Ayana Gray | |
---|---|
Born | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | March 13, 1993
Occupation | Novelist |
Language | English |
Nationality | American |
Education |
University of Arkansas (
BA) Pulaski Academy |
Genre | Fantasy, Children's literature |
Years active | 2021–present |
Notable works | Beasts of Prey |
Website | |
ayanagray |
Ayana Gray (born March 13, 1993) is an American author of young adult fiction. Her 2021 debut novel Beasts of Prey was a New York Times bestseller. [1]
Gray was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and moved to Little Rock, Arkansas with her family at age thirteen, attending and graduating from Pulaski Academy. [2] Gray received her Bachelor of Arts in political science and African and African-American Studies from the University of Arkansas in 2015. [3]
Gray began writing her debut novel, Beasts of Prey, in May 2015, following her graduation. [4] In July 2020, Gray sold Beasts of Prey and two accompanying books to Putnam Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House. [5]
Beasts of Prey, the first installment in the eponymous trilogy, was published on September 28, 2021. The story takes place in a Pan-African inspired world and follows two Black teens named Koffi and Ekon as they venture into a magical jungle to find and hunt down an ancient monster. [6] [7] [8] Beasts of Prey debuted at #4 on the New York Times bestseller list. [1] In 2021, it was announced that the book would be adapted into a feature film by Netflix, with Clubhouse Pictures producing. [9]
Gray currently lives in Little Rock, Arkansas. [10] [11] She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority [12]