Welcome to Ashton Falls: A Behind-the-Scenes Author Interview

Welcome to Ashton Falls… Where Everything Looks Perfect Until It Isn’t

A Moonlit Nook Feature on Collaboration, Complexity, and the Magic of Two Voices Becoming One

There’s something about certain stories that don’t just pull you in… they settle in around you. The kind where the setting feels a little too polished, the characters a little too composed, and somewhere beneath it all you can feel the tension quietly humming. Like something is waiting to crack. That’s the energy of Ashton Falls.

What makes it even more intriguing isn’t just the story itself. It’s the way it was written. Not by one voice, but two… somehow blending so seamlessly it feels like a single, perfectly tuned note. When I sat down with authors Kim Hendren and Lisa Keeling, I didn’t just want to know what they wrote. I wanted to know how two people create something that feels this cohesive, this layered, this immersive.

And the answer? It started exactly where all good stories do... with a spark.

Where It All Began

When I asked what first sparked the idea for Ashton Falls, Kim doesn’t hesitate.
“Lisa’s imagination. Then we both built upon it. It was a fun and creative process. The ideas poured out. It’s like flying.”

Lisa’s inspiration runs deeper, rooted in a lifelong fascination with people and the quiet complexities they carry.
“I’ve always loved psychological thrillers because I’m fascinated by people: their layers, their secrets, and what drives them to make the choices they do. I grew up watching Agatha Christie mysteries with my grandmother, so my love of suspense started early. As I got older, I was drawn to books like Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train … but also shows like Big Little Lies and Sex and the City, which really explore complex women, relationships, and the layers beneath the surface. That mix definitely shaped the way I tell stories. And it started as an idea I had, but then Kim helped me build off of it from there.”

When Collaboration Feels Like Second Nature

Co-writing a book can feel like handing someone the keys to your house and hoping they don’t rearrange the furniture. The process is about blending voices, instincts, and timing in a way that feels almost intuitive. It takes the right mix of personalities, a shared creative rhythm, and the kind of trust that allows one person to run with an idea while the other holds the bigger picture steady. When it works, you don’t notice two writers at all… just a story that flows effortlessly from beginning to end. Co-writing can be a risk when two voices don’t always blend as seamlessly as you hope. For Kim and Lisa, it never really felt like a risk. It felt inevitable.

“We always got along famously,” Kim says. “We are so similar in terms of personalities and the way we speak. We are both authors, so writing together was the logical next step. We have so much fun writing together.”

Lisa describes it as something that was already happening before they ever named it.
“Our voices blended easily, which made the decision to co-write feel less like a risk and more like something that was already working... we just decided to commit to it.”

Characters That Hit Close to Home

With six women woven into the story, each carrying her own weight, her own secrets, it’s no surprise that pieces of the authors found their way onto the page.

I asked the ladies which of these six women, each uniquely nuanced and deeply layered, they felt most connected to. For Kim, that connection is immediate with Eliza.
“Eliza, I love her. She is whimsical, down-to-earth, and nurturing. I find her to be an easy character to like. She’s intuitive to the energy around her and approaches situations with kindness and heart.”

Lisa’s connection came with a little more realization after the fact.
“Every character is an amalgamation of people I’ve been close to, but somehow I ended up channeling more of myself into Rowan than I even realized or intended. Her sarcasm, her ability to read the room and instantly clock people’s energy and intentions, and the way she uses humor to break tension when things get uncomfortable.”

Trust Over Tension

It’s a simple question on the surface: Did you ever disagree on the plot? But it gets to the heart of what makes or breaks a collaboration. Disagreements aren’t really about the plot itself. They’re about trust, communication, and how two creative minds navigate uncertainty together. It’s in those moments, when a twist isn’t fully clear or a direction feels uncertain, that the strength of the partnership shows. Do you push? Do you pull back? Or do you trust the other person enough to let the story unfold?

You’d expect disagreements. Creative differences. Maybe a few moments of “no, absolutely not.” But that’s not really how this story unfolded.

“We seldom disagree and we are respectful of each other’s opinions. That’s so hard to find,” Kim says. “She loved my suggestions, and I loved her ideas as well. We trusted each other with the process and ideas.”

Lisa admits there were moments of uncertainty, but they never turned into friction.
“There were moments where one of us would question where the other was going with a twist or idea, but it usually came down to, ‘Just trust me and let it play out.’ And every time, it did. It all came together in the end.”

Freedom to Go There

Some of the best stories come from the places writers hesitate to go, and then decide to go there anyway. Taking risks in writing is where a story stops playing it safe and starts becoming something unforgettable. It’s the moment you let a character say the thing they shouldn’t, make the choice that complicates everything, or take the story somewhere altogether unexpected. But when you’re co-writing, that risk doubles. It’s not just about trusting your own instincts, it’s about trusting someone else to meet you there, and not pull the story back when it starts to stretch. That kind of creative freedom doesn’t happen without trust, and when it’s there, it shows on every page. It’s why I found myself asking if they ever pushed each other to take risks.

Kim laughed as she gave Lisa full credit for pushing those edges.
“Lisa gets full credit for any naughty words. Ha! She is a firecracker. I love how creative her mind is.”

And in a time where authors are increasingly being asked about the role of AI in their work, Kim makes a point to be clear.
“I want to add that we 100% wrote this book ourselves. It was a fun back-and-forth process with no use of AI for the writing; authors are asked that. Our beta readers and book editor can attest to that, with our million revisions and ideas. We were a little neurotic with the edits.”

For Lisa, it wasn’t about pushing as much as it was about permission.
“I wouldn’t even say we had to push each other; it was more that we gave each other the freedom to take risks. There was a level of trust where we could go there with a character or a twist and know the other person would support it rather than pull it back.”

A Process That Never Really Paused

I asked the authors what their typical writing sessions looked like. Were they locked in a room together for several weekends, or was it more like Zoom calls and messages back and forth? It’s a fun question, but it also pulls back the curtain on the rhythm behind the story. People tend to imagine writing as something cinematic, two authors holed up together, fueled by coffee and inspiration, but more often it’s built in the in-between moments. Messages sent throughout the day, voice notes, late-night ideas, and conversations that never fully switch off. That consistency matters, because it’s what keeps the story alive between sessions and allows both voices to stay aligned as it evolves. The process becomes less about where you’re writing and more about how consistently you stay connected to the story and to each other.

“Great question! A little of both,” Kim says. “We’d meet up on occasion. We used Messenger heavily and went back and forth daily. It was a breeze communicating. We were so immersed in the Ashton Falls world! Ask our husbands… maybe too immersed.”

Lisa paints an even clearer picture.
“We got together in person a few times to map things out, but most of the writing we did separately. The funny part is we were sending audio messages back and forth all day, every day, so even when we weren’t in the same room, it honestly felt like we were sitting side by side the entire time.”

One Voice, Two Authors

Bringing two different personalities together and making them sound like one cohesive voice can feel like magic from the outside. But it’s rarely accidental. It’s built on shared instincts, similar creative taste, and a deep understanding of how each person approaches the story. It means knowing when to lean in, when to step back, and when to trust that the other person hears the rhythm of the story the same way you do. That kind of alignment takes time, and when it’s there, the result feels seamless instead of stitched together.

Because that’s the real question, isn’t it?

How do two people write one story without seams?

“It is magic!” Kim says. “We are lucky in that our personalities have always been similar—since we met almost 14 years ago—and our tastes as well. That made this process easy. It would be next to impossible to coauthor a book with two strong-headed opposites.”

Lisa adds another layer to that answer.
“I think part of it is that every character is a mix of people we’ve known and us. There are little nods throughout to real personalities, places, and experiences. We also have very similar taste and style, so our writing naturally felt cohesive. And then our editor, Sue, helped smooth out any gaps or misalignment to make sure it all flowed seamlessly.”

Stepping Into Ashton Falls

So what should you expect when you open the book?

Lisa describes it as layered, character-driven, and set in a world that feels almost too perfect.
“They can expect a layered, character-driven story set in a beautiful, affluent world where everything feels a little too perfect… until it’s not. There’s glamour, complicated relationships, and plenty of secrets, with tension building in a way that keeps you questioning everyone.”

Kim adds something that sets this story apart in a way you don’t see often.
“I love Lisa’s answer, but I will add that Ashton Falls is very unique in that it’s got added layers of a photo book of characters and scenes in the book. I never see that in novels. That was done on purpose, to set this apart. We also have Ashton Falls merchandise, such as winery jewelry and signature drink recipes like the ‘Autumn Alibi Spritz’ and ‘The Silent Witness’. All designed to immerse the readers and give them a sensory-rich experience. To make them feel like they are a part of the Ashton Falls story.”

For the Writers Watching Closely

If you’re reading this and wondering if co-writing is something you could ever do… their answer is both encouraging and honest.

“Yes, if you know someone willing to give, take, and communicate ideas properly,” Kim says. “Lisa is very easy to communicate with. She is open, and hopefully I am as well. You’d want someone you mesh well with. Leave egos at the door. Have the same vision and respect each other.”

Lisa echoes that, with a caveat.
“I would—but only with the right person. You need trust, similar taste, and a shared vision; it could get complicated fast. But when it works, like it did for us, it makes the whole process more creative, more collaborative, and honestly more fun.”

And If You Had to Sum It All Up…

One sentence. One feeling. The entire journey.

“Writing Ashton Falls was more emotional than I expected, with moments that genuinely surprised me, helped me process and heal, and, at times, made me feel like I was right there, experiencing it all alongside the characters,” Lisa says.

Kim adds, “It was exhilarating, exhausting, emotional, and made us proud, a roller coaster ride of beautiful emotions.”

Final Thought

Some books are read. Some are experienced. And some feel like stepping into a place where everything looks beautiful on the surface. With Ashton Falls, you can’t quite shake the feeling that something deeper is waiting just beneath it.

And once you’re in… you might not look at anyone the same way again.

—The Moonlit Nook