Meet Ashley Bazer and Her New Book: Asylum!

Hey, this is Haley, Karen Ehman’s intern and I’m taking over a blog post today! I’m here to introduce an up and coming author Ashley Bazer and her book Asylum: The Circeae Tales. 

IMG_0811CroppedThis new Christian sci-fi book is a must read. I had the opportunity to read it a couple months ago, and when I started to read it I could not put it down! I absolutely love reading, and over the years I have read several different allegories that spin off of Christ’s resurrection, and the people who proclaimed it after His accession.

Asylum is the first sci-fi allegory I’ve read, and before reading it I was unsure how strong a biblical account could be done in sci-fi, as I had not seen it done before in that genre. As I read I was blown away. Asylum holds true to God’s word and combines it beautifully with what you would expect a science fiction story to have. Spaceships, blasters, and wormholes are there but they are used for God- or The Creator King’s- glory.

The entire Trinity is represented as well. I loved that because many books I’ve read have either merged all Three of the Godhead into one entity, or have done away with an aspect of Him all together.

In the book the characters are faced with many trials and tears. While their lives are not easy (God never said our lives would be) Asylum shows how even in human weakness and doubt God is still in control, and He will never leave nor forsake His children.

I had the opportunity to interview Ashely recently. Here’s what she had to say.

How did you get started writing?

As a kid, I started writing stories to entertain friends. I really didn’t think about being a writer, though. In 2005, I left my career to marry a pastor. I moved across country and became pregnant. Within just a few months, my identity turned upside down! I found some old documents on my computer of some characters I had created. Being a longtime fan of science fiction, wild stories started to spin in my head. I completed my first 96,000 word count Christian sci-fi novel and started to shop it around for publication. After a few rejections, I did some research and discovered I had broken all kinds of rules I didn’t know existed. I studied the craft and continued to write more novels in the same created universe. Before long, I had five novels in the series. My first validation as a writer came when my manuscript for ASYLUM won the grand prize in WestBow Press’s 2012 Writer’s Contest. The prize was publication. I’ve since gone on to re-brand the series as The Crown’s Call, which now has fifteen books. Each standalone story in the series focuses on a different set of characters, although some of them do cross over. Seven of those fifteen are completed, just waiting for the right publisher to come along.

How did you come up with the idea for the book?

It started with a scene. I tend to daydream, and I was imaging a man and a woman having an argument—the man insisting that the woman was his wife, while the woman has no idea what he’s talking about. Why would the woman not know who this man was? Amnesia? Or something more? In the science fiction world, anything is possible. So I started to explore the characters and figure out their stories. I’ve long been fascinated with tales from the old sanitariums, morbid as they might be. While a lot of good was done, a lot of mental abuse took place. That started to play into my story. On a personal level, I had been dealing with a rash of headaches. Turns out that was from caffeine, but my creative mind wandered at one point and wondered if perhaps there was something more serious going on. This created the background for the lead female character. Those two major elements set beautifully into my created universe and allowed me to surround them with other characters already in the works.

What do you hope readers take home after reading the book?

I hope the readers enjoy the little reminders of God’s grace along the way. I’ve had a lot of people ask how God and science-fiction can work together, but I don’t see how they don’t. With God, all things are possible. And with sci-fi, the imagined possibilities are endless. My intention in writing a Christian sci-fi series was to reach an audience that wouldn’t normally pick up a Christian book. I’ve also crafted the religious elements in a non-preachy manner. Ultimately, I hope seeds of God’s love are planted through my words.

A short description of the book.

Ghost captain Chase Leighton’s wife, Trista, is captured by the Progressive Legacy and arrested for her affiliation with the Ghosts. Though publicly pronounced dead, she is handed over to the Legacy’s Experimental Medicine Agency. Chase searches for her, despite the news that she’s been executed. He and his men are ambushed and sentenced to the Straightjacket, a ship-based facility for the criminally insane.

Systems analyst Krissa Carlisle is temporarily assigned to the ship to fix their computers. As she is working, the inmates riot, taking Krissa as their prisoner.

But when Chase comes face-to-face with Krissa, he recognizes her … as Trista.

 

  • Certificate of Merit winner of Deep River Books’ 2012 Writer’s Contest.
  • Grand Prize Winner of the WestBow Press/Munce Group 2012 Writing Contest.
  • Traditionally published by WestBow Press in August 2012.
  • Nominated for a 2013 Inspy Award in the Speculative Fiction category.

Bio

Ashley Hodges Bazer lives in Colorado with her husband and three kids. She earned her BA in theatrical stage management from Arizona State University, and went on to work for Disneyland in that capacity.

She is currently a producer for Focus on the Family’s daily radio program. Her debut novel, ASYLUM, was traditionally published by WestBow Press in 2012. Learn more about Ashley and her upcoming books at www.AshleyBazer.com. Large_Cover

Ashely has offered to give away five copies of Asylum! Below comment what your favorite Christian allegory is, or if you haven’t read any your favorite Christian fiction book.

Winners will be chosen from the comments.

24 Comments

  1. Sheep are utterly dependent upon the shepherd: if one
    gets lost, it is unable to find its way
    back home. Prayers are said in conjunction with its presence on one’s person. It helps us understand the world and our lives in it
    in ways that go beyond the physical.

  2. I would love to get this book for my 13yr old daughter that loves to read. I’ve been looking for a Christian book that would strike her interest & this seems perfect!

  3. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe series. This book sounds great, though, and one to share with my children at some point! Thanks for the chance!

  4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis would have to be my favorite. As I was reading your blog, I wanted to comment because my daughter is a junior in high school, and her Physics teacher is a professed Atheist. As I was reading, I thought it would be so amazing if I received one of the giveaways, and my daughter could give it to him as a gift. I thought it might be a way to expose him to Christ of which he is not open to. Thank you for your approach in reaching the sci-fi world for and in Christ.
    Blessings beyond measure.

  5. I have read some Francine Rivers, but my son would LOVE LOVE LOVE your book. He has really enjoyed Frank Peretti.

  6. Hi Haley! Ashley’s book “Asylum…” definitely sounds very intriguing! I have not read much Christian fiction but I seem to be in good company by saying that I have read and reread “The Chronicles of Narnia”. C.S. Lewis filled my heart, soul and mind with “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” so I decided to read the Chronicles in their entirety in the order in which he wished them to be read. What a spiritual experience it was! I would love to read this sci-fi novel as well! Thanks for the opportunity!

  7. Wow, Haley, well done! You have me super intrigued to check out this author and the book, for my boys especially! My favorite Christian fiction is the Chronicles of Narnia.

  8. I have read lots of Christian fiction-some good and some not so much. I honestly don’t think I could pick just one book I love but in the allegory genre Pilgrims Progress is a favorite:) However,Asylum sounds fascinating.

  9. The book sounds very intriguing!! I am very into Christian suspense, typically, some fantasy stuff–favorite authors like Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti. I might become a sci-fi fan, though with these..hmmm… :)

    Carissa in eastern Iowa

  10. I love to read and Christian fiction is my go-to. I love to read Karen Kingsbury, but never having read science fiction, I would love to give this book a try!

  11. my favorite is the series by the Miller brothers – Hunter Brown. It’s written for teens or preteens but still fab for adults because of the allegory. Can’t wait to try an adult one!

  12. I love the Chronicles of Narnia books so I’d say they are my favorites in the Christian allefory genre. I have ot admit I’ve not been a fan of Sci-fi but this blog has sparked my curiosity about author Ashley Bazer and this book. I’d definitely be interesting in reading Asylum!

  13. I hope to read this soon. My favorite is C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia books. The whole series really takes the bible and puts it into a different perspective and makes it a wonderful read. I read this before I became a Christian and then read it again after I became a Christian and it is a wonderful series and while it changes things to make it a good story, it stays true to the bible in most respects.

  14. I haven’t read any so I’ll go with my favorite Christian fiction. It’s hard to pick one but probably Redeeming Love by Grancine Rivers.

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