Tell me about your most recent book you’re writing and the title.
– I haven’t released the title yet, but it is the third book in my Truth and Lies series. It will be a stand alone book that follows side characters from the first two. The MCs from the first two will play a heavy role in their story.
Tell me about a trope you love writing?
-I love writing second chance romances. Something about reconnecting to a lost love is appealing to me, unless cheating was involved in the breakup. That’s a hard pass for me.
What books are similar to yours that other readers might know?
-My current books have been compared to Linda Howard’s writing by a few readers. I would say that is pretty close to accurate. I have a lot of twists and turns that keep readers on their toes.
What’s the hardest thing about being a writer?
-Fighting off the imposter syndrome. When I start a new project, I always fear I won’t be able to create another story that captivates readers. I’m currently feeling this right now. I’m drafting, which always makes my characters flat and the storyline disjointed. I have to keep reminding myself that I’ll make it beautiful when I edit.
What’s the easiest thing about being a writer?
-Probably coming up with the stories themselves. I sometimes have too many ways I can make my plot turn, so I often end up rewriting to make it better.
How long does it usually take you from the first word is written in a book to publication date?
-The first book took nearly two years. Mostly because I wasn’t sure I would ever publish and I had a lot to learn about structuring a book. Then I had a lot of rewrites once my critique partners got a hold of it. The second one was only about six or seven months. I had a deadline for pre orders which really lit a fire under me. I think each book will go faster.
What writing resource would you die without?
-Thesauruses for sure. I have several geared toward romance and emotion that really help me clean up my prose. I also use Prowriting Aid to help me with my grammar and find any sentences that need revising.
Tell me something you’re proud of yourself for.
-That I published anything at all. I’ve never been good at putting myself out there and making myself vulnerable to criticism of things that are so personal. That I was able to let go of that fear and publish two books is a huge thing for me.
How do you support other writers?
-I try to be as encouraging to others as I can when I know someone is struggling with the same doubts I have as a writer. I’ve also been expanding my reading into subgenres of romance I wouldn’t have picked up before like RH or dark fantasy to support other writers who create worlds different from the ones I create..
Which was your favorite book you read this year?
-I had the privilege to be one of the first to read Greer River’s upcoming book in her Conviction series called Healing Conviction. It’s going to be amazing!
Do you have a pet who supports your writing? Who is it?
-I have two golden retrievers, Scarlett and Piper, who are kind enough to leave me alone when I’m writing. Our cat, Perseus, is not as kind.
What is a mistake you made early in writing that you’d advise other authors to avoid?
-If I had to do it all over again, I would have written multiple books in the series before I published the first. Trying to meet a close deadline was very stressful. I also would have been on TikTok a lot earlier than I was. Booktok has a hungry readership and it has really made a difference.
What other author would you give a shout-out to?
-I love my bestie, Greer Rivers for so many reasons. She has done such a wonderful job creating a suspense packed series and she has been invaluable to me as my critique partner. Her friendship has helped me work through all the ups and downs of publishing.
Tell me a secret your antagonist is keeping?
-Depends on which one! Lol! I’m not able to reveal my current antagonist yet, but in the first two books in my series, one of the most heinous villains has a huge secret that will change the reader’s perspective of him. He has become a surprise fan favorite and I have plans to include him in the series because of it.
What’s your most cherished holiday tradition?
– Opening a single gift on Christmas Eve with the kids. Then we watch Christmas movies together and drink hot cocoa.
What’s your writing goals for 2022?
-I want to complete and publish at least 3 books in my series. Some will be romantic suspense while others will be more contemporary romance.
Tell me about a book you’d like to advertise and why?
-My Truth and Lies duet is out now on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. It starts with The Truth Keeps Silent and finishes up with The Lies That Shatter.
Social media links:
Website: www.avasher.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@author_av_asher?lang=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Writer.AV.Asher
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/av.asher.author/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/av_asher_author
Cassie Swindon 