Kendall Grey Breaks Boundaries With Bold Storytelling and Genre-Bending Creativity

Fearless Voice Transforms Urban Fantasy And Romance

Kendall Grey shares her journey from teaching to writing, exploring her evolving style, groundbreaking series, and her shift toward television and film storytelling.

Kendall Grey is a dynamic and fearless storyteller whose bold narratives have captivated readers across genres, from urban fantasy to sizzling erotic romance. Her career journey—from teaching English to becoming a prolific author with over 20 published works—is a testament to her creative versatility and unwavering passion for storytelling. Known especially for her Hard Rock Harlots series, Grey combines raw emotion, unapologetic energy, and gritty realism in stories that push boundaries and resonate deeply with her audience.

Kendall Grey’s fearless narratives blend raw emotion and humor, creating unforgettable, boundary-pushing stories that captivate diverse audiences.

Grey’s writing stands out for its vibrant, unconventional characters and a unique blend of humor, magic, and emotional depth. Whether exploring the highs and lows of artistic life through fiercely honest protagonists or delving into themes of gender and identity with her groundbreaking Asgard Awakening series, she consistently challenges expectations and invites readers into worlds that are as thought-provoking as they are entertaining.

In this exclusive interview for Mosaic Digest magazine, Kendall Grey shares candid insights about her evolution as an author, the challenges of staying relevant in today’s competitive publishing landscape, and her exciting shift into independent television and film. Her journey is not only inspiring but also a compelling reminder that it’s never too late to follow your true calling and redefine your creative path.

Your career has taken you from teaching English to writing urban fantasy and sizzling erotic romance. Can you walk us through the moment you realised storytelling was your true calling? 

I’ve been a storyteller since I was a little kid. I wrote terribly long and boring family-centric stories as a pre-teen and Duran Duran fan fiction as a teenager (yes, I’m that old). It wasn’t until I figured out that stories need beginnings, middles, and ends that I started taking storytelling seriously. That was a week before I turned 39. I guess it’s never too late to learn new things! 

Your Hard Rock Harlots series has gained a cult following for its unapologetic energy and raw emotion. What inspired you to merge music, sex, and gritty realism into such bold narratives? 

I just wanted to see if I could pull it off. I had recently come off writing my Just Breathe urban fantasy series when I decided to stretch my creative muscles by trying something different. Erotica and erotic romance were gaining popularity at the time—this was shortly after Fifty Shades of Grey came out—so I thought trying a new genre on my own terms would be fun. I’ve never shied away from pushing boundaries, so I decided to go big or go home with Strings. My gamble paid off, and I’m very proud of that series. 

With titles like “STRINGS” and “NOCTURNES,” your books often explore intense themes with vibrant, unconventional characters. How do you find the balance between shock value and emotional depth in your storytelling? 

With Strings, I leaned into humor to try to offset some of the explicit content. Letty Dillinger, the main character in that book, is wildly unapologetic, free, and wears her heart on her sleeve. With her, what you see is what you get. She has a raw, honest quality that I love. Like me, she struggled with the highs and lows of being an artist, which made it easy for me to tap into her emotions and dig deep where it mattered. 

You’ve been candid about your creative ups and downs over the years. What has been the most challenging part of your author journey so far, and how did you overcome it? 

My biggest challenge is finding ways to stay relevant while telling the stories I love. It’s a never-ending struggle. I’ve published 20 books under various pen names, but publishing isn’t what it used to be. It’s become much harder to break out, way more competitive, and it can be emotionally draining. Seeking a change of scenery, I went back to school at age 53, got another degree, and now I’m shifting gears into a different kind of storytelling: independent television and movies.  

From elemental magic in your early urban fantasy work to the raunchy and rebellious vibes of your later books, how has your writing style or process evolved across genres? 

I think my writing style has always been very visual, but it has to be even more so now that I’m pivoting to television and film. As a novelist, I’ve flitted in and out of many genres, but I feel most comfortable when I’m writing something funny, magical, or both. Lately, I’ve been writing paranormal women’s fiction about middle-aged Bloodwitches (Ask the Blood series under pen name K.G. Green), and the two independent television shows I’m currently developing feature heaps of dark humor and weirdness. In terms of my writing process, I’ve learned to trust my gut, write what I love, and go where my heart points me rather than chasing trends that may disappear before I can catch up to them. 

“I’ve learned to trust my gut, write what I love, and go where my heart points me rather than chasing trends.” – Kendall Grey

Looking back on your body of work, is there a particular book or series that feels like your personal triumph—or perhaps one that took you completely by surprise in how it resonated with readers? 

The Hard Rock Harlots series put my name out there and attracted a larger reader base than I ever could’ve hoped for. I am forever grateful to those who took a chance on me by reading those books. That said, my Asgard Awakening urban fantasy comedy series is closest to my heart because it explores themes about gender and how society views LGBTQ+ people. As a mother of two transgender sons, I was excited to explore gender fluidity through my portrayals of modern, gender-swapped gods from Norse myths. I attracted a lot of new readers through that series that I don’t think I’d have found otherwise.