Ask the Author: Angela Grey
Answered Questions (20)
Angela Grey
Some writing projects begin in unexpected places. This one began in the sterile, humming corridors of a psych ward, where I first imagined Nico and Zibby from The Cartography of First Love sharing space with Abigail Whimsy from Whimsy and Bliss and Aspen James from Shadows We Carry. At the time, they were simply characters inhabiting the same closed world, their voices converging in fragments of dialogue and fleeting moments of connection. But as the draft deepened, I realized each of them deserved more than a supporting role in someone else’s story.
What started as one manuscript became three separate novels. Nico and Zibby’s fragile, luminous love required the full arc of its own map. Whimsy’s whimsical yet precarious coming-of-age needed a narrative unclouded at first by diagnosis, though that thread eventually surfaces by the epilogue. And Aspen’s quiet descent and defiance—rendered through shadows and sketchbooks—demanded the gravity of a story centered entirely on her. By peeling them away from one another, I gave them each a blank slate, the freedom to reveal themselves more fully.
The early backstories I built in that shared ward became scaffolding—small truths I later expanded into larger, independent worlds. Whimsy and Aspen inhabit their lives just before hospitalization, when the air still carried a shimmer of magic and not everything had yet been reduced to a chart or a label. Nico and Zibby, by contrast, live fully in the routine of the ward, their relationship shaped by its rhythms and its quiet heartbreaks. Each book holds a different register of resilience, a different way of surviving the shadows.
These stories are personal for me. Between the ages of 13 and 15, I spent long stretches in hospitals for an eating disorder. I remember the friendships forged in those spaces, the whispered escape plans, the aching hope of California as a destination we’d never reach. Those memories—both harrowing and strangely luminous—shaped these characters at their core. What began as one imagined ward became three novels, each carrying a fragment of my past, each transfiguring lived experience into fiction.
What started as one manuscript became three separate novels. Nico and Zibby’s fragile, luminous love required the full arc of its own map. Whimsy’s whimsical yet precarious coming-of-age needed a narrative unclouded at first by diagnosis, though that thread eventually surfaces by the epilogue. And Aspen’s quiet descent and defiance—rendered through shadows and sketchbooks—demanded the gravity of a story centered entirely on her. By peeling them away from one another, I gave them each a blank slate, the freedom to reveal themselves more fully.
The early backstories I built in that shared ward became scaffolding—small truths I later expanded into larger, independent worlds. Whimsy and Aspen inhabit their lives just before hospitalization, when the air still carried a shimmer of magic and not everything had yet been reduced to a chart or a label. Nico and Zibby, by contrast, live fully in the routine of the ward, their relationship shaped by its rhythms and its quiet heartbreaks. Each book holds a different register of resilience, a different way of surviving the shadows.
These stories are personal for me. Between the ages of 13 and 15, I spent long stretches in hospitals for an eating disorder. I remember the friendships forged in those spaces, the whispered escape plans, the aching hope of California as a destination we’d never reach. Those memories—both harrowing and strangely luminous—shaped these characters at their core. What began as one imagined ward became three novels, each carrying a fragment of my past, each transfiguring lived experience into fiction.
Angela Grey
About the book
When did you start writing the book?
I wrote the book during NaNoWriMo 2023.
How long did it take you to write it?
It took me a month to write it, and it was out for editing for the last five months.
Where did you get the idea from?
I got the idea during a Florida trip where I was terrified at the thought of being left away from civilization with strangers whose sanity was undetermined.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Initially, I wrote it in the first person but changed it to third person omniscient to better understand each character’s motivations.
What came easily?
The fear factor and emotional ties came easily.
Are your characters entirely fictitious, or have you borrowed from real-world people you know?
I think writing is always about creating fictional characters with attributes of known people.
Do you have a target reader for this book?
I think the book is directed towards adults of any age.
How was writing this book different from what you’d experienced writing previous books?
With this book, I tried alternating timelines, as in Liane Moriarty’s Apples Never Fall. Upon reading that book, I changed the layout.
What new things did you learn about writing, publishing, and/or yourself while writing and preparing this book for publication?
I realized that changing one’s writing routine can offer insights of which you may not have previously been aware.
When did you start writing the book?
I wrote the book during NaNoWriMo 2023.
How long did it take you to write it?
It took me a month to write it, and it was out for editing for the last five months.
Where did you get the idea from?
I got the idea during a Florida trip where I was terrified at the thought of being left away from civilization with strangers whose sanity was undetermined.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Initially, I wrote it in the first person but changed it to third person omniscient to better understand each character’s motivations.
What came easily?
The fear factor and emotional ties came easily.
Are your characters entirely fictitious, or have you borrowed from real-world people you know?
I think writing is always about creating fictional characters with attributes of known people.
Do you have a target reader for this book?
I think the book is directed towards adults of any age.
How was writing this book different from what you’d experienced writing previous books?
With this book, I tried alternating timelines, as in Liane Moriarty’s Apples Never Fall. Upon reading that book, I changed the layout.
What new things did you learn about writing, publishing, and/or yourself while writing and preparing this book for publication?
I realized that changing one’s writing routine can offer insights of which you may not have previously been aware.
Angela Grey
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I did submit to agents but only a handful responded that they had to pass at the time. And since traditional publishing is a slow, tedious process, I didn’t want to get bogged down and run the risk of not completing my writing.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
Since I wanted to get my subject matter in the hands of readers, I chose to go Indie and self-publish. For my novels, going back about four years, the process began gradually. I’d send the queries out and when the manuscript submission didn’t result in a contract, I chose to go the self-publishing route.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I use SelfPubBookCovers premade covers, and they allowed me to edit the text only.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I sent out postcards to libraries and Indie bookstores in the region and am presently following up with phone calls.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
My advice is to read extensively and research voraciously. Other than that, it is to get your butt into the chair and write five to ten pages a day. Plus, take part in NaNoWriMo, which is very helpful and satisfying.
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I did submit to agents but only a handful responded that they had to pass at the time. And since traditional publishing is a slow, tedious process, I didn’t want to get bogged down and run the risk of not completing my writing.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
Since I wanted to get my subject matter in the hands of readers, I chose to go Indie and self-publish. For my novels, going back about four years, the process began gradually. I’d send the queries out and when the manuscript submission didn’t result in a contract, I chose to go the self-publishing route.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I use SelfPubBookCovers premade covers, and they allowed me to edit the text only.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I sent out postcards to libraries and Indie bookstores in the region and am presently following up with phone calls.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
My advice is to read extensively and research voraciously. Other than that, it is to get your butt into the chair and write five to ten pages a day. Plus, take part in NaNoWriMo, which is very helpful and satisfying.
Angela Grey
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so, can you please describe it?
I typically work on about three books at one time, so I don’t get bored or blocked. I like to keep moving so I research and outline one while I’m freewriting another and editing a draft that just came back from beta readers.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I use Writer’s Blocks software to make paragraph-long notes on cards then move them around to set the story. Then the software converts the blocks to outline form which I paste into a word manuscript.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I wait until I’m finished.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes, I send all my manuscripts to a former librarian turned editor.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Yes, I listen to predominantly eighties, hard rock, or contemporary mainstream music while I write.
Do you have a writing process? If so, can you please describe it?
I typically work on about three books at one time, so I don’t get bored or blocked. I like to keep moving so I research and outline one while I’m freewriting another and editing a draft that just came back from beta readers.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I use Writer’s Blocks software to make paragraph-long notes on cards then move them around to set the story. Then the software converts the blocks to outline form which I paste into a word manuscript.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I wait until I’m finished.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes, I send all my manuscripts to a former librarian turned editor.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Yes, I listen to predominantly eighties, hard rock, or contemporary mainstream music while I write.
Angela Grey
What is the book about?
Déjà vu is about a recently graduated, soon-to-be eighteen-year-old framing carpenter with recently diagnosed bipolar disorder who takes it upon herself to attempt to solve the murder of a previous classmate.
When did you start writing the book?
I began writing Déjà vu in early 2021 after extensive interviews with loved ones and family friends whose identities I’m not willing to disclose.
How long did it take you to write it?
The novel took me three months to complete.
Where did you get the idea from?
I have loved ones and family friends who have been diagnosed with the disorder. They shared some stories with me, and I let my imagination take it from there as to the characters and plot.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
I struggled with whether to include a first-time sex scene for the protagonist, Ivy. I chose against it and instead glossed over a couple of previous experiences she’d had so it wouldn’t be graphic and turn away some readers.
What came easily?
I’m a former architectural drafter so the carpentry descriptions slipped out rather easily. The road trip was one we’d made years ago so that evolved quickly.
Are your characters entirely fictitious, or have you borrowed from real-world people you know?
I blended both fictitious and borrowed characteristics into the final draft. When one of my petite daughters was eighteen years old, she was a framing carpenter who enjoyed handling roof trusses, constructing walls, and installing windows—all so she could see the final construction of a house she helped build.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular
authors that have influenced how you write, and if so, how have they influenced you?
I was influenced by Marya Hornbacher’s Madness: A Bipolar Life with regards to writing style and voice and Dave Mowry’s OMG That’s Me!: Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and More… helped me figure out how to lay out the novel. Regarding mysteries, I read through Jess Lourey’s small town Minnesota twelve book series.
Do you have a target reader?
Yes, young adults aged sixteen to eighteen years old are my target audience.
Déjà vu is about a recently graduated, soon-to-be eighteen-year-old framing carpenter with recently diagnosed bipolar disorder who takes it upon herself to attempt to solve the murder of a previous classmate.
When did you start writing the book?
I began writing Déjà vu in early 2021 after extensive interviews with loved ones and family friends whose identities I’m not willing to disclose.
How long did it take you to write it?
The novel took me three months to complete.
Where did you get the idea from?
I have loved ones and family friends who have been diagnosed with the disorder. They shared some stories with me, and I let my imagination take it from there as to the characters and plot.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
I struggled with whether to include a first-time sex scene for the protagonist, Ivy. I chose against it and instead glossed over a couple of previous experiences she’d had so it wouldn’t be graphic and turn away some readers.
What came easily?
I’m a former architectural drafter so the carpentry descriptions slipped out rather easily. The road trip was one we’d made years ago so that evolved quickly.
Are your characters entirely fictitious, or have you borrowed from real-world people you know?
I blended both fictitious and borrowed characteristics into the final draft. When one of my petite daughters was eighteen years old, she was a framing carpenter who enjoyed handling roof trusses, constructing walls, and installing windows—all so she could see the final construction of a house she helped build.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular
authors that have influenced how you write, and if so, how have they influenced you?
I was influenced by Marya Hornbacher’s Madness: A Bipolar Life with regards to writing style and voice and Dave Mowry’s OMG That’s Me!: Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and More… helped me figure out how to lay out the novel. Regarding mysteries, I read through Jess Lourey’s small town Minnesota twelve book series.
Do you have a target reader?
Yes, young adults aged sixteen to eighteen years old are my target audience.
Angela Grey
Madness descended.
Angela Grey
I took a class in Dakota Studies at the University of Minnesota and learned of the accurate history of Fort Snelling, a place where I’d taken my children for July Fourth celebrations over the years. I was dismayed that I was never told the accurate history of the place, which was that it was an internment camp for Dakota women and children after the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. Being appalled by their treatment, I sought out more history.
Angela Grey
The YA book is written for teens and adults who want to learn more about the pain, anguish, and danger of the internment camp. It tells the fictionalized story of a present-day teen who finds friendship with a teen girl of that time at Bdóte, thereby learning the actual history that isn’t taught in our schools.
Angela Grey
I hope readers will learn more about the true history of what went on beneath the towering Fort Snelling and realize the horrors the Dakota women and children faced on the march, at the internment camp, as well as their expulsion from the state of Minnesota via a barge that took them down the Mississippi and up the Missouri River to Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota where still more died due to hunger and the bleak conditions of that land.
Angela Grey
Bdóte, or "where the two waters come together," is culturally significant to the Dakota people since it is the center of their spirituality. The cover image shows the confluence of the Minnesota River and the Mississippi River, where Bdóte is located. On one half of the image, you’ll see the colorized bridge that now spans over the Mississippi and the B&W side that symbolizes the past.
Angela Grey
I advise everyone to journal their history for their descendants. Regarding publishing, I think there are enough readers out there that we don’t have to compete with one another, as you’ll see on social media. Regarding history, always check out alternate sources to make sure they’re factual.
Angela Grey
I see that there are more Generation Z readers than millennials. It’s nice to know that they’re picking up books, especially physical copies, and writing them, than the generation directly preceding them who may have been distracted by social media or the video game realm.
Angela Grey
I'm half Dakota Sioux and took a class in Dakota Culture studies at the University of Minnesota where we took field trips to various local sites of importance to our ancestors. It was the start of many a dream and nightmare where I needed to write about it in order to get the thoughts out of my mind and onto paper.
Angela Grey
My main writing style is first person with alternating points of view, which I picked up after reading Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible. Other than that, I lean towards Joy Harjo’s prose.
Angela Grey
We worked to find a balance between the historical atrocities that occurred on the march, where the women and children endured pain and suffering like a Native American infant being ripped from the mother’s arms and being slammed to the ground. The infant died and was left beneath the crux of a tree as the soldiers forced the mother to continue on the march. Since it’s a YA book of poetry and prose, we didn’t want to dwell on the tragedy to cause nightmares but relay the account for historical accuracy.
Angela Grey
We think readers should explore historical accounts that will broaden their horizons. Diversity and inclusivity are important. Plus, our book has a wonderful glossary of poetic terms that are helpful in writing the young adult’s own words and thoughts. This book of poetry and prose has teachable moments and spans the present day and past intergenerational traumas that persist.
Angela Grey
There was a news report about infants discovered years apart on Lake Pepin here in Minnesota. At first, there was no backstory and I desperately wanted to know who could do such a thing, so I created a storyline to quell my need for answers.
Angela Grey
I binge-watch shows like Suits, Breaking Bad, Ozark, The Morning Show, You, Dead to Me, Virgin River, and The Night Agent so it's a little of everything.
Angela Grey
Nightingale, The Great Alone, and Four Winds
Angela Grey
I got the ideas for my recent book from my nightmares and memories.
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