Paranormal Reads: Author Showcase with Jaz Primo

Hi all today we are very happy to be able to put the spotlight on Jaz Primo for our Author Showcase. Jaz has several wonderful books out right now with a recent new release in Gwen Reaper. Here is a little about Jaz.

Jaz Primo is redefining the traditional boundaries of adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance literature by including controversial themes and an alternative approach to handling gender relations for central characters. However, in the case of his young adult paranormal novels like Gwen Reaper, Jaz respectfully adheres to age-appropriate YA content and storylines for formative minds.

Now on to the interview questions. First we would like to thank Jaz for taking the time to be with us today.

Q1~ When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Creative writing has always been a passion of mine. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was in elementary school. Even at that young age, I wrote short stories that my homeroom English teacher would occasionally let me read to the class.

Q2~ What is easier to write adult or YA?

For me, writing an adult novel is much easier to write than YA, though perhaps not for the reasons you may think. Granted, it’s been a number of years since I was a young adult. However, the spirit, angst, and pressures of that period are still quite vivid in my mind. Of course, there are generational differences (technological, economical, and social) between my young adult experience and those experienced by youth today, thereby creating an added layer of difficulty for a YA writer at my stage of life. That being said, I do enjoy writing YA, and I strive to make my characters and storyline relevant to today’s YA readers.

Q3~ Are any of your characters based off people you know?

I’ve been asked this before, particularly for my Sunset Vampire characters, who are sometimes viewed as controversial given the alpha female to beta male pairing of Katrina and Caleb. However, as a writer, it’s my hard-and-fast rule not to base any of my characters on actual people I know. I prefer completely fictional characters, which I’d bet is a big relief to my friends and family. *grinning*

Q4~ Who is the hardest character for you to write?

In Gwen Reaper, the most difficult character to write was Gwen herself. Since the novel is written from the perspective of Scott, the male lead, I had to make sure to accurately convey the emotions and attitudes of Gwen as viewed from Scott’s perspective. But I feel very satisfied with the finished product, and I’ve received excellent feedback from readers and reviewers.

Q5~ What is your writing process?

Music is central to my writing process. I usually don’t write unless music is playing. It helps to set the mood and pace of the scenes that I’m writing, as well as inspires and invigorates my emotions. In a way, music serves as a bridge into my imagination and creativity.

Q6~ How do you overcome writer’s block?

That’s an excellent question! Writer’s block is one of a writer’s worst enemies. I address the challenge by listening to music, watching television or films, and generally avoiding writing for a few days until my imagination “recharges or realigns” itself. It’s always scary when writer’s block comes on, but I’ve been very fortunate to successfully rebound from those periodic spells.

Q8~ Do you prefer print or eBooks?

Since 2010, I prefer reading eBooks instead of print. However, I do still collect paperback versions of my favorite novels to display them on my bookshelves. For me, aside from appreciating the wonderfully-rendered artwork, reading a novel is a textual experience, so my Amazon Kindle or my Apple iPad work just fine for reading novels. Of course, I’m also very pleased that my own novels are available in both trade paperback and eBook in order to satisfy the preference of my readers.

Q9~ Who are some authors you love to read?

My favorite authors include: L.E. Modesitt, Jr. (Recluse series), Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires), Simon R. Green (Nightside series), Jim Butcher (Codex Alera series), Lorna Freeman (Borderlands series), and Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse mysteries).

Q10~ Can you tell us anything about your upcoming new book?

On November 30, 2012, Bringer of Fire, the first novel in a new urban fantasy series, will be released. Here’s a quick tagline: When humanity's ultimate telekinetic discovery secretly blossoms within the body of one man, is the world destined for evolution…or revolution?

Q11~ If you were stranded on an island what character would you want with you and why?

If I were stranded on an island, I’d want to have Katrina Rawlings from my Sunset Vampire Series there to help me. She’s capable, intelligent, resourceful, and quite deadly, so I know I’d be safe around her. *pausing* Oh, yes, I realize she’s a vampire who preys on humans; but then, she and I have a bit of an understanding. *winking*

Q12~ What was the first paranormal book you read?

Hmm. *thoughtfully tapping my chin* That’s a great question. I believe it was Dead Until Dark, the first novel in Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries.

Q13~ If you could have dinner with any 3 people, who would you pick and why?

I’d love to have dinner with Benjamin Franklin. He seems like one of the most interesting, intelligent, and thought-provoking historical figures that I can imagine meeting! I’d also like to have dinner with Queen Elizabeth I of England. She launched the growth and expansion of English settlements and extended England’s power across the globe, including the race to populate its North American colonies ahead of France, Spain, and the Dutch. Finally, I’d like to have dinner with William Shakespeare. I’d love to ask Bill all about his creative process and internal muse.

*pausing*

Okay, wait. On second thought, I think I’d better have dinner with Jesus Christ, Moses, and Mohammad instead so that we can come to agreeable terms with the wanton violence and intolerance that’s been occurring among their followers for the past few centuries!

My sincere thanks to Sabrina for the opportunity to appear on Paranormal Reads. This has been so much fun! And I hope that you’ll consider purchasing my latest novel, Gwen Reaper (A Young Adult Paranormal Romance).

Here’s the back cover teaser:

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness." John Keats, English romantic poet.

I never thought that my first exposure to real beauty would be tinged with the threat of oblivion…

~ ~ ~

When high school junior Scott Blackstone is forced to move from his childhood home in Springfield, Illinois to small-town Custer, South Dakota, he expects nothing less than to languish in complete disappointment. Instead, he discovers a beautiful and mysterious seventeen-year-old girl named Gwen, who captivates him from his initial, adrenaline-laced sight of her on the shores of Stockade Lake. Scott’s pursuit of the elusive Gwen sweeps him into the midst of a potentially lethal family heritage that was birthed in hope, only to be passed into a legacy of guilt and death.

Scott engages in a journey of discovery, tinged with both angst and danger. Like many dire legends throughout history, he is unprepared for the untimely revelation that both love and despair are often two sides of the same coin.