We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Cecilia Meyer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley Cecilia below.

Ashley Cecilia , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

I started my creative career in 2020, when I opened up my bookstore virtually and then decided to finally start writing my debut novel in 2020, “The Cottage Witch Of Venice.” I do wish I would have started sooner and realized how important books, words and passion projects are just as important to to this world as other job/ career choices as well. With that being said, that also comes with time, and feeling an inkling of belief in yourself, and also being a dreamer. Dreamers are important to this world, I do believe they are the change makers because of the belief of something not tangible, but that could possibly be there one day. So, yes, I wish I would’ve have started sooner, but at the same time, I do also believe that spark came at the right time.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I got back into reading as an adult after having my second child. I picked up “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” again as an adult, in my mid-twenties, and it felt very much like deja vu. I remember how much this book changed my life. I was adopted, and in my later years, teens, I was in various different placements. To pass the time, I read and wrote. Not only to pass but to help me comprehend all the emotions I was feeling. I read this book by Maya Angelou, which was such a turning point for myself, she inspired me to speak out about my sexual assault, and she helped me find my voice again. I feel so strongly that I wouldn’t be where I am at today without that book. I am the expection in many different ways. I wanted to start selling books and reminding people how beautiful words can be from those that are no longer here and those that are still creating. I do believe that nothing is original, and the ideas, thoughts, words, passions, find us for specific reasons. Authors, books, still circulate for years to come. Words change me everyday and that was another reason, I decided to take my writing more seriously and complete my first novel. To still be heard, and to hopefully make others feel seen when I am no longer here, and to create change, big or small, is what continues to keep me motivated.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My main goal is to inspire others to follow their passions, big or small. To help others find their voice, and to remind them that we can make change within our own way. We all have stories and how we share them is so important.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Not everyone is rooting for you. Not everyone wants to create change and not everyone cares. My backstory is just getting to know other people, and realizing that not everyone wants the same things. For me, at times that is something hard to accept that as a human we all don’t want to be a part of positive change, but what counters that is the amazing people that you do meet, carving out a small pocket of change, that restores your dream as well, and I am so very thankful to those people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://heartandsoulbooks.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyceciliawrites/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-bailey-391294284/