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Hey, Brother by Ashley Stewart
Written By: Jenny King | Issue: 2018/04 - April | Photograph By: Marjorie Christiansen Photography
The Plateau is blessed with an abundance of talent and on March 27 the world was introduced to a newly-birthed book series by Cashiers author Ashley Stewart, who writes
as A.J. Stewart.
Last month she grabbed boxes of her hot-off-the-press inaugural novel, “Hey, Brother,” and headed out on the first stop of her book tour held at North Carolina ComiCon in Raleigh. This may seem an unlikely place for an introduction, but she is not your ordinary author.
Stewart, who graduated with a degree in literature, has always loved writing and has written short stories, currently maintains a blog, and has mapped out the other novels in this four-book series. Her enthusiasm and imagination are boundless and she seems to have the next 10 years dedicated to making this series a success.
While her novel is set in the mountains of North Carolina, it takes place in a post-apocalyptic world and is the story of three siblings making their way in the aftermath of a tragic event. As the oldest of three, Ashley draws inspiration from her family. She asked for feedback from her sister and brother as she created their characters and took some of their advice. “Some,” being the operative word (see the Dedication Page).
When asked why she chose this genre of literature, she said the spark of the idea came from a song; but it’s her passion for self-reliance and sustainable living that helped bring a frightening reality to her characters’ journey. Her blog, “The Survivalist Writer,” is a wholly different source for how to live a frugal life, and is filled with humorous stories about everything from her fear of bees to her first attempt at a garden. Follow her on Instagram @thesurvivalistwriter to see her photography.
With all the time and energy required to make her book series, and all her projects, successful, it’s vital that she have the support of her husband Kent, who is manager of the Cashiers Service Center.
She says, “He doesn’t offer unsolicited advice, we watch the ‘The Walking Dead’ together, and best of all, just the fact that he loves frozen pizza is a great help,” she says.
“Hey, Brother” has an impressive online presence at HeyBrotherSeries.com, complete with richly detailed pictures of the characters, descriptions of the locales, and a first page to download. Copies of her book are now available at Zoller Hardware in Cashiers, where Ashley works. If you’re lucky she may be around to sign your copy.
