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The Alternative Library

The Ashley Barnard Interview

Author of "The Unicorn Thief"

Time allowing and authors willing, JJ and I will continue to publish a new author interview in each issue of the Midnight Times. For the Winter 2006 issue we met up with Ashley Barnard, author of "The Unicorn Thief." In between raising her 2 year old daughter, running a theater company and writing critically acclaimed plays, Ashley Barnard was able to take time out to visit with us online and talk about her fascinating twist on the ages old unicorn myth. Enjoy! -- Jay Manning, MT Editor

THE INTERVIEW

JJ Collins: Okay, I think we're ready.

Jay Manning: Thanks for joining us for the interview, Ashley.

Ashley Barnard: Thank you! I'm honored to be here.

JJ: Would you please state your name for the record?

Ashley: Ashley Barnard.

JJ: Now, Ms. Barnard, you have been found guilty of writing a fabulous story.

Ashley: Oh, boy!

JJ: We're taking time today to shine the spotlight on you and perform a bit of an interrogation, so please tell us and your new fans a little bit about yourself, such as how your circumstances allow you to write.

Ashley: Let's see. I'm 31 and live in Arizona with my husband and two-year-old daughter Alexandria. Yes, MOST of the time goes to her. Since I'm a night owl I usually wait until she goes to bed, which can be late, to find time to write. I also have a part-time job and my husband and I run a theatre company. So needless to say, it's difficult finding time and energy sometimes.

JJ: I've been around only two two-year-olds for any period in my life, and I know they are EXTREMELY time and affection consuming. Do you have a writing routine?

Ashley: When I'm working on a novel I try to write every day because the flow is so much better. I've learned not to wait for inspiration or else that would be like once every six months. Someone famous--I forget who--said that writing is like selling shoes. You have to do it everyday.

JJ: I like your ethic.

Ashley: Well, otherwise it's like pulling teeth!

Jay: That's for sure. I have trouble finding time everyday. Things like mowing the lawn tend to get in the way.

JJ: What made you start writing?

Ashley: I made up imaginary worlds with characters living lives like fantasy soap operas when I was little, and one day it occurred to me that I ought to start writing down the stories I came up with.

JJ: About how old were you when you started writing the ideas and stories down?

Ashley: I did a little here and there as a teen--seventeen maybe? But not seriously until I was in my early twenties. And obviously the characters and situations had evolved considerably.

JJ: We noticed in your bio that you have a range of skills. Tell us about those and where they fit into your writing life.

Ashley: I've used the theatre company we run to my advantage, definitely. Four years ago we discussed writing an adaptation of a novel, and I volunteered to do Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. Because it was so near and dear to me I also directed the production, which was an incredible experience.

JJ: That is so cool. I only got to put a play together once, in high school, and it was one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done.

Ashley: It was very cool! And now the play is published by Dramatic Publishing Company, so I'm waiting for the royalties to start rolling in. Which play did you do?

JJ: It was an original play that I wrote while in high school. Ironically, I had 2-hour block PE classes that year. I managed to convince the PE teacher and the drama teacher to let me attend the drama class to pitch the idea and gauge student reaction.

Ashley: And? They loved it?

JJ: I didn't get any credit for drama class, but the play casting and directing and all was a payment beyond measure. I loved every aspect of it.

Ashley: See, you should get involved again.

Jay: Are we now interviewing, JJ?

Ashley: Oops, sorry.

Jay: LOL!

JJ: LOL, shut up Jay. That is cool also about the royalties too, Ashley. What other projects are you involved in?

Ashley: Thanks--I hope they start showing up. Writing, you mean?

JJ: Outside of writing--if applicable. If not, then yes, any other works you have going on.

Ashley: Right now the theater is on a bit of a financial hiatus, so nothing there really. I've just completed a novel, my first foray beyond the fantasy genre. So I'm taking a bit of a break.

JJ: You handle fantasy quite well.

Ashley: Thanks!

JJ: Which genre?

Ashley: Historical (specifically Victorian) fiction.

JJ: I can see that as a natural transition for you.

Ashley: Yeah?

JJ: Here's why: Jay and I were discussing some of your strengths as a writer, one of which was the environment. You were able to immerse us in the landscape and backdrop. Characterization is important as well, but if you get the universe right, it brings a whole new dimension.

Jay: You've done an excellent job with the setting.

JJ: "The Unicorn Thief" takes place in a "medieval period," a time in which you obviously haven't lived, yet you hit it dead on. Based on your ability to transport us to the past with that story, I could easily see you being able to adapt that milieu to another period piece.

Ashley: Awesome--thank you.

JJ: I have to make a comment about the opening scene. One of my favorite things about what you did was how you created this soft atmosphere and drew the reader in. The next thing you know it's all shot to hell due to an extremely violent act. For me it was like a movie.

Ashley: That's where my family got scarred for life. Apparently they settled into their chairs with a sigh of complacency. Oh, a sweet story about unicorns by our sweet, innocent Ashley. My dad says he almost didn't make it past the first page.

JJ: Did you intend to do that, or was it a side effect?

Ashley: Yes. Not to my family specifically, but in general.

JJ: That was so good. Openings are so important and that one stayed with me. Even now that's the first thing I think about when I remember the story.

Ashley: Thank you. I like taking conventional myths and messing them up with dark twists.

Jay: I need to interject here. Just want to point out that as an editor this is one of the things that really got my attention. The stark contrast of the story starting off as a Unicorn myth--I mean, that's what you're expecting.

Ashley: And you groaned, right?

Jay: And then it takes this incredible turn.

JJ: I did!

Jay: No. I was fascinated.

JJ: LOL!

Ashley: LOL!

JJ: I totally groaned. In fact, the ONLY thing that kept me reading was that the writing was so good. But if the story didn't change, I don't know if I would have finished it.

Jay: I was surprised that someone sent me a fantasy story and had the guts to go against the established norm.

Ashley: I knew I ran the risk of sending people screaming, "Not another unicorn story!"

JJ: You handled it so well.

Ashley: Dude, I'm going to cry soon.

JJ: You so accomplished what you set out to do. And I love that about good writers. They have a purpose even if it's within the confines of their own work. You did it without it seeming contrived.

Ashley: I do think it was one of my best projects ever.

Jay: It was just brilliant the new direction that you took the traditional myth in. I am very impressed.

JJ: So tell us, what was your inspiration for Adriana. Where did she come from?

Jay: Adriana is shocking in her cold disregard for others.

Ashley: Yes. She is. I was thinking about this last night, trying to remember. I think it was a few years ago when I was looking at the guidelines for submitting a story to Marion Zimmer Bradley's fantasy magazine. In the middle of the guidelines, in all caps and bold, it read: DO NOT SEND US A UNICORN STORY UNLESS YOU HAVE A NEW TWIST--WE ARE SICK OF UNICORN STORIES! I thought, egad, BLAH! How boring and juvenile to send a unicorn story to an adult magazine. And I think that's when I saw the image of the maiden with the unicorn's head in her lap, slitting the throat with perverse glee. I didn't write the story until recently. I had to make Adriana cold, greedy, etc. to fit the crime she commits.

JJ: Was it percolating in your head? The ideas?

Ashley: Yes, it was percolating in my head. I love dark fantasy--I don't know why.

JJ: So tell us about some of the other character inspirations. Or did they all just come together after Adriana was born?

Ashley: After starting with the maiden killing the unicorns, I thought, "What would peaceful unicorns do, if there were only two of them left, to stop her from wiping out the whole species?" Especially if killing is against their nature. So that's where Bain was born. As for the others, the brothers, I used "The Lion in Winter" as my inspiration. There's even a bratty, stupid brother named John. And the older, scheming, clever and backstabbing brother (I think his name is even Clarence also). Kind of my homage to a great play.

JJ: Ahh, that's cool. I like getting an insiders view on the inspiration. This is a POTENTIAL SPOILER QUESTION for my own personal clarification: the problem Adriana had (aside from the fallout from fornicating) was that she was no longer a virgin and could no longer attract unicorns?

Ashley: Right. According to the legend, only a virgin can attract unicorns. They are supposedly helpless against putting their heads on the maiden's lap.

JJ: Okay. Ironically, despite my groan at the beginning of the story, I don't think I've ever read a single unicorn story before. That's how popular the cliché has become.

Ashley: I loved unicorn stories when I was little. Now look what I've done!

JJ: I know!

Jay: Yeah, you killed almost all the unicorns. Speaking of which, I take it this is how the plot evolved for you after you got the initial idea with Adriana? Somehow the unicorns have to survive, and so Prince Bain is sent on a mission?

Ashley: Right. I had to make the unicorns desperate, plus it is my commentary on the modern world. The magic is almost gone. You know who Prince Bain really is, though, right? Maybe my ending was too subtle.

Jay: Well, it wasn't clear to me if there we're more unicorns, or if Bain was really like the last one? He was a unicorn, right? I assumed he had the ability to transform into a man.

Ashley: Whew! Okay, we're on the same page. Yes. He is the stallion they are desperate to kill. He takes the mission upon himself, basically, knowing it's in his power only, without using violence, to put an end to the killings.

Jay: It would be a subtle difference, but I'm thinking in the world of the fantasy genre, it's an important distinction that he is a unicorn that transforms into a man, and not the other way.

Ashley: Yes, that is an important distinction.

JJ: That is.

Jay: So was it relatively quickly after developing the Adriana character that you came up with Prince Bain as the counter to her? That is, the good to triumph over evil?

Ashley: Right. Again, it was putting myself in the mind of the unicorns, what they would come up with to stop her. And so I gave the stallions the little extra magic to set themselves apart from the mares, making them more valuable to humans, but without revealing, even to the characters, what that extra magic entails. And again, with commentary on the real world, I wanted good to triumph over evil, magic over technology, greed, etc., but only just barely. The threat would still remain.

Jay: You mentioned earlier that some of your readers (like your family) cringed at the start of the story, but did the fact that good wins out in the end help to ease their discomfort any?

Ashley: Most of them. My dad never said anything beyond, basically, "How could you?" I really scared him. But my mom loved it and my sisters.

Jay: I'm sure it would be scary to any father, regardless of his daughter's age, to read something like that.

Ashley: Yes, especially since it was really his first dose of what I write. Now he's really scared to read any of my novels. A close cousin of mine recovered after the shock and loved the karmic implications.

JJ: I actually liked the shock best, I think. But I don't know if I'd been at ease if we were close friends after reading it.

Jay: You are writing about universal themes such as the loss of innocence--I don't think any father would like to know about that stuff from a daughter. Needless to say, both JJ and I loved the story. Your writing is immaculate.

Ashley: Now I AM going to cry!

JJ: *JJ offers his shoulder and some paper towels* I think there was one other thing Jay wanted to ask.

Jay: I do have one last question. I was just wondering what led you to submit your story to Midnight Times?

Ashley: I was looking in the Writer's Market for a magazine that might be interested. Your description of what you were looking for almost exactly coincided with what I thought I had. Fantasy with a dark twist being the most important.

Jay: You certainly hit the nail on the head with that. So primarily it was that your story seemed to fit the guidelines. That's good.

JJ: I agree.

Ashley: Thanks! And Jay's email to me was so great--I have it saved FOREVER. I know, I'm so pathetic.

JJ: Well, sadly, I think we've come to the end of our interview. Before we close, is there anything you'd like to say to aspiring writers or fans of your work, Ashley?

Ashley: "Don't give up" seems like such an overused cliché, but I've been submitting writing for almost ten years, and this year I've had three tremendous opportunities (Midnight Times being among them). It really can happen, if you accept that your writing can always improve and you keep trying no matter what.

Jay: True.

JJ: You've certainly proved that point. I think that's great advice.

Ashley: I used to think my material ten years ago was perfect and couldn't be improved upon. And this story is a thousand times better.

Jay: BTW, Ashley, if you have a plug for a web site, an upcoming publication or whatever, now would be the time to mention it.

Ashley: Nothing beyond my play on Dramatic Publishing. Any theatre company can acquire the rights and perform it. I'm also waiting to hear from Random House on one of my novels. They have shown interest, and I'm waiting on pins and needles.

Jay: That's cool. Also, I'm glad MT has been a part of your recent publishing success.

Ashley: Me too. It was an incredible opportunity.

JJ: What should they do to acquire rights?

Ashley: Apply online at DramaticPublishing.com. They can also buy a copy of the script there. Thanks for the plug!

JJ: Excellent. All right, Adriana--I mean Ashley. Thank you so much for meeting with us this morning.

Ashley: Ooh, I'll get you for that! Thanks, too, for putting up with my maudlin sentiments. It's definitely been a pleasure.

Jay: No problem. Thanks for the wonderful story contribution.

Ashley: Thank YOU!