Everyone wants to be the next Tennyson, Hemingway, Stoker, or Austen of the modern world. I’ve been enamored with words and storytelling since I was a little tyke and planned on growing up and joining the ranks of these great minds of literature. That was it—no backup plan. I would become a writer and that. Was. That. But eight-year-old me making plans for the future never once considered that there might be a few bumps along my path towards greatness.
I published my first book “Rising Shadows” rather easily when I was twenty and assumed that with the sequel, “Chasing Shadows,” it would be just as simple. But I’m going to be honest and admit that I had no idea how to market a book and quickly realized I wouldn’t have a lucrative career in fiction if I kept at the quiet pace I was going. So I picked up the pace and put in an incredible amount of effort and time into finding someone who believed in this project as much as I did (and do!). I spent most of my free time pouring over list after list of literary agents and publishing companies to get “Chasing Shadows” picked up by a physical publisher. But none of the Christian literary agents were looking for the element of fantasy, and the agents interested in time travel did not have an interest in promoting Christian fiction. So it put me in a teensy bit of a bind, and I would find busy work just so I didn’t have to make a choice between believing all the other rejections and rising above it. But no matter how hard I tried to block it out, there would be these brief moments where God’s Voice snuck in and reminded me that this situation was a choice. Then I realized that the entire Rising Shadows Trilogy is based off of this principle: “Everything is a choice.” I’ve written about it for years but never fully understood until that moment when I realized I was choosing to wallow and stop trying. To tell you the truth, that scared the stuffing out of me, so I played a little Russian roulette with my Bible (it’s a highly scientific process), but the verse it flopped open to was completely non-applicable (I have no need to trade in goats OR sandals, dangit!!!). I was going to give up when I begrudgingly flipped to the next page, and a small, random, un-highlighted verse caught my eye:
“He will not fear evil tidings. His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” Psalm 112:7
…….. Oh. That was a tad spot-on. And this simple, random thing made me realize that so many times the answer is as simple as us being willing to turn the page or round the corner, to not give up when the answer doesn’t readily present itself. I decided then that I didn’t want to live life as a victim anymore and chose to have a better attitude, to not give in to despair and give up on Hope, much like Sarah and Will in “Chasing Shadows.” Yes, there are still times when my friends are talking about graduating and boyfriends and careers and traveling the world, and I’m just sitting here like, “Oh, yeah, I love rocks and reading, and this college gal is totally going to have a best seller before 2090.” But I’m choosing not to believe the Devil’s lies when he says God made me the way I am with no purpose in mind. Even when I don’t know what that purpose is, God knows exactly where He’s directing me. And where He’s directing you, too.
So why am I admitting all of this? Because I want you to know how low I fell and how high and gently God was able to pick me up. . . . I didn’t realize until I typed those words just now that “Chasing Shadows” is all about falling but not letting your circumstances keep you down. And that is what I decided to do—to rise above. I’m happy to say that after months of searching and rejection, God literally dropped Ink Smith Publishing in my lap. They are passionate about the story, which was released October of 2014, and the publication of “Chasing Shadows” had led to so many opportunities to minister to and inspire youths and adults alike (like San Diego Comic Con 2015—woot woot! I’ll be the one with the professional badge, so shoot me a “hello” if you’ll be there). I was recently asked to speak at a high school English class about the publishing process, and I was amazed at how receptive and interested these kids were; I had no idea how many people could be inspired by not just the characters in my books but also the tale of how I decided to pursue my dreams and never gave up on them. This was incredible to me, but it also became my “aha!” moment; I suddenly realized that God didn’t help me through this process just for me, but I feel that it gave me the ability to broaden my ministry and to encourage kids and teens, who are my passion.
So I guess you could say that I have a pretty good idea of where He’s leading my “reading ministry.” Of course, I still love the writing process, and I want to create the type of book that is intriguing and fun, serious and clever, full of incredibly realistic and relatable characters, and also one that readers can learn from and that has God’s heart at the center of the story. And all of these characteristics make up “Chasing Shadows.” Oh, yes, and also drama, court intrigue, romance, masquerade balls, medieval castles, sword fighting, archery, handsome blacksmiths/Spaniards, love triangles, mystery, time travel, and pretty much whatever else you might like to find in a story. *wink wink*
I always wanted to follow in the footsteps of my mom and grandma, who both love and loved to write (my first book is dedicated to my grandma Ruth, who passed away just months before my first book was picked up). And Jesus was the ultimate storyteller—why wouldn’t I want to be like Him? So I know He has a plan for my wandering thoughts and inner story-maker to uplift and inspire, but as of right now, I’m still working on understanding exactly what He has in store. But as I write each day and get inspired to craft new tales, I no longer ask myself if there is any point to all of this, but I’m trusting that God has a plan. And whatever spiritual journey you’re on, He has a plan for you, too, and it will be one of Victory. Our job is to not lose our enthusiasm for our passions along the way as we enjoy the ride.
Stop by my website to check out character interviews for the trilogy, playlists, and whatever other shenanigans I have going on. Also be sure to follow the links to my Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest pages when you’re there to keep up-to-date on the series. http://ashley-townsend.com/
Join in the adventure! You can purchase your own copy of “Chasing Shadows” from Amazon and B&N:
About Chasing Shadows:
Would you choose to entwine your fate with a hero of the past, even if
it meant altering the future? The murder of an ancient king spurs Sarah
Matthews to travel back in time, putting her life in jeopardy as she
races against the clock to solve a thousand-year-old mystery and pick up
the pieces of her star-crossed romance. Her return to Serimone reveals
that the kingdom is in upheaval under the new regime, and unable to
right the empire alone, Sarah seeks out the help of Will, the town's
blacksmith and secret vigilante. But her hopes of rekindling their fairy
tale romance are dashed when a discovery about his past severs their
fragile relationship. Confused and alone, Sarah throws herself into her
mission at the castle, though the fearsome solitude of the stonework
prison causes her to seek out an unlikely ally. Damien Lisandro is a
dashing Spaniard who brightens her dull world with his kindness and
disarming charm. But as Sarah draws closer to him and to the faceless
killer in their midst, she realizes that the severed threads of time and
the mystery surrounding Serimone Castle are unraveling rapidly, weaving
new tapestries of devastation. When a counterfeit Shadow tragically
claims the life of someone Sarah cares for, and with Damien running from
a dark past and secrets of his own, she wonders whom she can trust.
Knowing the murders are connected, Sarah scrambles to uncover the
identity of the impostor on her own. But as more lives are lost in her
personal crusade, she questions how far she is willing to go to bring
the guilty party to justice. Sarah is forced into harm's way countless
times as she races to solve the puzzle before it is too late and
Serimone becomes nothing more than a faded memory of the past. . . And
before Sarah herself becomes a permanent fixture in history.
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