Contemporary/Rubenesque/Romantic Comedy
ISBN 1-84360-640-2
Publisher Elloras Cave-
View Book
And Lady Makes Three
Genre Ménage á trois or More / Gay / Futuristic / Fantasy / Contemporary / Anthology
ISBN 1-4199-0151-6
Publisher Elloras Cave
View Book
Deadly Love
Genre Ménage á trois or More / Gay / Futuristic / Fantasy / Contemporary / Anthology
ISBN 1-58608-649-9
Publisher New Concepts Publishing
View Book
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