We had the good fortune of connecting with Katelyn Bailey Greno and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katelyn Bailey, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
Writing makes me happy. My book, Finding Ava is one of my greatest accomplishments and is a prime example of escaping into my own world and letting my imagination run wild. Writing makes me happy because I am in control of what I write and the world I create.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I do a lot of creative things in my free time. I do photography, have a blog, and continue to write short stories. I am so proud of my book, Finding Ava. I started it in 2014 and finished 3 1/2 years later. It all started with a little idea and turned into something magical for me. I let myself escape into this imaginable world and I was in control of what happened next. Writing a book is challenging but extremely fulfilling. You have to believe in your idea and how it will unfold. You have to trust the process. I write about self love, innocent romance, and mental health. My book and writings are pure fiction. Again, my inspiration comes from reading and watching movies. I love being able to write everything from scratch and use my imagination to create what I want.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
Ok I love this question. I roam around different parts of the Valley all the time! If a friend was visiting town, first, we would start at a local coffee shop preferably Bergies Coffee Roast House in Gilbert. The outdoor atmosphere is so cute and a perfect spot to take pictures. Next, we would drive up to Scottsdale and hike, I prefer Papago Park for the gorgeous views. Then we would walk down Old Town Scottsdale and stop at all the local shops. At night, I highly recommend Social Hall in Tempe. It is a super fun and chill bar with outdoor games, a bonfire area and hammocks to relax in! Great vibes overall.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Honestly, my inspiration for writing came from watching a lot of movies and reading a lot of books. I’ve always wanted to write a book but never knew it could be possible until I met Taylor Lee, a local author and dear friend. She helped motivate me and gave me all the resources I needed to self publish. She is absolutely a mentor to me and I give her a lot of credit for helping me with the book publishing process.

Website: https://katelynbaileyx.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katelynbaileyx/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katelyn-bailey-greno-47942710a/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/katelynbaileyx
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katelyn.greno