Aloha to Heather Ashby and NEVER FORGET - Special Tribute to 9/11

Today is September 11th – a sacred day on the United States’ calendar. My guest today is military romance author, Heather Ashby, who has written a 9/11-related story called Never Forget. Prepare for goose bumps as you read the following book blurb:

With 7.5 tons of World Trade Center steel melted into her bow, what if there are more souls aboard the USS New York than the sailors and Marines stationed there?  And what if those souls can help the troops defeat al-Qaeda this time?

When Gwyn Pritchard reports aboard the USS New York, she’s the only person who sees 9/11 spirits roaming the decks. As the sole survivor of an IED blast, Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Adam Connor is wrestling with his own issues, but when he learns Gwyn is seeing ghosts aboard their ship, he becomes her confidant...and her lover.

Passions rise to fever pitch when the New York rushes to liberate hostages in North Africa. Can the spirits provide the right intelligence for the Marines to save the prisoners? Can Gwyn help the ghosts move on to the light? And can Adam and Gwyn find the love they’ve searched the world over for?

Kim:  Wow, Heather, that gave me chills. Please tell us how you got the idea for Never Forget?

Heather:  This is a sacred day in our year, Kim, and I thank you for letting me share my book and photographs of USS New York with your readers today. Just so you know, I’ve worked on Never Forget for close to two years and I still get goose bumps. I’m a Navy veteran who lives in Jacksonville, Florida, so my series, “Love in the Fleet” centers around ships and squadrons out of Naval Station Mayport. When I heard Mayport would be receiving three amphibious assault ships, I researched them. And when I read about the sacred steel from the World Trade Center, I knew I had my story.

My initial reaction was: “I can’t do this. It would be wrong.” But then it came to me that if I didn’t write this story, somebody else would, and how could I guarantee they would do it as respectfully as I could. I’m a Navy vet, Navy wife, Marine Corps daughter, and mother of an Army infantryman who has fought in the War on Terror. I felt I was qualified, and figured if I could empower the spirits with some control over the ship, the crisis, and their destiny, it would allow them to move from victim to victor.

Kim:  Do you anticipate controversy? What about the families of 9/11 victims?

Heather:  The families were my very first consideration after getting the idea for the premise. That’s what I angst-ed over for several weeks before I put pen to paper. I am deeply spiritual however, and lots of prayer went into the decision to pursue this story. For starters, I meticulously checked victims’ names and bios against my characters and their personal stories. This was a good thing, because I had to change several names and back stories of characters, so they would not reflect victims. Without giving away too many spoilers, the reader will very likely witness the spirit characters performing helpful and positive acts that will lead them to their reward. A review at romancejunkies.com said, “Never Forget is a beautiful tribute to the victims of 9/11.”

As to critics, I would ask anyone who questions the book’s premise to read the story first and then I will gladly listen to their criticism – if they still have any. And controversy? The last time I looked, controversy sells books. And book sales here are a good thing, since I donate half my royalties to Fisher House Foundation in support of military families.

Kim:  Thus far your books have been about Navy personnel. How does this book fit in with the first two in the series and how easy was it to switch to a Marine hero? 

Heather:  The spirits aboard the New York represent just one story line. The main story is about a Naval officer exchange program between the U.S. and the U.K. If you’ve read the first two books in my series – about Philip and Sky – the third buddy in their merry band is Nick. Nick needs to get the heck out of Dodge after a breakup with his fiancée, so he applies for exchange duty with the British Navy. His love story with a Royal Navy sub-lieutenant encompasses one third of the book.

His replacement is British officer, Gwyn Pritchard who takes his job aboard the New York. She becomes a true ally with U.S. Marine Adam Connor, after he overhears her “ring up her mum to share that she’s bloody well seeing spirits walking the decks of her new ship.” Her mum is a noted psychic back in Wales, and Gwyn is mortified that she has apparently inherited her mother’s gift of a sixth sense. Sky, Philip, and Mikey; the heroes from Forgive and Forget and Forget Me Not, will deploy with the cast of characters in Never Forget.

As to writing about Marines, I had no idea I would be led to do this, but amphibs carry Marines and suddenly I was writing about a USMC gunnery sergeant. My late father was a Marine who had a tragic personal story. I lent his story to my hero, Adam Connor, and worked out some issues in my own life. I was blessed to find a USMC advisor/combat vet who helped me write the ship sequences, Adam’s PTSD issues, and the amphibious assault by the Marines. As we wrote, we both came to realize the power of this story – and the parts that will carry over to Book #4, Unforgettable. We somehow just knew there would be people who will seek healing after reading through Book #4. He said, “Heather, these books may be labeled romance and the majority of readers may be women. But I gotta’ tell you, the people who get the most guys to seek help for their PTSD are their wives. We gotta’ write these books.”

And the fact that several of the spirits are Marine Corps veterans will help to exemplify the saying: “Once a Marine, always a Marine.” J

Kim:  Tell me about that handsome cover model on the books in "Love in the Fleet." Who is that "Marine" on the cover of Never Forget? And do you find it weird when readers call him "hot?"

Heather:  The cover model for the entire series is my handsome son. Yup, the one who came home safe and whole from war, and inspired me to show my gratitude by writing the books and donating royalties. I do not find it weird that readers think he’s “hot.” (Especially on Forget Me Not. Check it out on heatherashby.com) I, too, think my son is good looking and he is obviously a good sport. Do you have any idea how hard it is for an Army infantryman to don Naval officers’ uniforms or the dress blues of a Marine Corps gunnery sergeant? LOL. I liken it to hot firefighters who pose for calendars in order to raise money for a good cause. My son knows that half of the money I earn from my books goes to support wounded warriors and their families.

Kim, thank you so much for inviting me on this sacred day to share Never Forget. I will be spending the rest of today curled up with a box of tissues watching 9/11 footage on TV. Doing this over the past two years has helped me develop my spirit characters so they could share stories that could promote healing. I’d be interested to hear from your readers what this day means to them or if there is something special they do to honor 9/11. Or perhaps they’d like to share their reactions of the morning of September 11, 2001. I have a copy of Never Forget for one lucky commenter. Oh, and before I leave, let me share the motto of USS New York:

“Strength Forged Through Sacrifice. Never Forget.”

Amazon link

Heather Ashby is a Navy veteran who taught school and raised a family while accompanying her Navy husband around the United States, Japan, and the Middle East. In gratitude for her Army son’s safe return from Afghanistan and Iraq, she now writes military romance novels, donating half her royalties to Fisher House Foundation which supports wounded warriors and their families. Never Forget is Book #3 in her series, “Love in the Fleet” published by NY Times best selling author, Teresa Medeiros at Amber House Books. Heather lives in Atlantic Beach, Florida with her husband and two rescue cats. 

heatherashby.com

Twitter: @HAshbyAuthor
Facebook: Heather Ashby Author

Mahalo, Heather, for honoring this day.  In honor of our country's freedom, I am sending a book box to a Navy surgeon deployed to Central Africa.  I ask you to leave a question or comment for her.   

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Heather shares pictures from the USS New York: