Interesting realization: different persons can have the same name! OK, I knew that intellectually. I hadn’t given it much thought, though, personally. Until now.
One morning many years ago, I was dropping off my younger son at grade school. Another mother approached me, touting a huge grin. “Guess what?”, queried she. “What?”, I replied. “I just heard a radio interview with someone named Kelly Ashton……………………….and she’s a porn star!” (Insert here: roaring laughter from the informant.)
First, I don’t know whether or not this other Kelly Ashton is really an adult film diva. I do know, at the very least, she is into “adult entertainment”. Second, if you’ve ever seen me, it’s pretty clear that I am not that Kelly Ashton. 🙂
Now, fast forward a decade-and-a-half. I was setting up my information last night on Amazon.com’s Author Central in preparation for the release of my FIRST book, “Hexagons, Diamonds, Triangles, and More: Skill-Building Techniques for 60-Degree Patchwork”. I entered my information. Then, I plugged my name into the “search bar” to see what came up. Yes, my quilt-making book is there on the page (and, is available for pre-order, BTW, for its May, 2014 release!) Then, I scrolled down the page to see what kind of information was included. Link to my author Central page? Check. Author bio? Check. ISBN number? Check. Number of pages? Check. All very good, important pieces of information. Guess what shows up toward the bottom of the screen under “Looking for Kelly Ashton products?” Yep, an interesting array of publications that feature THE OTHER Kelly Ashton (I use the word “feature” because she didn’t exactly author the works; they are publications of a more pictorial nature). I should say, another Kelly Ashton, because, yes, there is a third, also! Kelly #3 wrote a book called “City Baby: The Ultimate Guide for New York City Parents from Pregnancy to Preschool”. (Unless, of course, the “adult entertainer” Kelly actually went on to author a parent guidebook later in her career. Who knows?)
I marvel at the irony of life. There have been times in my younger years when I would have given almost anything to have the body of a female “adult entertainer”! It was simply not in the genetic cards. So, I’m pretty certain no one will approach me at one of my quilt lectures inquiring whether or not I’m that Kelly Ashton. However, I just have to wonder whether or not anyone will approach the other Kelly Ashton and ask her when her next quilt-making book is coming out!