Monday, January 25, 2016

Author Spotlight - Ashley Hotter, on her award winning title "A Filly for Laura"



WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER AND WHY?:
I enjoyed writing poems in school and just for fun. I would write poems about all my friends and give them as gifts. It wasn’t until I started taking a writing class and wrote my first book that I really thought about being a writer. 
AS A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU ASPIRE TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?
I wanted to be an Equine Veterinarian and move to Kentucky to work with race horses.
HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE?:
I was going through a point in my life when I really wanted to foster and adopt a child. My husband and I were going through the process of getting licensed and it inspired me to write A Filly for Laura.


TELL US SOMETHING RANDOM/INTERESTING/FUNNY ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER:
Something random; I spend a lot of time on the computer not actually writing when I say I am.
Something interesting; my search histories, I search a lot of interesting things on google to get all the information for my books.
Something funny; sometimes when I am writing I get so into character I make myself laugh when they should, or end up crying when they do. 
WHAT BOOK HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?: Black Beauty, I love the strength portrayed. I love the way the author gets you to feel for Black Beauty, it really made my love of horses come alive. 
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT?:
My greatest literary accomplishment would be getting my book published; it takes a lot of time and effort. 
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF BECOMING PUBLISHED AND ANY TIPS YOU MIGHT OFFER FOR OTHER ASPIRING AUTHORS?:
The process can be long and tedious. You have to write cover letters to specifics of what an agent or publisher would like to see. Wait for that person to respond, which can take months. Then you usually have to send in a sample or pages from your book along with a summary. After that If you hear back again they request your manuscript. You go through multiple edits with another person after you have spent hours doing it yourself. My favorite part was the cover design and illustration process. There are so many steps that the process can take a year or more until your book actually hits the shelves
My advice is to never give up, keep sending your manuscript in to publishers and agents. You just have to find the right one for your book. 
CAN YOU OFFER ANY ADVICE FOR WRITERS ON HOW BEST TO PROMOTE THEIR BOOK?
Use the tools provided to you Google plus, blogs, reviews, Facebook, twitter, hashtags. Have your friends and family share your book with their friends, Share it, and get it out there. You can trade reviews with other authors. Do book signings at your local library or travel to other towns and cities to do book events. Don’t rely on your publisher to do everything. 
DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS?: 
I have many books I am working on currently, but none that are complete. 
Book one; bullying, magic, leprechauns, and curses. It is also about making new friends and being your own person.
Book two; magical kingdoms and portals to other worlds where the girls do the rescuing.
Book three; a newbie witch, monkeys as sidekicks, and snogs.
There are so many I have going, I am not just writing children’s book though. I have a couple of young adult ones in the works as well. Right now I do not know when any of my books will be complete. I just had a baby a couple months ago so my days and nights are filled with dirty diapers and snuggles. I write in my free time and try to keep up with my blog, my review page on Facebook, my author’s page, and twitter.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

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