Author Interview: I.A Ashcroft

Hello all, today I would like to introduce you to author I.A Ashcroft, the author of Raven Song. I highly encourage you to pick up a copy of Raven Song. Here’s her interview. Enjoy!

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

Hi everyone, and thanks for giving me the chance to spend some time with you on this blog!

Raven Song is a split narrative between two characters: the tale starts with Jackson, born in the time period where the story takes place, and later we meet Anna, who was sent there from over a century in the past, though against her will.

Jackson lives in the gray legal area in the post-Bombings New York economy, a smuggler, though he has a certain sense of honor instilled in him by his adopted father. Before being taken in by the Dovetail patriarch, he was a lost orphan on the streets with no memories, and as much as he likes to say that his past doesn’t matter to him (only his future), there’s a lot that he’s lost that haunts him to this day. To start, he exhibits magical potential (often carried through bloodlines), and he can’t really control it. The local magical Order sees his magic suppressed through a potent medication. Secondly, he suffers bizarre nightmares that are almost prophetic in nature, and many of them feature a mysterious godlike figure that seems to want to share something with him. Jackson has many secrets that even he doesn’t know about, and unraveling what he really is and where he comes from is the backbone of his tale throughout the series.

Anna, not unlike Jackson, also has some skeletons in the closet from her past, and she’s also been afflicted with amnesia. She doesn’t know why she’s been ripped from her home time. She doesn’t know why she suddenly has bizarre abilities. She’s never believed in magic before—she’s a scientist. She grounds herself in the rational. But the rational won’t explain why she’s giving off radiation, nor why she seems to float from time to time. Anna’s tragedy is the fact that shortly after she closed her eyes in 2022, an international catastrophe occurred: The Bombings. Nuclear hellfire wiped out the earth she knew, all her family and friends, but somehow, she survived. The truth is, Anna has details about this incident buried in her mind that no one else knows, secrets that would rock the current world government to its core. They’d very much like to see her locked away, for more reasons than one. And her arc is finding the truth, as well as coming to terms with her new life, finding the role she’s meant for in this new world. I like her odds. She’s a survivor, and a woman who desperately wants to leave the world better than as she found it.

Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?

Back when the characters were initially conceived, I did a quick Photoshop mockup of Jackson—I used Cillian Murphy as a base, since he’s a young, fine-bone-structured man with dark hair. I also have to admit, he’s a great actor too, and I think he’d be a good fit beyond just looks. For Anna, I couldn’t find anyone that quite hit what I had in mind at the time, but I don’t suppose you watch Supergirl? That came out in the months since. If Melissa Benoist, the lead, were cast… I would be totally behind it. She has the smile, the face of optimism, and goodness knows, she already knows how to do flying stunts. Anna will never have a cape, but still! Benoist, I think, would give the world a wonderful Anna.

Do you write full-time or part-time?

Honestly, most days, I’m not sure! I have a full-time “day job”, and often I’m writing part-time in any free hours I can scrounge. However, when I’m really in the throes of novel-crafting, I would say I easily hit full-time hours, my second job during the day and weekends, ha.

Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?


My special time is between 8:30 and 10:00AM, when most of my ideas hit, right before my workday for my day job starts. I have a little tea-making ritual and everything to get my brain in the mood. It’s the most productive time for me, bar none. That said, I also usually write between 8:30 and midnight, after I get off work, after dinner and all that.

When I do hit my “full time” writing hours, though… I just don’t sleep as much as I should.

Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

During the first draft of my novel writing, I shoot for 1500 words per day. That changes depending on the intricacy of the chapters involved. During revision, I usually scale that on back to 500 words per day.

What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

The hardest thing has been my hitherto unrealized abilities to second guess what a sequel needs! Raven Song had a very good reception. I wasn’t expecting so many readers, so many who told me they loved it as they did! I’m an indie writer with a small budget, after all. Trying to crank out a second story that will measure up to reader expectations, still providing what my fans loved about the first while managing a different setting and some new characters… I can be really, really hard on myself. I’m certain this will make it a great book, though.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

Raven Song took me 1 year and 8 months. Eclipse of the Sun, the sequel, is coming in at 1 year. Eventually, I want to do a book every 6 months—I’m still learning, still streamlining my process! But I think that’s about the right timing for the fast-paced indie publishing world. Besides, I hate leaving people on cliffhangers for very long.

Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?

Yes—if a scene is giving you trouble, go write a different one. I do that, and then I’ll tell my brain, “Hey, think about this story problem blocking us, and get back to me.” Sometimes, my brain is cheeky and stews for two weeks, only to come back to me at 4 in the morning with some possible solutions. But! While I’m letting it do that, I am making progress in other areas, figuring out other sections of the book, and I find that constant progress is helpful in not letting me beat myself up (which worsens my blocks!).

Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors.

Reading is my favorite hobby besides writing! I love surrounding myself with stories. Neil Gaiman’s strange, mystical tales like Sandman and Anansi Boys are some of my favorites. I’ve also got a soft spot for the charged and fierce poetry of people like Maya Angelou, and epic, dark tales like George R. R. Martin’s.

For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?

It depends! Ebooks let me take risks since they’re cheaper! And… it also helps with my book hoarding problem. When I say I have “books in piles”, I’m not really exaggerating. I’ve been moving over to ebooks much more in the last two years, although I admit, my brain still lights up with happiness when I’m holding a physical book, turning those pages. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get rid of all of them, nor do I want to.

Who edited your book and how did you select him/her?

I did a good chunk of the editing—usually that sounds bad, but I actually have been a professional editor at several points in my life. However, I didn’t entirely trust this to my own eyes (and no one should, regardless of their experiences!) I’m lucky enough that I have some connections with a couple editors who were willing to look things over, let me know that everything was in order! They tend to work on indie projects anonymously, so I will leave it at that. But bless them; they are lovely people who did great work, and Raven Song hasn’t been noted for any errors so far.

How are you publishing this book and why?

(*e.g. Indie, traditional or both)

This book is near and dear to my heart, and since I was comfortable with the indie book scene (my family self-published several books in the past), I decided to find my readers and build my audience on the indie scene too. Later I will be submitting some manuscripts outside of this series to traditional avenues, and I’m very optimistic on pursuing a hybrid of indie/traditional publishing, but for now I’m indie all the way!

Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books?

Yes—get into social media early, even before you have a finished book, and don’t do it with the goal to sell. You’re here to network, make connections, and make friends! Find other people who write in your genre and talk! Share ideas! Message people and ask questions! Find readers and get recommendations! I’ve met some awesome people through networks like Twitter and Goodreads, some of them brilliant writers and readers that are a privilege to chat with. But don’t burst onto the social media scene like the Kool-Aid man with book buy links in hand and expect your story to sell of its own accord. That looks spammy and tacky.

By the way—this is also an invite to connect with me on your fave network, too! I’m always happy to chat with other writers and readers. Always.

Where can you see yourself in 5 years time?

The four books of my series, Inoki’s Game, will be finished, and I hope many of the people reading this interview can be there with me! I also have a wry heaven/hell comedy that I hope to be shopping around to agents at about that time, and the start of a New Adult series, sci-fi/fantasy like Inoki’s Game, also planned for indie publishing.

But where I want to be most of all? Just writing, as both my day and night job. If the series really digs in and takes hold, that will make my dream possible.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

I’ve heard from many aspiring writers who tell me about their ideas, their brilliant, dangerous, wonderful ideas. If only, they say, they had the time or constant inspiration to write a book. I can tell you right now: the world would love so many of your ideas. That book inside of you, though, won’t ever be on the outside unless you devote the time and the effort to it. Many people try for a few weeks or so, and then give up because it can be hard work. Or, they make it for a couple chapters, and then hit a wall, wondering if they should just give up. The thing to realize is that inspiration doesn’t strike very often. So, typically, you just have to roll your sleeves up and forge ahead, with or without the muse, whether or not you think the resulting words are very good. You need to show up like it’s a job, every day, coffee in hand, even if you don’t want to be there. But when you look back, you’ll have work done, and you’ll find gems in it. You’ll find that story you want to tell taking form. So write! Make it a habit! Squirrel away your spare time and devote it to creation! There are plenty of people who will want to read that book you have inside of you, and making it is possible for almost anyone, so long as they put in the work.

I hope to see all of your stories someday soon!

Website: ia-ashcroft.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/i.a.ashcroft/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ia_ashcroft

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/I.-A.-Ashcroft/e/B01CTY42S0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1

Book Links: (* American, UK, etc.)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Raven-Song-Dystopian-Fantasy-Inokis-ebook/dp/B01CTUSPTG

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Raven-Song-Dystopian-Fantasy-Inokis-ebook/dp/B01CTUSPTG

Audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Raven-Song-A-Dystopian-Fantasy-Audiobook/B01G7QSQ6K

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/I_A_Ashcroft_Raven_Song?id=m5-4CwAAQBAJ&hl=en

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/raven-song

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/reviews/raven-song-i-a-ashcroft/1123510684

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29521339-raven-song

Name: Raven Song

Series: Inoki’s Game (Book 1)

Paperback: 290 pages

Published Date: March 14, 2016

Publisher: Lucid Dreams Publishing

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1944674004

ISBN-13: 978-1944674007