Ashley Elise Davis is a rookie to the Gallery WIHM event. She is a Writer.
What motivates you to do what you do?
I was raised on horror fiction, and have idolized women like Angela Carter, Mary Shelley, and Shirley Jackson since my kindergarten years. There’s true magic in what we do that can’t be found anywhere else.
Who is your favorite woman who does what you do?
Angela Carter, hands down, though Shirley Jackson’s opening paragraph of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE remains my favorite paragraph of all time in all of literature.
If you had one wish for women in your space in 2020, what would it be?
I want there to be more intersectional visibility for women of color, like me, and LGBTQ/trans/non-binary writers.
Share a practical tip for a woman who wants to do what you do.
Learn to edit well first. Then your ideas will flow much more smoothly and you’ll find your own style quicker.
Inspire someone who is not where they want to be in the industry yet.
I always said I’d never write a book—just edit them. As an editor, astrophysicist, and artist, I don’t have lots of time, either, but I’ve written 10 novels and countless shorts and poems in the last two years. Inspiration can take time to hit, but when it hits, it hits hard!
What scares you?
The thought of losing my kids. I’ve lost three at birth, and my two loving girls are my world.
What projects do you have coming up?
My debut novel, SANCTUM OF THE WATERHORSE, is set for e-book, print, and audiobook release any day now with J. Ellington Ashton Press! I also have 4 other projects contracted, but they’re not ready to be announced yet!
