Kendall Gray

Hey there, dark romance lovers! I'm Kendall Gray, and I write the kind of stories that make your mom raise her eyebrows and your book club clutch their pearls. (But let's be honest – those are always the best books, right?)

I never meant to write romance, let alone the dark and twisty kind that keeps you up at 2 AM, desperately needing to know what happens next. My original plan? I was going to write "serious" literary fiction. You know, the kind that wins awards and makes critics swoon. But then I discovered that what I really wanted to write were the stories that lived in the shadows of my imagination – the ones that scared me a little but wouldn't let me go.

My debut novel, "Edge of Obsession," started as a fever dream after working way too many late nights as a crisis counselor myself. (Yes, I did put my real-life experience to use there – though I promise my personal encounters were far less... spicy.) The story of Elliot Voss came to me during one of those nights when the line between right and wrong gets a little blurry, and I couldn't stop thinking about what happens when someone who's supposed to help others finds themselves drawn to the very darkness they're trying to fight.

When it comes to my writing style, I don't believe in pulling punches. My characters are complicated, often morally gray (pun totally intended), and they don't always make the choices you want them to make. I write about the kind of attraction that feels like standing on the edge of a cliff – terrifying and thrilling all at once. If you're looking for sweet, gentle romance, I'm probably not your girl. But if you want stories that explore the darker side of desire, the kind that make you question your own moral compass while fanning yourself... well, pull up a chair.

I write from my little apartment in Seattle, usually at midnight with too much coffee and my rescue cat, Villain (yes, that's really his name – he earned it by destroying every houseplant I've ever owned). The constant rain here sets the perfect mood for the kind of stories I tell, though my neighbors probably worry about my search history. (Pro tip: always use incognito mode when researching questionable topics for your dark romance novel.)

To my readers: I promise to never give you a story I don't believe in. Every book I write will push boundaries, challenge comfort zones, and hopefully keep you reading well past your bedtime. I believe the best romances are the ones that make us uncomfortable sometimes – because that's where the real growth happens, both for the characters and for us.

What can you expect from my books? Intense, psychological situations that'll make your heart race. Complex characters who aren't easily categorized as good or bad. Steam levels that'll fog up your e-reader. And endings that might not be traditionally "happy," but are always satisfying in their own dark way.

When I'm not writing, you can usually find me volunteering at the local animal shelter (where I have to physically restrain myself from adopting more cats), binge-watching true crime documentaries (for research, obviously), or exploring Seattle's underground coffee shops while plotting my next story. I'm also slightly obsessed with collecting vintage psychology textbooks – they make great research material and even better conversation starters!

I love connecting with readers on Instagram and in my Facebook reader group, "Gray's Darker Shades." Fair warning though – we get pretty wild in there, discussing everything from book boyfriends to true crime cases that inspire some of my darker scenes. And yes, I absolutely show up in my PJs for our late-night live chats because that's just how we roll.

Looking ahead, I've got some seriously twisted stories planned that'll make "Edge of Obsession" look like a warm-up act. (Don't tell Elliot I said that – he's sensitive about these things.) I can't wait to share them with you and hear all your theories about what kind of devious situations I'm going to put my characters through next.

So if you're ready to walk on the darker side of romance with me, grab your favorite blanket, pour yourself something strong, and let's get lost in these deliciously dark stories together. Just remember – you were warned about the steam fog on your e-reader!