Sarah asked Kristen Ashley:

Hi Kristen, Just reading the Colorado Mountain series for the sixth time and thought I would just ask a quick question. As I am a Kiwi ( New Zealander ) and also part Maori, I loved that you had Tuku in Lady Luck, as a mentor of Ty. I was wondering what was your inspiration for him and if you have ever been to our little paradise at the bottom of the world? Thanks, Sarah

Kristen Ashley I have been to your little paradise three times in my life and I've loved it every time. Actually wish (if it wasn't so very far away from all my family) I could live there, I love it so much. It's one of my favorite places on earth. And I'm going back next year and I can't wait!

I went there on vacation the first time, the second two times I was there to see my bestest bestie who's Aussie but she lives in NZ.

Of course, while there, we did some touristy stuff and went to learn about the Maori (and eat the delicious food - I've even done the dancing and have scary video to prove it, EEK!). Maori art is strong and beautiful and I loved the idea of giving that to Ty through the only real father he had. I loved how Tuku opened Ty's world in this little Colorado Mountain town and how his lessons helped Ty to get through the heinous things that happened to him.

My characters tell me their stories rather than it being a sense of me making them up. So I think Ty was just a man who would gravitate toward someone wise and strong who would teach him how to be the man he'd become. How that came about it was Tuku, well, that's just Ty's story, I guess. But I"m glad it was!

And I'm glad you loved that part of the story.

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