… Clare Ashton

Welcome to the inaugural “20 Questions With…” interview. I’m honored that one of my favorite authors, Clare Ashton, agreed to answer the serious and not-so-serious questions. I hope to turn this endeavor into a regular one.

1. What’s the time of the day when you feel most like yourself?

I did not used to do mornings - early-bird lovers did not last long. I realised after several years of being with my wife that she wasn't a morning person either and think this contributed greatly to our compatibility! We used to quietly and slowly become sentient at the same rate without realising.

That's all been thrown up in the air with having kids of course. Now we vaguely function over 24 hours a day even in the morning although not at 2 a.m. when I can't sleep - why does every anxiety-inducing thought come at that time?!

2. What’s your coffee order?

Standard - white Americano. Pick me up - mocha. Large.

3. How would you describe yourself in three words?

Hungry. Pensive. Naughty.

4. What do you think of garden gnomes?

I don't usually think of garden gnomes. I don't really want to think of garden gnomes - creepy little fuckers.

5. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Beware of people who ask questions about garden gnomes.

6. What makes you smile?

My kids. They always give me a rush of love and happiness. Joe is the loveliest boy and will always know when I need a hug. And Ellie Belly makes me laugh every single day. Man, are kids tiring though.

7. Do you believe in soulmates?

Yes I do, although I probably have a broader definition than most. I don't think there's only one for each person - because let's face it, the odds are that hip twenty-something Tanya from London's soulmate is inconveniently a ninety-year fishwife over in Greece. I think the term applies to friends as well as lovers. I think it's something exciting and can be immediate - where you click with a friend or lover and even as the initial fireworks fade there remains a glow. But I think people can grow into soul mates too - where two initially different people find each other deeply compatible and supportive and navigate the world as a greater soul because of it.

8. What author would you follow till the ends of every literary genre they chose to write in?

Oh this is a difficult one. I'm not sure if I would follow anyone to absolutely every genre. And now I'm feeling horribly disloyal! Hang on. I've thought of one. I'll go with G Benson, author of one of my favourite ever romances Who'd Have Thought. I hate zombies. Absolutely bloody loathe them. I watched the film 28 Weeks Later and I still have nightmares after all these years. But I giggled and grimaced and raced through Dead Lez Walking, and even in the midst of the carnage I wanted the leads to jump into bed. That's some skill!!!

9. What makes you cry?

I cry at anything and everything. My son and I always blub at films. We'll be at one end of the sofa hugging in floods of tears while my daughter and wife are at the other nonchalantly eating popcorn.

10. What’s your best feature?

General chubbiness and robustness - good for children barrelling into you for a cuddle.

11. If you were a book, which book would you be and why?

What book would I be? It has got to be something to do with food. Maybe Cook, Eat, Repeat by Nigella Lawson. Because food and to worship Nigella.

12. Favorite flavor and scent?

Flavour - coriander (cilantro in the states?). I adore Thai cuisine food where this is a dominant flavour. Favourite scent - vanilla. I always need to take a deep inhalation when I make ice-cream or custard.

13. In a crowded room, what makes you notice a woman?

If she's offering cake.

14. What’s your one big regret?

There's very little I'd change. Not that I didn't hopelessly fuck up constantly throughout life! But I wouldn't want to change where I am now with my family and kids. If I could go back at all, I would give my grandparents a huge cuddle and thank them for being lovely and I wish they could tell me everything about their lives that I was too disinterested about as a kid and teen but would dearly love to know now.

15. What would be the title of your autobiography?

Where Did I Leave the Kids?

16. Three women you’d have over for dinner and what would you serve?

Given how knowledgeable and entertaining they are on panels (and how much I adore their books) I would invite Karin Kallmaker, Georgia Beers and Melissa Brayden round to chat about life, romance and writing, while I serve whatever they desire with wine followed by ice cream. I would make a homemade batch of the latter for Karin.

17. What’s the one thing you’d want the 18 year-old you to know?

Trust yourself, because nobody else really knows what they're doing either. And also every celebrity woman you ever admired - queer. You - also queer.

18. What’s in your fridge right now?

Everything! I cook a lot and we have kids so the fridge is always full of ingredients. Loads of veg and fruit and deserts. Homemade soup ready for lunch. Always a chilled New Zealand Sauvignon blanc ready to go (I should probably clarify that's for me, not my and 8 and 10 year old.)

19. If you could choose one song to be played every time you enter a room, what song would that be and why?

Is there a song that reminds you why the hell you went in the room in the first place? I'll have that if so.

20. What’s the one book you wish you could read again for the first time?

I'm not sure if there is one now. I enjoy re-reading books enormously these days. If a book is a thriller or a mystery, I love going back and finding the trail of clues and if it's a favourite romance then I cherish those comfort re-reads. And beyond those genres my favourite book in the world is Tove Jansson's The Summer Book - about a grandmother and granddaughter spending summer on a Finnish island, with moments both funny and poignant. It's such a beautiful escape from the world and so elegant and simply written that I find something to admire afresh in it every time.

Clare Ashton’s new book, The Tell Tale, a gripping story of a small town, enduring love and a web of secrets can be found on Amazon, here: http://mybook.to/TheTellTale