About

Hey there! I’m Ashley — an indie author and long-time gamer with a love of stories.

As a kid, I was always reading and writing. In middle school, I wandered into my local library and walked out with a massive book called Dune by Frank Herbert. I had no idea what it was about—but I fell in love. Around the same time, I read The Lord of the Rings, and my passion for fantasy and science fiction was sealed forever.

In college, I embraced my inner geek fully. I spent three years living in London, studying history, reading constantly, and making friends who were just as nerdy as I was.

After graduating, I moved to the Bay Area of California, working part-time as a freelance writer and part-time as a nanny. I was happy—but barely making ends meet, and unsure what I wanted next.

That’s when I fell in love with games.

They were more than entertainment. They were escape, confidence, and pure joy. I gravitated toward story-driven RPGs like Mass Effect, Skyrim, and Dragon Age. Eventually, I decided I wanted to work in the video game industry. I began writing for gaming websites… and launched my own blog right here.

Robo❤️beat started as a place to geek out about science fiction, fantasy, storytelling, and the games that moved me. It helped me land a job in the industry—first writing video game manuals and mock reviews (yes, my name is in the credits of The Witcher 3, a dream come true!), and later working as a web designer for PlayStation.

Through it all, this blog remained my truest home, a space where I could share my own thoughts freely and be fully myself.

I kept writing fiction, too: historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, choose-your-own adventure stories. Some manuscripts were finished; others quietly gathered dust.

Until 2022, when I self-published my first novel, Song of the Shieldmaiden.

The next year, I had my son… and began a new chapter as both a mom and an indie author.

Now I’m back here again, ready to explore new worlds. It’s not always easy to hold onto hobbies as a new mom. But with my son in school part-time, I finally have space to write, think, breathe, and have fun again.

So whether you’re here for the pixel hearts or the prose, welcome. Let’s quest through this wild life together—and maybe discover a few favorite fandoms along the way.

I’m so glad you’re here.

— Ashley