Ashley Manley - Beatifully Written, Heartfelt Story

Ashley Manley is the author of two stand alone novels: Every Beautiful Mile and When Wildflowers Bloom. Her stories weave the hardships of life with the hope (and a little spice) of love stories. When she's not hiding from her kids, you can find her outside on a trail or plotting her next big adventure. Find her on Instagram @ashleymanleywrites.  As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about her book, When Wildflowers Bloom.Please give us a short introduction to what When Wildflowers Bloom is about.On the surface, When Wildflowers Bloom is about a woman with a genetic mutation who believes she is destined to die at the same age as her mother and grandmother, but I like to think it's about so much more than that. It's about being seen despite how different. About living big and taking chances, love and loss. I guess it's about life, the best and worst parts.What inspired you to write When Wildflowers Bloom, and how did you approach weaving emotional depth with humor?The main character, Birdie, stemmed from my own anxiety. I knew I wanted her to be scared of living a full life while also having real depth to her worries. I've known women who've had breast cancer, many of us have, and I thought it was a topic worth representing. Relatable for a lot of us. Humor in my stories is always important to me. Life is hard...it's also funny. I want people to feel things when they read my stories. I also want them to laugh.Many readers praised the book’s emotional impact and well-developed characters. How did you ensure such authenticity in their voices and experiences?I loved crafting the side characters in this story! As different as Birdie was, I knew she needed people just as different around her. Once I got that in my mind, creating the band of misfits around her felt pretty easy.Several reviews mention the book as a “quick read.” Was pacing something you consciously worked on during the writing process?If you are writing a book, you are worried about pacing. I'm always asking myself, "Is this putting people to sleep or making them turn the page?" Hopefully they keep turning the pages!Readers have fallen in love with Birdie and Bo, but Huck, the foster child, has also resonated deeply with them. What inspired Huck’s character, and what role does he play in Birdie’s journey?Huck is autistic, and though Birdie isn't, they are parallel. He has aversions, so does she. He's particular, so is she. He feels like he doesn't belong, so does she. They work together. She needed Huck as much as he needed her; that's where he came from.One reviewer mentioned struggling to like Mabel. Was she intentionally written to challenge the reader's perspective?Mabel is dirty old lady who people either love her or hate her. She's vulgar and saucy. I can see how certain readers wouldn't love her, but I certainly loved writing her!The book delves into serious topics, including genetic illness, foster care, and personal fears. What kind of research did you do to address these issues sensitively?Several readers noted the book presents moral and ethical dilemmas. Can you share a bit about the themes you aimed to explore and why they were important to you?The book touches on the loss of a parent, cancer, how we choose to live and ultimately die, abortion...I guess that's a pretty hefty list. I included them because one, they are very real things, and two, I think a lot of people, or me at least, get this black and white answer in our minds of where we stand on certain issues. Then Birdie comes in with this unique situation and makes choices which challenge our perspective. I didn't include these things to try to take a stance, more so my readers would ask themselves, "What would I do in this situation?"How do you hope readers reflect on their own lives after reading Birdie’s story?I hope my readers walk away from this book and think: life is short, love big.Birdie and Bo’s relationship starts with a one-night stand, but readers appreciate the deeper emotional connection that follows. What were your challenges in crafting their romance?The hardest part of their love story was keeping Birdie true to her fears while keeping Bo patient. She decided long ago she'd never have a family, so his present upturned every single thing she believed.Friendship plays a key role in Birdie’s growth. How important was it for you to highlight platonic relationships alongside the romance?The most important! If Birdie's growth was a house, I'd say Bo was the foundation and the friendships were the walls. She needed them all to fully lean into a different life than she imagined for herself.Readers have called this book a tearjerker. Did you anticipate such an emotional response when writing it?Well, I cried a lot when I was writing it, so I'd say yes. In all seriousness, when you are dealing with such heavy topics, it's bound to be emotional.