My name is Ashley Jordan Macneir. The basics: I'm a wife, a mother, a teacher, and a writer. 

     I am the product of a hard-working single mother, a guardian of a maternal grandmother, and a little later, a caring step-dad. My mother's brothers, my uncles, also godfathers (yes, I have three godfathers), also influenced me in one way or another. I learned invaluable lessons from all of them. That's a post for another day.

     I grew up in the Ft. Lauderdale area, married the love of my life at twenty, went to college, became pregnant with my first child at twenty-one, began teaching, had my second child at twenty-three, continued teaching, went back for my master's in English education, continued teaching, and then became pregnant with twins at thirty! Whew! 

     Once the twins were born, my husband and I felt we needed a change of pace and scenery. We moved to Hillsborough, NC, "America's Little Literary Town." Although not the reason we settled in this town, it was wildly ironic to me.

     For me, language is an art. Understanding the nuances in structure, word choice, grammar, and content are all necessary components for creating a "piece" you can be proud of. It's a dance of the mind, come to life on the page. Yes, I'm passionate about written expression! I used to spend much of my free time drawing and painting. Believe it or not, writing a beautifully worded sentence gives me the same artistic rush as something I may have painted for hours to create. Writing is such an artform, and I'm always learning. 

     From a very early age, I knew I would grow up to be a teacher and a writer. In order to "get the best of both worlds," I studied education and English. What better way to make a living than to teach others the gift of reading and writing? 

     I guess one could say that I'm a teacher by day and a writer by night. After the kids have gone to bed, I stay up and write, write, write. If I'm not writing, then I'm reading. Fantasy romance is my favorite genre, hence my first novel, To Sacrifice a God. I am also a huge fan of high-fantasy, such as George R. R.  Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novel series (AKA, Game of Thrones). 

     Another author whose work inspires me is the one and only Diana Gabaldon. The Outlander series is a genre-merging masterpiece rooted in romance and historical fiction, not to mention the wonderful element of time-travel. This book series saved my sanity while I was caring for my twin newborns. I would sit up all night and nurse them while holding the giant novel between my feet. Gabaldon's writing was a comfort in a great but challenging time in my life. I simply adore her writing. Swoon. 

Outside of writing, I also enjoy home improvements and gardening. I try to spend as much time as I can creating.