In the world of storytelling, there’s no clear road map—only the lessons learned along the way. Ashley B. Davis, whose work has appeared in Liquid Imagination, Eunoia Review, and The Grey Rooms Podcast, knows this journey well. Her debut novel, The Space Between You and Me, released in 2022, was shaped by trial and error, mistakes and breakthroughs. Now, Ashley is balancing writing with her day jobs of managing rental properties and parenting two spirited eight-year-olds. She opens up about the power of persistence and learning through failure, sharing her hard-won wisdom from publishing The Space Between You and Me and her upcoming rom-com, Run of the Mill. Through her story, Ashley reminds us that every stumble is a step forward on the creative path.
What inspired you to write The Space Between You and Me?
The idea for this book was a declaration of love for Rainbow Rowell’s Carry On, which is just a warm hug of a book. Reading Carry On over late nights on maternity leave almost nine years ago was like a tether to reality, my love of books, and magic.
How did the initial idea of a friends-to-lovers story evolve into exploring themes of addiction, mental health, and identity?
I always see my characters before the story itself. I knew I wanted to write about these two boys, opposites, but the best of friends until one of them makes a mistake. The mistake that separates them before the events of the novel spirals into an identity crisis for one of the main characters, Jonah, and exacerbates the other main character, Apollo’s already present addiction (to magic) and undiagnosed depression. So much of this book’s angst, the overall tone itself, comes from exploring their individual wounds and misbeliefs.
Can you share a personal experience that influenced the development of your book?
When the idea for The Space Between You and Me came to me, I was emerging from a haze of postpartum sleeplessness and was just regaining my identity of self and writer after giving birth to my twins. During this time frame, I had also started a new job with more responsibility, moved, and was in the process of losing my grandmother. Looking up from the deep, dark hole of the mental state these situations left me in and seeing hope on the other side was a major influence on the development of this novel.
What were some of the most challenging aspects of plotting your novel?
I knew where and how I wanted these characters to end, but there were things that, initially, weren’t adding up at the beginning. So many drafts of this novel were reshaping the beginning to flow into the middle and end. Developmental editing was vital for an outside perspective on these plot points, and my editor Auriane Desombre was a star!
How did you overcome the difficulties of self-publishing and find the courage to share your book?
I wouldn’t say I ever found the courage to share my work but rather I published in spite of my fear. Though it’s a fun story about night drives through neon city lights, nostalgic sleepovers with your best friend, and forbidden magic, the deeper themes running through it make it important. I felt I had to tell their story about making mistakes and the choices we make for our loved ones. And though self-publishing was difficult, learning all of the intricacies and being my own web-developer, marketer, formatter, and all-around head decision-maker, it showed me that I was capable of more than I ever would have thought if I had remained where I was comfortable, with my stories gathering dust.
How do you balance writing with your personal life and mental health?
It is not easy. But if you really love writing/creating, you find a way to fit it in. And sometimes, I am too tapped out to fit it in. Most days are like this. But it’s for those late nights or early mornings, those golden write-sessions, those readers reaching out to say they loved your book that you keep pushing.
What strategies do you use to cope with creative blocks or moments of self-doubt?
Lately, I have been struggling with separating my worth and creative drive from how well my book and social media are doing. When I find that I’m zoomed out too far, I actively and conscientiously zoom back in and return my focus to the reason I keep doing this regardless of “success”, which is those moments of euphoria during a good writing session, the awe of what I have created when the project is finished, and always, always the hope that someone can see themselves in my work and feelthat relief of being known.
In what ways has writing this book impacted your own journey of self-acceptance?
Carry On was the first book I’d ever read with a same-sex romance. I was drawn to the dynamic, while at the same time, the romance felt inevitable between these two characters. I had to explore it for myself, and so Apollo and Jonah arrived in my thoughts one day, with their fraught history and complicated need of one another. And in exploring the same-sex romance of a gay character and questioning character, I found peace with my own questioning identity.
How do you approach writing about sensitive topics like addiction and mental health in a respectful and impactful way?
My hope is that writing truthfully about such things helps another person feel seen or sheds light on these conditions readers may not have otherwise experienced or observed.
Can you discuss any support systems or resources that have been particularly helpful for you as a writer?
Studying stories. In movies, children’s TV shows and books, in my favorite novels. Once I started critically looking at how story and character struggles (internal and external) functioned, writing this complex novel became easier. Applying the Save the Cat Writes a Novel structure to my 3rd draft was the best resource I had aside from developmental editing on this project. Also, having someone reading your work and cheering you on when it gets tough is invaluable.
What advice would you give to other women who are navigating their own creative projects or struggles?
To remember that life is full of seasons, especially considering day jobs, children, family, and health. Some seasons it feels like you’re not a creative or perhaps that you cannot be one, and some seasons you’re on fire. Honor those seasons and know that just because you are not actively writing, you are still a creative with stories swirling in your chest, waiting for the next season to be let loose onto the page.
How has your personal identity and experiences shaped your writing process?
I was raised in chaos, and so my process is pretty chaotic. My notes often end up scattered across every possible medium and surface. What I have learned in working on what will be my eighth novel is that the absolute best thing to do is to get the story on the page. I cannot allow myself to go back and fix things during this first or “zero” draft stage, else I will be caught in the weeds in something that could very well be cut later or significantly altered. I am learning to honor my seasons too and allow myself produce slowly if I need to.
What role do you believe representation plays in storytelling, especially for themes of sexual and gender identity?
I feel similarly towards this as I do to addiction and mental health. I would never disparage another person who writes to explore these themes and may not have firsthand experience with having ever questioned their own identity, because many write to know what they think, as Joan Didion said, but representation, especially from creators hailing from all the colors of the LGBTQIA spectrum, is certainly an asset which enriches the literary cannon, especially with a theme as vital as identity.
How do you stay motivated and inspired throughout the writing process?
With my next book, Run of the Mill, an adult rom-com with a twist, I have been having fun creating media for Instagram and TikTok. This has been motivating me to finish the story so I can share it with my viewers, hopefully by next fall! Also, surrounding myself in a mood bord for my current project, a playlist, and other movies or books that inspire me keeps me in the story. I adore Elizabeth Gilbert’s TedTalk on The Elusive Creative Genius and her book Big Magic. I am also reading Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way to help heal my inner creative, which oftentimes feels stifled by my to-do list and energy levels. Online communities like Amie McNee’s Inspired Collective remind me of the magic of creativity and how sacred it is to nourish that calling.
Looking back, is there anything you wish you had known before starting this project?
Everything I had to learn by making mistakes in publishing The Space Between You and Me. But that’s what trying and failing are for: learning. 🙂
Bio: Ashley B. Davis has work appearing in Liquid Imagination,Eunoia Review,Months to Years, The Grey Rooms Podcast, and Trembling with Fear. Ashley’s debut novel The Space Between You and Me released in 2022. Her day jobs include managing rental property and taming two feral eight-year-olds. You can read her work or sign up for updates on her next book, Run of the Mill, an adult rom-com with a twist, at www.ashleybdavis.com or say hi on Instagram (@ashleybdaviswrites) or TikTok (@ashleybdaviswrites).
