- I partially wrote this book with dictation software while lying on my back.
My wonderful husband, Mr. Amazing, figured out a way to project my monitor onto the ceiling, I could see what I was doing and make corrections as I went along. I’ve just been waiting for someone to say, “See? We always knew you’d make your living on your back.”
- Peer pressure “forced me” to leave the country to research parts of this book.
A year ago, my daughter and I took a trip to Ireland. What did peer pressure have to do with it? I mentioned, jokingly, on my Facebook fan page that I needed to go to Ireland to research my Irish dragons. Well, wouldn’t you know my wonderful fans started to chant, “Do it! Do it! Do it!” It was practically a dare. I mentioned it to my daughter, and she said, “That’s next on my bucket list!” Suddenly, we were planning our trip.
- I learned what it takes to become a Boston firefighter.
My two main characters are both going after that job. Because one of my characters was from Ireland, I had to start at the very beginning. A Boston firefighter has to be a U. S. citizen for at least one year before applying. Then there’s the civil service exam. Then an application. Then testing. Then interviews. And if you make it through all of that, there’s training on Moon Island in Boston Harbor. After that, there’s EMT training. Finally when assigned to a firehouse the newly trained firefighter is on probation. Some call them ‘probies,’ but the correct term is FOP, firefighter on probation.
- I had to create a whole new paranormal mythology.
My hero is a phoenix. Many are familiar with the legend of a bird that rises from its own ashes, reincarnated in fire. It goes back to ancient Rome. There’s also a legend of a Firebird from the Indians of the American Southwest. Taking little more than that, I embellished the legend and created a legendary firefighting family. The Fierros of Boston. Fierro is Italian for fire. Boston doesn’t have many Native Americans, but we have plenty of Italians. I figured if the worst happened to a firefighter, the only saving grace would be reincarnating from their own ashes.
- The next series, the Phoenix Brothers, is a spinoff of this book.
That said, this is a spinoff of a spinoff of a spinoff. I affectionately call it the series that never ends. (I hope.) Strange Neighbors was the original series. Book 2 was THE WEREWOLF UPSTAIRS, and that inspired the spinoff series, Flirting with Fangs. Book 2 in the Flirting with Fangs series was HOW TO DATE A DRAGON. That came so close to hitting one of those prestigious newspaper bestseller lists that my publisher asked me to write more dragons. And that’s where the Boston Dragons came from.
There are plenty of stories behind my stories, and it’s fun to share some of that information with my readers. So thank you, Fresh Fiction, for letting me share here. Readers can find some more of these stories and other juicy tidbits on my Facebook fan page
MY WILD IRISH DRAGON by Ashlyn Chase
ONE JOB OPENING
TWO SHIFTERS APPLY…
SPARKS FLY
Dragon shifter Chloe Arish is hell-bent on becoming a Boston firefighter. She uses her Irish charm and fake documents to score an interview, knowing she has to work every bit as hard as a man—harder if she wants their respect.
Born into a legendary Boston firefighting family, phoenix shifter Ryan Fierro can’t possibly let someone best him on the training course or the job. He’d never hear the end of it. When a feisty new recruit comes along who’s determined to do just that, Ryan plots to kick her out—until their sizzling chemistry turns explosive…
Romance Paranormal [Sourcebooks Casablanca, On Sale: September 6, 2016, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781492610090 / eISBN: 9781492610106]
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About Ashlyn Chase
Where there’s fire, there’s Ash
Ashlyn Chase describes herself as an Almond Joy bar. A little nutty, a little flaky, but basically sweet, wanting only to give her readers a satisfying,entertaining experience.
She holds a degree in behavioral sciences, worked as a psychiatric RN for several years and spent a few more years working for the American Red Cross. She credits her sense of humor to her former careers since comedy helped preserve whatever was left of her sanity. She is a multi-published, award-winning author of humorous erotic and mainstream romances.
She lives in beautiful New Hampshire with her true-life hero husband who looks like Hugh Jackman with a salt and pepper dye job, and they’re owned by a spoiled brat cat.
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