This week, we have an interview with author Ashley Thompson, author of her recent Christian romance release, His Liberating Flame, Book 1: Escaping the Past.
D. T.: Great to have you back with us, Ashley. Would you share the first line (or your favorite line) from your latest/featured book/
Ashley: “He was effortlessly gorgeous and had all the assets the world deemed as irresistible in a partner: wealth, fame, youth, and amazing looks, but Trisha valued inner beauty more than anything. For her, a man who loved Jesus and held a woman’s virtue in high regard was priceless.”
D. T.: So, who’s your latest book dedicated to and why?
Ashley: I dedicated His Liberating Flame to my husband, Stephen, whose name means “crown,” just before our tenth anniversary. I specifically thanked my husband for being a man of noble character and for protecting my virtue. The main character in my book, Noble, is an illustrious actor and model known for his party lifestyle and heartthrob image. He is the opposite of my husband, coming from a wealthy background, but they share a similar story of struggling to overcome drugs and toxic relationships after being saved.
D. T.: It’s amazing how God takes us all on such incredible journeys
How much research do you do for your books? What does your research process look like?
Ashley: I often draw inspiration from real-life stories. This book was especially challenging because the main character is my complete opposite. Writing from his perspective was difficult because I had to expand my view and see the world through a different lens. This led me to study the lives of famous musicians, movie stars, and influencers who dedicated their lives to Christ and faced media harassment, strong temptations, the pull to return to their former glamorous lives, the new struggle of walking as disciples, and the resistance to being idolized on their former pedestals. I spent months researching and
talking with people in recovery groups to better understand the challenges many face in their pursuit of sobriety and a new life in Christ. I have many people to thank for this story and its credibility.
D. T.: I’d imagine you got to hear some wonderful stories of God working.
With that in mind, do you have a main Scripture for your work in progress or your writing in general?
Ashley: Yes. The scripture verse for His Liberating Flame is Psalm 119:9 (ESV): How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
D. T.: What do you hope readers will take away from His Liberating Flame?
Ashley: I pray this book will inspire others to dedicate their love lives to God and turn away from the corrupted version of “love” that has infiltrated our culture. I truly believe that God writes the most beautiful love stories. As His children, we can trust Him with the deepest parts of our hearts. This book emphasizes the importance of putting God first and trusting in His goodness. When I was 16 years old, I committed my love life to Jesus. I waited seven years before meeting my husband. God blessed me beyond my prayers through my husband, Stephen. He was my first boyfriend and my first kiss. We have three beautiful daughters and have witnessed God’s miraculous goodness. I sincerely believe the Lord
wants to meet the deep desires of His daughters and fill their dreams with His promises.
D. T.: God’s goodness is so much better than anything we could ever think of.
What is the best feedback you’ve received from a reader?
Ashley: After reading His Liberating Flame, a reader reached out to me and said that this story helped renew her hope to pray for the prodigals in her family. I was so moved by God’s ability to use this book to inspire her to go to the throne room of Grace and speak again to God about her family members who have walked away from Christ after growing up in a Christian family. She wrote, “I was also so encouraged to continue with renewed hope to pray for my Prodigals and ask for those close to me to pray . . . Over the years, I have often grown weary when it seems my prayers are hitting a wall and my prodigals are further away than before. I know the power of a praying grandma brought me to my knees, along with a sister and a brother who now pastor a large church and have led many to the Lord. This story highlights the saints going to war on their knees, getting actively involved in Noble’s life, and loving him unconditionally, even though he repeatedly rejected them.”
Another reader told me she bought the story for her teenage niece because, while her niece is innocent, she knows she is exposed to many ungodly things in high school, and she felt this book would help her navigate through those.
D. T.: I love how God can use fiction to help us better understand and prepare for life.
Which of your characters is your favorite?
Ashley: My favorite character in His Liberating Flame is Trisha. She is a devout young woman who grew up attending church and, despite being 26, has never been in a romantic relationship. When she meets Noble at the café where she works, she courageously leads him to Christ with the grace of an angel. Throughout the book, she resists his advances, her own temptations, and consistently points him back to Christ. I hope she inspires many young people in the church who are facing ongoing temptations.
D. T.: When do you write? What’s your most productive time of day?
Ashley: I used to write early in the morning when I first came to Christ as a teenager. But now I write when my daughters are in bed. Sometimes, I’ve been so inspired that I’ve stayed up until 1 or 2 in the morning writing.
D. T.: And what do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Ashley: I enjoy spending free time reading, imagining, and praying. I also like baking with my girls, taking scenic walks along the ocean, and I love worship dancing. I enjoy talking late into the night with my husband (when our girls are asleep) or curling up with a good movie. As a life coach, I take delight in seeing clients go from fear to faith as they pursue their God-dreams.
D. T.: Our time’s also most up, so we just have one more question. What are you working on now?
Ashley: I am currently working with a small hybrid publisher on my newest novel, The Sacred Wooing, which is tentatively scheduled for release in late spring. This book explores the holy mystery of Jesus as the Church’s Bridegroom through a fictional story, while inviting the church to return to her first love (Revelation 2:4). I warmly welcome beta readers to join me in improving this project by offering their invaluable feedback. You can find more information about this project on my blog:
https://nourishmentthroughwords.com/the-sacred-wooing-invitation/
Synopsis:
Heaven is prepared for the most joyful wedding feast, but only one thing is missing—the bride. Noelani, a mortal woman with the divine spark of eternity inside her, is troubled by a cohort of evil spiritual beings plotting her downfall. Battle-worn, she begins to lose her only connection to her kingly groom, her faith.
All seems lost until her powerful groom knocks on her door and invites her to take his hand on a journey that will bring out her deepest fears and cause her enemies to double their attacks. Will her faith endure to the end?
D. T.: Once again, thank you so much, Ashley, for being with us here one the Brave Authors Blog and for sharing with us a little about yourself and what you write.
About Ashley:
Ashley is a life coach, teacher, and bestselling author. She believes in God’s ability to write beautiful love stories. She married her first boyfriend, Stephen, on a majestic mountain in Colorado beside a quaint church. They met at a heavenly three-story chalet with a sunroof, indoor pool, and stone fireplace. They currently live in a picturesque Mediterranean beach town on a forested mountain with an ocean view. They have two beautiful girls who bring them more joy than they could have imagined.
Ashley’s passion is for people to enter a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and be made whole by his love. She enjoys coffee, Autumn leaves, scenic walks, candles, worship dancing, and the vivid Pacific coast. Her greatest treasure is her relationship with Jesus and her family.
She is the author of Visions of Celestial Love, Romantic Rendezvous for the Soul, Fallen Coins and His Liberating Flame. She has coauthored two bestsellers, His Beauty for My Ashes and The Runaway Bride of Christ Overcoming Church Hurt.
