Ashley Grey is an enticing shadow. She fulfills that dark craving for horror, fantasy, romance, and emotional depth in dystopian settings. Her voice is unique, potent, and addicting while her writing captivates with snowballing intensity — there’s an ever-escalating barrage of creatures, concepts, and conflicts. This wonderful swirl of talent, craft, and atmosphere makes her latest novelette, 7 Seconds, impossible to put down.

Why you should read Ashley Grey’s “7 Seconds” dark sci-fi novelette

Ashley Grey’s 7 Seconds is a bungee jump into a brutally dark yet wondrous world. She shoves you off the platform and seems to take great delight in the screams, which happen on the very first page. Your mind struggles to grasp the confounding premise of gravity failing, while she throws more and more extraordinary revelations and details at you with wickedly tight, breakneck prose.

As an author, Ashley has an exceptional command of pace. The story whips along, daring you to keep up as the adventure rapidly expands to encompass emerging portals, ineffable creatures, multiple dimensions, ethical dilemmas, newfound powers, and the importance of family. All of this is set against an apocalyptic crisis that threatens the eradication of reality.

Ashley is a bold, fresh voice in dark literature. She isn’t afraid to chronicle genuine human limitations when struggling to survive a bleak, nightmarish reality. Ashley might not promise a Hollywood ending, but her words will linger in your gloaming thoughts, challenging you to see the world and yourself from a new perspective. 7 Seconds is for the reader who doesn’t mind vividly depicted gore, sanity-threatening scenarios, and heroes who try their best… but realize that might not be enough.

Q&A with dark fiction author Ashley Grey

What is it that drives you to create and tell stories?
I daydream a lot, and I need an outlet for the characters and worlds I come up with. 

How did you learn to put together words in a way that engages the imagination and holds the attention of the reader?
I’m an overly detailed writer, and over the years I’ve learned the importance of foreshadowing, making each word count, and building the tightest story I possibly can.

Which is more important to you: the individual words or the bigger picture?
The bigger picture. My stories are usually doing a lot at once because I love incorporating recurring themes, imagery, and symbolism. I love the feeling of everything coming full circle and finally clicking together perfectly. That satisfying “ah-ha!” moment for the reader.

Which do you do more: write or rewrite?
Rewrite for sure. I like my sentences to be as detailed and productive as they can be. 

Do you map out your story first, or do you prefer to just write and see where it takes you?
I always outline first, and 90% of the time I come up with the ending first and work my way backwards.

What are your favorite horror movies?
My favorites that come to mind right now are: The Night House, Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Substance.

Where did you get the idea for 7 Seconds?
I got the idea from that conspiracy theory about Earth’s gravity stopping for seven seconds this year, but I also wanted more practice exploring other realms and surreal environments.

You are ruthless. Your characters really suffer. The hero doesn’t always succeed. Where does that come from?
It was fitting for John’s character arc because he’s actually the character least like me. I also felt the “hero doesn’t always succeed” aspect made the story feel more human and realistic. In a situation where saving the world comes with consequences tied to his own bloodline, failure felt like a grounded and believable outcome.

Who decides which parts of your stories get an illustration?
I usually come up with the illustration concepts myself and then reach out to artists whose style matches the vision I’m looking for. I’ve been really fortunate to work with some incredibly talented artists.

Do you work out the details with the artist, or do they get full control?
I usually come up with the general premise and description, then let the artist surprise me from there. Artists are amazing at figuring out what works best visually.

Are any characters in 7 Seconds based on real people?
None of the characters in this story are based on real people. I prefer sticking with fully fictional characters. They’re much easier to work with. I believe my characters are often symptoms of the worlds they exist in.

How important is an editor?
Extremely important. I need an editor no matter what because I get terrible tunnel vision and easily overlook things when I’m too caught up in the story.

What do you hope people get from reading 7 Seconds?
It’s my first sci-fi supernatural thriller, and I wanted it to be a fun exploration of monsters, other realms, and society being completely turned upside down.

What would we be surprised to learn about you?
I am currently in school to become a trauma therapist! 

Stay in touch with author Ashley Grey

Not only is Ashley a fearless writer with remarkably fresh and intriguing ideas, but she also has a wonderfully engaging online presence. Instagram is her favorite platform, and it is mind-boggling to consider how she can be such a prolific writer while doing such a phenomenal job of creating daily content. Follow her on Instagram at theeashleygrey. To buy her books and other merchandise, visit Ashley’s website. If you’re more of a BookToker, you can find her on TikTok.