Interview With Author L.L. Gray
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi! I'm L.L. Gray. I like singing opera in the shower, drawing badly, and am on a perpetual quest to find a truly fantastic cup of coffee. I don't care how many cups I have to sample! I will find that elusive mug filled with the elixir of happiness!!! Oh, and in my free time, I write fantasy books. Currently, I've finished four books and a novella in my urban fantasy series, the Smoke and Shadows Series and book five is well under way.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Felons and Fangs is my latest release. It is book 2 in the series and features a strong heroine who is battling to find answers to questions about her mysterious past. I enjoy imagining complex, difficult situations for my characters and watching them try to work out a solution. Usually with a lot of quick humor and easter eggs hidden along the way. In this book, a god, a thief, and a vampire walk into Cameron Blaze's life. At the end of the book, only one is going to walk out. But who will it be? There's only one way to find out…
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Coffee. Oh so much coffee. But I don't think that is particularly unusual. I do tend to be a night owl when it comes to my writing. I find that I work best from 9 pm to about midnight or from 1 am to about 4 am. Maybe that means I'm a book-vampire and will shrivel to dust in the light of day. Only time will tell…
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love the fantasy classics like CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien (I also love that they had a frenemy thing going on!). JK Rowling holds a special place in my heart, naturally. Other than that, I really enjoy the works of Patrick Rothfuss (if you're reading this, finish book 3 already! Love you!), Shayne Silvers, Kevin Hearne, Shannon Mayer, and Scott Lynch. To name a few.
What are you working on now?
I took a break from my main series to write a spin off. It follows a character that I find really fascinating from Book 4, Tempest and Treason. The bard has a hidden secret. One that will mean her death if it comes to light. The only problem? She's set to be executed for a crime she didn't commit. With no good choices, she has to decide whether she is going to reveal her secret to the world or take it to the grave.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly? Readers. I have a fabulous team of readers who are so enthusiastic about helping to promote my books. They are fantastic and I am so lucky to get to work with such an amazing community (love you guys!!!).
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write the first draft. Even if it is bad. You can always edit a bad book. You can't fix what doesn't exist.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write a quality book and enjoy the process.
What are you reading now?
Jamie M. Samland's Realms of Terswood. And after that I've already lined up A.P. Beswick's A Forest of Vanity and Valour. I can't wait to dive into both of these adventures!
What’s next for you as a writer?
Write the next book! I know how the series will end, but I'm not quite sure how long it will take me to tell the story. I keep discovering interesting characters who almost beg to have their stories told as well. Basically, I need about a 100 more hours in each day so I can write down all the stories clamoring for attention in my head.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicles (Name of the Wind and A Wise Man's Fear). I love that series and his writing style. I can (and have) re-read those books so many times that I've lost count and I still love them.
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