We recently connected with M.C. Ray and have shared our conversation below.
M.C. , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the toughest things about progressing in a creative career or as an entrepreneur is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?
Marketing is the most unexpected problem I encountered. When I put out my first book I hired a literary agency to help with marketing. They brought in ZERO sales and I paid them 2250 dollars over the course of 12 months. I realized after some time that most of the work I was going to have to do on my own but also, you have to build something for people to come to. That means creating a base, collecting contacts, and communicating to those contacts regularly across different streams.
M.C. , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a creative who has just made my premiere to the world through the writing of The Unveiled, the first book of a series. I am a Georgia native, born and raised in Stockbridge, Georgia, and have always had a passion for the arts, especially the power of story telling in all its forms.
“Creating a fantasy with characters that look like me is more than just about inclusion. In reality we are present, so why not in the magical, fantastical, and the alternative.” – M.C. Ray
I am excited to share this work with all who are willing to the take the plunge into a new story and hope that you all enjoy my works as much as I enjoyed writing them.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I would like to bring completely fantastical stories to the reading world. Not based in trauma or historical but completely and utterly magical. I also think that self publishers deserve a place to shine so I’ve taken a stance to stay independent and continue to push The Unveiled Series. I hope that people will connect on both these fronts and support.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
There’s a quote from a great show named “Pose” where the main character, Blanca Evangelista says “We do not have the luxury of shame.” This quote is quite true and while so easily stated, it’s the main thing holding people back. I had to lose this idea that I was too cool or special to pitch my books to people. I have sent cold call emails, direct messages, pitched to people who couldn’t connect to fantasy. I can say that I have gotten so many more opportunities by simply putting myself out there, despite the “no’s” I’ve received. So for anyone wanting to branch into selling their creations, or any other form of entrepreneurship, you must first have access to the most beautiful spread of humility in order to shed the shame that resides.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jovenelray.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unveiledseries/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theunveiledseries/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/unveiledseries
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmiinba4ccx5nIpoAB0TAfA
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/Unveiled-M-C-Ray-ebook/dp/B07HWQDQ9W https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08QV9WM26?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_mng_calw_1&storeType=ebooks