I don’t know if I’ve overcome that yet, but over the course of this journey I have learned how to love the things I write, rough edges and all. I think though, that the hardest thing for me was translating the story I so clearly saw in my head onto the page in a way that I felt did it justice. Sure! Beasts of Prey took nearly six years to write, and sticking with it for so long was definitely challenging. Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them? I’ve also always been incredibly struck by the infamous real-life story of The Tsavo Maneasters in East Africa. A few months later, I studied abroad in Ghana and was incredibly moved by the beautiful landscapes and deeply complicated history that I saw there. The inspiration for Beasts of Prey came from a few different places actually! Firstly, I took a course in college called Political Violence where we grappled with notions of good and evil and I found that really striking. There’s also a bit of an enemies-to-lovers dynamics at play, and some plot twists that you (hopefully) won’t see coming! Where did the inspiration for Beasts of Prey come from? I love animals and mythical creatures, so you’ll see plenty of them along the way. It follows two Black teens who enter a magical jungle to find a monster, but get much more than they bargained for. What can readers expect?īeasts of Prey is the amalgamation of basically all of my favorite young adult fantasy element. Your debut novel, Beasts of Prey, is out September 28 th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be? Even now, it has a special place in my heart. White! It was my first chapter book, and I remember feeling so proud after I’d finished it! I ran straight to my grandma to tell her all about it, and I was very deeply attached to it as a little girl. I’ve been telling stories for as long as I can remember, but started writing around age 8 or 9! I used to write in notebooks and journals, but felt a special thrill when I got to sit at the family desktop and type my stories onto the page! Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading!Ĭharlotte’s Web by E.B. When did you first discover your love for writing?

Hello! My name is Ayana and I am, among many things, a writer who loves story full of magic, and preferably monsters! I currently live in Little Rock, Arkansas with my family and my somewhat devious goldendoodle puppy, Dolly. We chat with debut author Ayana Gray about her YA fantasy release Beasts of Prey, along with book recommendations, writing, and more! Hi, Ayana! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

In this much-anticipated series opener, fate binds two Black teenagers together as they strike a dangerous alliance to hunt down the creature menacing their home-and uncover ancient deadly secrets.

Ayana gray books