Interview with paranormal romance author Ash Krafton

Today’s warm welcome is extended to author Ash Krafton. She’s here to chat about her new paranormal romance, Words that Bind.

During her virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions, Ash will be awarding a $25 gift card to Amazon or BN.com gift card AND a unique handmade book-inspired keychain to one (1) randomly drawn commenter. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction author from northeastern Pennsylvania. Krafton’s first novel, Bleeding Hearts was published in 2012 as part of a three-book urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press). An urban fantasy novella, Strangers at the Hell Gate, was published by Wild Rose Press in 2013. Her latest release, Words That Bind, won first place in the HeRA RWA “Show Me the Spark” 2013 competition; it is also available through Wild Rose Press as an October 2014 release.

Krafton also writes New Adult speculative fiction novels under the pen name AJ Krafton. Upcoming titles include The Heartbeat Thief, Face of the Enemy, and the award-winning Takin’ It Back. She is part of a YA/NA collective known as the Infinite Ink Authors.

In addition to novel-length fiction, Krafton enjoys writing poetry and short prose, some of which earned distinctions in various writing competitions. One of her poems was also nominated for the Pushcart Prize. She’s a proud member of Pennwriters, Romance Writers of America, and Pikes Peak Writers. Krafton is also a staff blogger for the Query Tracker Blog.

Welcome, Ash. Please tell us about your current release.

In Words That Bind, a social worker who specializes in emotional disturbances meets her most challenging case when a genie starts making appointments. This genie isn’t looking for counselling, however…he’s looking for his talisman, the same one that had bound him to King Solomon thousands of years ago. And he knows she has it. 

What inspired you to write this book?

My sister-in-law is a social worker and she is the model of professionalism. No matter what kind of screaming, ranting crazy I would feel like, she always had this calm, cool rational approach to my, ahem, concerns. I, on the other hand, am a tremendous goof. So I’m like, “Yeah, but what if a GENIE walked into your office? Huh? Huuuuuh?”

And then the book just bloomed from there.

I didn’t do it to torture her. If I had wanted to do that, it would have been a clown. But genies, she loves them. And I kind of love this one, too.

Excerpt from Words that Bind:

“So. You’ve destroyed a stereotype for me. A genie who lives in a library. Different.”

“When in Rome, no?” He stirred his cup before setting down the spoon with a light clink against the saucer. “Or, I suppose it is more accurate to say when in human form. When I am Burns, I prefer here.”

“Human form.” It didn’t sound right. Who said things like that, and meant it? “Can you change into anything you want? Any shape at all?”

He stretched out his legs and cocked his head, sliding his gaze up and away. “I suppose I could. I’m getting old and set in my ways. There’s this…” He swept his hands down the line of his body.

Her eyes were unable to keep from following, not even when he lingered over his midsection. Even lounging, his shirt was tightly tucked into his beltline. No belly fat there.

He tilted his head and gave her an upper-teeth smile, nibbling gently at his lower lip. “And apparently this form is pleasing to the eye, so I wear it often. But there are others. Tiger, a favorite. Savage and regal and the colors of flames in the night. Fearsome to behold, but very useful when dealing with physical conditions in which a human form may be outmatched. Plus, I can lash my tail.”

His voice took a teasing, conspirator’s tone. “I love my tail. You’d love it too, if you saw it.”

She trained her eyes firmly upon his. No way would she give him the pleasure of checking out his tail.

What exciting story are you working on next?

It’s a Victorian paranormal called The Heartbeat Thief. It’s a little bit Jane Austen, a little bit Edgar Allen Poe, and a whole lot of stealing heartbeats in order to stay young and beautiful forever. From the London season to the back alleys of Spitalfields, across the Channel and across the Pond…I’m having fun researching and reading and imagining and wondering how far my character will go to avoid Death. It’s a lot of fun.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Since I was a kid. My mom still has newspaper clippings of things I’d written. I studied pharmacy in college, but managed to hang out in the Humanities department for six years anyway. It wasn’t until maybe ten years ago that I started writing again. First, I wrote strictly as a hobby, writing for fun in my free time. Slowly, stealthily, my intentions towards writing changed, and things got serious. I studied, I researched, I practiced, and I worked on my craft.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like?  If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I’m still working retail pharmacy full-tie, and I’m an over-time mom—so I write on days off, in the mornings before work, and at the dojo when the kids are in martial arts class. I’ve written on airplanes and long, agonizing bus trips, at my desk and on the couch. My writing work day is not to be admired. It flies in the face of all that is good and decent.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I like to wear hats when I write. Weird, I know. And it has nothing to do with a “thinking cap” or any other witty description. I think it keeps me from playing with my hair.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An English teacher. My seventh grade English teacher said DON”T YOU DARE. (Yes, she really did speak in all caps.) Although she’s actually read my books, I think she’s more relieved I went to pharmacy school.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I’m so glad you all stopped by! I love connecting with readers and I’m so curious to know what you think about Words That Bind. My social worker had her hands full the moment a genie walked into her office, but she handled it with calm, cool, collectiveness. What character—in any book you’ve read—do you think would give her a run for her money?

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Thanks, Ash!

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