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

Ashley, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

Mostly, that I left this world better than how I found it. It’s hard, sometimes, to believe that one person can make much of an impact at all, but when I consider how much of an effect the words of others have made on my one, small life, the lens of legacy widens and it becomes clear to me that our impact is ultimately defined by our efforts. For me, art is an effort worth putting energy into and so it is my hope that my efforts in crafting poems and stories will affect even just one person in a positive way. And leave them better than when they found it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My first love was reading. I can’t remember a time I have existed without a book by my side. The more I found both escape and comfort in those pages, the more I desired a voice — the kind of confidence required to pull threads of thought from my mind and therefore bestow myself with the freedom to grow. I started writing early with one-page mini stories — quick and punchy. Over time, I became more loquacious and had to learn how to edit and refine. I received my first publication rejection when I was in fifth grade after I had sent an illustrated manuscript off for a children’s book writing competition, so not to be deterred from a dream I decided then and there I was going to make true one day, I kept writing for the love of it (and perhaps a little bit out of spite, as well). I eventually went on to obtain a Bachelor’s in English Language & and Literature with a cognate in Linguistics, the process of which really pushed me to explore and struggle with and, ultimately, enjoy not only my work but also the act of creating it. I am now in my late 30s and can say that I have since succeeded in having my work published, so I can’t help but feel that some degree of my stubborn spirit has been useful in the long run. The great thing about my journey so far is that I can recognize how much my writing has evolved over time, how much I as a person have also evolved. Most recently, I self-published my poetry collection, The World Goes Down Slow (link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CPG1BRRY?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_XCZYSX66KWBXQC7XW9PW), and took on the role of author but also of editor, photographer, cover designer, and marketing specialist. It was the most difficult creative endeavor I have taken on to date, but I am immensely proud that I pushed through all the doubt and difficulty to see it through. This collection was borne from a lot of personal strife (i.e. divorce, mental health struggles, grief) but also the subsequent resurgence of my self and my passion — stubborn hope and defiant joy. It is a celebration of healing through intimate and inquisitive reflections on worthiness through a lens of curiosity and respect for the vast complexities of nature. My ultimate goal in writing and publishing The World Goes Down Slow was to encourage us all to surrender to that which gives us power: awe over the unknown. If my book can reach one person and offer them the kind of reprieve that I continue to seek in the art (and in the nature) around me, then I think I can consider this goal met.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Evoking emotion in a world that prefers suppression is an important drive for me in regards to writing. If I can offer a safe place for someone to escape, to feel their emotions and sit with them, process them, I will have considered my time as an author a successful one. The reward is found in the very act of creating, to be honest. And then, if I’m truly lucky, that gift will continue to evolve and grow as it discovers the minds and thoughts and perspectives of others. To communicate and be perceived is a vulnerable state for any creative, but I have yet to regret a moment of it. How could I, if it means just one other can be perceived in return?

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I think many creatives can agree that resilience is a prerequisite for being a creative so it is hard for me to think up a story that illustrates this more than seeing my book on a shelf. The fact that it even exists was a tremendous test of my resilience — to keep writing and rewriting and writing some more, to design the book cover, to do the research on how best to self-publish. I think being an indie author has also been a difficult path but the hardiness developed while walking it is something I can always look to during the times of heartache when the words aren’t forthcoming. I made it this far, which is no small thing. And in spite of my own self at times, it is up to me to determine on how much further I can go. I suppose that is the ultimate ingredient for creative legacy: the desire to keep going and the resilience to continue doing so — against all odds.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://loganashes.com
• Instagram: @semiwildash
• Other: Threads: @semiwildash
  TikTok: @authorashleylogan

  The World Goes Down Slow for purchase at Amazon, B&N, and most other retailers.
  Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CPG1BRRY?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_MV7MWRPXA71P9B584XZD
  B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-world-goes-down-slow-ashley-logan/1144507613