Interview of Author Avril Ashton

Today I'm pleased to present an interview of romance author Avril Ashton.

Latest Book: A Wicked Ride
Buy Link: http://extasybooks.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=ebook_flypage&product_id=9240&category_id=3&manufacturer_id=193&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=50

BIO:
A Caribbean transplant, Avril now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y with a Spousal Equivalent of almost eight years. Together they raise a 6 y/o daughter who loves reading and school (wonder how long that will last). Avril’s earliest memories of reading revolve around discussing plot points of The Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys with an equally book-minded mother.

Always in love with the written word, Avril finally decided to do the writing in August of ’09 and never looked back. Spicy love scenes, delicious heroes, and wicked women burn up the pages of Avril’s stories, but there’ll always be a happy ending; Avril remains a believer of love in all its forms.

Q: What’s the first thing you did when you received word you’d sold a book?
A: Slept. I’d worked a late shift the night before and once I put my daughter on the school bus, I sent off my SUB to eXtasy books and went to bed. About half an hour later my phone pinged with a message—it was Extasy’s response email, complete with contract. I stared at it for a couple seconds then put my head back down on the pillow, right back to dream land.

Q: What part of the book is the easiest for you to write? Why?
A: The beginning, I think. It’s almost always written in my head how I want the story to start before I actually start writing. I just recount the images I see.

Q: What part of the book is the hardest for you? Why?
A: It varies between the middle and the end. Sometimes there’s the whole lagging middle thing I’m afraid will happen, and at other times I dread the task of tying up the story in a relatively neat bow.

Q: Who is your favorite character in your book and why?
A: So far I’m loving Sasha, the heroine in A WICKED RIDE. She’s pretty tough, an all around bad girl, but it could also be because we share the same love of all things high-heeled.

Q: What genre would you like to try writing in but haven’t yet done so? Why?
A: I really love homoerotic stories, so I’d like to try that. There’s something so decadent and monumentally sexy about those stories that I can’t find in any other romance genre.

Q: Facebook, MySpace, Blogs, Chats, or Twitter. Which do you like best and why?
A: I recently found my way to twitter after long prophesying to ‘Never ever go there.’ Eeh, in my defense, all the other kids were doing it. I’m still feeling my way. I’m mot on MySpace, but I adore Facebook. I spend way too much time on there and find it more accessible and personal that twitter. I have a blog as well that I try to attend to as often as possible, but that’s not always the case as writing—and life—interferes. I do author interviews and invite authors to guest post whenever they want.

Tell us where to find you:
http://www.avrilashton.weebly.com
http://www.avril-ashton.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/writeravrilashton
http://www.twitter.com/#%21/AvrilAsh

BLURB:
Sasha Forde has hung up her thieving stilettos, but a visit from a mobster sends her back to her old life. In order to save her family—and herself—from jail, she must steal evidence hidden in a lawyer’s office. She sets out to do what she considers a simple B and E, but someone else has arrived first. And he holds her life in his tattooed hands. Not for long.

Niko Davaris is all about revenge on the man who tried to kill him. The evidence he stole is the first step in that direction. He’s not thrilled to wake up with a gun to his head. The woman on the other end is cocky, smug and too damn hot for her own good. He wants her, she wants the evidence. When she takes it and disappears, he gives chase. Battle lines are blurred as they give in to temptation, but on a ride like this, someone has to come out on top. Who will it be?

EXCERPT: R (LANGUAGE)
Sasha kept her eyes and guns trained on the door. Next to her, Niko stood stark naked, his sawed-off aimed dead center on the entrance to the cabin.

“Anything I should know before I start blasting?”

“Nope, can’t think of a thing.”

Bullshit, but she held her tongue and waited. His gaze never wavered from their target.

A dark head eased through the tiny crack in the doorway. The intruder kept his body hidden behind the door as he turned his head left, then right, and finally straight ahead.

“Oww, my eyes!” Their uninvited guest stumbled into the cabin with his gloved hand, gun in tow, covering his face.

“What’s happening?” asked a deep voice from the outside.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Niko lowered his weapon and glared at the man who’d broken in.

A second man barged his way into the cabin, gun at the ready.

And then there were two.

Intruder number two took one look at Niko in his birthday suit and pivoted. “Put some clothes on, would you?”

“You know these fools?” Sasha edged closer to the newcomers as Niko grabbed a pair of jeans from the back of the couch. “Uh…babe, this is Maysin.” He pointed to the second man. “The one covering his face is Justice. Guys, I’m decent and this is Sasha.”

Targets acquired.

Justice dropped his hands and regarded her closely. She felt like a bug under a microscope. Maysin turned around. His eyes were filled with questions, but he had to wait.

“Well. Well. Well,” she drawled, “I’ve been waiting forever for you guys.”

“Do we know you?” Maysin squinted down at her with olive green eyes. He resembled the basketball player Rick Fox with his toffee skin, the facial structure and his dark curly hair. But that’s where the similarities ended. Maysin’s hair was longer and secured at his nape in a ponytail. His jaw sported a scruffy five o’clock shadow. An angry-ass scar ran from behind his left ear to his chin, marring his otherwise pretty boy looks. His bulky frame, clothed in head to toe black, and deep baritone inspired Sasha’s tighter grip on her guns.

“No, Rick, you don’t know me.” She grinned and released the safety on her pieces. “But I know you two.”

Maysin frowned, probably at the name she called him. Behind her, Niko chuckled. Justice raised his gun.

“Ah. Ah.” She tssked. “I’d rethink that if I were you. I’ll drop you before you get one out.”

“Who’s this person?” Justice lowered his hand and turned to Niko.

“Didn’t you hear him earlier? I’m Sasha. Now, drop the gun on the floor.” She motioned to Maysin who stood coiled, ready to spring. “You, too.”

Both men did as ordered in halting movements, their faces hard, eyes flashing retribution. When she was sure they were disarmed, Sasha curled her fingers around the trigger. “Sasha.” Niko called her name.

She didn’t take her gaze off the men promising violence with their stare.

“Babe, you can’t shoot them.”

She frowned. “Why the hell not? They took something from me.”

“Technically, I took it from you. Besides, you got it back.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re right.”

The expression on Maysin and Justice’s face said What The Fuck?

But I still want to shoot them.” She pouted.

“Why?” Niko stood beside her with his arms folded.

“I promised myself I would. It’s been a long time since I’ve shot somebody.” She made eye contact with the two men standing before her. “I’m due.”

“Okay, am I the only one who thinks this chick’s crazy?” Justice’s white teeth flashed bright next to his dark-chocolate skin. Equally dark eyes, high cheekbones and a sharp jaw line gave him an exotic look. He towered over her, dressed in all black—shirt, motorcycle jacket, jeans and boots. His low voice had a Caribbean lilt to it.

“Sasha, you cant shoot them,” Niko said. “They’re my friends and I kinda like them.”

“What does that have to do with anything? Maybe I should shoot you instead. You said I was the only other person who knew about this place, but clearly that’s a lie.” She glared at him from the corner of her eye.

“I didn’t lie to you,” Niko whispered against her neck. His breath on her skin made her shiver. “I have no idea how they found us.”

“Why don’t we find out?” She turned to Maysin. “How did you find us, Rick?”

His green eyes shot daggers at her. “My name is—”

Sasha sighed at his words spoken through clenched teeth. “Really, Rick, we’ll get nowhere if you insist on being bogged down with irrelevant details. Now, answer the question. Let’s not forget the crazy chick has the guns.”

“How’d you find me, Maysin?” Niko circled Sasha waist. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

“GPS on the phone,” Maysin grated.

“Fucking technology,” Niko murmured.

Sasha nodded in agreement.

“Alright, everyone take a seat,” Niko said. He walked around to stand in front of her. “Sasha, put the guns down.”

“What?” She glared at him.

“I know. You want to shoot somebody, but it can’t be them.” He framed her face with his hands and kissed her lips.

“Not even a flesh wound?”

“Nope.”

She pursed her lips. “Well, can I at least smack them around a little?”

Niko barked a laugh. “No, babe. No violence of any kind.”

Sasha lowered her guns with a sigh. Her arms were getting tired anyway.

Anything else you’d like to add?
Thanks for having me, I appreciate it so much!!