Meet Charissa Gracyk | Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Charissa Gracyk and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charissa, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Risk and doing things outside of my comfort zone are things I’ve learned to embrace. I used to be someone who preferred to be in the background and not take chances. I was such an introvert. But I think my dreams got too big and I knew if I wanted to make them come true then I’d have to jump and be fearless. Now when I’m asked to do something, if it scares me then I know that I need to do it. I’ve learned to harness my fear and use it rather than allowing it to paralyze me. By doing this, I’ve been able to do so many amazing things that my younger self never would’ve thought possible. Things like speaking in front of a crowd, directing a movie, appearing on television, teaching a class and self-publishing more than twenty novels. There’s a famous quote about doing one thing every day that scares you and I agree!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a self-published author who writes steamy romantic suspense novels full of action and adventure. It definitely wasn’t easy getting here and I feel like I took the roundabout way, but here I am. And, I’m truly loving every minute of this journey. I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to not give up and keep pushing– myself and my craft. I love challenging myself and trying new things. If things start to feel stale, I’ll move in a new direction, but I’m always moving forward. I think the greatest thing in the world is doing what you love and I can say that I am. Finally!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ve lived in Boston and Los Angeles, but recently moved back home to Toledo, Ohio. But no matter where I’ve roamed, home is truly where my heart is. After spending my twenties and thirties running around, I’m tired now! I enjoy doing simple things like getting a coffee in the morning at my favorite coffee shop down the street or going for a hike with my dog in one of the many city parks or visiting the farmer’s market. There’s a fantastic local bookstore called Finch & Fern and next door is the best bakery. I like to meet up with my best friend Becky for breakfast at the best little place called Sunrise and you can be sure I’ll order the pecan caramel waffle. There’s always something fun to do downtown–a boat ride, a baseball game, ice skating in the winter or dinner at one of the many restaurants. I enjoy day trips up to Michigan to go shopping or to spend a long weekend at the lake. Best of all, I like to sit on the back deck overlooking the pool and read because I’m a homebody.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are a lot of people who have helped me along the way, but Michelle Fewer deserves a big shoutout of recognition. She is not only my editor, but also my good friend. We’ve developed such an easy, fun and wonderful relationship, and she is truly one of the best things I’ve discovered on this journey. I’m so grateful for the way she challenges me to become a better writer and person. This whole author adventure wouldn’t be the same without her.

Website: https://www.charissagracyk.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charissagracyk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068718846996

Image Credits
My author photo: The Blade