About the Author: Peter Gray is a Canadian writer. He writes for the genres of paranormal romance and Gothic literature. Gray is influenced by the poems and works set in the Romanticism period, as well as classic works of Gothic literature from the early nineteenth century. Gray’s first book “Cursed” is a steamy romance novel. His full-length novel “The Tragic Tale of Teddy Woven” is a dark romance story with classic tropes of Gothic literature, which will satisfy anyone that is a fan of Edgar Allan Poe and any of the Brontë sisters works.
1) Hi Peter, thank you for taking the time to talk to us today. Your first two books, “Cursed” and “The Tragic Tale of Teddy Woven” are both paranormal romance. What attracts you to the genre?
The idea of telling a romance story in a darker, much more suspenseful atmosphere has always interested me. I seem to gravitate towards pieces of literature that has “grey” characters, which are morally conflicted and have something to hide. In terms of my stories, I write predominately romantic plot-lines with elements of horror and chilling suspense. Supernatural beings such as werewolves, ghosts, vampires, goblins, angels and demons, and the grim sighting of ravens are all characters I wish to incorporate in future works.
2) The Tragic Tale of Teddy Woven was published in September 2020 and is your first full-length novel. Could you tell us a bit more about the book and what it is about?
“The Tragic Tale of Teddy Woven” can best be described as a romantic-suspense novel. The main character, Sela, is temporary hired as a gardener for an old ancestral home belonging to the Woven family. Prior to entering such establishments, Sela is warned by her employer to not speak with the homeowner, Theodore “Teddy” Woven. Sela wishes to abide to this stern warning, but the mystery surrounding the homeowner is too much for her to bear. Sela soon sinks into the dreariness of the household, uncovering its secrets and the haunting presence surrounding the master of the house.
This novel has a lot of classic tropes attributed to Gothic literature. Elements of supernatural beings, a mysterious and rather enigmatic homeowner, and a burgeoning love that goes against rational are present in my most recent novel. I was inspired by the works of the Brontë sisters, Edgar Allan Poe, Daphne du Maurier and Anya Seton. I believe anyone that has a partiality towards dark romance novels with an air of mystery will enjoy this book immensely.
3) The book essentially has only two characters and yet it just works perfectly. Did you always aim to keep the characters to just two or it’s something that happened as you developed on the story?
The characters Sela and Teddy Woven were so vivid in my mind’s eyes, so life-like that I felt no need to add further characters to the story unless it was absolutely necessary. I believe that the growing intimacy between these two characters are strengthened by the isolated setting, which surround the Woven’s household. For this story, I wanted to emphasize the intense isolation of the Woven’s ancestral home because it plays such a psychological role to Teddy’s peculiar mannerisms and changing temperaments that can often shift from one extreme to another. Teddy is a lonely soul, unhappily haunted by his past, and I believe that the house acts as a dim reflection to his characterization. Ironically enough, Sela is not only caring for the Woven’s residency but the moody and often brooding character, Teddy Woven.
4) Both your books have been published in 2020, a year that has been quite difficult mainly due to the Covid-19 situation. Did the forced lockdown help you focus as an author or was it still a distraction?
Indeed, the lockdown has proved most beneficial for me in terms of writing. In the spring of 2020, I was abruptly laid off work and all my university classes were cancelled for the year, so I suddenly found myself with a lot of time on my hands. I remember specifically binge watching Vincent Price films for a few weeks straight before the plot-line for “The Tragic Tale of Teddy Woven” popped into my head. As a matter of fact the physical appearance and enticing voice of Teddy Woven was inspired by the legendary actor Vincent Price. Any fans of Price’s films will see some resemblance and/or references to Dragonwyck, House of Usher and The Tomb of Ligeia in my novel. When I had the opportunity to watch “Dragonwyck” it was the nail in the coffin for me. It compelled me to shut myself up in my room, and for two weeks straight I wrote and thought of nothing but “The Tragic Tale of Teddy Woven.” As you can imagine, the lockdown has worked in my favour to a certain degree, for I would have never have crafted this story if it had not been for my own lengthy isolation from society and an inward longing to escape into an entirely different world.
5) You are a self-published author at the moment. Is writing what you do full-time or is it something that is still developing?
I find that rather difficult to answer, mainly because of my writing style. Generally speaking, I wake up in the early hours of the morning, start my cup of tea, and sit down at my computer to write for two to three hours a day depending on my mood. This is a daily routine, something that has only been enhanced since the start of covid-19 lockdown procedures. I suppose you could describe it as a full-time writing job, but I am not entirely certain. My mornings are spent writing and in the afternoons I sit down to answer emails and plan out different ways to further market my books. I find that being a self-publisher has many hats. Fortunately, I am steadily building a team of fellow artists and writers to support me in my future endeavours.
6) What do you think are the biggest challenges of being a self-published author?
Marketing, particularly connecting with new readers has been the biggest challenge for me. A part of the reason is that I go under a pen name, so there are some limitation when promoting my books. It is rather ironic really, since a lot of my friends and family had no prior knowledge that I am a writer or that I published two books online. A part of the reason is because I am shy and rather reserved (much like Teddy Woven), but also because I am in the teaching profession and would prefer to keep my self-publishing business away from that part of my life. Also, if I choose to dabble more in erotic literature like I have done with “Cursed” it would be best to write under a pseudonym. Marketing under a pen name does have its own sets of challenges, but I am enjoying the journey so far.
7) Your first two books are paranormal romance. Is this the genre you want to focus on or can we expect other types of stories from you as well?
Paranormal romance has a special place in my heart. It is likely that I will stick to genre in the foreseeable future. At the present moment I am working on a second revision for a historical romance novel set in the early 19th century, but it is the only one thus far where there is no supernatural elements in it, and most likely my last for the time being. My plans for next year is to also publish a mini-series about vampires set in Victorian London.
8) Is too early to ask about your next book? Do you already have something in mind?
I have recently completed a full-length novel called “Awakening.” It was influenced by Thomas Hardy’s “Tess of the d’Urbervilles” and Gustave Flaubert’s “Madame Bovary.” I wanted to write a novel based on the central theme of purity, lust and forbidden love. The main character, Ava Miller, is offered a part-time governess position at the Riley’s household. Ignorant of the master of the house true intentions, Ava is soon caught up in a web of lies, passion and undeniable lust. Ultimately this story is about temptations, desires, and the main character’s question of morality. Although this story has no supernatural elements, the psycho-analysis of Ava’s inner mind and soul will be enough to leave the readers in a nervous state of suspense.
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Thank you so much for your time. We wish you all the best with your current book launch and hope to read many more novels from you in the future.
