To Keep You

Grace Green Unscripted: The Next Chapter Unfolds

Welcome back to our literary circle! Today, we're thrilled to reconnect with the incredibly talented Author Grace Green, nearly three months since our initial conversation. In our previous interview, we delved into Grace's captivating world of storytelling and personal growth. Now, we're excited to explore new developments and milestones in her journey.

Grace, it's wonderful to have you back! Since we last spoke, you've wrapped up "To Keep You." How has the conclusion of this project impacted your creative trajectory? Let's dive into your experiences, insights and lessons learned – not only as an author but also as a passionate advocate for mental health awareness, self-care and personal evolution. What have been some significant takeaways from your journey over the past three months?

Natalia, delighted to meet you! It's a pleasure to share my insights with you today, following my previous conversation with Anna.

Now to answer your question, the final chapter of To Keep You has surprised a lot of my readers, weighing in at barely three pages and less than one thousand words. Some may even say there are plot holes, such as Malachi never learning Candy's real name, or the readers not getting all the details about how Ryder and Oliver died, or about Chaya's past. But these aren't plot holes - this is just the book. This story mirrors reality, where we don't always get the answers to our questions, and sometimes we have to work towards them. Love isn't easy and doesn't always get handed to us. Chaya and Malachi have a lot of trauma to work through; they aren't like Olive and Seth, who can start loving each other quickly. Chaya and Malachi have to work on things before they can love each other. As I mentioned in the Epilogue, Chaya and Malachi were working on things, even though they knew they were endgame. They took things slow, and I admire them for it. Some readers might complain about the lack of details regarding their escape and how they worked things out with the police. However, I added enough in the Epilogue to paint the picture, since this book was never about the scenes that take place but about emotional growth, which I think I did a good job writing about.

Now to answer your question about lessons learned, I definitely believe God taught me many things while writing To Keep You. Some lessons were bigger than others, but all had deep meaning. Two significant lessons stand out. First, timelines don't really matter. Setting goals is beneficial, but excessive pressure can hinder creativity. I learned this the hard way, initially thinking a book needed to be finished within a year. However, as To Keep You progressed beyond that timeline, I had to adjust. Second, "if it's not perfect now, it will be perfect later." Initially, I thought my first draft had to be flawless. But as I grew as a writer and editor, I realized that capturing the essence of my vision was more important. Details could be refined later. My Wattpad readers essentially served as alpha readers, helping shape the narrative. These lessons have profoundly impacted my writing and editing approach.

While I'm passionate about mental health awareness, I don't consider myself a full-fledged advocate - yet. Although I've shared my thoughts and passion for fighting for victims of sexual abuse and my personal struggles with eating disorders, I feel I haven't made a significant enough impact on other mental health topics to warrant that title. I aspire to do more and earn the title of advocate in the future.

Regarding self-care, I've been attempting to prioritize journaling, reading, healthy eating, and personal time. However, I have a passion for work, making it challenging to disconnect. Taking breaks can ironically increase my stress levels! I'm striving to find a balance between my professional and personal life. I continually remind myself that, as a young adult, I don't need to push myself as hard as someone in their forties. It's a work in progress!

You've been quite open about your spiritual journey. There's been speculation that you recently faced a crisis of faith. Can you confirm reports that you considered walking away from your faith and career just weeks ago?