Today, I’m so excited to have Tonya B. Ashley on my blog. Her first public work of fiction was just released as part of the novella collection I was also a part of. Tonya’s story, Once Lost, Now Found kicks off the story of a beautiful nativity scene. But, we’ll let Tonya tell you more. In fact, today, is Tonya’s turn, and tomorrow, we hear from the main character in her story. So, stay tuned. Part one of the interview starts right now:
Jenny: Hi, Tonya. I’m so glad you are here. We’d love to know about the inspiration for this story. Was it a song, a scripture, a real-life person you met?
Tonya: Honestly, I was recovering from an ankle injury, and I was bored. NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) was approaching; it was a good time to write a story. So, I thought of a place where I’ve had a lot of fun using my imagination, and Van Buren, Arkansas, immediately came to mind. The first time I visited Van Buren, one of the old bank buildings was occupied by a flea market/antique store, and you could walk into the bank vault. I was with a friend, and we pretended the vault was a time machine that transported us to 1800s Van Buren. It’s one of my favorite towns in Arkansas. It has inviting people, a rich history, and unique shops. Chapters on Main has all the books your heart desires and creative coffee offerings. It’s an easy town to fall in love with.
I also borrowed inspiration from Hallmark’s Signed, Sealed, and Delivered, which centers around the dead letter office of the U.S. Postal Service. A team of postal workers searches for the recipients of undeliverable letters. So, I put a historical spin on that idea and created a boardinghouse, which hosts a lost and found room where steamboat captains can bring items left behind after passengers disembark. Each story will feature a different member of the Hogue family attempting to find the owner of an item from the overflowing lost and found room.
Jenny: The idea of returning lost items is so perfect. I know you loved writing this. When you’re not busy writing, what other activities do you enjoy?
Tonya: I love spending time with family—summer movies, being hometown tourists, enjoying holidays. Anything that is truly our time. I also love the outdoors. Hammocking, hiking, an occasional float trip. There’s something so soothing about moss and leaves, rivers and trees. I can’t get enough of it.
Jenny: The eternal question- do you need silence to write, or do you have music playing? If so, what type of music is best?
Tonya: Music and noise are part of my writing routine. The music depends on what I’m writing. For Once Lost, Now Found, I wanted music that put me in a Christmas mood, but because it was historical, I didn’t want the familiar Christmas music and hymns I associate with my Christmas traditions. So, I chose Christmas songs that had a folksy feel, most of which I’d never heard before, like An Old-Fashioned Holiday by Andrea von Kampen, Christmas Tree by Cary Brothers, A Candle Burned by the O’Pears, and I Wonder as I Wander by Chris Richter.
The story I’m currently working on, Of Faith and Dreams, is the next in the Lost and Found Series. It’s set in Van Buren, Arkansas, in 1849, when gold prospectors are moving west. This story has a hint of a Wild West feel, like Gunsmoke meets Janet Oke. So, I’m listening to guitar instrumentals and spaghetti western music.
While listening to music, I also pull up a website/app called Coffitivity. I use it to add coffee shop background sounds to the music. It’s the soft chatter of voices, dishes lightly clinking.
Jenny: What have you heard from you readers so far? If you don’t mind sharing, what is the best comment you’ve heard?
Tonya: “I’m impressed with your scope of story. Your POV and dialogue are great. You’re a great storyteller, and you create intriguing characters. Your action scenes are great too. You’re a very, very good writer.”
This feedback came when I seriously doubted my ability to put together all the story elements well. The input let me know I was on the right track. It gave me the courage to move forward and keep growing my skills.
Jenny: What is the most amazing thing you’ve seen in the past couple of days?
Tonya: I see so many people rising up to do hard things. Battling cancer, chronic illness, depression, so many stories of resilience and faith.
Jenny: What parting words do you have for our readers today?
Tonya: Emily Dickinson describes hope as “the thing with feathers that perches in the soul – and sings the tunes without the words.” It’s beautiful imagery. But for some, hope may be a little grittier than that. It may have a little dirt and grime from battle in the trenches. It may be struggling to get out of bed and brush your teeth in the morning. It may be the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other.
Learn to recognize hope in all its forms and nurture it in yourself and others. Your hope may look different than the next person’s. It’s okay if hope is a little messy.
Jenny: I love that image. You’re right, though. Hope can be found in everyday situations. I guess part of our mission as writers is to encourage others to find it.
Thanks again for dropping by. Below, we learn more about Tonya, and how to keep in touch. Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow to hear from the main character in Once Lost, Now Found.
Tonya B. Ashley is excited to make her writing debut with Once Lost, Now Found, the first
story in the A Gift for All Time novella collection. Writing with Jenny and Ellen has been a
dream and an inspiration. When they get together, ideas abound!
Tonya enjoys a thread of adventure, whether in story or life. Fascinated with people, places,
and nature, she loves to explore through writing, reading, hiking, and artwork. One of her
favorite hiking destinations is Fuzzy Butt Falls, which exudes quite the Narnia experience
despite its humorous name.
She and her firefighter/paramedic husband are parents of a middle-school son who is
teaching himself electric guitar and an adult son, a newly married firefighter. They’re
delighted to add a girl to the bunch in the form of a precious daughter-in-law. In 2020, her
oldest gifted her a hammock for Mother’s Day. It was a gift she didn’t know she needed, and
she often carries it in her backpack, looking for two trees close enough to string it up. It’s the
perfect reading nook. She’s trying to master the art of writing from the hammock, too.
To learn more about Tonya’s writing and adventures, follow her Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/tonya.b.ashley.author/
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