Author A.A. Gordon was a vendor at the 2018 Pumpkinfest festival in Port Elgin, promoting the first three books in her fantasy romance Dowrra series, The Wayside, Bloodline and Redemption. Redemption is expected to hit the market in March.

Hub Staff

With two books now released under Runefire Publications and a third expected in the new year, author A.A. (Ashley) Gordon is well on her way to completing her fantasy romance Dowrra series.

Originally from Markdale, Ontario, Gordon now resides in Saugeen Shores and her first book, The Wayside, was released in July while her second book, Bloodline, came out in September. Her third book, Redemption, Gordon said is currently going through the editing, formatting and printing process. "We're hoping for March, I think it is, so early next year, and then book four some time after that," she said.

Gordon said the Dowrra series currently consists of five books but may become six due to the size of the fifth book. "Each book centres around a different Dowrra; women descended from the Sumerian Goddess of Love, Inanna, who form a bond with a supernatural mate they innately choose," Gordon explained. Far from typical romance novels, Gordon said each book offers a different perspective on events leading up to the 'awakening' of Quinn O'Connor as well as an impending war between the paranomal and human spheres.

"All of the characters are familiar with one another but most of them are enemies which creates a lot of emotional tension as readers progress through the series," said Gordon.

Having self published the first four books in the series prior to launching Runefire Publications, Gordon just has book five left to write. Book four is titled Wolfsbane and book five, Incubus. But, Gordon said, there's also a trilogy she is working on that ties into the Dowrra series.

"[Wolfsbane] ends with kind of a war brewing so the trilogy goes through those events and sees them to their finish," she explained, adding that there is a second spinoff which would be a continuation of the second book. "They're the same characters but it follows more in-depth their story," she explained.

Gordon said that one of the things that has really stuck with her during her writing career is an interview with Harry Potter author JK Rowling in which she said she had wished that she had known in the beginning where things were going to end. "Then you can write sort of nuances into the story that really avid readers love to pick up on," said Gordon. "I really took that to heart so I don't want to release anything until I've finished the trilogy," she said.

"You must write it like one solid book and then you divide it up and then release them so that everything just ties together nicely," she added.

When Gordon is writing she said she can produce 40 or 50 pages a day but currently the focus is on a full time job as well as developing the business side of Runefire Publications. "We want to look into small businesses grants," she said.

Gordon said when she attended various events last year in Saugeen Shores, such as Pumpkinfest and Wild for the Arts, she saw a spike in digital sales; and with a recent CTV London interview, she's ready to take things to the next level.

"We want to do the sex show in Toronto next year. I think that's going to be a lot of fun," said Gordon. "Hopefully this is just the beginning," she said.

Once the Dowrra series is published, Gordon said that Runefire Publications hopes to take on local authors with a focus on fantasy writers. The publishing company is a three way partnership between Gordon, the majority partner, Abby Bolton and Rick Irwin. "It's amazing how many other local authors have reached out to me," she said. "There's a lot of young people writing fantasy... I'd like to start helping them out."

Gordon's books are available digitally through Amazon and Kobo. In Port Elgin they're available at Books and Strings, Rabbit Dash and Bruce County Physiotherapy, in Southampton at Kristen’s Pharmacy, in Kincardine at Fincher’s, in Owen Sound at Coles and in Markdale at IDA.

You can follow Ashley Gordon on Facebook facebook.com/authorAAGordon or check her website authoraagordon.com.

Saugeen Shores author A.A. Gordon attended Wild for the Arts in September, promoting fantasy romance Dowrra series.