Deanna Grey on Finding Her Voice in New Adult Romance

What do you do when your corporate job feels like a dead end during a global pandemic? You bet on yourself. This week on We Read Smut, Alesia sits down with Deanna Grey, the author of Outdrawn and the Mendell Hawks series, to discuss her leap from a terrible office job to becoming a successful indie author. We dive into why she focuses on the New Adult genre, her journey from writing MF pairings to Sapphic romance, and how she managed to make Alesia actually enjoy an amnesia trope.

Deanna Grey is a new adult romance author who is a huge fan of yearning, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and finding hiking trails that don't make her feel like she has to watch her back. All her books feature plenty of pining, a bit of spice, and happily-ever-afters. 

In this episode, we're discussing:

• The Leap of Faith: Deanna shares how she saved a year’s worth of funds to quit her job and learn the ropes of self-publishing during the pandemic.
• Market Trends vs. Creative Voice: How Deanna started with market-researched small-town novellas before finding her true voice in New Adult and Sapphic romance.
• Flipping the Script on Tropes: A look at Sunny Disposition and how placing the amnesia trope at the beginning of the story created a delicious slow-burn experience.
• New Adult Representation: Why Deanna is dedicated to creating college-age stories for Black girls who are no longer kids but aren't yet fully adults.
• Therapizing Through Writing: How Deanna uses her characters to explore personal experiences, including oldest daughter syndrome and the pressures of being a breadwinner.

CONNECT WITH Deanna Grey:

Signed Copies: Scribbles Book Shop and Daylit Tales

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BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Outdrawn (Amazon)

Mendell Hawks Hockey Series (Amazon)

They Wouldn’t Dare (Amazon)

The Case of Elmwood Ranch (Amazon)

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Connect with Alesia:
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This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Transcript

Alesia Galati: 0:12

I think I have a new best friend. Okay, today we're going to be talking with Deanna Gray, the author of outdrawn and the Mendel hawks series, as well as some upcoming books that we'll talk about toward the end. So make sure that you pre order them. The first one is they wouldn't dare that one comes out on March 12 of 2026 so be sure to go and pre order that book. Let's try to give Deanna as much of a push for that book as we possibly can. And then we also talked about her upcoming paranormal sapphic romance as well. I'm so excited that one will be coming out in this summer. Please join me in welcoming Deanna to the podcast. Listener discretion is advised. This podcast contains mature content intended for adult audiences only. Hello, Deanna. I'm Oh my goodness. I'm so excited to talk to you today and talk about your author journey. So let's just go ahead and jump right in. Tell us a bit about how you got started in becoming an author.

Deanna Grey: 1:18

Okay, yeah. Well, first, thank you for having me. I'm excited. So I started publishing when I was like 25 and this was during the pandemic. It was like 2020 and I have a terrible office job, and I was writing all my time off on weekends, and then sometimes, honestly, I would sneak right at my desk and just publish. And then I saw, I think it was on Twitter. I saw a Talia Hibberd promoting her work. And I was like, Wait, she's self published. I never saw anyone self published. How she was self publishing with the covers and everything. I was, we can do this. And then she would have black women in our covers. And I was, I think I can do this. So I saved up a bunch of money, and I quit my job, which I wouldn't recommend anyone by saving a year's worth, yeah, so don't, don't do that. Well, I saved a year's worth of just funds. Quit my job, and then I started publishing, wow. And I was like, I'm just gonna spend a year try to learn the ropes. Fingers crossed. It works, and it worked. So yeah, that's basically how I started.

Alesia Galati: 2:20

Oh, my goodness. Okay, what one? What a leap of faith to just be like, I'm gonna do it. But I understand also, like, when you think about the pandemic and being in a corporate job during the pandemic. Yeah, thankfully, ish, I got laid off fairly early into the pandemic, and also have asthma, so it was like, I do not want to get covid. And so like, do I go get a job, or do I just bet on myself and do my own thing? And so I feel a lot of people were like, I'm just gonna bet on myself and do my own thing and see what happens. And so what a wonderful landing on your feet you had. But also you prepared, right? It wasn't like you were just willy nilly. I don't know where money's coming in tomorrow, it'll be fine, right? You prepared and you saved, which I think is so incredibly important. What books did you start out with during that time that you were like, all right, this is going to be the first one out. Yeah.

Deanna Grey: 3:17

So I was trying to be precious with it, because I was doing a ton of research. I was on Reddit, I bought courses, which I also don't recommend, but I was listening to everyone, and I was like, okay, they keep telling me, just don't be precious to start. The sooner you start, the better it's going to be, and the more you learn. So I started out with small town novellas. I can't really write small town mentally. I just can't like I love to read it, but I just, I don't know, it just doesn't speak to me. But I was doing that because I was also doing the thing where that I was doing a ton of research, and they would say, look at market trends. What are keywords? What's Trending in terms of tropes? And at the time, novellas were pretty big, because people want short, snappy stuff. And small town was really big, and then series was really big. So I was like, Okay, let me start with this one, and it was called Small Town curves, and it was about friends to lovers, romance. It's long since I'm published now, thank goodness. And I kind of hated it, but I published it anyways. And I learned a lot. Though. I learned about formatting. I did my own covers. So, yeah, it was fun.

Alesia Galati: 4:22

Yeah, I I'm finding this trend. And I don't know if it's just because book talk has kind of exploded, and Bookstagram and all that stuff, but it's like, check out my new book, it's this, meets that, meets this, meets that. And I'm like, no original ideas at all. And I love a good trope. I love a good trope list, but I feel like there has to be more, right? Especially someone who reads so many books a year. I started out at about 250 last year was my lowest, which was wild to me. I was like, what happened last year? Happened just everything. But I also last year was a lot more intentional about reading, I wouldn't even say, harder book. Books, but just less fluff books, right? Where there's more character development, maybe you have to build up to the sex instead of just bang, bang, bang, we're done, right? And like those kinds of stories, and those are the ones that I wanted more of, and I like the books I read last year were so incredibly good, but most of them are by bipoc authors, or really have that depth to them. And I was having a conversation with a friend the other day. She mentioned an author. I'm not gonna mention the author. She mentioned an author. And I was like, I feel like if you've read one of her books, you've read them all, and I don't want to read books like that, right? And I think that people getting who want to become authors might feel the inclination. So if you're listening and you're a reader and you want to be an author, listen to this. This is important, they might feel that inclination to be like, I have to do the market research. I have to write the story that everybody wants to hear right now. And it's like, that's gonna fall flat, right? It's possible that it could fall flat, or maybe it's a book that you have to promote, but you actually don't even love it, which that sucks too. So, yeah, I completely understand that kind of evolution of yourself was outdrawn the first like, oh, people recognize me and they know my stories, or did the hockey series come out before that?

Deanna Grey: 6:35

The hockey series came out before, and I think it was signed a position where, like, people, actually influencers were reading it and on Tiktok, and that's my first book where I was just like, oh, people are paying attention, and they're like, enjoying the story. And then now John was my second one where it was like that again. I was like, Okay,

Alesia Galati: 6:54

love it. My footing, yeah, you found your voice, right, which I think is, is really important as you're writing one thing that I love, and I have the cover here. So for anyone who is watching it on YouTube, please check this deliciously beautiful cover out. The one thing that I love about sunny disposition is that it has one of my least favorite tropes, and I didn't hate it. Wait a minute, what I went into fairly blind I despise. And I say this with a caveat now, because this book changed my mind, the amnesia in books. And I'm like, What do you mean? You just forgot the first half of the book that we just experienced together. What do you mean? And so I can think of one book specifically. I want to say it was maybe my first book with amnesia, where, you know, halfway through the book, she's skiing, she has a skiing accident. There was some medical, major medical things that happened with her. Everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong, and she has no idea who this dude is. And I was like, I can't he's a he's losing.

Unknown: 8:09

It's too traumatic. And so she

Alesia Galati: 8:12

ends up eventually remembering bits and pieces, but not, quote unquote, fully healed by the end. Not that people have to be quote unquote fully healed by the end of a story. But that was the book that made me realize I understand why people might want it, but I don't like it. And so anyone after that that I read, I was just like, Oh, don't like it. Now you spun that on its head for me in that it happens in the beginning, and it made it so much better, right? Where it wasn't like I need to rewire my brain now with the characters, where I could grow with them and get to know them. And that was just wonderful. And it is a slow burn, a getting to know each other, kind of that secret. We know each other this way, but we also know each other in person. And, oh, my goodness, so delicious. So for people who have not read it, can you give us kind of a rundown of what it's about? I mean, I kind of gave you guys some things, but a rundown of what the series as a whole is. I know it's interconnected hockey friends and take it away.

Deanna Grey: 9:20

Yeah. Okay, so science decision is the first book, in my mind hawks hockey series, and it's a new adult series that takes place at a college, and they're like a team of hockey players, and they're all roommates, and the first book is a roommate slash, kind of friends to lovers, amnesia, grumpy, sunshine, there's a there's a lot going on in there for the tropes, which was not planned, but I just kind of threw a lot in there because I was like, why not? But yeah, so far, there were three books in that series. A lot of found family vibes. I would say for that series,

Alesia Galati: 9:51

I love found family. Are you planning more? You said at this time? So are you more?

Deanna Grey: 9:58

I am. There's just one more, and it's Henrik, and then Eden, which is Sam's older sister, so very they'll finish his off.

Alesia Galati: 10:06

Yes, love it. So we'll have to definitely be on the lookout for that. And then going into. Outdrawn which I man. I was talking to a friend, another friend, I love talking about books with friends, clearly. But I was talking to another friend about enemies to lovers, and she was like, Oh, I love a good enemies to lovers. And I was like, I am gonna one up you with the rivals to lovers, because there is something just so incredibly delicious about rivals to lovers. And I have the cover here gorgeous, gorgeous women on this cover. And what I love about this is almost the one sided rivalry in this book of like, yes, we're co workers, whatever. But one character is very like, I have to prove myself. I have to be better than her. I have to and the other ones, you're just there. Chill out exactly. I love those vibes. So tell us a bit about that one and what inspired you to shift from the het couple to a sapphic romance.

Deanna Grey: 11:18

Okay, so I'll just start with out drawn is basically sapphic artists to lovers. As you mentioned, rivals. I started because I always wanted to be an artist. I couldn't afford art school. Not many of us can. So, you know, I did the second best thing was write about artists. And, you know, it spun from there. I also like this anime called bachelman, and it was about manga artists who are rivals. And I was like, kind of want that, but with black women, but also they fall in love, yeah? So. And I was like, Yeah, let's have some fun, yeah. And in terms of, like, starting my journey, in terms of writing sapphic romance, some of my other characters are queer, like in mendohax, I have my lead ladies bisexual, Naomi's bisexual, so is adaren, and Celeste is demisexual, and then Eden is bisexual. So I kind of okay, so I have my MF pairings. I was like, Oh, I kind of want to do FF pairing now, just to kind of explore that side of my identity. But also I know, like my readers are also queer too. And I was like, oh, want something for all of us to enjoy.

Alesia Galati: 12:16

Yeah, I feel that in my soul, and I don't know, I mean, I get the mm, is all the rave right now. Not gonna have that discussions for another day. But as a bisexual woman married to a man, I'm constantly exploring in books the, you know, sapphic side of the attraction. And I just love it. I love it in romances. And I love what you did here with the very opposites attract and the rivals, and the way you built your characters so uniquely, right? I think sometimes when both of the characters come from very similar cultures. I read a book where both of the it was a rivals to lovers, sapphic romance, and it was a great book that I'm not saying it wasn't the female main characters were both from, I can't even tell you which might have been Colombian characters, and it didn't help either that there was one narrator, right? And I feel like maybe there were two narrators, and then my brain would have been like, Oh, they're different people, but I had a really hard time following along with whose mind am I in right now when we're going back and forth with this story? And so what I loved about outdrawn is that these characters both black women, but are still so uniquely them that it was very easy to follow along with whose mind are we in and where are we in the story. And so how do you get I mean, you have such I feel you have such incredible characters. What does that build process look like when you're maybe mapping out you said you you put a lot of thought and effort into these. It's not just willy nilly, but how do you kind of build them out as you're thinking about them in this story? Or does it just come to you?

Deanna Grey: 14:06

Sometimes they come fully formed, but sometimes I am pulling from my own experience, which I need to stop doing I've discussed, like therapy and stuff, because it's just obviously when people also critique your work, and it's like a shot to me, yes, so I'm just saying you stop doing that. But I do feel like it does help in terms of making the characters feel very fleshed out. With sage in particular, I'm the oldest child, and there was a point in my life where I was almost a breadwinner, and it was very stressful, so I put a lot of that into her, and tried to explore some of my like, maybe resentment or anger. And I was like, let me just filter into this character. And I thought that made her come alive. But then also with Noah, my insecurities of being a writer and being artist and feeling like I have to always be on point and go, go, go. And I also had an injury where I hurt my hand because I was just writing constantly, and I was like, I have to publish, publish, publish, to get this career so I can make money and stay in the game. So I think maybe that's why I feel my character work is the only thing that I do feel strong in in my writing, to be honest and. It's because I, yeah, I just use it as a diary.

Alesia Galati: 15:15

Sometimes I can't imagine, right? Because the characters are so they're part of you. They're your babies, they're an extension. I can imagine what critiques might feel like, especially to the characters, right? I feel like you do such a fantastic job and and and as the oldest to a mom who was an addict, I understand right, that kind of oldest daughter syndrome that many of us have to have to be and do for all, and that it doesn't go away, those feelings so you therapize through them and keep working on them, but yeah, I absolutely love those characters. Now you have some books coming out this year. Let's go ahead and get into the one that's coming out in March, since that one will be the first one they wouldn't dare, which is a fake dating, college romance. Tell us a bit about it and where we can pre order it they

Deanna Grey: 16:12

wouldn't dare is a new adult romance. It's kind of a revamp from my old football series. So if readers have been with me that long, they might remember these characters. So basically, we follow David and Yara. They're kind of like frenemies. So they grew up in the same small town, and they kind of just didn't really get along. And they're the only two from their small town that went to the same big university, and they keep running into each other, and they're just, at a certain point, just like, Okay, we're just gonna hang out, because we're obviously, when you're away from home, you're kind of a little homesick, and you see someone and you're like, Oh, you kind of remind me of home, even though I kind of low key don't like you, right? I mean, you are wearing that fruit, yeah, you are wearing that shirt from that local restaurant that we can go to or whatever. So they have this thing that they do, dares between each other. And this isn't really a spoiler. One dare leads to them having to fake date. So nice. From there,

Alesia Galati: 17:08

I love that. Oh, that's so fun. A good dare. Now that's several new adult books that you've compiled at this point. I'm curious why that specific genre? What are ways that you feel like that you can really tie in your strengths with it? Are those kinds of the characters, or maybe the processing just I'm not super old 34 but thinking about myself at that age, right? 2120 22 just wild and free, kind of, right? Oldest daughter syndrome still, but very much like I'll get to my responsibilities, but I will also do a shot of blueberry vodka in my car before I go to class. Right? That's a real story. But why does that specific kind of genre draw to you? Or is it just the characters call to you and you got to write their story? Or what is that kind of process for you?

Deanna Grey: 18:09

I think it's just, it's a lot of things. One is that I'm very much a late bloomer, so I was homeschooled all throughout high school, and then me going to college. I went to a community college, so I was still living at home. I only went to two years of actual college, college. So I feel like I missed out on a lot. So to kind of prolong what I feel like missed out on, I would tend to when I was first writing, I would tend to gravitate towards college age characters fulfilling this thing that I didn't get to experience, I didn't make a friend group, or that we felt a fountain family, or do all these things. So that's one thing. Another is that I felt when I was that age, I guess, like 1823, there wasn't really characters that were in that age range. There was like, ya and then you skipped to adult, especially if you're black. It's just, I want to see a black girl in those early adult years. You're not grown, but you're not a kid anymore. I was like, I want to see that in I didn't. So I was, let me just create it for the next generation of black girls. Let's just see ourselves in our 20s and being young and just having fun and small responsibility.

Alesia Galati: 19:11

Yeah. Oh my goodness, so much of your story. I was like, oh my god, me too. I grew up in a cult, and I was homeschooled, and then when I got to All right, I'm a senior now, I want to go to college. And I was looking at, like, Christian colleges and stuff, nothing crazy, but they were like, Oh no, no, you have to go to the college that's associated with us, which was just an extension of the cult. And I remember just feeling like, I'm going to this new place. And I remember the first day that I was there, they were like, Oh, where are you from? And the three girls that were in high school with me at the cult, because we all graduated in the same class, they all said that they were from the camp right at the place where I grew up, and I was like New Jersey, right? Because I didn't want to be associated. I wanted to recreate myself. I wanted to be something new and and exciting. No, I was there, and then when I ended up moving back to the cult afterwards, without a actual. Degree, because why would that be a good thing for people to have? I ended up going to the local community college where I met my now husband, so I never had the like, actual college experience, right? And so you're right. You can live vicariously through these characters, yeah, and also, at the same time, be yelling at them of get your shit together, like, come on. You know better than this, but you probably actually don't, so it gives them to, like, a little more leeway, I think too, when I'm reading new adult versus, like, someone in their late 20s or in their 30s, where I'm like, Honey, he's obviously not a great person to be with. Leave that dude, whereas it's like, I understand as a 20 year old, Star eyeballs and heart eyeballs and being, oh my God, he's the best thing that ever happened, even though he treats you like trash. I understand those feelings. And so there's a little more leeway, I think that you can give those characters to, but I 100% understand the idea of living vicariously through these characters and what an incredible opportunity to create something for the next generation of black girls coming up. Kudos to you for doing that as well.

Deanna Grey: 21:28

Thank you. A little sidebar, I also grew up in a cult, so Yeah, another thing worked with like, yeah. It was like culture shock coming out of that, yeah, it's rough, the vital hope. So yes, we're out. We survived that.

Alesia Galati: 21:48

Yeah, yeah. It definitely shapes your your worldview, like understanding people and understanding the world around you. And I think that books, at least for me, when I was there, that was my escape. It was my way of understanding what other people were like, without having interactions with people outside of there. And then you also have another book coming out in July. You're cranking these out. I love it so much. The case of Elmwood Ranch was, is a sapphic paranormal romance? Is this your first paranormal It is, yes. How do you feel? What was kind of your All right, I'm going sapphic again, and I am 100% doing paranormal.

Deanna Grey: 22:33

Yeah, I'm nervous about it, okay? But I grew up just watching, like, supernatural, anything paranormal. I just started watching Buffy love it, so I'll just, and I had this idea for the haunted horse ranch, and I was like, I'm just gonna go for it, you know? And I was gonna do it under another pin name, but then my husband was like, you should just do it under your pin name. I mean, it's fine. And I was like, You think they'll want to read it? He said, I think it'll be fine. It's fine. So I was just like, I'm gonna go for it. And I was like, I need to have a little bit of fun. Because was it last year? Yeah, last year was a little rough for me. So I was just, let me start working on something that is completely out of left field, and I could just be super creative. And it's going well. So far, I'm still writing it. Currently, it's going to be a long book, but, yeah, it's been really fun.

Alesia Galati: 23:17

I love that. And what a way to like kind of stretch your writing muscles too and try something different. But I'm sure it'll still have that Deanna kind of feel to it. So who cares? I agree, your husband, just go for it. I'm excited to check it out for sure. Deanna, this has been so much fun getting to know you, getting to know more about your process and your books and what attracts you to these incredible characters that you have created. Where can people buy your books? Right? Obviously, we want to support you, and so where can they buy your books? If you're like me, I know you can get signed copies. If you're like yes, please sign all my copies. You can get signed copies from scribbles. All of their books come beautifully packaged. I love Haley's shop, so highly recommend doing that. But where can people get your books and then go into the pre orders. Where is the best place to support you for pre orders, especially as an indie author, we want to make sure we're doing the best we can to support that. Yeah.

Deanna Grey: 24:22

Thank you so much. I'm on pay hip, so I have my I ship books out myself. So pay hip is usually linked in my social media. My main social media is Instagram, so if you find my Instagram, you'll find that link. And besides scribbles, I think that's the only place I am, besides Amazon. KU, helps out a lot. I'm in KU, I'm exclusive as far as ebooks, so you are like more of an e reader person, and you have KU, check me out in KU. And for pre orders, I do have a pre order up for they wouldn't dare with scribbles, and I have one with daily it tells, daylit tells is a newer black owned online bookstore, so you can find those two there, and for they wouldn't dare, it's just up on Amazon. Wait not They wouldn't dare Elmwood Ranch, it's just up on Amazon as far as ebook, but I plan to have a paper book release. Or with some other bookstores that I haven't announced yet, but I will, I don't want to say them yet. Yeah, no worries, changes, but yeah,

Alesia Galati: 25:20

okay, so definitely follow you on Instagram so we can keep up to date with any changes or anything for the case of Elmwood Ranch, especially since that's at a later date. And then, can you say the second bookshop. Again, we talked about scribbles, but what was the name of that second one? Just for anyone I misheard it, and so I want to make sure that people hear it right. Day lit tells, day lit tells, okay, perfect. And we'll make sure we have all of this linked in the show notes for anyone who's like, wait, I need help too. I got you. We'll have all of them linked directly to your products on their page, so that way, it's not you're scouring the interwebs. Y'all, we try to make this as easy as possible to support you. Deanna, this has been so much fun. Thank you so much for sharing your time and your journey and and all things new adult romance with us. I am so looking forward to your new books. I can't wait.

Deanna Grey: 26:15

Oh, thank you. Thank you so much for having me you.