Ayana Gray is a New York Times bestselling author. Her works have been translated into eleven languages across five continents. She currently lives and writes in Arkansas. I, Medusa is her adult debut.

I had the opportunity to interview Ayana, which you can read below.

First of all, welcome to Geeks OUT! Could you tell us a little about yourself?

Thank you! My name is Ayana Gray, and I’m a fantasy author. I’ve written several books for young adults, and my first book for adults—I, Medusa—will publish in November 2025. Though each book I write is different, they all engage with monsters, myth, and magic in some way.

What can you tell us about your most recent book, I, Medusa? What was the inspiration for this story?

I, Medusa is a tragic villain origin story that reimagines the iconic Medusa from Greco-Roman mythology as a precious young woman caught between the machinations and schemes of two ruthless gods. I have always loved Greek mythology, and as one of its most memorable figures, Medusa as always been an especially compelling character.

As a writer, what drew you to the art of storytelling, especially speculative fiction?

I think, like many authors, I enjoy writing what I enjoy reading. I have always loved books, and the first ones I remember reading—Charlotte’s Web, the Redwall series, The Chronicles of Narnia—were all deeply speculative and engaged my imagination.

How would you describe your creative process?

My creative process is very iterative. I liken it to sculpting. I start with a big block of clay and have to chip away at it in rounds to get to the heart of the story I’m truly trying to tell. It’s slow and strenuous, and sometimes I have to write my really bad ideas down to get to the good ones, but it always works out in the end.

What are some of your favorite elements of writing? What do you consider some of the most frustrating and/or challenging? 

My favorite element of writing is the total immersion, getting to shut out the world and make up a new one. That moment of initial inspiration for a story is always my favorite. The challenging part is getting the story I can visualize in my head to match the one on the page. Sometimes, it takes a while!

As authors, who or what would you say are some of your greatest creative influences and/or sources of inspiration in general?

I’m deeply inspired by music. After books, it’s been one of the few constants in my life. The power a song has to capture a moment in time, or harness a raw emotion, or lift your spirit is truly incredible, and it’s what I aspire to do with my own work. Hans Zimmer, Ramin Djawadi, and Joe Hisaishi are three favorites.

What’s a question you haven’t been asked yet but that you wish you were asked (as well as the answer to that question)?

Who’s your all-time favorite villain? (It’s Heath Ledger’s Joker.)

What advice might you have to give for any aspiring writers out there?

My advice to aspiring writer is twofold: 1) Read as much as you can. Every book can teach you a lesson if you’re willing to learn. 2) If you’re interested in a career as an author, take time to learn the business so that you can be your own best advocate.

Are there any other projects you are working on and at liberty to speak about?

I am preparing to turn in my next book, which will publish next year. It’s written in a completely different time period and it’s tonally quite different, but I think Meddy and the main character of that story would get along well.

Finally, what books/authors would you recommend to the readers of Geeks OUT? 

This is a hard one! I love anything by: Leigh Bardugo, P. Djèlí Clark, Saara El-Arifi, Alix E. Harrow, Rebecca Mix, Margaret Owen, Sabaa Tahir, and M. L. Wang. They’re all auto-buy authors for me.

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Header Photo Credit Jason Masters