Wacky Wednesday: A Visit With Jaye Shields, author of CONFESSIONS OF A SEX DEMON

On Monday, I introduced you to a new series, the Sex Demon Trilogy, by a new author, Jaye Shields. I reviewed her debut novella, CONFESSIONS OF A SEX DEMON and if you haven't read the review yet, please do by clicking on the title but hurry back because this delightful young author is going to be joining me and we've got a giveaway too!

Jaye Shields holds a degree in Anthropology from San Francisco State University with an emphasis in archaeology. Her previous claims to fame include being a bass player for a grunge band called the Hymens, being mistaken for Britney Spears while in Tokyo, and commercial model. She insists the commercial still counts even though her lines were cut.

Born and raised in Seattle, she now lives in the realm of fog, skyscrapers, and redwood trees. Happy to call San Francisco home, she spends her time writing sensual paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Thanks to her grandmother, she's been reading romance novels since she was ten years old. Jaye sprinkles her love of history, mythology, and the occult into flaming hot reads.

I suspect her Sex Demon Trilogy is going to be a huge hit and put her name on the map but for now, she's all ours, so please join me in welcoming her to UNWRAPPING ROMANCE.

Amy:  Hi Jaye, it's truly a delight to have you here today. We've been talking about it for weeks and I'm so glad you chose to visit us so early in your career. We will be able to say we knew you when. Perhaps you'd like to tell us a little bit about yourself so everyone can get to know you.

Jaye:  I’m so excited to be here and thank you for having me. *Bows down to the blogging queen* Being a published author is still surreal to me.

Amy:  I am hardly a blogging queen but I love that you bowed to me. *wink*

Jaye:  Well, my name is Jaye Shields, and yes, Shields is my real name. I thought it was pretty unique so I figured I’d keep it. Since I write erotica, I really wanted a sexy alter-ego name like Jenna Ember, but in the end, I decided to keep it simple ; )  I live in Cali these days so I’m spoiled by the sunshine, but since I was born in raised in Seattle, there’s nothing I love more than walking through the rain.

Amy:  I like Jaye Shields better than Jenna Ember  - besides, it sounds more like a character's name than a romance author.  *wink*

As my readers know, I'm exceptionally fond of debut authors. I'm also quite curious about what brings them to writing - so I'm curious - what drew you to writing and why did you choose the romance genre - paranormal, in particular?

Jaye:  My imagination knows no bounds, which is why I love paranormal. I can just write about whatever the heck I want. My full length trilogy, Immortals in Alameda, will be releasing this Halloween, and goes deeper into the worlds and creatures that hang with me on a daily basis. I can’t wait for everyone to meet my sexy Knights of the Fog, immortal warriors that enforce laws in the realm of portal travel. I’ve got hot dragon men and sexy immortals of all kinds. In my Sex Demons trilogy, it takes place in another realm. The Aerion realm is a mix of past and future. Medieval architecture and food, but otherworldly, magical technology. Like vibrating panties. Tee-hee.

Amy:  Now I'm wondering if your Jenna Ember might be more sexy alter ego.  LOL!
Speaking of which, I'm going to put you in the hot seat for a bit, dear Jaye, but CONFESSIONS OF A SEX DEMON, as professed by the title, is an incredibly erotic novella - so, since an author's first works tend to extend from her own personality more than not, what was your inspiration for CONFESSIONS and how much of you is in Zahra Aniron?

Jaye:  Bahaha. *Blush* You know what they say, write what you know…Tee-hee, just kidding. Kinda. Zahra is the sexiest sliver of me, but really, we’re not much alike except for the fact that I love my family and I’d do just about anything for them. Everyone has a secret kinky side I think, but I’d never sell my body. ; ) I’ll leave that one to the sex demons.

Amy:  That's my girl. I was hoping you'd say that. Thank you for answering such an inquisitive question - you've certainly got Zahra's courage. 
This story grabs the reader from the very first page with its explicit scene of sexual escapades but we quickly learn what Zahra is all about. It's as much about family as it is about staying alive for Zahra. Will we be seeing Zahra and Lennox again?

Jaye:  Yes! I’m so glad you asked. Sephina will have her own book, it’s the third book in the trilogy. Seph’s book is called Addictions of a Sex Demon and it might be my favorite. It’s due out February. The second book, Claiming of a Sex Demon, is Zahra’s brother’s story. Yes, the one that stole Lennox’s wife…so we do see Lennox before he met Zahra, and we see why he went a bit crazy. That book will be out December.  : D

Amy:  Sephina, Zahra's adopted sister, is a minx and a problem for Zahra but she's already endeared herself to the readers with her pink hair and quirky personality. She's also a drug addict so we hope she'll find help for that as well as her HEA.

Jaye:  I cannot wait for people to read her story. Addictions of a Sex Demon comes out February 2013. It’s all ready to go and I wish I could just unleash it.  ; )
For now, I’ll just unleash the blurb…

             Addictions of a Sex Demon
Moving to a new village was supposed to help Sephina Antara get clean. After all, she’d gotten into a lot of trouble as a sex demon with a drug addiction.  This time her relapse comes with a side of hot dragon man.

Axel Stavros may be a drug dealer, but he’s also the town healer. Half-human, half-dragon, his blood can cure just about anything, but it has some erotic side effects for its user. And the new beauty in town is about to find out...

Amy:  Sounds great! Half- human, half-dragon - Axel sounds very sexy! Have to wait till February, huh? Wow, winter is going to warm up real fast with your help.
As someone currently working on a novella, I appreciate the difficulties encountered with minimum word count and trying to fit as much into it as possible while providing a coherent read. You've done an excellent job of doing just that and so I'm curious - which do you find more challenging, a novella or a full-length manuscript which means telling a story on a grander scale?

Jaye:  You are totally right. A novella is much, much more difficult. I’ve written three full-length paranormals, and it’s easier because you have all the time in the world to build a realistic chemistry and do world-building. Novellas are such a challenge because there’s so little time. It’s like, WAM-BAM-THANK YOU MAAM!

Amy:  LOL!! So true - at least with your Sex Demons they don't have to worry about living down sex on the first date. *wink*

So, before the blog ends up with an X-rating, do you have any favorite authors who you enjoy reading and have they had any influence on your chosen genre and writing?

Jaye:  I love Kresley Cole and Larissa Ione because they have a great sense of humor. They didn’t influence my genre, but definitely spurned me to actually seek out a publisher because I thought, “I can do this too!”

Amy:  Yes, you certainly can and have. You're young, you're talented, and you're published. I'm envious of all three things and curious - where do you see your writing in say - ten years?

Jaye:  *Blush* I’m so lucky that my family has encouraged me from an early age to make my dreams a reality. I worked full-time though my first two years of college, then for my junior year, I moved in with my aunt so I could work less and study more. Well, I ended up studying about the same and writing more. ; )  My junior year at SFSU, I began my first full-length novel, Secrets of the Jaguar (June 2013 from Crimson Romance). I got my first contract, for Confessions of a Sex Demon, while I was on spring break my senior year. It’s been a whirlwind to be sure. Now I’m graduated and writing up a storm. In ten years I’ll be thirty-four, hopefully by then I will have two things, the ability to write all day long, and to have found the forever kind of love.

Amy:  Sweetie, you are young, talented and beautiful - hmm ... sounds like a romance heroine ... so take your time, enjoy life, work your success, and when the time is right, your HEA will happen too.
Last question and one I ask everyone if I have the opportunity. IF you could be ANY character in ANY book, not necessarily one of your own - who would it be and why?

Jaye:  Can I make up a character?

Amy:   Of course you can.  : )

Jaye:  I want to be an extra character in Lord of the Rings, the one that Legolas falls in love with. Mmmm. Love me some hot elf… I love a man that can ride a horse bareback, shoot demons from miles away, and sing like an angel. Oh, and did I mention he was dead sexual? I’m obsessed. Any man who wants to win my heart (I’m single everyone) should dress up as an elf, armed with a bow. The only thing that can rival a tunic is a kilt. ; )

Amy:  LOL! Jaye, I think a lot of ladies would totally agree with you - right kilt lovers?! *wink*
Jaye, having you visit has been so much fun and I wish you all the greatest success and congratulations on the release of CONFESSIONS OF A SEX DEMON. You've got a forever fan here and I am very much looking forward to reading everything you write in the future. Thank you so much for the story of Zahra and Lennox.

Jaye:  Thank you so much, this has been so fun. Unwrapping Romance also has a huge fan in me. I’m so glad you enjoyed Confessions of a Sex Demon and I hope you will like the next two!  XOXO

Amy:  Jaye has been kind enough to provide me with the covers for her next two releases and if you'd like to read more about Jaye and her books, please feel free to visit her lovely new WEBSITE.  You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and at Goodreads.

 

December 17, 2012

February 2013

Now, let's talk Giveaway. Jaye is a brand new author and as she pointed out to me, she hasn't many fans yet which I am hoping will change when y'all read her debut novella and start spreading the news of how talented she is but in the meantime, I'm going to help her out - especially since she gave me an eARC of this fab novella - by purchasing 2 copies of her debut novella, CONFESSIONS OF A SEX DEMON and award it them to TWO LUCKY COMMENTERS!

So, here's what we're going to do:

EVERYONE is welcome to enter (void where prohibited, of course)

You must leave a COMMENT + your EMAIL ADDRESS = ENTRY

You may just say hello, ask Jaye a question, comment on the interview or covers, or anything else - anything goes (within reason - this blog is not X-rated yet anyway.)

This Giveaway is open to EVERYONE and will run until 11:30PM EDT, Friday, September 21, 2012. The winners will be chosen at random, notified by mail so make sure you leave an email address, then announced on a special Saturday post.  Good Luck!

PRIZE:           THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! THANKS FOR PLAYING!       

Blurb for CONFESSIONS OF A SEX DEMON:

Sex Demon Zahra Aniron is a closet romantic. Too bad she spends her time having hot kinky sex with paying strangers. But the sex demon has to work with what she’s got to save her sister from her debt to wizard thugs. Then again, there could be worse things than getting paid for pleasure since a sex demon needs climax to survive.

As a blacksmith, Lennox Aegros puts his fury to good use pounding steel into swords. His real cause for moving into a new town isn’t to sell weaponry, it’s for revenge. When he finds the succubus he’s been searching for, her beauty means he can mix business with pleasure. But the joke’s on Lennox, because as he succeeds in torturing his victim, he realizes that Zahra’s slow demise means the breaking of a heart he never realized he had.

HAPPY READING EVERYONE!

CONFESSIONS OF A SEX DEMON by Jaye Shields, Beachwalk Press, available now in ebook formats.