It's out | Where to buy

Release day has come!! 

Sooo...for those of you dying to get your hands on a copy...let me give you the skinny! 

You can get it a few ways, as both a Paperback & Kindle...

1) On Amazon. 💻

It's $15.99 on there for my U.S. readers and $20.41 for us lovely Canadians.

I wanted it to be $19.99 on both stores, but I couldn't set the price manually on both sites. It's all based on the American price, which then does the conversion rate for the Canadian site. If I put the list price on the U.S. store below $15.80 I wouldn't be getting any royalty whatsoever, so I just said, "well, I'm sure my Canadian readers can handle the extra forty cents I wanted so desperately to save them" haha :) 

2) As a Kindle. (also linked & clickable)📱

I know lot's of you love reading on your phone, tablet etc. so this is for you! 

Also, for those of you enrolled in the KU or KDP Select program on Kindle, you can currently get Present History for free as apart of the "subscription". It is $9.99 regularly, so you can get it either by being enrolled in the program or just buying it straight up & glorious. 

Here are the links for if you live in the...

UNITED STATES 

CANADA

UNITED KINGDOM

GERMANY

FRANCE

SPAIN

If I didn't list your country- just click on one of these links and the site should automatically detect your country and ask to redirect you to the appropriate store. 

Note: For those of you who are saying, "Yikes. I don't have a Kindle device- I can't read the ebook version of her book!" Fear not. You don't have to have an actual "Kindle" device. You just have to download the Kindle App, which I believe is available for both Apple & PC devices. Just google "kindle app (insert what operating software you have- i.e., Apple or PC)" It's a free app and basically just allows you to read Kindle files. 

INTERNATIONAL READERS ⤵

My advice to you would be...search your country's Amazon for "Present History Ashley Nikole" and see what you get. If the list price is inordinately high, it's either because the exchange rate is positively unfair, or the listing is not yet completely built. I've read that sometimes it takes up to 6 weeks for certain international listings to be completed.

Or, you can simply buy the Kindle version. It's not a book-you-can-hold-in-your-hands-book, but nonetheless, you still get the full novel, just electronically. 

That about concludes this post- let me know if you guys have any questions! Also, once you've read Present History, please make sure to go on Amazon & rate and review it, also on Goodreads as well! That helps me in so many ways. 

I'll leave you with a few lovely photos my sister @LauriciaDawn took of my book! Feast yer eyes 😂😜

GIVEAWAY for Present History on Goodreads

The release date for Present History is inching closer and closer (5 days!!!) and to celebrate, I'm giving away 3 signed, first edition copies of Present History to 3 lucky people. The giveaway is happening on Goodreads, so if you don't have an account on there and want to be apart of this, be sure to set one up! Its very simple.

| Giveaway is available in Canada & the US and ends on the 19th of November.

Enter by clicking here and be sure to share with your friends!

And in case you need a little incentive *wink wink* here are three reasons why you should enter...

➊ Its FREE

➋ You'll have an amazing new book to read

➌  Its gorgeous and looks absolutely fabulous in pictures ;)

| All pictures taken by @LauriciaDawn |

As always, thanks so much for sharing your support and excitement with me surrounding the release of PH.
It brings me joy!
OCTOBER 25th is coming soon, guys!!

-Ashley

Present History is GETTING PUBLISHED!! | Cover Reveal

I'm getting published. 

Squeeeee!!!!! *cue celebratory music blaring*

I have been working towards this day for over a decade (literally), but quite feverishly the last two years, and almost insanely the last year. Let me just say, from the bottom of my heart...yikes. What a

process this has been! 

I feel as though I've encountered almost every alluvion known to humankind in the formatting department- but I PREVAILED. And when I say "almost every", I mean, "every single one and about one-hundred more that no one even knew existed", haha. Yeah. 

I have cried more consecutive days in a row from formatting disasters than I think I ever have (not from formatting disasters, cause before this I didn't know what a a formatting disaster was. The closest thing I can compare this to is a high-school math meltdown, but worse). 

But it has been worth it. Every single hour spent writing, refining, polishing and formatting Present History has been worth it. 

I can't wait to get this book into your hands!

When is it coming? Good. question. 

Thanks for asking :) Present History will be released, OCTOBER 25th, 2017

It will be coming out in Paperback, Kindle and ePub format. You'll be able to buy it directly from my online store on Createspace, and also from Amazon. If you're local to the Calgary, Alberta or surrounding area, I will have a limited number of signed copies available for pickup. 

I will put the links for where you can buy it once I get them sorted. In the meantime, you can add Present History to your TBR (to be read) list on Goodreads. So, click here for that! 

A big thank you to everyone who has supported me through this journey of publishing my first book. From my beta readers and readers on Wattpad who left the sweetest comments and helped me finetune several plot details that were dying a sad, unconnected, confusing death...THANK YOU! Especially Francesca B. & Rachel R. on Wattpad- you ladies brightened many a day with your interactions! 

SPREAD THE WORD. 

If you wanna help a girl out, share about Present History. Tell your friends who love fiction that it is coming out! Give them the link to add it to their Goodreads list. I will be doing a giveaway on there, too, so stay tuned! Do some Instagramming, Facebooking or just some good old-fashioned blabbing to your co-workers, school buddies & friends, letting them know that a) Present History is coming out SOOON or b) if you've read an ARC (advance reading copy) of Present History, that you liked, lumped or were basically crazy about it. 

I need (and am incredibly grateful for) your help!! 

Who is ready? I am. Are you? 

Weapons Of War: Engagement | Social Media Talk

Engagement is a weapon. In life. Online. Offline. How you engage with humanity at large, says a lot about you as a person. 

When you talk to people, do you look them in the eye, or do you look at their shoulders, lips (egad), or someone behind them? Are you present, or are you somewhere else, thinking about that coffee date that you just can't wait to attend? 

To the degree you are engaged, you are expressing your value to a person, or lack thereof. Think those rules of engagement and presentness only apply to in-person interactions? Well, they apply to a good deal more than running into someone at a grocery store or during a highly coveted job interview or first date. 

Manners matter on social media. 

They matter a good deal more than people think they do- I wouldn't be writing this blog post if the concept was common knowledge. 

Interaction & "Ghost Followers" 

Over the last decade, I've seen social media go from being a fledgeling little project that a few people participated in (mostly the geek squad), into it becoming the "big thing" of the century that is as essential as a flushing toilet, leastways round these parts.

Over this time, the biggest trend I've witnessed is followers/friends etc. becoming increasingly silent, apathetic, & less engaged. 

It is a rather indicative sign of where our young culture is right now...non-commital, flighty, not engaged in much other than political debates, trash talking and seeing everyone's posts, and not doing anything about it. 

Well, that's a heaping pile of unhealthy behaviour. We need to cut this crap and commit ourselves to healthier ways of participating in life. 

When I follow someone on social media... it is because I want to participate...somehow, in their life. Unless of course this is a celebrity with tens of thousands, or millions of followers- I followed them because I appreciate the content they produce, and I dang well want to interact with them. I don't just mean watching EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEIR STORIES and never replying to them, or liking every single photo and never commenting. That is not meaningful interaction. It's passive existence. 

When I follow someone, I am committing to, somehow, blessing and supporting that individual, through meaningful, intentional and heartfelt interaction on things they post. Not merely throwing out a "sick" or "rad" or "sweet"or "love" or a blue heart emoji. That is not intentional, it's irritating, because it is as cookie cutter as someone throwing a flyer on your doorstep, not actually complimenting you on your yard or house, they're really just asking you to come and check out their life. 

If I get to a point on social media where I find myself scrolling through my feed, without really feeling like I want to engage, then I unfollow said account. People can change, and paths do in fact, diverge. That's okay. 

Similarly, I would rather someone unfollow me and no longer see my content, than sit in the shadows, see EVERYTHING and pretend they saw NOTHING. That is entirely creepy, and passive as all get out, and it drives me nuts. 

I know I can't do everything well, so at the beginning of the year, I decided I'd pair down who I was following on social media, so that I'd be able to better interact and put into the people who I am following. Because, the way I see it, it's better to do a handful of things well, then to do everything poorly. 

There are people behind these social media accounts. I can't tell you how much a heartfelt, intentional comment or message can mean to someone. Please don't assume they don't care who does or doesn't interact, because "It's just social media- it doesn't mean anything". Tell that to the people who have met their spouses on social media, or their best friend, or a job they loved, or they decided life was actually worth living, because of an interaction with someone who showed them value. 

Engagement is a weapon, I cannot stress enough, what a weapon it is...and we as young people need to stand up and see it for what it is. A weapon. It's dangerous and wonderful and POWERFUL, and it truly has the ability to cripple a culture or change the world with its brilliant zest and vibrancy. 

If you have your pick of fabulous friends, grandparents, cousins, community at large and amazing colleagues, you probably haven't felt the deep void of interaction as keenly as those without supportive networks and extended families. But engagement matters more than we know, and it's about more than just a green heart on someone's latest IG post because they said they were getting rid of their ghost followers. It's a lifestyle. 

It's time that we as a culture, value engaging in the lives of those around us, whether that be in face-to-face interactions, or on social media. 

Being passive seems harmless enough, until you're on the receiving end of it and you're made to feel about as valuable as Tuesday's trash. 

Engage. Be present. Show value. 

You aren't following a robot, you're following a person- flesh and blood. Heart and soul. 

Break the chain of passive existence & chose to invest in the people around you. It will have a ripple effect, changing the lives of people you'll never even meet- but your behavior will bless their socks right off...how cool is that? 

-Ashley

Character Sketches | Part 2 | Phantom's Daughter | Hands Of Time series #2

Hey ho, #HandsOfTime series peeps! 

Last week I shared some character sketches for book one in the series, Present History. Today, I will be continuing in revealing some character sketches, but this time it will be from book 2 in the series- Phantom's Daughter! 

Let us begin with a summery of this book...

Ebony Hunter has been an outlaw for as long as she can remember. Her memory, however, doesn't go back more than a few years. Some event erased her memory- she has no idea who she really is...how she got tangled with the outlaw gang called Phantom- or ended up on the wrong side of the law. 

When she discovers her pursuer, U.S. Marshal Ethan Fellows is someone from her mysteriously shrouded past, the clock is ticking. Can she escape Phantom before her life is claimed in the process? Who is Ethan, and why does he know her past but will reveal nothing to her- save his intentions to lock her away or see her swinging from the hangman's noose? 

Setting: Oregon 1895

Ebony Hunter North (Hunter) 

Location: Oregon, USA (1895)

Age: 23

Occupation: Outlaw & Co-Leader of Phantom

Hair Colour: Dark Brown

Eye Colour: Brown

Height: 5'7''

Ethan Fellows

Age: 28

Occupation: U.S. Marshal

Hair Colour: Light Brown 

Eye Colour: Blue 

Height: 6'2''

Character Comments: Ethan doesn't discriminate...he just hates everybody. Just kidding ;) He's actually a very nice guy, but his history has made him a little rough around the edges. 

Jackson James Dewar (Jack)

Age: Unknown 

Occupation: Outlaw

Hair Colour: Blond

Height: 5'11''

Eye Colour: Green

This guy has made an appearance in book 1 (under the name James Dewar), now book 2- so if you're wondering about his contemporary-ness, don't worry, he was fully 21st century in Present History. How he makes it around from time period to time period is a mystery that will be slowly unraveled as time goes on. 

Terrence North 

Age: 42

Occupation: Phantom's Leader & Famous Outlaw

Hair Colour: Dark Brown

Height: 6'

Eye Colour: Ebony

Character Comments: Ebony Hunter North's father. 

Dan Heeler 

Age: 37

Occupation: Outlaw

Height: 5'11''

Eye Colour: Brown

Hair Colour: Ash Brown

Howie Robertson

Age: 45

Occupation: U.S. Marshal (Scottish)

Hair Colour: Brown 

Eye Colour: Green

Character Comments: Howie is a supporting cast member in Present History (book 1), as you'll know if you've seen Present History's Character Sketches! He originally hailed from Oregon in 1895, so that's why he's another supporting cast member in this story. He and Ethan work together as U.S. Marshal's. 

There we are! Now you have a basic idea of the main characters. What'd'ya think? 

Below are more story inspired photographs I found searching on pinterest and tumblr :)

Read a SNEAK PEEK of Phantom's Daughter on Wattpad, here's the link. Make sure to comment on how you liked it & also vote- it helps me get more exposure and new readers :) 

Until next time! Makes sure to follow along on IG: @ToAshleyNikole

Character Sketches | Part 1 | Present History | Hands Of Time series #1

Today I will be introducing to you the characters from Present History! Wahoo! I've gone hunting on pinterest for actors/models who look similar to those I've written about, and I create storyboards with them in mind. So, without further ado, let's get started. 

Book 1 in the Hands Of Time series...

Excerpt: Seeking refuge in Canada after her police officer father is killed in action, fictitious characters begin appearing in her house...characters from her books, from history. 

A Scottish U.S. Marshal, a battered Civil War soldier whose identity is not what it seems, and a hardened criminal with a grudge, determined to silence Ellie before his secret gets out, all come calling to her lakeside cottage.  

Setting: Present Day

Location: New York City

Ellie Daniels

Age: 22

Time Period: Present Day

Hair Colour: Brunette 

Height: 5'2''

Occupation: Author

After her father is killed, she takes some much needed time off, where she goes to Canada to stay in a childhood vacation home. A cottage, in British Columbia. 

Tom Holt

Age: 28

Time Period: Present Day

Hair Colour: Dirty Blond

Height: 6'2''

Occupation: N/A 

Character Notes: 

Tom's good humoured personality is readily seen, but a secret loss clouds his world from the day he and Ellie meet. 

Ethan Fellows

| Marshal |

Time Period: 1895, Oregon

Age: 28

Hair Colour: Light Brown 

Height: 6'1''

Occupation: U.S. Marshal

Character Notes: 

This hot-tempered Marshal has a personal dislike for...basically everyone on planet earth. His past has been riddled with loss and hardship, thus he is obsessed with serving justice- especially to the infamous outlaw Terrence North, and his son, Hunter. 

Justice Hudson

| Lieutenant | 

Time Period: 1865, USA (Civil War) 

Age: 20

Hair Colour: Dark Brown 

Height: 5'7''

Occupation: Union Sharpshooter 

Character Notes: Enrolled in the Union Army, disguised as a man, when she was 16. Has a personal history with slavery and injustice, making her moral convictions run deep. 

Howie Robertson

| Marshal | 

Time Period: 1895, Oregon

Age: 42

Hair Colour: Dark Brown

Height: 5'11''

Occupation: U.S. Marshal

Character Notes: Initially came from Scotland (has a thick accent). Works with Ethan Fellows. 

 Jonathan Dreggs 
| Colonel | 
Time Period: WWI
Age: 33
Hair Colour: Light Brown 
Height: 6'
Occupation: Colonel in the British Army

Hannah Buehler 

Time Period: 1800's 

Age: 64

Hair Colour: White

Height: 5'3''

Occupation: Town Healer & Herbalist

Jackson James Dewar (James)
Time Period: Unknown
Age: Unknown
Occupation: Assistant to Literary Agent, Marg Lindle
Height: 6'
Hair: Blond

Here are a few more pictures I've used as inspiration and to depict some scenes...

If you'd like to give the first few chapters of Present History a read, check them out here. 

I'll be releasing updates on the publishing process as I go, on my...

Lifestyle Instagram @ToAshleyNikole