A Way With Words
Alumna Ayana Gray has written her own story in more ways than one. Originally from Atlanta, Gray relocated to Little Rock when she was 13 and has made a name for herself as a bestselling author, inspired – in part – by experiences and classes pursued at the University of Arkansas.
These days, she can often be found touring the country, signing copies of her Beasts of Prey trilogy series at local bookstores or libraries. Celebrity status aside, though, Gray still sees herself as a Central Arkansas girl who found a home in Fayetteville amongst people who cared about her future.
The First Chapter
When Gray graduated high school from Pulaski Academy, she wasn’t sure where she wanted to go to college. So, she applied to 19 universities.
“I was having a bit of a crisis because I didn’t know what to do,” she said. “And, actually, Dr. Robinson, who was a vice chancellor at the time, called me up and said, ‘We really want you here, and if you come to the University of Arkansas, we will take care of you.’”
That message stuck with Gray, especially since Robinson had called personally to convey it. She knew then she wouldn’t just be a number – she would matter as an individual. And that phone call solidified her decision to come to Fayetteville.
Gray enrolled as an English major with a focus on creative writing, but a political science class taught by Angie Maxwell piqued her interest in switching majors. At a suggestion from Robinson, she also tried an African and African American studies course and eventually added it as a second major. Those choices would set the stage for the story that was yet to unfold.
The Plot Thickens
“I credit Fayetteville,” Gray said. “I don’t think I could have written Beasts of Prey without being in Fayetteville, because there were two things that happened on campus that impacted the story.”
The first was a class offered by Dr. Jeff Ryan that centered on political violence.
Gray recalled, “It was a colloquium where we were meeting in one of the towers of Old Main. It was this beautiful, beautiful setting, and we were talking about heavy topics – essentially moral relativism. What I learned is that good and evil and the ideas of good and evil can be so easily manipulated based on who has power and who tells the story. So, I walked away from that class with all this in my head.”
A few months later, a second opportunity sparked inspiration. Gray studied abroad in Ghana as part of her African and African American studies major . It was the first time she’d been out of the country, and it made a significant impact on her.
In addition to Robinson, Maxwell, and Ryan, Gray says she credits two additional
faculty members – Calvin White, Jr. and Janine Parry – for opening her eyes to new
perspectives and making a significant impression on her time at the U of A.
“I was in a new place, and I had never really seen Blackness in that perspective before,” she said. “I wondered why there aren’t fantasy books that had that setting and why there weren’t fantasy books that had people who looked like me in them.”
Shortly after Gray graduated in 2015, these experiences started percolating, and Beasts of Prey began taking shape.
“I started writing it a few days after I graduated from college,” she said. “I went back home and I remember feeling – it’s silly now – but I remember I felt like a failure…like I had so much support at the University of Arkansas and I didn’t graduate with a plan. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have put that pressure on myself, but I retreated into something that felt familiar – storytelling and writing – because that’s what made me happy.”
During this time, Gray went about her life, working in different jobs (including at the university) and traveling abroad. But her writing continued, and she eventually finished the story.
Anticipation Builds
In 2018, Gray pitched her story in a Twitter event called #DVPit and landed a literary agent as a result. Two years later, she had her first book deal with Penguin Random House.
Gray’s original Beasts of Prey is the first of three that encompass her trilogy. Her second book, Beasts of Ruin, was released in July 2022, and a third book is scheduled for 2024. There’s also a Netflix adaption in the works, which has allowed Gray to add “executive producer” to her resume.
“People always ask about Netflix,” she said. “And I’m excited for it, but I also try to stay focused on the thing that I fell in love with first, which is writing the books.”
Beasts of Prey takes place in a Pan-African inspired world and follows two Black teens named Koffi and Ekon who are pursuing a murderous creature in the depths of a magical jungle. African folklore is prominent throughout – a clear nod to the cultures Gray experienced while studying abroad, and the story features three facets Gray loves: monsters, mythos and magic. The first book debuted as #4 on the New York Times bestseller list for young adult hardcovers and picked up a bevy of “Best Book Picks” in 2021.
In 2022, Gray was the youngest alumni ever to receive the Young Alumni Award from the Arkansas Alumni Association. In her visits back to campus, she regularly draws a crowd of students, faculty and staff – some who “knew her when” and some who didn’t – who want to celebrate her successes and hear her perspective on writing.
“When I get the chance to talk to students, what I emphasize is, ‘Don’t give up on your dreams,’” she said. “It took me five years to write my first book, and not a lot of people knew, but I’m so glad I didn’t give up on it, and I’m so glad I had good people around me to encourage me when I wanted to give up. It’s surreal when people are like, ‘I’ve read your book and I know who you are.’ I still feel like I’m just a kid from Little Rock at the end of the day.”
To Be Continued
Even with two books down and an international tour complete, much of Gray’s story is yet to be written. Excitement for her work – and the world she’s created – continues to build, and new projects are on the horizon. And she’s accomplished all of this before the age of 30.
“I hope to get to travel more,” she said. “Obviously, I’m excited for the development of the books and seeing what happens in the next year or so. I’m excited to finish a trilogy too. At one point, it was just a dream to finish one book, so to be able to hold all of my books together and know that I wrote them…I’m excited for that feeling.”
The same professors from the U of A who encouraged her as a student are now championing her work as an author. The history, the people, the experiences – they all played a role in the development of her personal story, and it’s especially meaningful to Gray when she reflects on her time as a Razorback.
“I came to the university with a lot of uncertainty, and having professors who said, ‘No, I see that you have talent and I see you have something to contribute’ very early on really created a foundation that allowed me to believe in myself,” she said. “It really meant a lot to me to feel seen, valued and appreciated.
If Ayana had to describe the U of A in one word – which is admittedly difficult for
someone who makes her living with words – she says she would choose “legendary.”
“When I come back to campus, I always think there’s a piece of my heart that’s always here,” she said. “It’s like a time capsule of my life, and I come here, and I have a lot of reflection and nostalgia and genuine joy. I found some of my dearest friends and mentors because I came to the University of Arkansas.”
Hear Gray’s thoughts about her alma mater in the Short Takes episode, “A Way With Words.”