Ashley spoke to the students about his journey to becoming an author and the inspiration behind his books; his book
The 392 came from a bus driver he encountered one day when boarding a bus, and developed into the story of one bus journey from the perspectives of all its passengers. His new book,
Your Show, is based on the life or Uriah Rennie, one of the first black referees to officiate games in the Football League.
Ashley also spoke about the process of publishing a book, the role of a literary agent and publishing company, and how authors are paid. The students asked for tips on how to go about writing their own book and on how to stay motivated when doing so. At the end of each session Ashley read an excerpt from his book The 392 and selected some lucky students to receive signed copies!