Catch up with Katie Ashley…

What inspired you to create your exciting new Vicious Cycle series?

I draw a lot of inspiration from music, television, and movies, as well as real life. It was after being a late viewer of Sons of Anarchy that VICIOUS CYCLE came to me. As an English major and former English teacher, I love Romeo and Juliet-type stories, so the idea of a biker and a teacher really resonated with me.

Have you always wanted to be a writer? What do you love most about your job?

Yes, I’ve always wanted to be a writer since I was a little girl. The genres I’ve written in have changed over the years, but the dream of being published and having people appreciate my work has never changed.

What do you love most about writing romance?

I think it would be the journey that the couple takes from their initial meeting to when they get their happily ever after.

Do you have the most fun creating your heroes or your heroines?

It is a lot of fun being in the head of a naughty, dirty-talking man sometimes. It’s also fun writing men because you get to imagine yourself in the place of your heroine – all the attributes you desire go into making your perfect hero.

Do you have a favourite hero or heroine from your books or by any other author?

Although I love all my characters deeply and equally, I have to say Aidan and Emma from THE PROPOSITION are closest to my heart. They saw me through a very difficult time in my personal life, and then the success I have today came from people embracing their story.

My favourite fictional heroes are Atticus Finch from TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and Harry Potter.

Who are the authors you read for pleasure?

J.R. Ward is a personal favourite. I read a great deal in my genre, as well as enjoying non-fiction.

If you could take only three essentials with you to a desert island what would they be?

My laptop, my Kindle, and a generator to run the electronics, LOL.

Who would be on your dream dinner party guest list, dead or alive?

I have very eclectic tastes, so my list would probably be a great mixture of different people. I’d love to have Elvis and Paul McCartney to talk music with. As a feminist and Tudor history buff, I’d love to sit down with Elizabeth I. Coffee with great political minds like Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, John and Bobby Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. would be ideal. And then dessert with my grandparents and parents to catch them up on all they had missed, as well as hearing more family stories that influenced my writing.

We can’t wait for REDEMPTION ROAD! Can you give us a hint of what’s to come for the Hells Raiders?

The Hells Raiders are facing a hard road considering their decision to become a legitimate MC – aka not to be involved in any illegal business dealings. Although I adore Deacon and Alexandra, Rev and Annabel’s story is such a strong love story to me. You have two broken people with dark issues in their pasts who are trying to learn to love and trust again. Early readers have said that Rev quickly became their favourite Malloy brother. With his intellectual and caring sides coupled with being a tough guy, he really is a swoonworthy book boyfriend.

There’s so much interest and excitement around romance fiction right now. What do you think that romance readers are looking for in the romances they read today?

I think everyone loves a happily-ever-after story. They don’t necessarily want instant love, but they want to live through the characters’ journey through the wine and roses and the challenges and issues.

 VICIOUS CYCLE, the first in Katie Ashley’s Vicious Cycle series, is out now in paperback and ebook!

Look out for REDEMPTION ROAD, the second in the incredible series, out in October 2015!