Special Guest: Amanda Ashby

I'm so excited that my friend Amanda Ashby is visiting us today. Her YA books are some of my favourite YAs ever (seriously, if you haven't read Demonosity, do yourself a favour and grab a copy), and she also writes category romance and middle grade fiction. Interesting mix, right? Well, I've rolled up my sleeves and asked the hard questions for you. Plus, she has a giveaway for one commenter.

But first, a couple of winners!

The winner of Murder Most Unusual by Michelle Somers is Barbara Strickland! Barbara, drop me a quick email: rachel (at) rachelbailey (dot) com and I'll put you in touch with Michelle to claim your prize. Congrats!

And the winner of Melanie Milburne's The Temporary Mrs Marchetti is Sue Geraldht Griffiths. Sue, you can also drop me a quick email at the above address and I'll put you in touch with Melanie for your prize. 

Now, onto today's special guest!


1. First up, Amanda, the important stuff – cat or dog person?

Cat!! And here’s how I know – because when I’m out and about and see a cat, I’m compelled to say “cat” and point to it, as if I had a three-year old child with me. Now, the fact that my kids are teenagers and tend never to leave the room unless under duress, I can only assume that I have in fact turned into a crazy cat lady!!

Not to say that I don’t like dogs, because I do. I just don’t love all dogs, it’s more a case of me getting to know them and then they wriggle under my skin. I’m talking to you Oliver (and obviously the rest of the Bailey Pack, though Ava doesn’t count because she’s far above such tedious things, being a princess and all!!!)


2. Oliver sends you smooches. :) What was the first category book you read?

Hmmm, I actually didn’t start reading category until I was in my twenties (apart from Georgette Heyer, who is still one of my all time favourite authors!) But when I did start reading category romances, I found myself hooked on the older books by Betty Neels and Essie Summers - probably no surprise that I write sweet books!


3. What’s the last category book you read?

Hooked by Christina Phillips, which is scorching hot and very naughty!


4. Oooh, I've heard good things about that book. Now, tell me something we wouldn't know about you?

I work part time as a children’s librarian, which is kind of the coolest job ever because I literally spend my days talking about books. There is nothing better than seeing kids get excited about reading (or their parents being relieved that their children have found books they love!). I also have a house full of retro furniture and far too many vintage tablecloths to count. Thankfully they all look the same to my husband so he has no idea when I sneak an extra one into the house!

5. You write category romance, young adult and middle grade books. Is it hard switching between the three? Do you have a favourite?

I don’t really find it difficult, for two reasons. First up, I’m totally shallow so try not to overthink it! And second, at the heart of all books are characters who are going on emotional journeys, and whether they are transformed because of love or because they have had to fight a few killer fairies along the way, it still takes them to the same place! As for having a favourite, it’s normally the one that I’m NOT working on. However, I believe is because I get a romantic notion that if I was working on something else it would be SO MUCH EASIER THAN THE HOT MESS IN FRONT OF ME. Though, apart from that my heart has always been in YA and that’s still the genre I read the most in so it’s my secret favourite (but shhhh, don’t tell the others!).


6. My lips are sealed! Your latest book Falling for the Best Man is the first in a trilogy about three sisters who own a vintage wedding planner business. Can you tell us about it?

Sure, Falling for the Best Man is a sweet romance between a vintage wedding planner who doesn’t want to leave the family farm and a travel journalist who doesn’t want to stay still. Here’s the blurb:

He’s the best man and her secret fling—who said being a wedding planner was easy?

Emmy Watson loves her small-town life. Most of the time­­––except the one crazy night she threw caution to the wind and slept with a sexy stranger. Totally not like her, but so worth it. And hey, who’ll ever find out. It’ll be her little secret...

Globe-trotting travel writer Christopher Henderson can’t get one woman out of his head. He knows Emmy is all wrong for him–he’d have to pry her cold dead hands from this crazy town–but living without her is slowly not becoming an option.

Christopher has a game plan:
Dazzle her with his awesome cooking skills to throw her off guard.
Win the world’s weirdest golf trophy. 
Impress her with his ability to talk cranky French dove breeders into doing his bidding.

But Emmy isn’t playing by the rules, and Chris might have finally met his match...

7. What was your inspiration for Wishing Bridge Farm, where the three books are set?

I live in Napier, in New Zealand and along the waterfront are six old historic houses, which have the nickname, The Six Sisters. My original plan was to have each sister inherit a house and turn it into a store, but somehow it morphed into a vintage wedding planning business on a farm. I also liked the idea of somewhere that they could make wishes and even though I’ve never seen a proper American covered bridge, I thought it would be cute to put one on the farm and let each sister make a wish there when they were younger.


8. When will the other two sisters have their books out?

Bec is the youngest sister and her book will be out in April and Pepper’s book is out in July.


9. What are you reading?

Killer Heels by Rebecca Chance. I used to be a big fan of Lauren Henderson’s Sam Jones mystery books and only just discovered that she’s been writing new books under a different name. Anyway, so far it’s a cross of all the juicy Jackie Collins books I grew up with, combined with the Devil Wears Prada.

10. What are you watching?

Brooklyn Nine-Nine. My daughter actually got me into this show and I love it! It’s the perfect follow up for Parks and Recreation and I love it! Plus they regularly mention Star Wars and Die Hard, which are two of my favourite movies. I’m also hopelessly addicted to an English show called Ex on the Beach. My family are all appalled by it, which is ridiculous because they’ve known me long enough to understand my strange tastes in TV viewing!

11. What are you listening to?

My husband playing his classical guitar! I’m a lucky girl because I get serenaded most days by him.


12. What’s making you smile?

Looking out my kitchen window every morning. Something is always going on in the sky and I never get sick of seeing it. Oh, and coffee. Obviously.


13. What’s next on the horizon for you?

I have a middle grade series coming out later this year and a young adult romance called The Heartbreak Cure, which I’m crazy excited about.


Thanks so much for coming along to visit, Amanda!

Amanda is kindly giving away a copy of Falling for the Best Man to one commenter. Each of the three sisters in her Wishing Bridge Farm series made a wish when they were young, which got me to thinking. If you'd come across a wishing bridge when you were young, what would you have wished for? And is it something that you'd still wish for? Or did it come true?

Amanda Ashby was born in Australia but now lives in New Zealand where she writes romance, young adult and middle grade books. She also works in a library, owns far too many vintage tablecloths and likes to delight her family by constantly rearranging the furniture.

She has a degree in English and Journalism from the University of Queensland and is married with two children. Her debut book was nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award, and her first young adult book was listed by the New York Public Libraryʼs Stuff for the Teen Age.  Because she’s mysterious she also writes middle grade books under the name, Catherine Holt and hopes that all this writing won’t interfere with her Netflix schedule.