There must be something in the water, as we have been contacted by some very prolific young writers and entrepreneurs recently! It is impressive to see these young people get to the end of a major project. We caught up with Ashley Lucking, from Montreux, recently. She has kindly offered to send a signed copy of her second novel, Shadows of the Afterlife, to one lucky knowitall.ch reader.
Why did you start writing?
I’ve always had a passion for reading and writing since I was little. I can remember thinking up stories in my head, and having to ask my Dad to write them down because I didn’t know how to. As the years went on, I started reading more complicated novels and tried to make short stories. When I turned thirteen, I decided to take on the challenge of writing a real book.
I had recently watched a movie called “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole”, which became my inspiration. I ended up writing two adventure novellas. After that, I fell into the world of mysteries and thrillers, leading me to publish my first book: When Nightshade Blooms.
What is the inspiration behind Shadows of the Afterlife?
I had just released my first novella “When Nightshade Blooms”, and was thinking about beginning a new project. Back then, I had exhausted all of my thriller and mystery novels and was looking for something new. I enjoyed the genre but felt something was lacking in my writing, something to keep me at the edge of my seat. As soon as I stumbled across the book “The Witch of Willow Hall” by Hester Fox, a new spark ignited inside me. I enjoyed immensely the eerie and suspenseful aspects of the novel, as well as the side romance and comedy. They were the elements that made me want to start Shadows of the Afterlife.
Where does your inspiration come?
The trick that works best for me is to let the inspiration flow naturally. Nothing good ever comes if you force it. I find it in books, movies, and sometimes even when I’m walking my dog.
Have you been working on this idea forever, or was it something that came to you recently?
I’ve been working on this project for a total of eight months. The first things I did before writing were: contextual research, character development, plot planning and more. However, I have to admit that the final manuscript is far from my first draft. It still amazes me how new ideas kept popping up, enriching the storyline.
What is the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome?
Some of the biggest obstacles I encountered while writing Shadows of the Afterlife were bringing the characters to life. It’s hard to make them appear human and not robotic.
I also struggled with patience because putting together a book of 50,000 words from scratch took many months. I can remember spending hours at my laptop typing away, and sometimes being disappointed with the amount of progress I had made. This project has taught me that all the best things require lots of effort.
Another thing I had to overcome was being a perfectionist. There were moments I wanted to change or delete entire paragraphs because I was unhappy with the wording.
Do you expect this to become a series?
I’m planning to write a sequel to Shadows of the Afterlife as there are a few mysteries that were left unsolved. There isn’t much I can give away, other than the fact it’s in development.
What is your favourite quote from the book, and why?
It’s hard to choose because there are so many, but here are my favourites: “Girls in the 19th century must have learnt not to breathe.” Even to this day, this quote still makes me smile. “It’s not paranoia if it’s real.” I love the effect you get from these few words. It sets the tone for the book.
Anything else you think our readers would like to know.
It took me a long while to think of a title for the novel. There are so many twists and turns in the story that I found it hard to summarise what was happening in so few words. I even had to brainstorm with one of my good friends since it was going nowhere. After bouncing off each other, and with a bit of luck, the title came to us. Another interesting fact is I started writing the book during the lockdown and finished the first draft by the end of the summer of 2020.
Ashley has kindly offered to give a signed copy of her book, Shadows of the Afterlife, to one lucky knowitall.ch reader, a €13 value. Just fill in this form and let us know: How many novels has Ashley written?
Only one entry per email is allowed. The competition closes at midnight on Thursday, 17 December 2020. The names of all those submitting correct answers will be placed into the digital hat and the winner's name drawn at random on Friday, 18 December 2020. The winner will be notified by email and his/her name will be added to this article after the competition closes. Only valid for delivery to a Swiss address.
Shadows of the Afterlife
by Ashley Lucking
ISBN: 9782322253913
Price: €13.-
Number of pages: 188
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.fr
Amazon.de
BOD.fr librairie paper version
BOD.fr librairie ebook
Ashley manager's email: mark.lucking@gmail.com
Competition winner: V I R G I N I A C U R R A T
Virginia kindly wrote her comments after reading the book: "I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading Shadows of the Afterlife AND trying to guess the outcome (wondering to where Gemma could have been kidnapped and by whom?) and you kept me in suspense. It’s amazing how you could get all of the characters intermingling so effectively throughout the 27 chapters while showing their personalities (most of them! some were cleverly hidden!), especially Lyla’s… You use very precise English, yet simple, dreamy, descriptions in some instances and sophisticated in others – quite adult (for your 16 years) and also intellectual, with profound thoughts going through Lyla’s mind. Where do you get all of your imagination as well as deep introspection?"
