Michelle Cray Interview

• Q. Can you tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to become a writer?

  Ans. I published two books to date, my memoir, Stretched, and my comedy, Not About Him. I started writing almost fifteen years ago when I started my comedic blog, but after getting married and having children, I found that my time was limited and removed my website. However, in 2022, I reconnected with an old friend, who encouraged me to write a comedic screenplay. I worked on this for a while until my mother passed away in the middle of that year. Her passing inspired me to write Stretched. After my memoir was published, I resumed working on the screenplay and ended up turning it into my novella, Not About Him, and restarting my blog, preferthebar.com.

• Q. What genre(s) do you primarily write in, and what draws you to that particular genre?

  Ans. My first book, Stretched, is a heavy memoir but ends with a powerful message. My second book, Not About Him, is comedic, and I plan to write in this genre going forward.

• Q. How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life, such as work, family, or hobbies?

  Ans. It is very difficult to balance a career as an author with two young children at home, but writing is my passion and I find time throughout the day to focus on it, even if it means I have to write on my phone!

• Q. How do you show appreciation and love to your followers and readers? Do you actively engage with them on social media or through other means?

  Ans. I actively engage with all my readers through social media, direct messages, and phone calls every day. They are my inspiration.

• Q. Have you ever faced writer's block, and if so, how do you overcome it?

  Ans. Writer's block is normal for almost every writer. If I'm experiencing writer's block, I write whatever comes to mind, even if the thoughts are messy and jumbled, and move on. Eventually, I will go back to that jumbled mess and reword it.

• Q. What advice would you give to aspiring authors who are just starting their writing journey?

  Ans. You just need one sentence to start.

• Q. Do you have any upcoming projects or works in progress that you'd like to share with your readers?

  Ans. I'm working on the second book in my Sarah Hodges series, called Zoe, about a troublesome toddler.

• Q. Finally, what are your goals and aspirations as a writer? Where do you see yourself and your writing career in the future?

  Ans. I want my memoir to help people, and I want my comedies to make others laugh. If I can do that, I'd consider myself successful.

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