This week on The Writing Wall Blog readers will get to see our very first double-feature Writer of the Week articles. That's because these writers are part of a team in every sense of the word. And, yes that includes The First Stain, an anthology by Dakota Rayne, better known as Inked in Gray Publishing on Twitter and Instagram.
Dakota Raye is from a small city in Connecticut not too far from the beach. She explained, "aside from the pizza, we’re known for having been the mini-Atlantic City before Atlantic City was a thing. There used to be rollercoasters that went out over the Sound, fun houses, restaurants, and all kinds of carnival and gambling orientated establishments that allowed the city to prosper until a huge fire and hurricane in the ‘70s completely devastated the area."
Book Cover The First Stain:
An Inked in Gray Anthology
And even though Dakota would not disclose her true age, because a lady never does, she swears her daughter says she's 107, "because of my ability to do magic, which is really just a keen awareness of when someone is sneaking candy from my apparently not-so-secret hiding place.
Inked in Gray Publishing is Dakota's passion and it shows through her ability to interact across these two social media platforms with writers from all genres. Her content, questions, and even quotes to uplift writers are a reminder that publishers are more than just books. They are the pages that hold the words. Their mission is to seek out stories that shed light into the shadows and show another perspective that may not always be seen. "Our focus is on the morally gray, mental health issues, taboo and controversial topics, and marginalized communities."
Dakota elaborated mentioning her time working with troubled youth from all walks of life saying that the start of Inked in Gray for her was her "passion for helping people tell their stories and finding a few amazing individuals who shared my passion of enlightening the world with stories that need to be told (CL Thomas, Sang G Crowe, Sam Hale, and Shea Ballard) and thus became Inked in Gray. If you’re curious for the more in-depth version of our origin story, check out my medium post Why Inked in Gray."
"I started writing when I was very young as a means to escape. It started with poetry and journalistic rants about childhood trauma. My favorite thing to do was to take my experience and personify it as a demon or a monster that followed me around like a shadow, or hid in my closet or under my bed."
Even though Dakota said she would read any genre, she always finds herself coming back to non-fiction. "Give me books about science, history, sociology, and I will devour them. I have a penchant for learning new things."
A mix of art and love from her Nonni started Dakota on the path of writing. Someone very wise once shared with me that the best classroom as the feet of our older family members and such is the case with Dakota. "I would sit with my Nonni as she worked with clay and paint. Sometimes she would play the organ, but everything would always have a story. I lived for those stories. They told such a different perspective and added so many more layers to the stereotypical single mother on welfare dialogue. My other grandmother would tell of her time in Poland before and during WWII – stories that will never make it into a history book. By the time I was in 3rd grade, I’d written so many stories of my own, inspired by their passion and with my own twist. It became so much a part of me, I rarely remember a time that I wasn’t writing."
So where does this Dakota Rayne enjoy putting pen to paper? Well, she admits that she does not have a favorite place to write, but she does enjoy time away from civilization. Her favorite thing to do is "to pick a place on the map and just go--bring the notebook and my creative well overflowing."
Most of what Dakota writes is fantasy she admits, even paranormal in nature adding, "I do have a few non-fiction pieces in the works, as well. They are scheduled for release at the end of this year, possibly early 2021. The pieces reflect some impactful moments I’ve experienced that have changed and expounded my understanding of our world."
The main character from her is named Cade. Cade is featured in the story titled The Burden of Sight and he is also a side character in her upcoming novel The Lessons We Keep. "Something unique about Cade is that he loves sewing and making clothes. It's a subtle homage to an old friend of mine. It's not mentioned in the short story, but it's seen in the full-length story."
Dakota has a large following on Twitter, with just over 10k followers. With all those followers she certainly has a major support system in the Writing Community, but who supports Dakota Rayne outside of social media?
For her, Dakota told us her "biggest supporters in my writing are my writing family. We keep each other accountable, check in on each other to make sure we’re not burning out, check each other with aggressive love memes when the imposter syndrome creeps in. They are the best people in my life and I love them with all that I have."
When The Writing Wall Blog caught up to her Dakota said she was reading, "The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and The Revolution of Every Day by Cari Luna – both beautiful books in their own right." Her favorite author quote comes from a writer she has been reading for years, "I grew up devouring all the David Gemmell books. He has some unconventional heroes like Skilgannon the Damned and Druss the Legend but also some empowering female characters and The Hawk Eternal. The fact that he was expelled from school at 16 and still became a bestselling author was something that gave me inspiration – you don’t have to go to school and get the MFA, you can just be a storyteller, and I think that’s something that we as writers seem intimidated about."
Perhaps it is this writer's favorite quote by Friedrich Nietzsche that best explains what Inked in Gray stands for, "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And when you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you." (Beyond Good and Evil, 146). It's this quote that Dakota told us that exemplifies something she has had to live and struggle with.
"Growing up there were many enticing bad influences in my life - my loved ones, my mentors, my surroundings. I lived in a different world. Violence and aggression worked where kindness was not just considered a weakness but was met with the suspicion of betrayal. The quote is something I recite to myself often and is emulated in a tattoo on my forearm."
Some writers, like yours truly, have found themselves in a bit of slump due to the current economic, social, and health situation that is COVID-19. And with it added duties including homeschooling and working from home at the same time. Dakota said that when she can she loves hiking, kayaking, and tinkering with her old Chevy Camaro z28, "which will soon have a shiny new engine."
Aside from looking forward to her sweet engine, Dakota mentioned that her future writing goal was to write at least one book in every genre. "I don't know if I will ever achieve that, but it is definitely a dream of mine."
When asked if she had any advice for writers seeking to publish on their own this publisher, writer, and author offered these words.
"There’s so much that I could say here, but what I think is most important is: do your research. I can’t express how important that is in every aspect of the game. From ensuring there are no discrepancies in your novel to learning how to market, there is so much that you need to learn in order to do it well. Self-publishing is not easy, but there are (especially now) tons of free resources and communities out there that can offer feedback and provide insight. Use them. Cherish the value of your friends and writing community supporters." (Photo Bottom Right: Inked in Gray logo)
"If you don’t have any writing family supporters, you have one in me. No one deserves to go at it alone. We (the writing community) are here for you as you work your ass off to achieve your dream. Ask us for advice (watch out for trolls) and we’ll do our best to point you in the right direction. Also – give yourself time. Assume everything is going to take longer than you think it is from writing to editing to format and upload. Murphy’s Law is a dick and sometimes things don’t go as planned. Lastly, go easy on yourself. Celebrate the successes at every milestone. Remember to fail forward, even if things don’t turn out like you want them to, you’ve learned something out of the deal and that is what matters. As long as you’re learning you can improve, and that’s what matters most."
To follow Dakota Rayne and Inked in Gray visit the following links and check out The First Stain: An Inked in Gray Anthology.
To Purchase The First Stain: An Inked in Gray Anthology:
Inked in Gray Website: https://inkedingray.com/
Dakota Rayne's Non-fiction work can be found here: https://medium.com/@inkedingray/why-inked-in-gray-8fd99494671a
Dakota Rayne on Twitter:
Inked in Gray on Twitter:
Inked in Gray on Instagram (IG):
Author Bio:
Dakota has a passion for helping others and telling stories. After over fifteen years in social work, Kota decided to combine their passions into Inked in Gray, the indie press that seeks stories that need to be heard. Kota is working on works of their own - blending life experiences with the surreal in The Lessons We Keep, and musings about mental health, survival, and overcoming darkness. When not stirring up chaos with quills laced with provocative defiance, Kota enjoys swimming and bonfires by the lake, cake (especially tiramisu), hockey, and spending time with their family.
A new Writer of the Week will be featured every Monday. Be sure to also follow The Writing Wall on Twitter @TheWritingWall, or on Instagram @writingsonthewall85 for the latest. You can also listen to the podcast every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.