Our second Pirate-loving guest is Jennifer Ashley.
Jennifer Ashley has lived and traveled all over the world, and now lives in the Southwest with her husband and cat. She started out writing historical romances, but has branched into all kinds of things, including contemporary romance, paranormal romance, historical mystery, historical mainstream fiction, and erotic romance.
Jennifer’s romances have been nominated for the Golden Quill for Best First Novel and Best Historical, RT Reviewer’s Choice awards, and the RIO award of excellence. Her pseudonyms include Ashley Gardner (historical mystery), Allyson James (erotic romance), and Laurien Gardner (historical fiction).
LD: Welcome, Jennifer! Can you tell us about your books?
JA: I have a pirate trilogy: THE PIRATE NEXT DOOR, THE PIRATE HUNTER, and THE CARE AND FEEDING OF PIRATES. I’ve always loved swashbuckling stories, Captains Courageous, Hornblower, and old Errol Flynn movies. In 2002, after my first book (Perils of the Heart, another high-seas adventure) was bought by Dorchester, I decided to turn to full-blown pirate adventures for my second book. One day inspiration struck and I pictured a bad-boy, gorgeous, honest-to-goodness pirate moving in next door to a very proper English lady. She’s fascinated by him but of course must pretend that she would never have in improper thought in her life. The story built into a fast-paced adventure with humor and lots and lots of romance.
The second book tells the story of the PND’s villain, James Ardmore, an American pirate hunter, and the third book covers James’ ultra-proper sister and her secret relationship with the notorious half-French pirate Christopher Raine.
When I came up with THE PIRATE NEXT DOOR trilogy, I had no idea that the Pirates of the Caribbean movie was in the works. PotC came out in summer of 2003, and PIRATE NEXT DOOR came out in Oct. of that year. Sheer luck! PND was very popular—I have no idea whether that had anything to do with the movie or not, but likely it didn’t hurt.
I really like Jennifer Ashley’s books!!!