Today is publication day for The Love Solution, a fun rom-com with a difference, which has been published under my pen-name, name Ashley Croft.
This is a story that has taken four years to make its way into the world. All books become labours of love. You can’t devote six months of your life to a novel without caring about it deeply, even if at times the process may make you scream in frustration.
However, The Love Solution holds that extra special resonance for me in so many ways.
Why has it taken so long? Why does it mean so much?
The book was inspired by my daughter, who works as a genetic scientist. I ask her many questions and one of my questions was:
‘Could you make someone fall in love with you?’
She told me about some fascinating research in this area and well, I had to write about that!
I started The Love Solution at the same time as I began the first Cornish Café book in 2015 and was pretty much writing them both at the same time. I knew that several publishers were interested in the Cornish book, so I finished that and it was published by Avon. Even though I was rushed into a whirlwind of writing and editing, I kept on writing and refining the Love Solution whenever I got the chance.
I passionately believed in the story and I was determined to share it with my readers. Above all, I’d also made a promise to three-four – very special women that I would get it published.
The first was my daughter, without whom, I couldn’t possibly have written it. She has been a constant source of help and I even visited her lab to do some research. Apologies to her for any inaccuracies: I am not a scientist so the ‘wrong bits’ are all mine!
The second was the late and very brave Rowena Kincaid of BBC’s ‘Before I Kick the Bucket’, who wrote to me to say she loved my books. Unfortunately, I feared that Rowena might never see The Love Solution published so I dedicated one of my Cornish books to her instead. Sadly, Rowena did pass away but there’s a little nod to her at the end of The Love Solution which I hope her family and friends will see and approve of.
Finally, and most importantly, the book is dedicated to my best friend, Janice, and in memory of her late sister, Alison, who was also taken far too soon by cancer. The thought of seeing that dedication on the eBook and in print, drove me on to complete this novel and to see it published.
Thank you to everyone who helped with it, and to Avon Books for knowing how much it meant to me and publishing it.
I hope you love The Love Solution and will think about the incredible women in your lives as you read it.
