Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Gregg.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started writing back in grade school, a few super short stories in third grade here and there, though it wasn’t until about 5-6th grade when I really started to write. My best friend Shannon and I wrote what would be called X-Men fanfiction, our version of superhero stories loosely based on the X-Men and other comics. And I really haven’t stopped writing stories since. I like to “blame” my mom for starting all this because she got my sister and I a word processor (like a very basic computer that couldn’t go online) instead of buying me a PlayStation.
I wrote my first full-length novel my senior year of high school, my second after graduating college, and I’ve been working on various WIPs through the years as well. These projects may or may not have stalled along the way. It wasn’t until I started working at Barnes & Noble that I realized I could turn these stories into actual books. A coworker had a couple of his books published by a small publishing house in Minnesota and got me in touch with them.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
In many ways, it has been a smooth road, in others not so much. I’ve been very lucky in the ways I’ve sort of stumbled into great opportunities for my writing, like having coworker connections with publishers, next-door neighbors who know local media reporters, and stumbling upon my current publisher via a chance encounter on Facebook.
My personal life has been the area where most of my obstacles have come from, though these challenges have both helped and hindered my writing. My mother died of breast cancer when I was a senior in high school, and instead of completely shutting down I turned to writing for an escape and catharsis. I took a long hiatus from serious writing after I got married and had a child, and had to focus on the Evil Day Job to keep afloat. Then once I got into a comfortable balance of family life and writing and was working on my newest release, my husband of almost 10 years came out as gender fluid and we had a pretty rough divorce. Almost a year post-divorce, I’m finally getting back into a good spot to get back into writing in earnest.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Minnesota based author, I write paranormal romance, sci-fi/fantasy, horror, and mystery books. I guess I’m known for my humor, captivating characters, and unique perspective of the world and how I can incorporate those into my works. I’m working to specialize in more stories and books that take place in and around Minnesota, it is a fascinating state and has so much rich history and stories of its own that make for a great setting for books.
What am I most proud of? Writing-wise, I’m most proud of my latest book, Farmed & Dangerous. It is the most personal of my works and it’s a love letter to my family. What I’m proud of most outside of writing is my daughter. She has pushed me daily to become the best version of myself.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I was 13 and kind of a sparky brat. I didn’t like to go outside (still don’t), I’d rather stay inside and read or watch movies. One winter day, mom forced me to go outside and build a snowman. I HAD to go outside and build a snowman or no more TV or something. So I went outside and came back in about 15 minutes later. My mom was mad, looking out in the backyard and demanding I go back out to make that snowman. I told her to look out the kitchen window. She did and started laughing, tears down her cheeks laughing. I had built a snowman, but it was the size of a pop can, about 6 inches tall. She said to build a snowman… just didn’t specify the size.
Pricing:
- Magic & Madness $15
- Through the Woods $15
- Next Weekend $10
- Farmed & Dangerous $TBA
Contact Info:
- Website: www.foxpointepublishing.com/author-amy-gregg-1
- Instagram: Instagram.com/amylgregg
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmyGreggAuthor
- Twitter: Twitter.com/amylgregg
Image Credits:
Amy Gregg
Brittany Olson
