About Sarah Marie Graye:
Sarah Marie Graye was born in Manchester, United Kingdom, in 1975, to English Catholic parents. One of five daughters, to the outside world Sarah Marie's childhood followed a relatively typical Manchester upbringing… until aged 9, when she was diagnosed with depression. It's a diagnosis that has stayed with Sarah Marie over three decades, and something she believes has coloured every life decision. Now in her early 40s, and with an MA Creative Writing from London South Bank University (where she was the vice-chancellor's scholarship holder), Sarah Marie has published her debut novel – about family, friendships and mental health.
What inspires you to write?
I don't really know; it's an internal process I don't have control over. I have ideas that tick over in my mind and which become connected and grow into something bigger. By the time I sit down to write, the words feel like they are bursting out of me.
Tell us about your writing process.
I've yet to work out what my process is! I've published my first novel and currently writing my second – and the process I'm going through is different this time. My approach for my first novel was far more structured; this time I'm going more with feelings and seeing what appears on the page as I type.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I pretend that I am my characters. I write in first person, so it's important that I feel how they would sound. The weirdest situation is when I laughed at a joke because I realised one of my characters would appreciate it, even though I didn't find it that funny.
What advice would you give other writers?
My advice would be to listen to every piece of advice you are given, but to ignore any of it that doesn't make sense to how you write!
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I'm with an indie publisher called Creativia. They have a quick turnaround regarding publishing dates and an excellent design team. I think they're in the sweet spot between self-publishing and traditional publishers.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I'm hoping that the relationship between traditional publishers and bookshops changes to that smaller publishers can have space on the shelves. My debut novel is set in Manchester, UK – and I would love to see it in the Waterstones on Deansgate (which actually features in my book!).
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?: Psychological literary fiction
What formats are your books in?: eBook, Print, Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Sarah Marie Graye Home Page Link
Link To Sarah Marie Graye Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Twitter
LinkedIn
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
