Jaye
Wells Interview Intro:
Hello everyone! LITERAL
ADDICTION and Book Monster Reviews are very happy to have the wonderful Jaye
Wells today.
Jaye,
who currently lives in Texas with her husband and son, worked for several years
as a magazine editor and freelance writer until she made the decision to leave
the facts behind and live in her own alternate reality. Her overactive imagination and fascination
with all thing beyond the natural and normal (a.k.a the Supernatural and
Paranormal) blended nicely with this new career choice, especially when she
unveiled her SABINA KANE series.
SABINA
KANE is Urban Fantasy that blends dark themes, grave stakes, and wicked humor. We’re here to help Jaye promote this
critically acclaimed series and celebrate the release of the epic conclusion,
“Blue-Blooded Vamp”, Book #5, which is being released tomorrow (6/1/12)!
For
those of you not familiar with Jaye’s work, we thought we’d give you the
synopses of the books to get you up to speed and peak your interests a bit…
"Red-Headed
Stepchild"
SABINA KANE Book #1:
In a world
where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only
profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the
fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to
figure out which side she's on. She's never brought her work home with
her---until now.
This time, it's personal.
"The Mage in Black"
SABINA KANE Book #2:
Sabina Kane
doesn't have the best track record when it comes to family. After all, her own
grandmother, the leader of the vampire race, just tried to kill her. When she
arrives in New York to meet the mage side of her family, the reunion takes the
fun out of dysfunctional.
On top of that, the Hekate Council wants to use her as a pawn in the brewing war against the vampires. Her mission will take her into the bowels of New York's Black Light district, entangles her in mage politics, and challenges her beliefs about the race she was raised to distrust. And Sabina thought vampires were bloodthirsty.
On top of that, the Hekate Council wants to use her as a pawn in the brewing war against the vampires. Her mission will take her into the bowels of New York's Black Light district, entangles her in mage politics, and challenges her beliefs about the race she was raised to distrust. And Sabina thought vampires were bloodthirsty.
"Green-Eyed
Demon"
SABINA KANE Book #3:
Things to
do:
1. Rescue sister.
2. Murder grandmother.
3. Don't upset the voodoo priestess.
The clock is ticking for Sabina Kane. Her sister has been kidnapped by her grandmother, the Dark Races are on the brink of war, and a mysterious order is manipulating everyone behind the scenes.
1. Rescue sister.
2. Murder grandmother.
3. Don't upset the voodoo priestess.
The clock is ticking for Sabina Kane. Her sister has been kidnapped by her grandmother, the Dark Races are on the brink of war, and a mysterious order is manipulating everyone behind the scenes.
Working on information provided by an unlikely ally, Sabina and her trusty sidekicks--a sexy mage named Adam Lazarus and Giguhl, a Mischief demon--head to New Orleans to begin the hunt for her sister. Once there, they must contend with belligerent werewolves, magic-wielding vampires and--perhaps most frightening of all--humans.
But as much as Sabina is focused on surviving the present, the past won't be ignored. Before she can save those she cares about most, she must save herself from the ghosts of her past.
"Silver-Tongued
Devil"
SABINA KANE Book #4:
Now that the
threat of war has passed, Sabina Kane is ready to focus on the future. Her
relationship with Adam Lazarus is getting stronger and she's helping her
sister, Maisie, overcome the trauma of her captivity in New Orleans. Even
Giguhl is managing to stay out of trouble thanks to the arrival of Pussy Willow
and his new roller derby team. But as much as Sabina wants to feel hopeful
about the future, part of her doesn't trust that peace is possible.
Her suspicions are confirmed when a string of sadistic murders threaten to stall treaty negotiations between the mages and the vampires. Sabina pitches in to find the killer, but her investigation soon leads her down dark paths that have her questioning everyone she thought she could trust. And the closer she gets to the killer, the more Sabina begins to suspect this is one foe she may not be able to kill.
"Blue-Blooded
Vamp"
SABINA KANE Book #5:
The epic
conclusion to the amazing Sabina Kane urban fantasy series. Sabina Kane is on
the hunt. Her prey: Cain, the father of the vampire race and the one who
murdered her family and her friends. Unfortunately, Cain is hunting Sabina,
too. The one man who holds the key to defeating Cain is, of course, Abel. A
mage with secrets to spare and, hopefully, the power to match it. Unfortunately,
for Sabina, he's in Rome and may not want to be found. Sabina sets out for
Italy with her friends, Giguhl and Adam Lazarus, to track down the only man who
can get her the revenge she hungers for. But will he help her or oppose her?
And just who is Abel, really? Worst of all, when Sabina figures out the goddess
Lilith has a plan for her-she realizes this trip is getting deadlier by the
minute. As they say: when in Rome-SURVIVE.
Mmmm,
hmmmm…. Can’t get online or out to your favorite book-seller fast enough can
you!? We know. Make sure you add them to your TBR lists, but
for now, let’s get to the interview and learn some more about Jaye and this
wonderful series.
LITERAL
ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews: Hi Jaye! We’re very happy to have you with us
today and we’re hoping that maybe we can turn some new readers on to your
work. Thank you so much for taking time
out of your busy schedule to spend some time with us and let our readers get to
know you a bit better.
JAYE: Thanks so much for having me! I always love meeting new
readers.
LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews: We always start by getting
to know our guest authors a bit better…
Q1): What are 3 things about
yourself, no matter how random, that we couldn’t find out easily on the
Internet?
JAYE: Oh geez. Let’s see.
1. I have preternaturally long second toes. I’ve been told this
means I’m the head of my household. This may or may not be true depending on if
my husband is reading this interview.
2. I have a tattoo of a bird on my right inner wrist because my
nickname my whole life has been “Jayebird.”
3. I am a slave to goat cheese.
Q2): When you’re not writing
or taking care of other author business, what are some of your favorite things
to do?
JAYE:
There are things in life beyond writing and author business? Hmm. Mostly I hang
out with my kid and husband and drink wine with my girlfriends. Almost every
exciting thing I do ends up tying back to the writing in some way. But I like
to cook and am taking baby steps toward planting a garden.
Q3): What are 3 things that
can always make you smile no matter what?
JAYE:
In no particular order: My son, an
excellent meal, and a good dirty joke.
Q4): What’s a typical writing
day like for you? Do you have anything
that you absolutely have to have with you to get the creative juices flowing or
any interesting writing quirks, etc?
JAYE:
I am not exactly the most disciplined writer ever. I get my work done, but it’s
not sort of pretty or neat process. I’ve started making myself write every day,
but it’s not natural for me. I tend to prefer binge writing, but it’s not good
for my blood pressure once the deadlines start creeping up.
The
absolute best way to get my creative juices flowing is to get out of the house
for a while. When I spend to much time cooped up inside I start morphing into
this bitter Nosferatu-esque character. It’s pitiful. Best thing is to get out
and take a walk or go do something fun. It’s crazy when people say artists have
to suffer to be creative. For me, it all goes back to remembering to play.
Q5): If you could spend the
day with anyone – alive, dead, fictional, etc – whom would you want to spend it
with, and what would you like to do?
JAYE:
I already spend the day with the fictional characters I want to hang with. As
for real people, I’d like to share an appletini with Eve. I bet she could have
used a girlfriend to bitch to about what a jerk Adam could be.
Q6): Are there any authors
and/or titles that you feel may have inspired you and/or helped you to become
the author you are today?
JAYE:
Anne Rice is at the top of the list. I read every one of her vampire novels. I
had a chance to meet her recently at the Romantic Times convention in Chicago
but was too overwhelmed to approach her.
Q7): If you could have any
superpower, what would you want it to be and why?
JAYE:
I’d be a super villain named Poker Face. In real life, I have no power of my
expressions. If I think you’re a fool, you know it. It gets me into a lot of
trouble. But as Poker Face, I’d destroy you with my apathy.
Q8): Are there any books that you could read 100
times and never get sick of?
JAYE: Almost anything written by Christopher Moore.
Q9): Was there any specific
inspiration behind the creation of the SABINA KANE series?
JAYE:
There were a million inspirations, but the biggest was a line that popped into
my head while I was driving. “Digging graves is hell on a manicure.” I don’t
know where it came from, but that was the beginning of it all.
Q9): How are you feeling about
the series coming to an end?
JAYE:
I have mixed emotions. I’m sad because these characters have become this crazy
but beloved dysfunctional family to me. On the other hand, I’m excited to
explore other worlds and meet new characters. Mostly, I’m just relieved that I
managed to pull it off. I had no idea where this story was going when I started
it, but now I’m so thrilled with the way it all came together.
Q10): What were some of the
challenges that you encountered while bringing SABINA KANE to life?
JAYE:
Like I just mentioned, I didn’t have a master plan when I started writing the
series. The biggest challenge was juggling all these story lines and making
sure the story progressed as an organic and enjoyable pace. I also learned a
lot about myself as a writer. The lessons weren’t always easy, but ultimately I
know I am so much better for having had this experience and that my writing is
stronger than it was when I began.
Q11): What about the series are you the most proud
of? Do you maybe have a favorite book of
the series so far, a favorite plot twist, a remarkable fan reaction, etc?
JAYE: The last three books are my favorites. I still love the first
two, but I think the final three reflect me really hitting my stride as a
writer. I can’t really talk about which plot points I love the most without
spoilers. But the two biggest things I’m proud of are the world building and
the characters. To me, everything revolves around those two elements and I’m so
proud of the universe I created. It was a lot of work, but ultimately I
wouldn’t change much about it.
Q12): Do you have a spin off series planned by any
chance or any other works within the world that fans can look forward to –
anthology contributions, etc?
JAYE: I can guarantee there will be short stories and novellas set
in this world. The beauty of such a complex universe is there are lots of side
stories that can be told.
Q13): Is there anything new in the works (even at just
its brainstorming stages) that you can share with us?
JAYE: I can’t share anything yet, but there is a new series in the
works that I hope to announce soon.
Q14): Is there a question that you’ve thought it would
be great to be asked in an interview but have never been asked? How would you answer that question?
JAYE: No one has ever asked me about the meaning of Sabina’s
birthmark, which is based on a tattoo I have on my right shoulder. I got the
tattoo the year I turned 30, which was also the year I decided to get serious
about writing fiction. It’s an eight-point star that symbolizes rebirth,
balance, harmony, and baptism. I decided to use it on Sabina because the major
obstacle in her character development was achieving balance and harmony between
her two halves.
Q15): Would you like to say anything special to your
readers and fans while we have you here today?
JAYE: I just want to thank everyone who has enjoyed the series and
told their friends about it. I know there are a lot of forms of entertainment
competing for your attention dn the fact you’d put several hours aside to come
play in a world I created is so thrilling and humbling. I hope to keep telling
you all stories and giving you new world to explore for a long time to come.
LITERAL
ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews: Jaye, thank you so much again for being with us!
We would absolutely love to have you back to help promo a future release if
you’d be willing.
JAYE:
It was my absolutely pleasure. I’d love to come visit again!
If
you want to keep up with Jaye, you can find her online at her Website, on Facebook, Twitter,
and/or GoodReads.
Jaye
is offering up a signed copy of BLUE-BLOODED VAMP and an “I Heart Giguhl”
button to a winner from Book Monster Reviews and another winner over at the LITERAL ADDICTION website.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
.jpg)
