Today's 21 Questions features Ash Clark, the author of the fantasy The Fate of the Princess.
1. How long have you been writing?
I’ve written all my life. It was just within the last 6 months that I decided to try my luck with writing a book.
2. If you weren’t a writer, what would you probably be doing?
If I wasn't a writer I’d probably be serving others like I do now as a full-time police officer.
3. What genre do you love writing the most and what drew you to it?
I love writing fantasy fiction because of how creative you can get with the characters the stories and the surroundings.
4. Some writers outline and plot and some just sit down and go with whatever
comes to them. Describe your process when working on a new story.
I honestly let whatever comes to my mind just flow into words then I go back and put that into some type of story, or if I have vivid dreams, I put them into stories.
5. What inspired your current work?
My current work is honestly inspired by some vivid dreams I had. And just letting my imagination run wild with the, what if this happened?
6. Do you incorporate parts of yourself or people you know into your
characters?
Yes, I always incorporate some of myself and people that are close to me in my characters. It makes them more realistic and more real in my eyes.
7. Do you write your novels to reflect events going on in the world today? For example, many people saw the vampires in True Blood (based on Charlaine Harris’s novels for those who have been living under a rock) as an allegory for the LGBTQ+ community and its struggle for equal rights.
I did base some of my current book on events going on not necessarily in the world but in my real life. The power struggle, the romance, and things of that nature.
8. What aspect of your books are you the proudest of?
I’m honestly the proudest of the entire book. I never thought I’d write a book much less get one published. My characters are my proudest achievement by far.
9. Do you have a certain character that you have fallen in love with writing?
Rogue by far. She’s a little of me, a little of my mom, and a little of my grandmother. She is my absolute favorite to write about.
10. What authors do you follow and why?
Ronnie Massey, Roxie Ray, Jillian Frost. They to me tell the most amazing captivating stories. They can describe something and you can imagine it whether it be a scene, a color, a smell, and a character. You can imagine every single thing they say and it's just so captivating.
11. If you could interview one literary character, who would it be?
Valeria from Crimson Dawn by Ronnie Massey
12. If you were stranded on a deserted island what three books would you
want with you?
Boardwalk Reign by Jillian Frost, Crimson Dawn by Ronnie Massey, and Captive in the Underworld by Lianyu Tan
13. Do you think it’s possible to faithfully adapt a work of literature into
film?
Faithfully no, there will always have to be some type of tweak to adapt the book into a movie. Especially if the director doesn’t share the same type of imagination as the writer.
14. If your novel was being adapted for the silver screen who would you
cast and would you want it to be a movie or a TV series?
I’d want Zazie Beetz to play Rogue, Emma Stone as Cheyanne, Alexander Ludwig as Kaden, Jennifer Garner as Queen Madelyn, Shemar Moore as King Michael, and Nicholas Hoult as Carter.
15. Imagine you’re writing a movie trailer advertising The Fate of the Princess. In one hundred words or less describe it to us.
Will the Princess rise or fall? Will her Kingdom make it out of this war in one piece? Or is all hope lost against The Light King?
16. What’s your favorite movie adapted from a work of literature (yes, comic
books count)?
Deadpool
17. Do you write under a pseudonym, and if so, why? If not, would you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
Yes, I do write under a pseudonym because I like to keep my private life private and privacy matters for my family. I would never want them thrown into a world of chaos and cameras if I were to ever become a famous author.
18. What surprising thing did you learn while you were writing your work?
I learned a lot more about myself and my creativity while I was writing. I learned that the only thing holding me back from being as creative as I can be was myself.
19. Do you want each book you write to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
I’d like every book to stand on its own unless I’m writing a series.
20. How long on average does it take you to write a book?
On average it takes me about 2-3 months to write a book depending on the length. I was able to write around 5 thousand words for The Fate of The Princess in just one sitting.
21. What one piece of advice would you give aspiring authors?
The best piece of advice I can give aspiring authors is to not be scared to write. There is nothing you can write that will be stupid or silly. As long as you are happy with it then that’s all that matters. Do not be afraid to put yourself out there.
1. How long have you been writing?
I’ve written all my life. It was just within the last 6 months that I decided to try my luck with writing a book.
2. If you weren’t a writer, what would you probably be doing?
If I wasn't a writer I’d probably be serving others like I do now as a full-time police officer.
3. What genre do you love writing the most and what drew you to it?
I love writing fantasy fiction because of how creative you can get with the characters the stories and the surroundings.
4. Some writers outline and plot and some just sit down and go with whatever
comes to them. Describe your process when working on a new story.
I honestly let whatever comes to my mind just flow into words then I go back and put that into some type of story, or if I have vivid dreams, I put them into stories.
5. What inspired your current work?
My current work is honestly inspired by some vivid dreams I had. And just letting my imagination run wild with the, what if this happened?
6. Do you incorporate parts of yourself or people you know into your
characters?
Yes, I always incorporate some of myself and people that are close to me in my characters. It makes them more realistic and more real in my eyes.
7. Do you write your novels to reflect events going on in the world today? For example, many people saw the vampires in True Blood (based on Charlaine Harris’s novels for those who have been living under a rock) as an allegory for the LGBTQ+ community and its struggle for equal rights.
I did base some of my current book on events going on not necessarily in the world but in my real life. The power struggle, the romance, and things of that nature.
8. What aspect of your books are you the proudest of?
I’m honestly the proudest of the entire book. I never thought I’d write a book much less get one published. My characters are my proudest achievement by far.
9. Do you have a certain character that you have fallen in love with writing?
Rogue by far. She’s a little of me, a little of my mom, and a little of my grandmother. She is my absolute favorite to write about.
10. What authors do you follow and why?
Ronnie Massey, Roxie Ray, Jillian Frost. They to me tell the most amazing captivating stories. They can describe something and you can imagine it whether it be a scene, a color, a smell, and a character. You can imagine every single thing they say and it's just so captivating.
11. If you could interview one literary character, who would it be?
Valeria from Crimson Dawn by Ronnie Massey
12. If you were stranded on a deserted island what three books would you
want with you?
Boardwalk Reign by Jillian Frost, Crimson Dawn by Ronnie Massey, and Captive in the Underworld by Lianyu Tan
13. Do you think it’s possible to faithfully adapt a work of literature into
film?
Faithfully no, there will always have to be some type of tweak to adapt the book into a movie. Especially if the director doesn’t share the same type of imagination as the writer.
14. If your novel was being adapted for the silver screen who would you
cast and would you want it to be a movie or a TV series?
I’d want Zazie Beetz to play Rogue, Emma Stone as Cheyanne, Alexander Ludwig as Kaden, Jennifer Garner as Queen Madelyn, Shemar Moore as King Michael, and Nicholas Hoult as Carter.
15. Imagine you’re writing a movie trailer advertising The Fate of the Princess. In one hundred words or less describe it to us.
Will the Princess rise or fall? Will her Kingdom make it out of this war in one piece? Or is all hope lost against The Light King?
16. What’s your favorite movie adapted from a work of literature (yes, comic
books count)?
Deadpool
17. Do you write under a pseudonym, and if so, why? If not, would you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
Yes, I do write under a pseudonym because I like to keep my private life private and privacy matters for my family. I would never want them thrown into a world of chaos and cameras if I were to ever become a famous author.
18. What surprising thing did you learn while you were writing your work?
I learned a lot more about myself and my creativity while I was writing. I learned that the only thing holding me back from being as creative as I can be was myself.
19. Do you want each book you write to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
I’d like every book to stand on its own unless I’m writing a series.
20. How long on average does it take you to write a book?
On average it takes me about 2-3 months to write a book depending on the length. I was able to write around 5 thousand words for The Fate of The Princess in just one sitting.
21. What one piece of advice would you give aspiring authors?
The best piece of advice I can give aspiring authors is to not be scared to write. There is nothing you can write that will be stupid or silly. As long as you are happy with it then that’s all that matters. Do not be afraid to put yourself out there.
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