Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Octavia Grant. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Octavia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?
I subscribe to Murphy’s Law; Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Though I am an independent author, I rely on other businesses’ services to ensure that my business runs smoothly. Some unexpected issues I’ve faced were never receiving purchased book covers, not receiving edits by the specified due date, or Amazon not approving the release of a book due to their internal review process. Of the three scenarios listed, I would have to say that the most nerve-racking would be never receiving the purchased book cover. As we know, besides the written manuscript, the book cover is the next most important part of the book. Purchasing a book cover can be quite pricey. So when a graphic designer, accepts payment for the project, but never delivers the completed design and stops all communication, you’re forced to purchase another book cover. This has happened to me more than once. It is infuriating because as a self-published author, I am responsible for all out-of-pocket expenses. Now I try to stick with a specific designer.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Yes, of course. I discovered my love of creative writing when I was a junior in high school. My English III assignment was to write a short folklore. I wrote a story titled, The Hyena’s Laugh. After completing the assignment, I fell in love with the art of writing. I came into the industry after listening to an audiobook. At the end of the book, the publisher’s information was given and stated if aspiring authors were interested in becoming a part of the literary family, to submit the first three chapters of a book. I did that in 2016. I’m most proud of knowing when it was time to leave that literary family and start doing things myself. My readers know, and my future readers will discover that Author Octavia Grant Presents is dedicated to creating and publishing quality stories that are guaranteed to take the reader on an emotional and somewhat terrifying reading journey.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding part of being a creative writer is having readers find me on social media and letting me know how much they enjoy my books. Writing is hard work, and truthfully, I second-guess myself a lot. To have readers expressing their love for my books and encouraging me to keep writing is an honor.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Being consistent and making sure I keep my books front and center helped build my reputation. I also attribute my success to the amazing people I surround myself with. Even though I am an independent author, I surround myself with amazing authors, book clubs, and the “BookTok” community. My friends and family’s, words of encouragement, as well as their support of sharing my books have helped build my literary reputation. Being consistent has allowed me to be interviewed by Narrator iiKane, interviewed by Literary Reviewer and Movie Commentator Tamara Walker of Tam Telling Tales, featured in WYB Lifestyle magazine, VoyageJacksonville magazine, featured in the book 160 Black Women In Horror, and the winner of Black Girls Who Write It’s Lit Literary Award.
Contact Info:
- Website: aogpresents.myshopify.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/octavia_vs_otaneka/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/octaviatanekagrant
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tavi_vs_otaneka
- Other: Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B06WW7WRDK TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@otaneka?_t=8euJQkz3Omo&_r=1