A Conversation with Nancy Gray, Author of ‘Spine Chillers: Big Bad Wolf’

Nancy Gray has published a number of works including her middle grade series Spine Chillers. She also published her YA fantasy series Blood Rain. Her short story “Chosen” appeared in Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal Author Quest: a Penguin Special from Grosset & Dunlap. Her work also appears in various anthologies.

Nancy Gray has been writing for over ten years. Gray lives in South Carolina with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys books, video games, anime, manga, and horror.

Her latest book is the mid-grade horror, Spine Chillers: Big Bad Wolf.

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About the Book:

Jane is ecstatic when she gets the role of Red Riding Hood in her school play, but she didn’t realize that they’d be using the stuffed wolf prop as the Big Bad Wolf. That tattered old prop has always scared her and, lately, she has been having strange dreams about it that make it seem like it’s something more.

Jane will have to get help to save herself from the hungry spirit that has haunted her people and her nightmares before it consumes her, or worse, escapes the prison of the last creature it took to sate its horrible appetite.

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Would you call yourself a born writer?

I wouldn’t call myself a born writer, though ever since I was a child I’ve always had a vivid imagination. I made up stories to tell my older sister to make her laugh. For a long time I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I wanted to be an artist or a marine biologist, basically one of those other dreams that you think you want as a child and then realize you don’t really want when you’re older. When I was older I enjoyed reading and writing. I began trying my hand at writing short stories and eventually novels. I found that I really loved it. So I guess you could say that it was really when I was a lot older that I realized my dream job was writing.

In my experience I’ve found that most people don’t start out being a “born writer.” People can have a talent for writing, but it takes a lot of hard work to hone it as a skill. I have many early manuscripts that will hopefully never be seen by anyone. At the time I thought they were good, but now I realize they were not. I think that one of the marks of knowing you are a better writer is being able to look at your first work and realize that you weren’t born a natural, but you’ve improved since then.

What was your inspiration for Spine Chillers: Big Bad Wolf?

I had a lot of inspiration for this particular story. Some of my inspiration comes from Native American legends about the hunting grounds and stories about the legend of the wendigo. Even though the wendigo is typically portrayed as a werewolf, the essence of the legend is actually about the spirit of one who commits the taboo of cannibalism. While my story might not be entirely true to the legend, I combined many Native American themes. In this way I try to honor them and to make them all true in the context of the book. Being quarter Cherokee, I tried to do it in the best way that I possibly could.

I also had inspiration in some odd places. For one thing, the inspiration for the prop room and even the stuffed wolf came from the movie The Neverending Story. In the movie, the main character finds himself hiding in a room full of old science equipment and of all things, there’s a stuffed wolf head on a broom handle that falls down and scares him. Quite honestly, being young when I watched this movie, it scared me too. I try to evoke that feeling in the description of the taxidermy wolf. Something about it is off, and it definitely shouldn’t be there.

What themes do you like to explore in your writing?

I like to explore the themes of good and evil and the battle within oneself to do the right thing. I try to show that everyone, especially a child, has the capacity to be courageous and powerful even when facing their fears. Many of the creatures in the stories reflect a primal fear in the form of a monster. Many times the child is forced overcome it by themselves because the adults don’t see what they do or refuse to believe it. I feel that in life, there are times when children must face things by themselves. When they do it can be scary, but gaining the ability to stand up to adversity by oneself is a stepping stone to growing up. A child forced to make an adult decision in a sort of “bird out of the nest” moment is also a recurring theme in the stories.

In Spine Chillers: Big Bad Wolf, the battle mostly takes place in the character’s mind. She is being chased by something horrible that wants to devour her spiritually as well as physically. It takes a great deal of strength for her not to give up when she feels physically and mentally weak from its attack.  Some of the themes I think that are recurring in this story are that you are more powerful than you think, you are not alone, and there is no shame in seeking the help of others to help you with your problems.

How long did it take you to complete the novel?

This one took about a month and a half to complete. It was the third book that I wrote, though technically it’s the second in the series. Since I already had extensive notes about the character background, setting, and managed to write a rough outline, writing it didn’t take very long. Writing up specific notes for this story was a work in progress. I did a little research and was inspired by various things and jotted new notes down over the course of about two weeks.

Completing the notes on the entire series of books took longer than I would’ve liked. When I got the idea for this series I was working on my young adult fantasy series, Blood Rain. I intended to work on Spine Chillers, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted it to be an adult story or a story with child characters. It went through a few different versions before it became what it is today.

Are you disciplined? Describe a typical writing day.

When I’m inspired I’m fairly disciplined but I have a lot of responsibilities that have to come first. I have a few cups of coffee with breakfast so that I feel alert. A good rule to follow is never write anything when you’re still groggy in the morning! I also have to do a few things around the house before I can begin writing. I write in the living room on my laptop, but if my house is cluttered I can’t concentrate. So I do some cleaning up before I get started. Also I have two daughters, so I have to write at odd times during the day. When they take their naps, or when they are at school are the best times for me to write.

On a good day I usually can write over two thousand words. On days where I’m not feeling as inspired, I try to at least write something. Sometimes I write up character backgrounds for a role playing game, or I start writing a new short story. If I really can’t think of what to write, then I take a break from it for a few days to a week. One of the things I try not to do is to write on a story that I’m enjoying on a day that I don’t feel like it. Doing that tends to produce something that is at best mediocre, and I strive to make my work as good as it can be. Basically I try not to force it, but on an average day I write for at least two to three hours without a break. If for some reason I have a day where I have no other responsibilities, such as if someone is watching my kids and I’m caught up with my chores, I can write all day long.

What did you find most challenging about writing this book?

I think the most challenging thing about writing this book was balancing the scenes in the real world with the scenes in the dream world. In most stories you are supposed to avoid very detailed dream sequences because it takes away from the action of the story. In this case the action of the story takes place partially in main character’s dream world. This also made many of the scenes a bit abstract. It was a challenge to balance making the scene frightening but also to convey elements of fantasy, all the while allowing  a character to have a bit of control over her dream.

Another challenge was making the story fitting for my intended audience. There are some adult themes in this story, specifically the concept of cannibalism. There is often a fine line that has to be drawn between the grotesque and what is appropriate. Through most of the story Jane is fighting for her life while the cannibal spirit chases her in her dreams. To make this concept creative and different each time was also somewhat difficult. I think in the end I managed to balance things well, but only my readers can tell me for sure.

What do you love most about being an author?

I think what I love most about being an author is being able to exercise my creativity in a way that is meant to be enjoyed by others. I like the fact that I can paint a picture in another person’s mind. Each individual that reads my work will have a similar experience but one that is unique to them personally.

I also like to entertain people. Even though I made these stories as a way for children to cope with a fear in a dangerous world, I like the fact that I can do it in a way they will enjoy. Reading is a great way to escape and to experience something that you’ve never experienced before. I think everyone occasionally wants to experience something supernatural, something amazing but terrifying and to be able to come back to the real world in the end. Sometimes that makes the real world seem a little better.

Did you go with a traditional publisher, small press, or did you self publish? What was the process like and are you happy with your decision?

While I have had some correspondence with a traditional publisher, I am happy with my decision to self-publish. By self publishing I have a great deal of freedom over the process. For one thing, I was able to pick out my artists and have some say in the cover art. When you go through a traditional publisher you usually don’t handle that sort of thing.

Also I have been able to be as creative with my writing as I would like. Sometimes people write better stories when they aren’t told what they “can” and “can’t” do. There are many books now that blur genre lines and the lines of what is acceptable for a certain audience. In my books I try to treat my audience with respect. For the most part I write my stories as though I am writing to adults because I believe children are more capable than we tend to give them credit for. Even though I might tone down the violence and the gore, I don’t sugarcoat the darker elements of the story. I like to think these books would appeal to more than just one age group.

Where can we find you on the web?

I have a facebook page under WriterNancyGray. I also have a website nancygray.net. I have a blog on nancygray.blogspot.com. If anyone would like to contact me the best way is though facebook or through my website. I have plenty of room for comments and I would love to hear from you. If you like the books please leave a review on the store page, and you can expect more Spine Chillers from me in the future.

Thank you so much for having me here today to talk to you about my books! I really appreciate the opportunity.