Random Guest: Ashley March

Today we have author Ashley March sharing a fun post with us. She’s got it all covered, so there’s no real other introduction for me to make. 🙂

5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Read My New Book

The truth is, we’ve all seen this type of blog post done by romance authors before. It’s the reverse psychology gimmick turned cute to try to convince you that you really DO want to buy and read my new book. I would hope you wouldn’t I would stoop to such a level. But if I were REALLY trying to trick you into buying my new Victorian historical, Romancing the Countess, I would at least attempt to butter you up first before playing the gimmick card.

I might show you cute pictures of my daughters to make you feel sympathetic toward me. Like these.

You might want to buy my book afterward, if not because they’re so darn cute, then because you feel bad for me when the baby wakes up in the middle of the night and the toddler starts getting up at the ungodly hour of four o’clock each morning. You might think that reading Romancing the Countess would make me happy. And you’d be right. 😉

Or, you might be like my fellow author Tiffany Reisz and be frightened of children. If that’s the case, then I would offer you a picture of Richard Armitage because, if you’ve seen BBC’s North and South, you’ve already got the hots for him and you’d be forever grateful to me for perking up your day with RA.

*

And if you haven’t seen North and South, then I would probably try to gain your favor instead by showing you a picture of Gerard Butler (yes, I’m a historical romance writer with novels set in England. I have a thing for British guys, and you should, too).

*

Once I buttered you up with the proposed pictures, THEN I would roll out the gimmick, such as the following five reasons why you shouldn’t read my new book, Romancing the Countess:

5) You only like to read romances where the hero and heroine fall instantly in love or lust. Romances where the hero and heroine instead fall in love gradually over the course of the novel and build a deep and lasting relationship just aren’t your thing.

4) If a romance novel features a hero and/or heroine who’s had a spouse in the past, then you only like it when the hero and/or heroine didn’t like their spouse. Or the previous spouse was abusive. Or it turns out that the hero and/or heroine thought they loved their spouses but then realize later on that they were just in lust. If that’s true, then you don’t want to read Romancing the Countess, because both the hero and the heroine truly did love their spouses.

3) You think death is too serious a topic for a romance novel. Well, Romancing the Countess is about an earl and his best friend’s wife who are drawn together after their spouses—who were having an affair—died in a carriage accident. Yup, they died. The book has death in it. Of course, it also has love and some really hot sexual tension, but if the topic of death—and yes, adultery, too—bothers you, then you might want to skip over this book.

2) You don’t like getting emotionally connected to the hero and heroine. You don’t like angsty books. You don’t like that feeling of your chest compressing so tightly that your heart physically HURTS for the hero and heroine because it makes you uncomfortable. And when you get uncomfortable, you reach for the antacids. And a lot of antacids taken over a short period of time can get expensive. Well, maybe not that expensive, but please be warned that if you do decide to read Romancing the Countess, there’s a possibility that you might hurt for the hero and heroine. And there’s even a possibility that you might cry.

1) And the number one reason? Well, to be honest I could give you probably twenty more reasons for why you shouldn’t buy this book if I were going to pull such a gimmick. But instead I’m going to give you the one that I know would keep me from buying Romancing the Countess. When you have a mountain of books in your TBR pile, it’s difficult to take a chance on a new author, and yes, this is only my second romance novel. Even more than that, who’s ever heard of a widow and widower getting together after the deaths of their cheating spouses? It’s just not done—it doesn’t fit into any single romance trope I can think of. So if you don’t like taking chances on fairly new authors and you also don’t like trying out romances that have never been done before, then this book definitely isn’t one you want to read.

Now, if I were to continue such a gimmick and try to actually get you to read Romancing the Countess, I would tell you that you can read the first chapter excerpt on my website here and see if it intrigues or disgusts you: www.ashleymarch.com/romancing-the-countess.

But instead, because I’ve still retained quite a bit of dignity after changing countless dirty diapers over the past two years, I’m not going to pull this gimmick. Instead, I’m going to tell you about something I started earlier this week on my website. It’s a fun new reader-interactive experiment where readers get to help me write a novella. Over the next 10 weeks, you can vote for how you want each chapter to develop, and then get to read the chapter based upon your vote the following week. At the end of the experiment (which hopefully you’ll will find as much fun as I believe it will be!), I plan to edit the novella and self-publish it. The idea behind this is for it to act as a preface to a new project of mine I plan to start in 2012 called Romance with Heart.

So even if you don’t read Romancing the Countess because you don’t want to be immersed in a terrific love story 😉 I hope you’ll still join me for my reader-interactive novella experiment.

And now I’d love to hear what you really do think! Is there anything mentioned above that would make you not want to buy a similar romance novel? What hot buttons do you have that would make you absolutely refuse to buy a certain book?

One random commenter will win a copy of Romancing the Countess (open internationally)! Which I hope you truly do enjoy. Also, find out how to win the Romancing the Countess Book Tour Grand Prize of 50+ romance novels by visiting www.ashleymarch.com! 

*Ashley had me [sadly] remove the images of Richard Armitage, and Gerard Butler, because she discovered she was hotlinking them, and had no other ones. Anyone else, feel free to step up here. 😉

0 thoughts on “Random Guest: Ashley March

  1. Melanie C Adkins

    LOL! A mother has to use what is at her disposable. Adorable kids are just a perk!! They would have gotten me to buy Ashley’s books, but I read the interview with her hubby and had already decided to buy them..lol

    Reply
  2. infinitieh

    Your kids are cute and your hubby is funny so that go a loooong way in convincing me to buy your book. It would also help if I can find the book at my usual haunts (now that Borders is closed). Unfortunately, I only go to B&N once a week, at most. So perhaps next time! (too bad it’s not in Target as I go there way more often)

    Reply
  3. Monikarw

    Actually, and I think I’ve mentioned it to you before, you had me at the cover! It’s so beautiful that I wanted to know what that book was about and after I did I just added it to my wishlist!=)
    then, I followed u on twitter and you were nice(or crazy) enough to follow back and we started twitting and I liked u and the rest is history!;) ..I’m dying to get this book.. Good thing I have Seducing.. While I wait!;)
    Oh, and ur babies are just adorable!:) congrats!;)

    Reply
  4. Ora

    I love getting emothionally connected with the characters, especially when you they feel like they can jump of the page and be real. It depends upon the story for me about the hero and heroine are in instant lust or at least one of them. I think when it takes longer for them to realize it, it makes it more interesting and dramatic especially if they have known each other for a while. It’s like they never really saw that person before. Death isn’t always a bad thing in a book, it can be a way of setting a character free.
    I have too many books in my TBR pile, however I am really bad about getting one of them when there is a current new release I really want to read. That pile will always be there waiting. I am getting ready to read Lord and Lady Spy today and can’t wait especially after you read that one section of the book, I really want to know what happened to interrupt them. You were braver than I could ever be by reading aloud, I would have just as red if not redder than you.

    Reply
  5. Jan

    I really like your idea for an interactive novella.
    Be sure to add it to the webfictionguide.com, because they are all about projects like that! I’ll definitely check it out for sure.

    And I’m stepping up. Here’s a link to the most awesome but random Richard Armitage photosite: http://richardarmitageonthephone.tumblr.com/

    He’s on the phone!

    Reply
  6. Ashley March

    Hi Everyone! Looks like it’s going to be a long day with the girls and I probably won’t get a chance to respond until tonight, but I just wanted to drop in and say thanks for visiting with me today. I look forward to reading all of your comments later!

    Reply
  7. Kim in Hawaii

    Aloha, Ashley! You had me when you hosted March Madness – 31 days of author and blogger interviews! I can only imagine how much work it would be for you … but it was a real treat for readers! It was also a treat for me to meet you at RWA!

    Reply
  8. cheryl c.

    The only reason that I wouldn’t read your book is if it didn’t have a happy ending. Angst is fine if everything ends happily. 🙂

    Reply
  9. @EvangelinaJo

    After reading your last book, which I could..not..put..down, I moved you straight up to my list of favorite authors. I know this one will be equally fantastic. I was at the book store on release day!!! Already have my precious copy. And, WOW what a cover. *Might kill for her necklace & dress*. I can also personally vouch that not only is this author a fantastical bright light in the historical genre, but she is also a super nice, genuinely sweet person. *if you didn’t already do so, go out right now to your nearest book seller & do youself a favor…go buy Ashley March’s newest book Romancing the countess asap. She’s fantastic! You’ll be so glad you did. : )

    Reply
  10. Johanna J

    Not for any of the reasons you gave would ruin a book for me I love all tropes. Although I’m no much into war time romances, too much fighting ruins it for. Bleah! Anyway your babies are darling and you don’t have to convince me to buy this book, it is on my wish list to buy next! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  11. Jen B.

    I like your 5 reasons. *Snort* I admit that heroines that are too stupid to live are an absolute no. I also don’t buy books from authors I have read but they the same description on book after book. Drives me nuts!

    Reply
  12. Ashley March

    Lol Growlycub. There’s one thing to be said about babies, though…eventually (hopefully!) they’ll stop wearing diapers. Your cats will always need to be cleaned up after. 😉 And I’m so glad to hear that you liked SEDUCING THE DUCHESS! =)

    Reply
  13. Ashley March

    Hi infinitieh! Oh, I feel your pain. Back in March there were a lot of great books that came out and I went a couple of days later to my local B&N to buy them (and the B&N is 30 minutes away, and I had to get those cute kids and that adorable hubby ready to go in the car, too)…only to find that the books I wanted weren’t on the shelves, even though they should have been! That’s the moment when I broke down and told my husband that I wanted an e-reader for my birthday. I hope you are able to find it, and I hope you enjoy it! =)

    Reply
  14. Ashley March

    Lol at Ora. Yes, you know. It was fun doing the show, but I kind of wonder about whether it’s a good thing that it was recorded and will now be archived for perpetuity. 😉 Shana is such a great writer, though. If I were to turn red for anyone, I’m glad it was her. 😉

    Reply
  15. GrowlyCub

    Yup, eternal litter box cleaning, *but* my cats will never go to college and they only make babies when I tell them to… lol and they’ll never end up in jail, get drunk and drive, etc. etc. 🙂

    Reply
  16. Ashley March

    Evangelina, you are so sweet! And it thrills me every time you tell me how much you enjoyed SEDUCING THE DUCHESS. =) I love having friends like you that become great readers as well, and I can’t wait till the day I can pick up one of your books! =)

    Reply
  17. Ashley March

    Thanks, Johanna! =) I’m honored that RtC is already on your list. As for wartime romances…I haven’t read one yet, but I would think that the author would have to be very careful to keep the romance the focus of the story. I would be interested to see a WWII romance, though. Maybe I’ll write one someday. 😉

    Reply
  18. Ashley March

    Hi Jen B.! Lol. Glad you enjoyed the post. =) Yes, TSTL heroines are not my fave, either. You’ll have to tell me through email which authors you’re talking about! Makes me wonder if it was a publishing house that did it instead of the author.

    Reply
  19. librarypat

    Ashley,
    I started to fall in love with Sebastian the very first time I read about him. Reading the excerpt from the beginning of the book when they each found out about the accident clinched it. It may be a different story line than what we are used to, but is a story that deals with plausible consequences that can tear someone’s heart. I am really looking forward to reading ROMANCING THE COUNTESS.

    What would make me refuse to buy a book? The hero is a jerk and abusive. Being a jerk is a personal problem. There is no excuse for being abusive. In historicals, things must be adjusted for the time period. Being controlling might be considered abusive today, but it was common and in some ways a necessity for survival. Physical abuse is never acceptable.

    Your daughters are sweethearts. Your oldest one looks a lot like her mommy. It is hard to tell with your youngest. She does have your nose.

    librarypat AT comcast DOT net

    Reply
  20. Diane Sallans

    The item that pushed my button is the subject of angst – pulling heart stings is acceptable – making me cry is not. Remember that picture of Toddler March with the boo-boo face – I don’t like to get that face myself. My nose starts running & I get all cloggy – so don’t make me go there.

    Reply
  21. LSUReader

    Ashley–Thanks for sharing those great baby photos. Wonderful.

    As to your question–rape and other examples of strong violence (especially violence against kids) are things I do not want in my romance novels. Since I’m very character-driven in my choice of books, I really want to like/admire the folks I’m reading about. Therefore, no TSTL heroines…or heroes.

    Thanks for visiting. I’m looking forward to reading your newest.

    Reply
  22. willaful

    Adorable babies, although the picture where it looks like the little one’s being served up as a dish is a bit freaky… anyway, your reverse psychology totally got me and I’m going to read your book, so nah nah nah!

    Reply
  23. Ashley March

    Hi librarypat! Oh, it’s so great to hear that about Sebastian. I hope you fall even more in love with him through the rest of the book. =) And I agree with you that I think historicals and even paranormals allow us to indulge in alpha males that we wouldn’t put up with in contemporaries. Thank you for saying my daughter looks like me. =) Everyone says they look like my husband, and that’s just not fair! *I* gave birth! lol

    Reply
  24. Ashley March

    Uh oh, Diane. We might have a problem. I’ve had a couple of readers tell me already that ROMANCING THE COUNTESS made them cry. But I think you’re probably made of sterner stuff, so it should be fine. 😉

    Reply
  25. Ashley March

    Lol @ willaful. Yeah…I think that’s supposed to be an oceal pool or something. I don’t know. It’s at a play area in a posh mall here in Denver. =) And yes! Reverse psychology for the win! 😉

    Reply
  26. Mary Kirkalnd

    lol That’s pretty funny. There’s not a lot that would prevent me from getting this book because I want to read it. lol

    For the most part the only thing that stops me from getting a book is if I’ve read an excerpt and it isn’t a good fit for me.

    [email protected]

    Reply
  27. May

    Omg… your kids are so cute in all the pics. 🙂 Well… one thing that would prevent me from buying a book is if the book is too male chauvinistic….. I like my heroine strong and able….

    Reply
  28. Chelsea B.

    Cheating is definitely a no no for me. If it’s about the hero/heroine trying to win back the other beause they cheated…. No thank you.
    Your books sound great, Ashley!

    Reply
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  30. booklover1335

    Normally I just go with the flow of a story….but one thing that turns me off of a romance is when there is death in it, or at least when one of the characters that you get to know and care for dies. That being said, I can’t wait to read Romancing the Countess…and the cute babies didn’t hurt either 🙂 Congrats Ashley!

    Reply
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