Ayana Gray Newsletter: Summer 2023
Hello there!
Happy Summer! Arkansas is known for its sweltering, stifling humidity during this time of year, and an ever-constant sun that makes you feel like you’re walking through an oven just to check the mailbox. It’s almost a state pastime to complain about it, but here I have to confess a secret.
I love every minute of it.
From the scorching heat, to the technicolor sunsets, to the taste of ice cold strawberry lemonade as you watch fireworks scatter across a black night sky… this is truly my favorite time of year.
In my personal life, I’ve stayed busy. Puddin’ and I are still settling into our home and exploring the wilds of Arkansas in our spare time with Dolly in tow. (photos below!)
Professionally, I’m staying busy too! In case you missed it—I turned in the third and final installment of the Beasts of Prey trilogy to my publisher! It’s called Beasts of War and it comes out January 16, 2024! You can preorder a copy from your favorite place to get books (or request it at your local library, that helps too!). For those who preorder, you will be receiving some special gifts from me as a thank you! It’s bittersweet to conclude the series that launched my career as an author, but I am so proud and so excited for all three books to be out in the world!
Though this summer I made a deliberate choice not to be as busy, I’ve also been touring the state in partnership with the Arkansas State Library for their program “If All Arkansas Read the Same Book.” I’ll be in Cabot later this month and then Monticello in August. If you are near/around those places, please come say hi!
Lately, I’ve been getting questions about what’s next now that I’m done writing the BOP trilogy. In truth, as a writer I always have multiple stories unwinding in my head, but there’s one in particular—a dark, vicious little story—that I’ve been tinkering with on and off. I’m not quite ready to talk about it in detail, but know that it’s a story with monsters and magic, and so very on-brand if you’ve enjoyed my books so far.
Writing Advice
Self Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing
I asked my followers on Instagram to send me their writing and book-related questions, and one of you asked if I had ever considered self-publishing. The short answer is no, but I do want to explain (briefly) why that is. (Disclaimer: I can only speak from my own experience and understanding, which I’ll freely admit is NOT all-encompassing. I am a traditionally published author.)
For those who may be new to publishing, there are essentially two main paths to book publication: traditional publication through a publishing house, or self-publication which you do yourself. There are pros and cons to both, but really it comes down to personal preferences.
Traditional Pub:
When you traditionally publish a book, there are some nice pros. Firstly, the money flows toward you; you get paid for writing books and rarely, if ever pay, for things yourself. You have the support of your publisher when it comes to things like marketing, design, distribution, editorial support, and publicity. The big con is that you relinquish significant control over your own book. Your title may change, you may not like your cover, and your publication date may get moved around without your okay, among other things. If you have a literary agent, they also generally take 15-20% commission off your book deal, and you won’t see profit until you “earn out” of your advance and start getting royalties.
Self Pub:
“Self-pubbing” your book is generally the opposite experience. Firstly, money flows away from you because you generally have to pay for everything: an editor, a book designer, a cover artist, and/or marketing/sales pros. It can become very expensive! (Unless of course, you know how to do these things yourself, which cuts costs but is still labor-intensive!) The huge advantage, however is that you completely control your intellectual property, and you keep 100% of the profits (no agent commission/royalties).
I didn’t try to self-publish the Beasts of Prey trilogy because I’m a writer with absolutely no interest in sales, marketing, publicity, or distribution. Further, even if I’d wanted to self-pub I doubt, I could have afforded to set up my books for success the way I’d want. For me, I’ve really enjoyed having a publisher’s support so that most of the time, I can focus solely on the thing I love—writing stories.
With that said, there are success stories in self-pub AND traditional pub—my advice if you are grappling with this decision is to do your homework, research both options, and then choose what you instinctually think is best for you!
WHAT I’M READING
This spring/summer I’ve been reading a lot of adult fantasy, with particular focus on light academia and also stories involving some sort of animal/mythical being. Are we surprised? Probably not. Each of these books is very different, but if you’re looking for *Strong Female Leads* done right, these are all GREAT!
That’s all for now! I hope, wherever you are and however you plan to spend this part of the year, that you find spare moments to do the things that bring you peace and joy—remember: there is only one you, take care of yourself!
xo,
Ayana