Asher Fogle Paul is an author and a journalist. A former editor at Good Housekeeping, Us Weekly, and People magazines, she has also written about culture, design, entertaining, parenting and health for outlets including House Beautiful, Marie Claire, AirMail, Prevention, W, and Brit + Co. Asher has a master’s in magazine journalism from Columbia University and a degree in English from Texas Christian University. She lives in New York City with her family. Without a Hitch is her debut novel. She was recently featured in the November 2021 issue of Welcome Home and generously answered a few questions!

1. Why did you become a writer?
Like many writers, I’ve always loved words and stories. As a child, I remember countless hours playing with various dolls or action figures, inventing worlds and creating narratives. I read early and was seldom found without a book. In school, I can trace my journey by the teachers and, later, professional mentors who took an interest in my writing and encouraged it. Most of them pushed me hard. I didn’t always appreciate their feedback, but looking back, I grew from it. I majored in English and then went to journalism school. Telling real people’s stories was a thrilling new challenge — and I learned a great deal from some incredible editors. But fiction has always been my first love, and I jumped at the chance to finally give it a try.

2. What inspired your current book?
After graduation, my college roommate, Mary Hollis Huddleston, and I both found ourselves pivoting in unexpected directions. Mary’s post-college path took her from broadcast journalism to high-end wedding planning in Dallas. Mine took me from studying art and English to magazine journalism in New York City. But while we built lives in separate places, we stayed in touch and swapped stories often. Mary planned elaborate events for some of the wealthiest families in the South. I covered red carpets at movie premieres and interviewed celebrities. The overarching idea for Without A Hitch — about a woman who goes into wedding planning after her love life falls apart — came from our own journeys, but many of those hijinks and mishaps and shocking details also inspired our novel.

3. What is next for you?
We are currently drafting our second book. It’s set in the same world and with some of the same characters as Without A Hitch and will publish in early 2023. I’m also working with my husband to develop a couple TV or film projects — and raising our three small kids. Ultimately, I’d love to keep writing novels that uplift, entertain or inspire readers in some way.