Where Stories Begin: Tori Ashlyn

Hello, my faithful and imaginative readers!

My journey to writing my first novel, Ascension, has not been easy. For years, I wanted to write the kinds of books I read when I was twelve. I set out to write secular romance, but every time I sat in front of my computer and began writing, my characters would somehow become Christian. Imagine trying to write about a woman who loves everything the world has to offer, only for God to suddenly reveal Himself. Because of this, I struggled with major writer’s block and could never finish my books. I would start countless promising stories, but I couldn’t complete them; even Ascension started as a secular book.

So, I put my writing on the back burner, and then life happened. I got married, had two beautiful children, and got divorced. I started dating again and discovered that the dating scene was nothing like it was in the ’90s, which, by the way, I really miss. Then I realized that people no longer believe in love. Imagine not believing in love, especially when God is love. See where I’m going with this?

As time went on, I found the love of my life, my soulmate, only to get hurt again. I had to grow up, and so did my soulmate. I realized that love brings so many lessons. Maybe that’s why people have given up on it. You see, you can’t truly understand God until you understand love. In 1 Corinthians 13:4–8, the Holy Scriptures describe exactly what love is, but people don’t realize that this also describes who God is.

The scripture reads: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record.”