I'm SO excited to be able to kick this off for Ashley! Make sure you enter the contest and check out her FREE re-released book! :)
In celebration of re-releasing Accountable To None with a brand new cover and interior
design, Ashley Fontainne is running a FREE eBook promo October 2 through
October 4. Plus enter her contest to win an autographed copy of Accountable
To None. Enter the contest by clicking HERE.
Introducing the new
cover for Accountable To None...
And
here is the new interior layout for Accountable
To None...
Synopsis:
What if the unspeakable happened to you? Would you fantasize
about seeking personal vengeance? How far would you go...and how much would you
sacrifice to hold those responsible that believe they are accountable to none?
Welcome to the prestigious accounting firm of Winscott &
Associates. Welcome to Audra Tanner's personal hell. She had heard the rumors
about her employer. The whispered secrets. But she had thrown herself into work
to escape the pain of her miscarriage and demise of her marriage. Idealistic,
she thought if she worked hard she would be rewarded. She thought wrong.
Savagely initiated into the brutal underbelly of the firm, Audra
learns too late that the rumors are true. Now after five years of careful
plotting, Audra is ready to push the wheels of justice in motion. Her goal of
retribution has turned into an obsession and she will stop at nothing until
everyone responsible pays. Will revenge set her free or is Audra's quest for personal
justice only beginning?
What People Are Saying About Accountable To None...
…I truly enjoyed it and recommend it to all who enjoy a fast,
intriguing and entertaining story with a little mystery thrown in for good
measure.” – Midwest Book Reviews Senior Reviewer and author
Joan A. Adamak
...you are grabbed hook, line and sinker into the story as the
book becomes an almost compulsive read." – Charlotte
Foreman, reviewer for BestChickLit.com
“… this is now one of my favorite books of all time… even after
you finish, it doesn't let go. It stays with you.” –
author Lindsay Anne Kendal
…I'm exhausted. I could not put this book down. It gripped me
from the very beginning and the intensity level just kept building and
building…an AMAZING READ!” – author Sandy L. Wolters
Thank
you for joining us today, Ashley! We're excited to have you here! Let's
talk about you and the re-release of your novel Accountable to None.
Accountable To None has a brand new look. What made you decide
to update this already bestselling novel and who designed it for you?
The publishing world was, and still is at times, completely
foreign to me. I sort of stumbled in, blind to all the subtle nuances and
intricacies that it entails. Branding, tagging, click this, click that and all
the sites to promote your work and how to
promote it overwhelmed me (and still does at times). This is the bane of being
an Indie writer because everything falls upon your shoulders.
I liken the change to trading in an older Corvette for a newer
model. The design is sleeker, the paint shinier and the new car smell
stronger but underneath it all, the same vibrant engine still roars. Although I
loved the previous cover design, once I was introduced to the fabulous team at Blue Harvest Creative, I knew it was time for some new
exterior ‘paint’ and a luxurious interior.
Where did you get the inspiration to write Accountable To None?
My muse for penning this series was The
Count of Monte Cristo by
Alexandre Dumas. The revenge on all those who hurt and betrayed Edmond Dantes
and the incredible rollercoaster ride his journey takes you on intrigued me. My
love for this book is what sparked my desire to write Accountable
to None. With a
modern setting to the tale, I wanted to delve into just what lengths a person
is willing to go to as they attempt to seek justice on their own for heinous
acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero
Balance focuses on
the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For
once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge
expand? Adjusting Journal Entries answers that question: far and wide.
When you write does the idea or do the
characters come first?
It depends upon what I am working on. For this series, the
character of Audra came first, and the rest of the story and the characters
fell into place around her. One novel I am working on right now focusing
on the idea of learning to lean on God during times of great turmoil, and is
told through the eyes of a woman that decides to end her life.
Do you have a writing routine?
My long commute to and from work each day allows me to work out
the scenes in my head, editing and re-writing mentally until the scene is set.
Then, when I have time such as at lunch or late in the evening, I sit in front
of the computer and let my fingers fly, literally closing my eyes as I recall
my thoughts from earlier.
Are there certain elements or themes you
like to address in your writing?
If you only read the first novel in the series, then you might
walk away with the impression that the book was solely about one woman’s quest
for personal justice. However, if you read the entire trilogy, my hope is that
readers discover that I am not advocating vigilantism. Quite the
contrary. I hope that after reading this series, people will contemplate
the devastating consequences that exacting revenge on someone that has hurt
them might have, especially on innocent bystanders. Let’s face it—we all have
had those moments of intense physical or mental pain that urged us to strike
back, to inflict pain upon another as payback. When the blinders of anger cause
you to focus on nothing but revenge, you fail to see the other options
available, nor the potential pain that your own actions might end up causing
others.
What has been the most satisfying
accomplishment of being an author?
That was the day I received a private message on Goodreads from a reader that just finished Accountable
to None. She wanted to let me know that after reading the book, she
was going to finally seek therapy for the buried trauma she suffered over ten
years prior when she became a victim of rape. She told me that she knew she
needed to let go of the pain and anger and face her demons, and thanked me for
opening her eyes to that. I remember staring at the computer screen, mouth
agape and heart pounding as tears streamed down my face.
That moment in my life made every difficult turn and bump in the
road worth it. To know that my words helped another person is something I will
cherish forever.
How did you decide on this genre and do you
write in any others?
I love reading a book that makes your heart beat faster as your
palms sweat and your throat goes dry. I also enjoy reading a book that allows
you to place yourself in the situation and really ponder: what would I do if
faced with the same situation?
Suspense/thrillers are my favorite, but I don’t want to
pigeonhole myself into just one genre. So, earlier this year, I released my
poetry and short story book, Ramblings of A Mad Southern Woman, that
touches upon many things, including my faith.
I am currently working on two novels at the moment (yes, I’m a
glutton for punishment) one which is a historical type saga about a World War
II veteran that will be heavily based upon my grandfather, and the other will
be a tear jerker. After those two are complete, I’m switching to humor…I need a
laugh break!
What do you like to do when you aren't
writing?
My husband and I love to be out on our boat, so most weekends
during the humid summer you will find us lounging at the ‘Redneck Riviera’
sandbar, also known as Lake Catherine. I love plants and have a lovely flower
garden that I enjoy puttering around in. Our children are grown and on their
own now, so my husband and I treat our dogs and cats like kids. My husband has
been trying to teach me how to water ski, but it is a losing battle.
Thank you so much for having me on your
blog. I had a lot of fun and I hope everyone enjoys the free eBook and enters
the contest.
Be sure to check out Accountable to None and make sure to stop by and say hello
to the lovely and talented Ashley Fontainne.
About Ashley Fontainne
International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid
reader of mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her
youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the
reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within us are her
favorite reads.
Her muse for penning this series was The Count of Monte Cristo
by Alexander Dumas. The revenge on all those who hurt and betrayed Edmond
Dantes and the incredible rollercoaster ride his journey takes you on intrigued
her. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write her debut
novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy Eviscerating the
Snake. With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into the lengths a
person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous acts
perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero Balance, focuses on
the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For
once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge
expand? Adjusting Journal Entries, the third in the series, answers
that question: far and wide.
Born and raised in California, Ashley now calls Arkansas home
with her husband and four children. She also enjoys writing poetry and short
stories and recently published Ramblings of a Mad Southern Woman: A Collection
of Short Stories and Poetry on Life, Love, Loss and Longing, which is available
on Amazon. Ashley is also a supporter of the Joyful Heart Foundation that
assists victims of violent crime seeking help and healing, and donates 10% of
all yearly book sales to the cause.
Connect With Ashley:
What a great blog post! Thank you so much Jean!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome! I'm happy to share and support fellow authors! <3
ReplyDelete