Hollywood Producer Intrigued By 'Strange Neighbors'

The career of author Ashlyn Chase, a multi-published, award-winning author of humorous erotic romance, is, as they say in the entertainment world, hot. She's been getting great reviews for her paranormal comedy Strange Neighbors; she's just been contracted for a Thai translation of her novel, and she's a finalist in the New Jersey Romance Writer's Golden Leaf contest. As if all that's not enough to warm an author's heart, a Hollywood producer requested an ARC, Advanced Reading Copy, of her novel. Could we be seeing Strange Neighbors on the big screen some day soon?

An Almond Joy Candy Bar

That's the question I decided to ask Ashlyn Chase over a cup of coffee at TheCelebrityCafe.com this morning. Ashlyn describes herself as "an Almond Joy bar: a little nutty, a little flaky, but basically sweet, wanting only to give her readers a scrumptious, satisfying, reading experience."

Now that's the kind of author we all like, isn't it? Before we start chatting, let me give you the book info so you can get your copy of Strange Neighbors. I have a feeling you'll want to read this after meeting Ashlyn today.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know

Joan: Ashlyn, since we're at TheCelebrityCafe.com today, let's start with a fun question, about celebrities of course, to break the ice. Which celebrity is your guilty pleasure, the person you just have to read a gossip tidbit about? Why?

Ashlyn: Hmm ... I'm not into slowing down to watch the car wreck, but there are a few celebs that behave themselves pretty well who I like hearing about. Jon Bon Jovi, Jim Carrey, Heidi Klum ... my taste is very eclectic.

Joan: While we're talking about guilty pleasures, tell us if you have a fave TV show that you just can't stand to miss? What about it draws you in?

Ashlyn: Oh no, I have to admit I watch reality TV? All right, I'm a Project Runway fan. I love watching the creative process at work. There was a show called Work of Art that did the same with artists. I thought that was very cool too. I also watch a number of popular prime time comedies: Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother, Rules of Engagement, for example. I can appreciate good comedy since I know it isn't easy, and sometimes the writing is just brilliant.

Joan: How did you get started?

Ashlyn: I started out by writing screenplays. I can't remember exactly when, but I was a nurse who needed a creative outlet. Hollywood passed on my romantic comedies, and breaking in from New Hampshire was a bit daunting. New York is a lot closer, so I thought I'd try turning some of my stories into novels. It worked! When my parents died in 2001, they left me enough money to pay off the mortgage and pursue my dream. I was burning out of nursing after twenty years, so I decided to try writing full time. My hubby was sure it was a pipe dream and gave me exactly one year to get published. A year! Can you imagine? I told him it took most authors at least five and what he could do with his year. LOL.

Anyway, I'm someone who won't back down from a challenge, so I went about it like a madwoman. I learned all I could, wrote every day, submitted my first manuscripts here there and everywhere – and exactly one year to the weekend of his ultimatum, I got a contract. (Insert raspberry here.) It was an epub contract, but hey ... he didn't specify. LOL.

(Note from Joan: Readers, in the career writing world, a print book contract with a big New York publisher is the Holy Grail for writers.)

Joan: Strange Neighbors, the book about which we're talking today, was what number book for you? 1st, 3rd, 7th?

Ashlyn: Um, try 17? I published a few under a different pen name at first. Then I found my voice was in comedy rather than suspense and reinvented myself as Ashlyn Chase. This is the dozenth Ashlyn Chase book ... although not all my stories are full novels. There are a fair number of novellas in that 17. Strange Neighbors is my longest book to date at about 90,000 words.

I came up with the title first when talking to one of my real neighbors. It was barely more than an idea when I met a Borders bookseller who said, "I have a friend who's an editor. Do you have anything?" I told her about my idea and she told me to write up a proposal. Her friend turned out to be Sourcebooks editor Deb Werksmen and she loved the idea! She requested a look at my first 3 chapters and last published book. (Love Cuffs from Ellora's Cave.) Three days later she called and offered me a contract for a series. I was thrilled and terrified at the same time.

As I said, I had never written a book that long and to write 3 of them? Whoa! But I did it. I just finished the 3rd book in the series and it's due Sept 30th. My agent told me it's being called "the paranormal Friends." I guess that's a good hook. An old brownstone converted into an apartment building in an upscale Boston neighborhood attracts paranormals of all ilks. A professional baseball player buys it as an investment and remodels the top floor to be his penthouse. He re-signs all the present tenants' leases without realizing the building houses a werewolf, a vampire, a shapeshifting raven and two witches who are phone sex actresses.

Joan: If they made a movie of this book, and that's a real possibility, who would you cast to portray the characters?

Ashlyn: Oh, that's always a tough one. First of all, I'm trying to keep in mind that Hollywood can do whatever they please and may not listen to my suggestions. But, whatever ... I'll play. For my heroine Merry, I'd suggest Mandy Moore. Jason's a bit more difficult. Who looks like a drop dead gorgeous professional baseball pitcher? Maybe by the time this thing is made Zach Efron will be old enough.

Joan: What are you working on now?

Ashlyn: Since I just finished the Strange Neighbors series, I have a couple of projects in the brainstorming stages. Another series I'm calling the paranormal Sex and the City, which begins with my already published book Vampire Vintage. I hope I can find an advance paying publisher willing to republish that and the rest would be originals. I'm starting book 2 in that series now. Plus I'm writing a ghost story with Dalton Diaz, my writing partner for Love Cuffs and Strokes.

Joan: What's the one thing no interviewer has ever asked you that you'd really like to talk about?

Ashlyn: Money. We don't make enough money for all we do – most of us don't anyway. I read a stat that said 5% of the authors are making 95% of the publishing dollars. I believe it. The rest of us are laboring for 6 months on a novel that will bring us below poverty wages. Oh, and pirates? I challenge you to a duel ... at noon on the Avenue of the Americas ... with writing implements!

(Note from Joan: People who scan books into downloadable files and sell them or give them away free on websites and blogs are pirates, and they're a huge problem for authors trying to make a living from their writing. Too many people think it's cool to get a free book like this, but it's stealing the ability for hard-working writers to support themselves. It's also against the law. If you know of a site doing this, report them to the FBI, Intellectual Property Theft Division and/or the author who can send them a takedown notice.)

Joan: I guess we'd both better get to work punching the keyboard. Ashlyn Chase, thanks for visiting with us. I'll give you the last word. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about anything?

The Last Word

Ashlyn: Buy my books!

(Joan Reeves is published in book-length fiction and in periodicals, in print and online all over the web, under her own name, various pseudonyms, and as a ghost.)