January 2, 2024

What If I Made the Main Character Morally Gray?

For me, a good plot twist is what makes a great thriller and I wanted to make this new idea as twisty as I could; a roller coaster ride that was both nerve-wracking and thrilling.

What If I Made the Main Character Morally Gray?

For me, a good plot twist is what makes a great thriller and I wanted to make this new idea as twisty as I could; a roller coaster ride that was both nerve-wracking and thrilling.

One question I get asked a lot is…what made you decide to move from YA to Adult? The short answer is…I’m not sure it was a conscious decision at the time. If I dig a little deeper, I could add that I think I was looking for a change. I had just finished writing 10 TRUTHS AND A DARE and I wasn’t sure what was next for me. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I had another book in me after that one.

But then I had an idea.

Really, it was more like I could visualize a scene. It was so clear… the set dinner table, the people sitting around it, the low lighting, the floral centerpieces. And then the conversation began to build in my mind… the questions those guests would ask, the hint that not everyone at the table was being truthful. So, I wrote that scene with no idea where it would lead. I sat with it for a while, maybe a week or two. Couldn’t stop thinking about it. I thought…well, what if they did *this*… and I wrote the next scene. The what if’s kept coming, on and on until I realized I this could be my next book. And it was decidedly not a Young Adult one.

It was something new and fresh and different and that was exciting. I decided to just write it and see where it went, to have fun with it and not overthink it. What if I made the main character morally gray? What if there was a little bit of truth in every lie she told? I loved the endless possibilities that every “what if” brought. For me, a good plot twist is what makes a great thriller and I wanted to make this new idea as twisty as I could; a roller coaster ride that was both nerve wracking and thrilling. I also love a good setting. When where the book is set matters as much as the characters. It was important to me that the setting be a living, breathing thing where the events and actions of this story could only happen in these exact places because of the culture of the people who live there.

The thought of trying to break into a new market was scary. It meant getting a new agent and hoping a new publisher would want it. But I just kept thinking… what if they liked it? How could I not at least try?

I’m so excited for you to read FIRST LIE WINS. The opening scene is that initial dinner party scene I first imagined and is almost word for word the same in the final draft as it was the first time I wrote it. I hope my twists and turns keep you turning the pages late into the night. I hope you fall in love with the places in this book – from small town life in Louisiana, to the college towns in the South where football is king, to the bigger locales like Nashville and Atlanta. But mostly, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Ashley Elston

We’re taking our copy of Gone Before Goodbye on a little coffee date this weekend ☕📖 
Link in bio for book tour tickets and to get your own copy!

Where are you reading yours this weekend?
Had the most amazing time connecting with the Reese’s Book Club community IRL at #ShineAway2025 last weekend! ✨ @RaeganRevord and @TembiLocke picked up some incredible book recs that we are immediately adding to our TBR. Drop your must-reads below!
This Thursday's coffee and current read is an iced matcha and our new favorite eco-fiction mystery, Bog Queen by @AnnaNorthBooks. Talk about a perfect combo!
Bog Queen is now available, including at our link in bio.
We’re incredibly lucky to have the incomparable and inspiring @Malala join us on Bookmarked, the Reese's Book Club podcast. 💛

She's a powerful voice for so many—championing causes like girls’ education and women’s rights. In her new memoir Finding My Way, Malala Yousafzai turns inward, exploring the messy, beautiful journey of rediscovering yourself after the world has already decided who you’re supposed to be.

In this episode, @DanielleRobay and @Malala's conservation has all the heart—and then some. Listen now on the @iHeartPodcast app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you love to listen. 🎧
Did not see that coming! Gone Before Goodbye by @ReeseWitherspoon & @HarlanCoben is here and you don't want to miss another second. 

Start reading at our link in bio.
Diving back into the brilliant Anita de Monte Laughs Last after hearing @XochitltheG’s powerful conversation with @DanielleRobay at Shine Away.

Feeling deeply inspired by the vibrant storytelling and the beauty woven into every word.
Sorry, we're booked.

It's official! Pick up your copy of Gone Before Goodbye by @ReeseWitherspoon & @HarlanCoben at our link in bio.
Shop the Reese's Book Club Space with us at #ShineAway2025! ☀️@ZibbysBookshop brought the perfect vibes and of course, so many fantastic reads to add to our TBRs.

Which three books would you chose and why?
Today we honor Indigenous voices like our September Pick author @ElianaRamage. ⭐

With honesty and heart, To The Moon and Back shows us what it means to search for a sense of self—and emerge proud.