{"id":34294,"date":"2023-12-21T06:30:39","date_gmt":"2023-12-21T11:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/?p=34294"},"modified":"2023-12-25T09:59:41","modified_gmt":"2023-12-25T14:59:41","slug":"interview-with-ashley-griffin-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/interview-with-ashley-griffin-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Ashley Griffin"},"content":{"rendered":"
Greetings, travelers, and welcome to the Otherworld once again. Today we\u2019re making a special stop to revisit one of the creators we\u2019ve spent time with in the past. Ashley Griffin is the multi-talented phenomenon behind bestseller The Spindle<\/em>, which released in October of 2022. The author is back today to tell us about her experiences with that post-release, and to talk about her new book, Blank Paige<\/em>, which released earlier this month and just became a #1 Bestseller. Read on to learn more about Ashley Griffin, and her wonderful projects!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tellest:<\/strong> Welcome back, Ashley! \u00a0It looks as though you\u2019ve had a wonderful time over this past year, and we\u2019re very excited to find out what your experience has been since we last spoke.<\/p>\n Ashley Griffin:<\/strong> Thank you so much! It\u2019s wonderful to be back and I\u2019m so excited to introduce everyone to Blank Paige<\/em>! It\u2019s very close to my heart and I\u2019ve been working on it for a long time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> It\u2019s been a little over a year since the last time we spoke at great length about your authorship.\u00a0 Now that your first book, The Spindle<\/em>, has been out for a while, and your new release, Blank Paige<\/em>, has hit shelves, how do you feel?\u00a0 What has this last year been like for you?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>I\u2019m so excited to finally get to share this story with everyone. This past year has been interesting\u2014I\u2019m still dealing with the fallout from the pandemic both personally and professionally and it\u2019s really nice to be able to end the year with something as special as this book release. And I have really enjoyed getting to have The Spindle<\/em> out in the world. I\u2019m honored that it\u2019s being taught in schools and featured in libraries and I\u2019ve loved getting to go and talk to many of the young people reading it (as well as fans in general). And it looks like Blank Paige <\/em>is on track to follow suit which makes me really happy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> That\u2019s pretty big news!\u00a0 How did The Spindle<\/em> end up getting into libraries, and who took the initiative for it to be taught in schools?\u00a0 Do you know if it is being taught as literature, or are they leaning into your theater experience and talking about how it sort of lives on that periphery?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>It is being taught as literature, which is a huge honor. I actually worked as a library page (fun \u201cPaige<\/em>\u201d tie in) the summer after I graduated from high school. I have a strong connection with my local library (I\u2019ve been an avid frequenter since I was very young and, like I said, I worked there\u2026) so getting into libraries started with my partnering with my childhood library and that led to other libraries expressing interest. I\u2019m also honored to still have connections to various school districts\u2014I have connections to my teachers and others who teach, and I\u2019ve created theater programs for several school districts (I\u2019m also fortunate to have fans of my work who are teachers) and through all those avenues my books ended up being introduced to teachers throughout the country. I was honored when several of them volunteered that they wanted to teach the books as part of their curriculum and were approved to do so.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> Do you suspect that, now that Blank Paige<\/em> has been released, it will also be part of a curriculum or end up in the library system as well?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>Yes, I know that Blank Paige<\/em> will for sure be taught in classrooms (as literature) and featured in libraries.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> You mentioned that the pandemic is still lingering about in your life.\u00a0 What do you think the biggest challenges are that remain for you and your community, and how do you think you get back to a comfortable place?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>The pandemic reached a point where there was no easy coming back from it. We sort of passed the point of no return and it\u2019s going to take a very long time to fight our way back to what the entertainment world, and the theater world in particular was. I had twelve people close to me pass away just in the past year\u2026 And honestly, I don\u2019t quite know how we return to a comfortable place. We need the economics of the theater world to change, we need people to continue to be cautious about our health\u2014there are a lot of people who are acting like the pandemic never happened, and I understand that desire, but it\u2019s still here and we need to be in this together to find a way forward.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> Film certainly had the means to pivot streaming in a lot of ways, and for better or worse, we\u2019re seeing a lot of people who are partaking of that.\u00a0 The cinema experience has kind of shifted quite a bit since the pandemic, with only a few of the big tentpoles performing well.<\/p>\n Does theater have to find a way to pivot as well in order to continue with some sort of prosperity?<\/p>\n Toward the beginning of the pandemic, Hamilton made a huge impact when it was released on Disney+.\u00a0 Could there be similar value in broadcasting the theater experience so that more people could enjoy it in a safe manner?\u00a0 And even if it could, does that harm the soul of the arts in some way, in your opinion?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>This is a huge question with a lot of answers\u2026 In terms of the streaming question specifically, I think it\u2019s a wonderful tool that theater should take advantage of more (why they don\u2019t is partially due to costs and partially due to union restrictions which is a whole other can of worms\u2026). But I believe it\u2019s been statistically proven that streaming live performances actually increases ticket sales. People see something they like, and they want to go see it live (if they can) \u2014as opposed to the (unfounded) worry that folks would be like \u201coh, I\u2019ve already seen it, I don\u2019t need to go see it in the theater\u201d. The soul of the arts will never fade and I think people want to experience theater live and in the format it was intended. That\u2019s why it\u2019s lasted all these centuries! I\u2019m a huge fan of what the National Theater has done with National Theater Live broadcasts\u2014it\u2019s grown their audience by leaps and bounds and it\u2019s been an added income source from people who aren\u2019t able to go in person (i.e. people in the states who don\u2019t have plans to or aren\u2019t able to go to the UK.) And it\u2019s also provided a route for National Theater shows to transfer to Broadway because people in the states want to see a piece in person.<\/p>\n But theater, especially in the U.S., needs to majorly rethink and adjust the economics of producing a show (I actually did a whole video on this on my YouTube channel.) A lot of former Broadway producers won\u2019t even produce in the states anymore because it\u2019s just not financially viable.<\/p>\n And I think there are a lot of takeaways for why movies aren\u2019t doing as well in cinemas\u2014something that started happening long before Covid. Ticket prices have gotten crazy high (it\u2019s now more money to go see one movie in a movie theater than for a monthly Netflix fee where you can watch hundreds of movies and T.V. shows\u2026) adding \u201cbenefits\u201d like reclining seats, serving food, etc. isn\u2019t helping\u2014honestly it\u2019s just making going out to a movie more like staying home and watching a movie\u2026 Plus there have been a lot of really horrible tragedies that have taken place at movie theaters in addition to the fact that the overall quality of movies isn\u2019t what it once was, and now with the threat of Covid and other illnesses\u2026 It just doesn\u2019t make sense for a lot of people anymore.<\/p>\n And theater is dealing with a lot of those same issues and then some. Bottom line, something has to give with the economics\u2014both in terms of how much it costs to put up a show (which affects what shows are even produced in the first place) and how difficult it is for people to go and see a show. If I didn\u2019t have access to tickets because of being in the industry I wouldn\u2019t be able to see most theatrical shows\u2026 I can\u2019t afford the ticket prices!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> In our last interview, we had talked about how, with your multitude of projects, it felt as though you barely had time to get something like The Spindle<\/em> spun up. Blank Paige<\/em> is an even bigger book, tackling more original content. How did you manage to complete such a powerful new story with all your endeavors pulling you in so many directions?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>LOL juggling a million projects is the norm for me so I\u2019m really used to it and I\u2019m good at getting things done. And Blank Paige <\/em>is a piece that\u2019s been with me for a long time so it\u2019s something I\u2019ve been working on in the background of everything else I have going on.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> At this point, with Blank Paige<\/em> done, are you just shy of a million projects?\u00a0 Or have you expanded beyond that number, with little side quests and spinoffs jumping into your mind?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>I actually started to keep track and I currently have forty-six dramatic works (theater\/film\/TV) that have been produced\/received significant development and two published novels, in addition to projects I\u2019m acting in or directing and other pieces that are in earlier stages of development.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n T:<\/strong> How do you determine what to put your focus on?\u00a0 I know you juggle a lot of projects, but is there a way that you decide which should take priority?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>It\u2019s a constant reassessment at any given moment\u2026 I sort of have a tiered list of priorities:<\/p>\n I love doing all these kinds of projects, but tiering them in this way means 1.) You\u2019ll never miss a deadline and 2.) You can give yourself added motivation for finishing things you might not feel as immediately excited about because, when you do, you get to work on the thing you\u2019re really can\u2019t wait to work on. Sort of the artistic equivalent of knowing that if you eat all your carrots you get to have ice cream.<\/p>\n I also just naturally work really fast\u2014on average I can turn out a full script or libretto in around a week, so I\u2019m also really efficient with getting things done.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n T:<\/strong> When we had last spoke, you had mentioned that Blank Paige<\/em> was on the way and had even hinted that much of it had been written.\u00a0 How much work did you have to do to get it \u201cshelf-ready\u201d?<\/p>\n Also, producing one book and getting it out into the world is a feat all on its own, but there\u2019s something intoxicating about bringing that second book to fans as well. How did the process feel different for you between publishing both stories?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>Well, Blank Paige <\/em>actually had a really unique genesis. I got the idea for it basically when I was straight out of college\u2014it\u2019s really the first big thing I started working on post-graduation\u2026but not as a novel\u2014as a TV series. I actually got a group of friends together and we filmed an entire season of a web series meant to be a calling card for the piece (it was never publicly released.) The pilot has received interest from Amazon and other networks and I\u2019m hoping it gets a series adaptation soon.<\/p>\n But in the meantime, while I was pitching, I kept thinking about the possibility of turning the story into a book. It\u2019s obviously very literary based and I thought it could work really well in that medium\u2026 I also liked the idea of having the story out there in a way that I had complete ownership over where, whatever happened with any adaptations, you could always look back at this and know what my intent was. So I started working on it as a novel (long before I started on The Spindle<\/em>.) The Spindle <\/em>and Blank Paige <\/em>actually got picked up the same week by different publishers. The editing for The Spindle <\/em>ended up being completed first (it\u2019s a shorter book, as you said), so my publishers decided to wait a year to release Blank Paige <\/em>which would give us a luxurious amount of prep time and meant that the two books wouldn\u2019t compete. Actually, if you\u2019ve read The Spindle <\/em>there are some fun easter eggs you\u2019ll find in Blank Paige <\/em>(people joke about the Ashley Griffin Cinematic Universe, but there\u2019s some truth in it\u2026) When you and I last spoke, Blank Paige <\/em>was completely finished\u2014it was just going through the editing process. But the piece as a whole had existed in its entirety long before that so really it\u2019s a story I\u2019ve been ready and excited to share for a while.<\/p>\n In terms of the actual process of having my second book published\u2014it was a little more relaxed, in a way, because I knew the ropes. I knew how all the steps in the process went so I felt a little more confident going into it. I was also fortunate enough to receive some wonderful reviews for The Spindle<\/em> (which became a bestseller) so, even though there are no guarantees, I at least felt like \u201cok, well, I\u2019m not terrible in this style so I maybe don\u2019t have to be QUITE as scared that people will think I\u2019m out of my lane\u201d (I\u2019m primarily a Broadway writer). Actually this afternoon I found out that Blank Paige <\/em>just went to #1 on Amazon and I\u2019m over the moon and very honored.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n T:<\/strong> You\u2019re really making a splash!\u00a0 Your work is being seen in libraries, taught in schools, Amazon is looking at your content.\u00a0 I know we\u2019ve talked before about your many projects, but how do you rope it all in and keep your sanity?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>I\u2019m very fortunate that I get to do what I love. I just keep focused on whatever I need to do at any given moment\u2014it\u2019s something that, luckily, I\u2019m good at doing and that I enjoy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> When it comes to getting the word out about your books and your other projects, what is your secret?\u00a0 Is it just that you\u2019ve accumulated fans of the AGCU?\u00a0 Or are your publishers a big part of the process?\u00a0 Or is it something else entirely?<\/p>\n AG:<\/strong> I\u2019m very honored that I do have a strong fan base, but I also have a great team around me\u2014together we\u2019re really good at getting the word out. And, hopefully, at the end of the day the works speak for themselves. I work as hard as I can to let people know about what I\u2019m doing, but I think the real secret with any artistic venture is to have something of substance waiting for people when they do find your work.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n T:<\/strong> A big part of that may also seem to come from always having something ready for those fans.\u00a0 You\u2019re always working, and constantly have the next project to delight and excite.\u00a0 As your back catalog of projects grows larger, how are you going to direct new fans on which projects they should start with?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>I think people tend to naturally discover what they most \u201cneed\u201d or what most excites them. I wouldn\u2019t ever want to tell someone which of my projects to start with because everyone\u2019s interests and \u201cartistic sustenance\u201d needs are different. People who love literature will probably discover my books first\u2014and that\u2019s great! That\u2019s the best way in for them. Those in the theater world will probably first discover my plays\u2014and when they do they\u2019ll probably first pick up, or go see the piece that has the logline that most intrigues them. For one person that might be a magical realism play, for someone else that might be a kitchen sink drama. So I would say find what most interests you. The right art always finds the right person.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n T:<\/strong> Let\u2019s talk about Blank Paige<\/em>\u2019s beautiful cover. It\u2019s not something that we typically see, and it absolutely captures a would-be reader\u2019s attention. Was that always your intention, or did you end up working with a clever designer who made the suggestion?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>Thank you! The process of designing the cover was fascinating\u2026 This is not an easy book to design a cover for. We actually opened it up to several designers who created mock ups on spec in order to decide who would be the right fit. I put together a whole portfolio of inspiration\u2014with descriptions of what I was looking for, color schemes, things I didn\u2019t want (and my publisher obviously contributed as well.) I did really like the idea of paper coming to life (which, ironically, only two designers ended up playing with.) There were a lot of really talented artists, but none of their designs really hit the mark\u2026 Most of them really leaned into a traditional YA cover with a girl in a library\u2026 But that really doesn\u2019t communicate anything about the story. That image could be so many different things\u2014from a \u201cBeauty and the Beast\u201d retelling, to a YA novel about a wallflower girl, to a romance novel\u2026 I wanted a cover that felt like a work of art, and that couldn\u2019t belong to any story but this one. A lot of the cover images we got back were really generic\u2014very pretty but I wouldn\u2019t pick them up in a bookstore because I would have no idea what story they were telling.<\/p>\n And then, suddenly, we got a design from the brilliant My Lan (check her out on Instagram @laolandesign). What you see in the finished cover is almost exactly what her initial mock-up was. It was absolute genius. We changed the colors a bit, added some easter eggs in the design (when you look in the filigree in the trees there are some fun references to characters and events) and we used actual text from the book as the text. The girl is stepping out of Pg. 3\u2014which is the page on which Paige first appears in the book\u2014and, maybe my personal favorite, the words on the bottom of her dress are \u201cfate\u201d and \u201cfree will\u201d. Blank Paige<\/em> at its heart is about fate vs. free will and I love that the theme is right there, in a very subtle way, on the cover. (Also, for any fans of The Spindle<\/em>, the little door in the tree trunk on the cover of Blank Paige<\/em> is the house in the tree where Rose and Arthur meet Gwyll and Solaris in The Spindle<\/em>\u2026 It makes an appearance in Blank Paige.<\/em>)<\/p>\n I actually really love the craft of cover\/poster design\u2026encapsulating an entire story in a single image. I love watching Chip Kidd\u2019s interviews on YouTube. They\u2019re really interesting and, especially for someone as auditory\/verbal as me, it\u2019s really fun to explore thinking more visually.<\/p>\n I honestly think My Lan is one of the best cover designers in the business. I can\u2019t recommend her enough. She\u2019s so intelligent\u2014go work with her!<\/p>\n On a side note\u2014we made the decision that we wouldn\u2019t accept any cover art that had used A.I. I know it can be a great tool for designers, but I\u2019m concerned by the fact that all of those generative programs have been trained on copywritten work (without permission of the artists) and that the programs have been used to take jobs away from designers. So there was no A.I. used in the creation of the cover art.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> That is probably for the best on a few different levels.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think AI would have been able to come up with something as spectacular as My Lan did, especially not without some clever iterative work.\u00a0 She really nailed it.<\/p>\n Is she your go-to for projects like these in the future, or was this something special that you\u2019ll treat as a one-off?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>Oh, absolutely she will be my go to any time I\u2019m able to use her! I don\u2019t always get a say, but if I do, she\u2019s my first call for a book cover hands down. And yes! I think we need to really value and appreciate what human beings bring to any artistic venture. Keep in mind that anything cool that AI come up with they got from work humans did. We need to be very careful that any use of AI is in service of people, not replacing them or taking work away from them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> The Spindle<\/em> was a powerful retelling of Sleeping Beauty. While Blank Paige<\/em> makes mention of the wider world of books and fantasy, it\u2019s a fully original story. Did you feel a greater pull toward Paige, or are all of your characters your darlings in a way?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>I am a proud parent who loves all her children equally. J\u00a0 The Spindle <\/em>is a retelling of \u201cSleeping Beauty\u201d, but all the characters were completely original. The only difference with The Spindle<\/em> is I had a little more of a framework at the outset to hang the story on. But the truth is all stories are rooted in what\u2019s come before. There are only so many \u201cessential\u201d, mythic stories in the world and so you\u2019re never really completely inventing something from nothing (though Blank Paige <\/em>really plays with genre so that was a little tricky when thinking about structure.) But you have to love all the characters, worlds and stories you create, otherwise why create them? (And there are a couple characters and locals from The Spindle<\/em> that show up in Blank Paige<\/em> (as well as my off-Broadway play Snow<\/em>\u2026) so it was fun to have a little, subtle crossover.) But the Blank Paige<\/em> characters have been with me for a long time, so I was especially excited to finally get to send them into the world.<\/p>\n But speaking of original stories, I actually had to create a LOT of original stories for Blank Paige<\/em>. In the world of The Bookstore (the magical setting for the story) characters can go into the worlds of other books, much like the characters on Star Trek<\/em> go to the holodeck. So, while they do go into some well-known works, I also created several fully fleshed out original stories and worlds that the characters go into and interact with (several of which are referenced in other works of mine as well\u2026 like I said, the Ashley Griffin Cinematic Universe lol.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> Who were your favorite characters to work with?\u00a0 You\u2019ve got a lot of twists that you\u2019ve placed on characters who are in the public domain and a lot of fun to play with?\u00a0 Which do you think worked best?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>I love all my children and would never pick a favorite lol. In terms of public domain characters I especially had fun with Dracula, the Cheshire Cat and the Raven\u2014they were delightful to play with. And in terms of original PAIGE characters I have especial affection for Eleanore and, of course for Shadow (who\u2019s appeared in several of my works in different guises.) But I really do love all the characters\u2014they\u2019re very much like my friends that I finally get to introduce to everyone. You can\u2019t write characters and really do right by them, even villainous characters, unless there is love and empathy and I feel that for all my characters.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> Speaking of your villains, have you ever written a character that you respect as a character that you\u2019ve created, but loathed for what they\u2019ve done?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>Oh absolutely. Like I said, it all goes back to empathy. The best villains are ones where you can completely understand why they\u2019re doing what they\u2019re doing\u2014even if you don\u2019t agree with their methods. Killmonger in Black Panther<\/em> wants to protect his people and empower them to fight their oppressors. The Joker in The Dark Knight<\/em> wants to call out people\u2019s hypocrisy. Even Moriarty in Sherlock<\/em> just desperately wants to stop being bored. Those are all things we can empathize with, relate to and even champion\u2014it\u2019s just that those characters go to dark places to achieve what they want, and their methods are not to be admired or imitated. I think we can also like, and even respect certain villains because, often, they\u2019re the most active characters in a story, they\u2019re entertaining and very decisive. There\u2019s an antagonist in Blank Paige <\/em>(I won\u2019t name them as it\u2019s a spoiler) who I love very much and greatly empathize with but I take no joy in many of their actions. There are other antagonists I\u2019ve written that I\u2019ve had to work really, REALLY hard to latch onto any empathy for them\u2014but if you can\u2019t have empathy for a character you can\u2019t write them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> In our original interview, we had talked about how The Spindle<\/em> was conceived as a play, and you obviously have a ton of stage experience to draw from. Was there any part of Blank Paige<\/em> that you also thought might work in that medium?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>I\u2019ve never thought Blank Paige <\/em>would work well on stage, just by the nature of the locations being really epic\u2026 If you had a large budget, you could do something really creative, but I\u2019ve always seen it more as a TV series\u2026partially because I\u2019ve never really felt like this was a contained story\u2026 It\u2019s one that by its very nature can go on, and on and on. So never say never, but I\u2019ve always thought it would work better as a series.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> When you are creating your stories, are you fan-casting the roles in any way?\u00a0 Are you seeing yourself in the characters, famous movie stars, or people you\u2019ve worked with on stage?\u00a0 Or is it something that you like to keep sort of nebulous, and able to take other shapes as needed in the future?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>Most of the time the characters just show up and I\u2019m just taking dictation lol. There are times, mainly when I\u2019m writing a dramatic narrative work (theater\/film\/TV), when I might start imagining an actor in the role\u2014but that\u2019s a specific situation where, by the very nature of the type of work I\u2019m creating a human being will be embodying the character at some point, so it can be helpful to imagine someone, or a few people in the role\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> Blank Paige<\/em> just hit the market, so it may be a little early to be asking this, but what plans do you have next for your storytelling journey?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>I do have a couple other books I\u2019m working on, but I\u2019m not pushing myself with them at the moment. Theater (and Film and TV) are slowly trying to make their way back after the pandemic and I\u2019m excited to get back to that as we\u2019re able. But I do have a couple more novels in various stages of development and there\u2019s definitely talk about a Blank Paige <\/em>sequel. Some fans have also been asking about more fairy tale retellings in the world of The Spindle<\/em> which I\u2019m thinking about for sure.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> With Snow being created for stage, but in the AGCU, so to speak, is that something that could theoretically get a novel adaptation?<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>Yes, I actually have been thinking about adapting Snow<\/em> into a novel.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> And the AGCU grows bigger still!<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>I\u2019m working on it!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> Where can people find you and your work?\u00a0 Let\u2019s introduce readers to your website, your YouTube channel, and your social media links!<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>I actually have a YouTube<\/u><\/strong> channel that I\u2019m really enjoying creating for! https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCLRLyIz8KkxftO7tEuJTn5A<\/a><\/p>\n The best place to find me is my website<\/u><\/strong>: https:\/\/www.ashleygriffinofficial.com<\/a><\/p>\n And social<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p>\n Instagram\/TikTok\/Facebook<\/u>: @ashleygriffinofficial<\/p>\n X (Twitter):<\/u> @ashleyjgriffin<\/p>\n And you can get Blank Paige<\/em> here: https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Blank-Paige-Ashley-Griffin\/dp\/B0CKPVPT9V\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1702577903&sr=8-1<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> Ashley, I wanted to thank you for spending your time telling readers and fans what you\u2019ve been up to, what\u2019s next on the horizon, and for sharing about your experience releasing Blank Paige<\/em>!\u00a0 I expect we\u2019ll continue to hear great things about your endeavors, and I appreciate getting the opportunity to speak with you before one million projects becomes two million!<\/p>\n AG: <\/strong>Thank you so much! It\u2019s always a pleasure chatting with you. Thank you for having me!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019d like to once again thank Ashley Griffin for spending time with us and enlightening us on so many parts of her process, as well as offering some great advice to aspiring creators who want to bring worlds to life as well.\u00a0 They\u2019ll have to make sure they leave plenty of room for Griffin\u2019s growing universe, though!\u00a0 Do be sure to check out her latest fantasy novel, Blank Paige<\/em>, on Amazon<\/a> today!<\/p>\n And check out the trailer for the book here:<\/p>\n\n