Ashlyn, thank you for being here with me today. I love the eyes of the hero on your cover. They are piercing. Everyone, please help me welcome her by leaving lots of comments. You’ll be entered into the drawing for a copy of her book.

Tell us about your hero. Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses?

In my latest paranormal romance, My Fallen, my hero Xavier Doom is the tall, dark and handsome kind of sexy with black hair, green eyes, muscular, and he’s a demon, which makes him especially dangerous. His greatest strength would be his ambition. But of course that’s his weakness because in his drive to be the best or the richest, he loses sight of what he later realizes are important — friendship and love.

Tell us about your heroine. Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses?

Elise Castle is a Vampire Slayer of average height with long black hair, hazel eyes and a heart of gold. Her courage is her strength. She hunts beings no one else dares to go near while her self-reliance is her weakness. As a teenager she was abandoned by her father so she has trust issues, especially men like her father. Unfortunately, Xavier is a Fallen, a special type of demon. Elise’s father is one too. So you can see why she doesn’t want to rely on or fall in love with X.

Has your muse always known what genre you would write and be published in?

Yes. I love the world building of paranormal romances and also series potentials for the men in my books, My Fallen and Shadow Watcher. And as a fan of Japanese Anime, I love to incorporate swords, knives and guns into my books.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

Prepare yourself for an emotional ride only you can understand. I sell a book, I’m happy. I get a bad review and I’m irritated or have a bad case of self-doubt. I don’t write for a few days and I get cranky. I realize I need to promote and I’m exhausted. While all this is happening, life goes on. I have a full time day job with an hour and a half commute each way, four boys, a husband, and my family and friends on top of keeping a presence on social media. Yes, it’s exhausting, time consuming and crazy, but it’s reality. However, surround yourself with people who truly care about you, and not you as the writer, and reality won’t be so harsh. And remember to keep your sense of humor and enjoy what you write. It’s cliché, but laughter is the best medicine .

What is your next project and when will it be released?

My next project will be a self-published novella entitled Reclaimed. It’s the prequel to my full length paranormal romance, Shadow Watcher. I’m hoping to release it early March.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

It’s been very freeing. I enjoy the artistic freedom of designing my covers and the control of when my story is released. I don’t work on a traditional publisher’s schedule but my own. However, being the small fish in the big ocean, I don’t have the klout of a big publisher’s name behind me or access to their large base of loyal readers. So there are definitely advantages and disadvantages to both. I’ve been fortunate enough to be traditionally published yet I love the option and choice to self-publish too.

My contemporary novella, If Only, was self-published. My two paranormal romances, My Fallen and Shadow Watcher, were traditionally published. With the change in publishing on both fronts, this is an exciting time to be an author. I recommend writers research their options with the mindset of flexibility to choose a different path if the other didn’t work, to have realistic expectations, and to expect to do lots of self-promotion no matter which path they choose.

What is most difficult for you to write? Characters, conflict or emotions? Why?

It’s very difficult for me to write about emotions because I’m not an emotional person by nature. But boy, once the dams break, they break. So when I write, I search for the right words to convey the emotions, but sometimes my characters come off as being very bipolar, happy one moment, sad the next. That’s my biggest challenge and I’m well aware of it. Hopefully, by practicing, as in writing and more writing, I’ll be better at keeping the emotions in sync with the moment and the characters. Big sigh .

Thank you, Cindy, for having me on your blog.

If you want to follow my roller coaster journey as a new author, my blog is www.ashlynmathews.com. I’m also on Twitter @ashlynmathews and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ashlynmathewsauthor.

I also made a YouTube book trailer for My Fallen: http://youtu.be/df8lN9SUkz0

Don’t forget to download a copy of My Fallen on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/My-Fallen-Crimson-Romance-ebook/dp/B00AWWONF4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358910655&sr=1-1&keywords=my+fallen
Or B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-fallen-ashlyn-mathews/1114140315?ean=9781440562327

And leave a comment for a chance to win My Fallen for your Kindle or Nook.

Excerpt:
“If you want the truth, then I want something in return.”

Why wasn’t she surprised? “It depends on what you want.”

He took a step, and she held still as he cupped her face in his palms. “You don’t like Fallens. Forget I’m one.”

“Wha—”

“Forget I’m a Fallen and see me as a man.”

The expression on his face, highlighted by the glow from his eyes, told her he was dead serious. In return for him being truthful with her, she only needed to view him as a man instead of a monster? It seemed like an easy bargain. But—

“You won’t know if I’m being truthful or not,” he said. “You’re just going to have to take my word for it.” He smoothed the pads of his thumbs over her cheeks. “And I changed my mind. I don’t plan on staying away from you. Not after witnessing your nightmares.”

She staggered back. “You didn’t—”

“No, I didn’t read your thoughts, but I could see your face.” He advanced and she backed up, against the railing.

“It was either the floor or me plastered to you in the bed, Slayer. I don’t do well when a woman hurts as much as you did in your sleep.”

The concern in his voice blindsided her. He removed her sword out of her grip, placed her weapon on the top rail and leaned in close until his lips nearly touched hers.

“I’m going to kiss you, Elise Castle.”