11 ratings | 2 reviews | avg rating:5.00

more photos (2)

Ashley Shelby’s Followers (84)

Ashley’s Bookshelves

to-read (1)
currently-reading (0)
read (17)
animal-tales (2)
brilliant-women (2)
feminism (1)
humor-and-absurd (1)
melville (2)
nature (1)
nautical-tales (2)
See all bookshelves »

Ashley’s Friends (5)

Alex Helm

96,190 books | 1,388 friends

Alexander Pyles

2,649 books | 323 friends

Lena Leimgruber Haraldsson

821 books | 28 friends

Beth Kleinman

602 books | 84 friends

Rachel

828 books | 12 friends

Ashley Shelby

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

http://www.ashleyshelby.com

Genre

Fiction, Contemporary, Science Fiction

Influences

Melville, LeGuin, Twain, Poe

Member Since

July 2019

edit data

Ashley Shelby is novelist, short story writer, and former environmental journalist. She is the author of Honeymoons in Temporary Locations (2024), South Pole Station (2017), and Red River Rising: The Anatomy of a Flood and the Survival of an American City (2004).

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask Ashley Shelby questions, please sign up.

Popular Answered Questions

Ashley S., besides being impressed, I wonder if you really understood all the mathematical research you incorporated into your Story? Have you considered a screenwriter's career? As you seem to possess an eye for creating a great scene, and you do seem to (like you did in this novel) know how to run with the dialogue. In fact, have you considered writing a screenplay using South Pole Station: If not, you should.

Ashley Shelby Well, I'm late to the game, Richard, but thank you for this compliment and your question. If you're a math guy, you'll probably notice that the math i…moreWell, I'm late to the game, Richard, but thank you for this compliment and your question. If you're a math guy, you'll probably notice that the math in this book is fairly limited in scope, so yes, I do understand it, but only because I spent three years studying it! What make take a better math mind a week to comprehend took me far longer!(less)

flag

1 like · like
Comment

I'm deciding which agents to query. It appears you once had Paula Balzer, but I can't find a current agent for you. You have a lot of experience in the industry. Are you now self-publishing without an agent? If so, why? Mitigating climate disaster needs books pushed as hard as possible, and that means using maintstream publishers, I believe. Prove me wrong. If you have an agent, please tell me who. Thanks.

Ashley Shelby Hi Shawn, sorry for the late reply. I'm still trying to get the hang of this Q&A thing. Paula was my agent years ago, and I most recently was with ICM…moreHi Shawn, sorry for the late reply. I'm still trying to get the hang of this Q&A thing. Paula was my agent years ago, and I most recently was with ICM for my novel South Pole Station. I did decide to begin working without an agent after SPS was published, as my books aren't really blockbusters and I didn't see the need for an agent since I was trying to move away from conglomerate publishing and toward independent presses. Agents are necessary, I'm afraid, for most people who want to publish with the Big Five (the Big Four?), as most editors won't consider unagented submissions. If I decide to get back into the Big Publisher game, I'd probably need to use an agent, but would sign on a project basis, not for all my writing. Most other writers prefer doing it the other way around, though.

That said, there are many wonderful independent presses who are giving voice to folks concerned about climate change, climate mitigation, climate justice, etc., and they don't require authors to have agents. And they can publish beautifully produced books, as my own publisher (University of Minnesota Press) demonstrates. (less)

flag

like
Comment

See 2 answers from Ashley Shelby…

Combine Editions
Ashley Shelby’s books

Average rating: 3.5 · 1,904 ratings · 404 reviews · 9 distinct works • Similar authors

	South Pole Station 3.42 avg rating — 1,727 ratings — published 2017 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Muri (Futures, #3) 4.57 avg rating — 51 ratings — published 2019 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Red River Rising: The Anatomy of a Flood and the Survival of an American City 4.04 avg rating — 46 ratings — published 2004 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Honeymoons in Temporary Locations 4.11 avg rating — 35 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The I Hate Corporate America Reader: How Big Companies from McDonald's to Microsoft Are Destroying Our Way of Life by Clint Willis (Editor), Ashley Shelby (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 3.72 avg rating — 25 ratings — published 2004 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Undeniable: Writers Respond to Climate Change by Leah Angstman (Goodreads Author), Ellery Akers, Joumana Altallal it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 11 ratings — published 2020	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Futures: A Science Fiction Series by John Dermot Woods (Goodreads Author), Vera Kurian (Goodreads Author), Ashley Shelby (Goodreads Author) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 8 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Book Proposal Boot Camp: A Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Proposals Agents Can't Ignore (If You Want to Write 1) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Archivist of Third Chance really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Ashley Shelby…

rss
Ashley’s Recent Updates

Ashley Shelby joined the group Goodreads Librarians Group
Oct 23, 2025 08:21PM · like
Ashley Shelby finished reading Hamlet by William Shakespeare	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 13, 2024 06:11AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Hamlet by William Shakespeare <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ashley Shelby is currently reading Hamlet by William Shakespeare	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 06, 2024 05:51AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Hamlet by William Shakespeare <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ashley Shelby rated a book it was amazing South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I am totally on board with authors rating their books five stars--but only for effort.
Oct 29, 2024 07:05AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ashley Shelby rated a book it was amazing The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket by Edgar Allan Poe	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 29, 2024 07:03AM · like
Ashley Shelby rated a book it was amazing Benito Cereno (Bedford College Editions) by Herman Melville	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 29, 2024 07:03AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Benito Cereno by Herman Melville. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Benito Cereno by Herman Melville <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ashley Shelby rated a book it was amazing Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 29, 2024 07:03AM · like
Ashley Shelby liked a quote “My father's a frustrated explorer, so I'm on a first-name basis with a lot of dead men." "Yes, there's a whole generation of those kind of fathers, isn't there? Men cut out for Shackleton's adventures but forced to work as accountants or teachers...It's a bloody shame, actually. There's nothing left for them.” ...more Ashley Shelby
Oct 29, 2024 07:03AM · like · more quotes by Ashley Shelby · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ashley Shelby has read The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 29, 2024 06:59AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ashley Shelby has read Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 29, 2024 06:58AM · like

More of Ashley's books…

Quotes by Ashley Shelby (?)

“My father's a frustrated explorer, so I'm on a first-name basis with a lot of dead men." "Yes, there's a whole generation of those kind of fathers, isn't there? Men cut out for Shackleton's adventures but forced to work as accountants or teachers...It's a bloody shame, actually. There's nothing left for them.”
― Ashley Shelby, South Pole Station

tags: adventures, armchair-explorers, explorers, shackleton

2 likes

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Bryan + College S...: New Book Club: Full STEAM Ahead!	1	12	Oct 04, 2017 04:30PM
Crazy Challenge C...: How Many Pages?? 2017	434	201	Jan 31, 2018 06:33PM
A Million More Pages: Wonderland Team Four	134	39	Apr 29, 2018 06:58PM
A Million More Pages: Alice's Team	1723	116	Jul 01, 2018 08:52AM
A Million More Pages: Alice's Once Upon a Book	801	165	Jul 01, 2018 06:48PM
Badass Reading Ch...: Bitchin' Badass Bingo - UPDATED (see message #5)	23	46	Apr 24, 2019 04:52AM
Ultimate Popsugar...: 14 - A book by an author with flora or fauna in their name	204	4455	Dec 22, 2020 09:22AM
Crazy Challenge C...: 1-2-3 Challenge, Revisited	624	260	Jan 18, 2022 03:24PM

More…

Ashley’s Quotes

tags: adventures, armchair-explorers, explorers, shackleton

2 likes

Ashley’s Friend Comments

No comments have been added yet.

Ashley Shelby’s Followers (84)

Ashley’s Bookshelves

Ashley’s Friends (5)

Ashley Shelby

Goodreads Author

Learn moreAsk the Author

Popular Answered Questions

Combine EditionsAshley Shelby’s books

rssAshley’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Hamlet by William Shakespeare

See a Problem?

Preview — Hamlet by William Shakespeare

See a Problem?

Preview — South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby

See a Problem?

Preview — Benito Cereno by Herman Melville

See a Problem?

Preview — South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby

See a Problem?

Preview — The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

Topics Mentioning This Author

Ashley’s Quotes

recent postsAshley’s Groups

Ashley’s Friend Comments

Learn more
Ask the Author

Combine Editions
Ashley Shelby’s books

rss
Ashley’s Recent Updates

recent posts
Ashley’s Groups