We chat with author R. M. Gray about Nightweaver, which is a propulsive YA fantasy debut about a strong-willed heroine avenging her brother and discovering her destiny, perfect for fans of Adalyn Grace’s Belladonna and Lauren Roberts’s Powerless.
Hi, R.M.! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! My name is Rebekah, but I write under the pen name R.M. Gray. I live in Texas with my husband and our two giant dogs, both of which are named after characters from Disney’s The Sword in the Stone. I collect lightsabers, watch way too much anime (kidding, you can never watch too much anime), and have a second degree blackbelt in Taekwondo. But when I’m not watching baking shows or searching for the perfect cup of tea, I like to write books about pirates, magic, mystery and all things fantastical!
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Some of my earliest memories are of my mom reading stories like Gulliver’s Travels and Nancy Drew mysteries to my siblings and me, but my dad is the reason I have no self-control in a bookstore. As a kid, my mom would say “go pick out a book—just one!” However, one always turned into five (or more), and my dad would just smile at my mom, shrug, and say, “you can never have too many books!”
When I was a teenager, I told my parents I wanted to pursue a career in writing. A few minutes later, my dad brought a stack of books to my room—all on the topic of storytelling—and said, “you want to be a writer? Read these.”
So, I did. Thanks, mom and dad!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne. (Such a classic.)
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine because it reminds me of my sister, and it taught me to be brave.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson. I still read the last few pages when I need to have a good cry!
Your debut novel, Nightweaver, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Thrilling, chilling, romantic, mysterious, and heart-wrenching.
What can readers expect?
Heart-pounding battles, a fierce and determined FMC, elemental magic, vampire-like beings, a gothic manor setting, a masked love interest, a morally gray MMC, pretty daggers, slow burn forbidden romance, dancing with the enemy, and a tight-knit family of pirates that would cross oceans for each other.
Where did the inspiration for Nightweaver come from?
I’m a huge Pirates of the Caribbean fan. I mean, who isn’t?
I’ve always been obsessed with pirates, and I wanted to create a world that blends pirate lore with traditional fantasy elements like pixies and unicorns, terrifying monsters, and vampire-like beings!
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing Henry, Will’s younger brother. When Aster and her family first arrive at Bludgrave Manor, Henry makes his hatred for pirates abundantly clear. Without spoiling too much, Henry’s arc is dear to my heart, and it’s been exciting—and a bit surprising—to see readers claim him as their favorite character.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
When I started writing Nightweaver, I had just shelved another manuscript. I’d spent almost a decade trying to accomplish my dream of one day becoming a published author, and in the wake of rejection, I had started to ask myself, “can I really do this? Should I even keep trying?”
I told myself that Nightweaver would be for me, and only me. And without the pressure to write what I felt others wanted to read, I was finally able to write the book I wanted to read.
Now, that’s my biggest piece of advice to aspiring authors: believe in yourself and the story you’re telling, and just have fun. If you love what you do, others will too!
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
A whirlwind! A few months after I self-published Nightweaver in 2023, I did an interview with my local news that somehow ended up on the google homepage of a literary agent from United Talent Agency in NYC. That agent reached out via email, and I thought I was being scammed. Spoiler alert: I wasn’t!
It wasn’t too long after I signed with that literary agent that my dream publisher, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, pre-empted Nightweaver before it could go to auction. I still have to pinch myself a few times a day to remind myself I’m not dreaming!
What’s next for you?
Nightweaver’s sequel, Starchaser, hits the shelves this November and I couldn’t be more excited to share the devastating twists and heart-wrenching betrayals that lie ahead in the next chapter of Aster’s story.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I’m going to pretend my TBR isn’t totally overwhelming and try to just list a few! Some books I can’t wait to pick up include: A Kingdom So Crimson by Emmory Jarman, The Bombshell Devil’s Advocate by Nikkita Bell, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic, and The Stolen Heir by Holly Black.
