About author: Christian Sandra-Elise Cook is from the suburbs of Detroit. At age 16, she graduated high school and then attended Columbia College Chicago. Here, she obtained a BA in Public Relations, and discovered her depth as a woman and a writer by taking various creative writing courses and using the city of Chicago as her campus. After being accepted into a writing program in Paris she rediscovered her passion for her first true love; writing. Paris was also Christian’s first time traveling outside of the United States and it opened her eyes to new experiences, a slower pace, and it made her question life as she understood it. Always curious, Christian discusses life, faith, and all the unexpected occurrences in between.
Author’s Website for more information: https://www.craftedbychristian.com
1) Tell us about your current work
Growing in the Gray is a young adult coming of age story that takes you through the world from Krista Clark’s (the protagonist’s) point of view as she navigates a new city, starting college, and maybe being in love for the first time. All while simultaneously dealing with her anxiety, and her family going broke.
2) Name three things you had to accept and come to terms with within yourself and your writing.
I can’t control how people perceive my writing, As a writer my job is to tell a story in it’s fullness, when people read my writing they will either exercise their critical thinking skills or laugh
3) Was it easy to use Michigan as a backdrop?
Yes, I try to go back at least 2-3 times a year to ensure any details I provide are authentic. I love having the opportunity to highlight a place that either people don’t know much about or have a huge misconception of.
4) What characteristics from your teenage years did you carry into your adult life? Did you mean
to hold on to these qualities or did it happen naturally?
I have always had hope and faith that I would be successful, my hope and faith encouraged me to have the discipline to refine my talents, and most importantly I never gave up. I’ll never forget that I learned that the word perseverance meant while attending Laurus Academy and I applied it to my everyday life from there.
5) What would you like readers to walk away learning from this literary piece?
I want readers to know that experimenting and trying new things adds spice to life. The world glorifies youth, and a reason I believe that happens is during those times you are trying new things, and excited about the future you can build. The world literally seems like it has so much to offer. Before you aged and got experience you were excited about something, I want anyone older who reads this novel to keep that part of their youth with them, and hopefully reading Growing in the Gray awakens that part of them!
6)Please give aspiring authors one piece of advice.
If you want to write, WRITE! Start off with just writing your thoughts and as you gain confidence in your skills don’t be afraid to market yourself on your skills. From there, expand your network!
7)Please tell readers where they can find your work
Growing in the Gray will be available for purchase on Sept 6th, 2022 on amazon.com
And at www.Craftedbychristian.com
About her new book to be released September 2022
Growing in the Gray is a young adult coming of age story that takes you through the world from Krista Clark’s (the protagonist’s) point of view as she navigates a new city, starting college, and maybe being in love for the first time. All while simultaneously dealing with her anxiety, and her family going broke.
Author’s Website for more information: https://www.craftedbychristian.com
Michigan Literary Network 