The Cover Contessa: Blog Tour And Giveaway: Harvesters by Ashley Hill @PnormalSisters

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Blog Tour And Giveaway: Harvesters by Ashley Hill @PnormalSisters

Welcome to the Harvesters Blog Tour hosted by Paranormal Sisters.

The Harvesters (Harvesting Series #1) By Ashley Hill

Publication Date: November 28th 2012

Genre: Young Adult/ New Adult Horror

Summary

When she finds her boyfriend shackled to a white metal table Ashley feared for the worse.

On a small trip of dropping off a package for Jason’s father, the young couple never thought they would be running for their lives. Running away from supposedly friends whom in turned to be a family of harvesters.

Human harvesters and they are looking for something specific. And Ashley just might be the perfect match for that something.

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Today The Cover Contessa welcomes Ashley for an interview!
Welcome Ashley!

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or did you want to be something else?

Absolutely not. When I was a kid I had many dreams (actress, fashion designer, teacher, vet, nurse, hair stylist, etc…) of what I wanted to do but none of them were to be a writer, yet I was good at telling stories haha. I found out that I wanted to do this when I was being home schooled for high school, back in 2009.

How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish?

It takes me some time but I think it also depends on the story I’m working on. The Harvesters took me two years cause of major writers block, I had the first chapter but after that I had no idea where it was going. So I pretty much dropped it till early 2012. The novelette I’m working on right now I started late June and I’m almost done, hoping to publish it on Oct. 31st.

I think for me, what can distract me from my work and help me lose my passion is life itself. But then something can come along and help bring back that passion I had before.

How do you come up with themes for your stories?

They just come to me. Something can inspire me without me realizing it and a scene can form within my mind in seconds. I watch a lot of horror and read a lot of paranormal so that’s where all my storylines fall to, even when I try so hard to do a cute contemporary haha.

Do you have a schedule of when you write?

Nope. I probably should and it might help me get more things done in the long run but I don’t. Though when I get close to finishing a work and I feel like it’s good, I’ll get beta feedback and work my way towards a deadline I set.

How are you able to balance other aspects of your life with your writing?

Truthfully I’m still working on learning how to balance my life. Some days I feel like I got it down but then the next, I don’t seem like I do haha. I don’t have a job right now so I’m just balancing chores, finding a job, school, writing, and blogging.

Sometimes I feel like I leave my writing behind, I don’t mean to but sometimes I just don’t feel it in me. But I promise to my readers, I’m working on finding that balance. I won’t leave you guys hanging.

What elements do you think make a great story line?

Well developed world building and thought out back stories. I need to feel connected to the characters to care about what happens to them. Then I need some really good twists, things that’ll make me turn page after page. And no insta love all the time, let the relationship build on its own. All the normal and simple ones really.

What was the hardest thing about writing a book?

I think for me was just the continuing of writing. I can get in a flow and write like crazy. But then I can lose that flow and lose the passion (even though it’s there). So, writers block pretty much.

8. How many books have you written so far? Do you have a favorite?

I’ve written one novel, my first working in progress, and since I’ve changed and my writing has change it’s going to go back as a WIP and my first short, The Harvesters. Those two are all that I’ve written completely.

I love them both, but since I’m rewriting my first complete novel and changing like everything. I’ll have to say that The Harvesters is my favorite out of my completed work. It’s action packed, full of blood and spine chilling scenes, this horror fan is happy!

Do you have a favorite character?

Most of my main gals have a little bit of me in them. So I don’t really think I have a “favorite”, but I did enjoy writing Jason from The Harvesters as he was the first male I’ve ever written. Though, again I don’t really think I have a favorite yet.

10. Where do you write?

The three main places where I write are on my bed with my laptop, at my desk with my main computer, or in the living room on my favorite chair with my tablet. Nowhere special but a cozy place for me.

11. When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route you took?

Back in 2010 I started to follow Keary Taylor as she was my first self-published author. After that I found more self-published authors like Amanda Hocking. Mid 2011, I started book blogging and I surrounded myself more around the indie world that it just felt right for me to go that way. Especially since The Harvesters is just a short story (30 pages), it only felt right that I should publish it on my own.

12. Have you gotten feedback from family about your book(s)? What do they think?

My sister is the only one that has read them and she’s a tough critic haha. She’s straight forward so if she dislikes it she’ll tell you why and if she likes it she’ll tell you but she won’t gush about it haha. She likes it but she’s not much of a horror fan.

13. What kinds of things do you like to do outside of writing?

Reading, blogging, hanging with friends and my boyfriend (when I can, now that he’s a Marine), playing with my Alaskan malamutes

14. What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing?

Have fun with it. Write what you like, not what you think others will like, and while you’re writing find that thing that really makes you passionate, then follow that path. Try not to think too hard on your stories, this can leave you with writers block, let the story take you. Also, if it starts to feel like work, then step back and maybe work on something else till it feels like passion again.

16. What is your favorite book? favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to write?

Kelley Armstrong’s, Darkest Powers Trilogy, is what inspired me to write back in 2009. She’s one of my favorites and I really need to get to her adult series haha.

17. Do you have any go to people when writing a book that help you with your story lines as well as editing, beta reading and such?

My go to gal is a close friend of mine that I met last year. She’s a writer too, so we help each other out. She’s also known as my fairy godmother as she’s the one that introduced me to my man haha.

In my two current works she’s helped a lot. She let me know that my sex scene sounded like it was the first one I’ve ever written (it was) and my other work involves my main girl finding out she’s pregnant, so she told me how pregnant women can act as her sisters both had babies. This insight has helped with my novels storyline immensely.

18. Are you working on anything now?
Yes, I am. I’m working really hard on a novelette right now that I hope to publish this month. Then after that I’m going to be working hard on the rest of The Harvesters series. I’m also working on a new adult paranormal/sci-fi novel.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, Ashley! It was great having you here!

I'm a college student still trying to get a handle of the adult world. When I need to get away from it I lose myself in books, my own writing, and in spending time with my amazing boyfriend which he supports me to no end.

Finding my passion in books has led me to finding a passion in writing my own fictional stories back in 2009, I have turned this into a dream career and going one step further I would love to open up my own book store.

Social Media Links:

Ashley’s Blog: http://www.paranormalsisters.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PnormalSisters

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6604539.Ashley_Hill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paranormal-Sisters/327714850596230

Blog Tour Schedule:

~October 1~

Emma’s Ramblings onSupernatural Fiction- Book Spotlight, Excerpt, Guest Post

~October 2~

Turning Pages- Interview

~October 3~

After Dark Rendezvous- Review