Meet Children's Author Gregory E. Bray

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes children's writer Gregory Bray who personally knows Geroge of the Jungle!

First, a bit about Gregory:

I was born and raised in Sacramento, CA, where I still reside with my wife and son. I was a film/TV major in college. I worked on a few movies, the most notable being George of the Jungle. Currently I work in the IT field.

Why did you pick to write books for children?

I didn't set out to write a book. The Tail of a Boy Named Harvey, my first book, was a script for a friend of mine to animate. I lost contact with him and decided it would be fun to make it into a picture book with my sister's drawings. Once the first book was done, I had an idea for a second story, then a third, fourth, etc. So the reason I chose to write is mainly because it's a lot of fun.

What types of books do you like to read?


I enjoy reading children's books with my son. It's great to see his face light up when he gets excited over a picture in one of his books. If I'm reading for myself, it's normally noir style or fantasy.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?


I enjoy hiking with my family, chasing my son around, playing hockey, and sleeping.

Tell us about Meowy Christmas and how the story came to be.


Meowy Christmas is the story of a cat's first Christmas with his newly adopted family. The story is my take on Christmas and what it means to me. It's not about presents, it's about spending time with family.

Here's a peek at Meowy Christmas:

It’s Franklin’s first Christmas with his new family and he is excited to see a present under the tree with his name on it. He panics when he sees that it’s from "Mom and Dad" and realizes he didn't get them anything. With his friend Charley’s insight, Franklin discovers Christmas is about much more than presents.

Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.


Yes. The Tail of a Boy Named Harvey is about a boy named Harvey who mistreats his pets. He has a dream where the roles are reversed, and he doesn't like the way he is treated. He wakes up with a new-found respect for his pets.




What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?


My third book Pochon's Monster is written and waiting to be drawn. I have several ideas for other children's books I keep milling about. I try not to force myself to write a story that isn't complete in my head. Everything starts as a movie in my mind that I translate to paper. The one that is furthest along is a scratch and sniff book.

What advice do you have for other authors?


Make writing enjoyable. For me it's a fun hobby. It would be great if it turned into a career. But if not, I'm just enjoying every second of the process.

Anything else you want readers to know?

I appreciate each and every one of them. There are so many great authors out there to choose from. I'm always honored to have someone choose one of my books to read. And that you (Cheryl) are great! I am really thankful for this opportunity to be interviewed.

Where can readers find you and your books?


They can contact me through

Facebook

Goodreads

My books are both available on Amazon:

The Tail of a Boy Named Harvey


Meowy Christmas