This morning I have the privilege of speaking to author Claire Ashgrove. Hello Claire and welcome to Fallen Angel Reviews. Please come in and grab a cozy chair. The readers are eager to learn more about Claire and her stories.

Dark, Sexy and Timeless Romance is what you get when you enter the writing world of Claire Ashgrove. Claire, I see hot off the presses, you have an upcoming release, Immortal Hope; can you enlighten the readers a bit about the characters and the story?

Immortal Hope is a dark paranormal romance involving demons, archangels, a quest for the highest throne, and immortal Templar Knights who bear a vile curse.

The premise is that the Templar Knights were cursed for digging beneath the Temple Mount in the 12th century. This curse eats away at their soul, and the only salvation they have is the discovery of the seraphs - contemporary modern women. The knights are steeped in history, isolated from modern society and rooted in their centuries-old traditions. While the women are fully contemporary and each possess a paranormal/psychic gift.

Immortal Hope launches the series, The Curse of the Templars, and is the story of the Templar Commander, Merrick du Loire, and his seraph, history professor, Anne MacPherson. Their struggle is both heartrending and heartwarming.

Where did the idea for this book derive?

I'm a history addict, and I have a deep passion for the Knights Templar. I've had that fascination for as long as I can remember. There are so many myths surrounding the fabled Order that there's just no way a paranormal author could keep her hands off. Add in my favorite fiction aspect of speculative fiction, and it naturally progressed.

Why not tell the readers where you get the concepts for your delicious stories?

Oh goodness… that's tough. I don't really know. Often it begins with "I want to write something that…" and then I start piddling around with what would be neat, or different, in "that". Popular songs often set the mood or tone. Little things will spark big ideas.

There's a couple real-life incidents that have triggered some of my ideas: my horse stories are products of the associations I've had in the equine industry, my novella, A Broken Christmas, was inspired by injuries a real-life soldier suffered in Iraq.

My paranormals tend to encompass gaps in history or lost facts. Immortal Hope came from the eradication of a great and powerful Order whose demise doesn't quite jive. My novella series, Inherited Damnation, focuses on a Celt tribe that has two mentions in history.

How long does it take you to finish a book from start to submission?

I plot heavily, so when I put the first word on the paper, I'm ready to roll with the whole story. I usually allot a week for the plotting/planning stages. Then about 45 days for the writing. I send that product to my beta readers for as close to 30 days as my deadlines allow. When I receive input, I spend about 2 days analyzing and adjusting what I agree with. Then I send the finished manuscript to my editor or agent.

What does Claire have planned for her life in the New Year?

A whole heck of a lot! Laugh.

I will finish my Inherited Damnation series this year - five forthcoming novellas. The second Templar book releases this year. And I have a proposal under consideration for a different project.

I also write as Tori St. Claire, and the second book in my Black Opal series will release in July. Here too I also have a proposal under consideration that may require a 2012 deadline.

Of your Novella's and short stories, paranormal and contemporary stories, which one would you say, has been the one that grabbed your heart the most?

That's also a very difficult question to answer. I tend to have aspects that I enjoy of each book I've published. Waiting For Yes was inspired by the stallion I owned at the time. He passed that same year, so that story holds a special place in my heart.

The Templar series - that's my passion. I love the ability to dig into history, mold it to my needs, and speculate on possible outcomes.

I suppose, if I have to pick one, it would probably be A Broken Christmas. It's a very emotional read and I have a strong bond with the characters and the challenges they face.

If you could choose one favorite author to be with you on a sinking ship headed to a desert island, to be stranded for a month, who would you choose?

William Faulkner so he can read aloud to me the stories in his head.

If I have to pick living authors, I think I'd go with my favorite, Steve Berry.

Would you say you are an organized person?

Outside of writing, absolutely not. But my writing life is extremely, obsessively organized.

Have you ever written a screenplay or thought of doing one?

Nope. It's not something that interests me.

You wake up one morning to learn that you are a pilot of an airplane. One hundred passengers are eagerly waiting you to choose their destination; where would you fly the plane this morning for a fabulous weekend?

Fasten your belts, we are off to Ireland, where we'll be exploring ruins and spending the night in a restored castle.

What do you and your boys do as a pastime together, that really brings on the smiles?

We play games together. We put together toys. And we play with the horses. We recently ventured into the roller skating rink, and that made my eldest glow.

If you eat pizza, what is your favorite pizza?

It's a toss up between Canadian bacon and pineapple with black olives, or pepperoni and black olives.

What is your favorite meal of the day, breakfast, lunch or dinner? And what would the meal consist of?

I've never been a breakfast person, and I'm usually too swamped around lunch time to do more than something quick, or snack throughout the day to achieve lunch. So that leaves dinner.

My favorite meal? Hm… wow… I'm so not a picky eater. Anything Italian will win me over in a heartbeat, especially if it's angel hair pasta. Though leave out the tomatoes, please!

Would you please give the readers your website, Myspace, Facebook, or link to buy your books?

Websites: claireashgrove, toristclaire and Twitter: @ClaireAshgrove

Claire, thanks so much for taking the time to be with us today. I wish you the best with all your upcoming works.

Interviewed by: Linda L.