Ashley Blake

Ashley Blake was born in Bossier City, Louisiana to John and Reba Blake on July 25, 1974.  He grew up in Springhill and is a graduate of Shongaloo High School.  Attending Southern Arkansas University and Northwestern State, he majored in English with a minor in Behavioral Psychology.  After college, Ashley took several different jobs, but kept working on his writing.  Ashley is the author of the controversial novel, :The Parent Killer," his debut book in 2003.

From an early age, Ashley drew inspiration for his stories from a life in a small town.  His mother, Reba, taught him the fundamentals of reading and writing, which led to his first short story, "The  Dollar."  His teachers, Patricia Stanford and Dan Skelton, saw promise in his ability to create and coached him in the art of creative writing.  For years, he tried unsuccessfully to publish one of his four manuscripts, and in late 2000, Ashley moved to Nashville, Tennessee, shopping for work.  By May 2001, he'd signed a contract with RA Publishing.

His second book, "Dear Arial," is set for release sometime in 2005.  He is currently working on "Dark Bayou," a tale inspired by the infamous outlaws known as the West-Kimbrell Clan, who terrorized north Louisiana during the 19th Century.  Ashley credits those years of discipline and hard work for his recent success.  "Springhill," he says, is actually the town format for the fictional towns in my stories.  Living there for over 20 years gave me plenty of ideas.  If you're from there, and you leave, it stays with you.