1—What is the title of your latest release?
HER WOLF IN THE WILD. It’s out from Carina Press now!
2—What is it about?
Christiana—a young bisexual woman—is on the run from her abusive boyfriend, who also happens to be a member of Arizona law enforcement. She gets picked up off the road by Micah, a butch biker who runs the Hounds of God, a local motorcycle club. Except it turns out the MC is a cover for the local werewolf pack—of which Micah is their alpha—that already has some trouble with the cops going on. The last complication these two need is finding out that they might be fated mates.
3—What do you love about the setting of your book?
It was really nice to go back to Arizona, metaphorically speaking. I lived there when I was twenty, and putting a supernatural edge to the desert was a lot of fun. I also liked exploring the background of LGBTQ+ motorcycle clubs, since that’s not what comes to mind when most people think of an MC.
4—How did Christiana surprise you?
She’s a younger and less experienced protagonist than I usually write, so finding her voice and motivation took a different kind of work. But I feel like she comes into her own, not only through her relationship with Micah, but realizing what having power and confidence looks like.
5—Why will readers love Micah?
Beyond the aesthetics—she’s a six-foot-plus handsome butch on a motorcycle!—Micah is someone coming to terms with her own strength and how it affects other people. Falling for Christiana is the first time she’s ever been in love with anyone, and those twin challenges blend together to make her pretty compelling – at least, that’s the hope.
6—What was one of your biggest challenges while writing this book (spoiler-free, of course!)?
Making sure that every character got their piece of screentime. The pack is big enough that it’s easy for them to end up on the backburner with everything going on with Micah and Christiana, as well as Vera, who has her own subtle thread running through the plot. But I love the whole cast, so it was well worth it.
7—Do you look forward to or do you dread the revision process?
I actually love editing! Layers of polish and revision do incredible things for a story, and getting that kind of feedback really helps me drill down and find what shines.
8—What’s your favorite snack to have on hand while writing?
I’m not much of a snack person when I’m writing, but I always have coffee. And then a huge glass of ice water next to it so I don’t end up woefully dehydrated at the end of my sprints.
9—Where would you go for an ideal writer’s retreat?
I’d love to have a little cabin out in the wilderness, where I could walk and explore to refresh my mind. I grew up doing a lot of camping in the Sierra Nevada, and it’s been years since I’ve been able to spend time in a space like that.
10—What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve received?
I’m paraphrasing Hemingway, but he talked about always leaving a bit of writing inside himself and to let the well refill at night. Never wearing yourself out to the last creative drop means that there’s always something waiting for the next day. Sometimes I’ll even stop in the middle of a sentence, because knowing how it’s going to end means I can start up the morning after without having to think or hesitate. Once ten words are down, the next hundred—or thousand—is that much easier.
11—Who is the fictional character you want to hang out with the most? (anyone in literature!)
Harrow from the Locked Tomb series, although I don’t really want to be in that particular space future. She can come and hang out on my side of things. She could use the break.
12—What’s one of your earliest book memories?
Reading IN THE FORESTS OF THE NIGHT by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. I was shocked she had written it at thirteen – and I was twelve – so I got it in my head that I could also write books. It took a while for that dream to come to fruition, but hey, here I am now.
13—If you had to write in a different genre, what would it be and why?
Probably horror. It shares a lot in common with romance in terms of intensity of emotion, powerful transformations, and how identity can define and change us.
14—What song will automatically put you in a good mood?
Anything by Joan Jett.
15—What is your favorite way to practice self-care?
Taking a nice long shower, making some strong black tea, and then curling up with a book.
16—What can you eat and never get sick of?
Egg tarts. I could cleave through a plate of twenty without stopping, if someone dared to let me.
17—Will you share a favorite, recent-ish book you recommend?
I’ve been remiss and haven’t read any Silvia Moreno-Garcia, which I’m currently fixing with CERTAIN DARK THINGS and really enjoying. If you’re into vampires (tis the season), I recommend it!
18—Do you have any hobbies?
If fitness counts as a hobby, I spend a lot of time weightlifting when I’m not writing. I’m also a completionist in video games – give me the chance for a platinum trophy and I’ll put an outrageous amount of effort into getting it.
19—Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Absolutely a night owl, although I do my best to have a more standard schedule for the sake of everyone else around me.
20—What can readers expect from you next?
I have two F/NB romantic suspenses in progress – one continuing my Fatal Fidelity series and another is a new novel entirely – so that’s going to be my focus throughout the end of this year.
HER WOLF IN THE WILD by Rien Gray
The Hounds of God MC live outside the law and protect their own. They only have three rules:
(1) look out for each other
(2) obey the club president
(3) never show a human your werewolf form.
Christiana Arjean needs to get out. She tried to fix her relationship, but making a break for it is her only shot. She almost doesn’t make it, until a butch biker with a shock of white hair tosses Christiana on the back of her bike. Micah is as mysterious as she is attractive, and Christiana wants to know what’s under that tough exterior.
Micah Nubilo knows a little bit about keeping secrets. Rescuing Christiana is a bad idea, and letting her hang around is even worse. But there’s something calling to Micah: an impossible bond no werewolf should ever feel for a human, even one as beautiful as Christiana.
Their growing intimacy is threatened when they realize their pasts are connected in ways they never could have imagined. Christiana and Micah must fight against threats both outside the pack and inside themselves for a chance at putting it all behind them and finding a way forward—together.
Romance LGBTQ | Romance Paranormal [Carina Press, On Sale: October 19, 2021, e-Book, ISBN: 9780369718785 / eISBN: 9780369718785]
Buy HER WOLF IN THE WILD: Kindle
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About Rien Gray
Rien Gray is a queer, nonbinary (THEY/THEM) author – devoted to writing F/F and F/NB romance. They love reworking classic tropes in new ways and adding a splash of heat to all of their works.
Rien started as a poet but now shifts between short fiction and longer prose, although the subject matter is always about how love transforms us. They live in Ireland.
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