Ashley

Why I named the first story Ashley?

There are four events in my life that set me to encounter the name Ashley in the most memorable manner. The first three events happened in EAA Sun‘n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland Florida, Fantasy of Flight in Auburndale Florida, and National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough Tennessee several years ago. I attended these events due to my love of flying and writing and I gave out postcards of my first four books to many people. Most of the ones who received my postcards also asked me to sign it for them and to my surprise the name Ashley kept popping up.

The one that really struck me was when I was in Lavonia Speedway in Lavonia Georgia about a year ago after I completed the untitled story (that would become Ashley). Mostly, I like being there as I love dirt track racing. Now, there was a couple who was taking up money for a lady who got paralyzed from the neck down due to a car wreck on a road. They showed us an article about it on a newspaper and a photo of the young lady while she was in a hospital. There’s always a room in my heart for helping the needy so I gave a donation to this poor young lady. But when the couple was about to leave I realized that I didn’t ask for the young lady’s name so I could keep her on my prayer.

And guess what… It was Ashley.