Hayes Grier launches book with immersive app
LOS ANGELES -- Like many digital influencers, Hayes Grier knew he wanted to write a book.
After all, books by Vine and YouTube stars -- most of which are autobiographies -- have risen to bestseller lists thanks in large part to their fervent fanbases.
But Grier, 16, felt he hadn't lived enough of his life to warrant a whole book. That's why with Hollywood Days with Hayes -- which launched on Tuesday -- the social media star chose to tackle the fiction genre. He did however base the main character, of the same name, on himself. But it takes place on the fictional set of his first ever movie.
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"I feel like there are still a lot of crazy experiences left for me in the future," Grier told Mashable. "But this is my first book and I wanted it to be fictional. I don't have enough to tell about my whole life yet."
"I don't have enough to tell about my whole life yet."
He also wanted to have an immersive element to the book itself. Grier partnered up with the app Episode, which is home to interactive mobile stories. Through the app, Grier's fans can actually step into the book's story by becoming summer interns with a famous director on set of the same movie as Grier. However, the internship turns into being Hayes's personal assistant.
"They get to be a character in the story," Grier said. "They make their name, character, and just put themselves in the world. I think my fans will really like that."
Grier, 16, has 3.59 million Twitter followers, about 870,187 subscribers to his YouTube channel and 4.3 million followers on the now extinct Vine.
The digital influencer, who recently starred in Hulu and AwesomenessTV's Freakish, also stars in a new go90 show called Top Grier.
He started getting into online video after his older brother, Nash, became an overnight star thanks to Vine.
At the end of the book, Grier included several bonuses for fans including a family album and "day in the life" account.
"I'm just excited for everyone to see it," he said.
Saba was a Los Angeles-based reporter who covers all things digital entertainment, including YouTube, streaming services and digital influencers. Prior to that, she spent two years at the Los Angeles Times covering entertainment for the Calendar and Company Town sections. Saba grew up in Santa Monica and graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in journalism and B.A. in political science. When not reporting, she is usually binge watching shows online or looking for new coffee shops to frequent.
