Welcome to J. A. Saare!

I'm excited to welcome my friend and very talented author, J. A. Saare! Jaime is touring via Goddess Fish Promotions to celebrate her just released Urban Fantasy "Dead, Undead and Something In Between" and she's here today to talk about where she got the idea that the story hinges on: vampire blood as a drug.

Give a big howdy to Jaime!!

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Hey M~ Thanks for hosting me on your blog today! I’m so excited to be here.

As many people already know, I’m a sucker for a good paranormal story – the darker, the better. I’ve always been drawn to those kinds of themes. Perhaps it’s because the darkness allows a person to perceive the light with a greater clarity, or maybe I’m simply wired to enjoy the macabre things in life that many find disturbing. *grin*

In all seriousness, when writing paranormal offerings, the challenge is creating something unique in a genre saturated with fangs, fur, and blood. Most of the ideas have been driven into the ground, to the point that when someone decided to make vampires vegetarians who sparkle (wish it had been my idea!) the entire world took notice.

How can you set yourself apart? In what way can you create something that remains yours, is original, and will tempt readers?

Those were questions that came to mind as I was writing my newest release, Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between. As someone who enjoys reading paranormal books, I am very aware of unexplored concepts and ideas. I knew I wanted to write a darker urban fantasy, but acknowledged that in order to gain notice I had to offer something new and exciting. The foundation of the story involved a girl, working in a strip club as a bartender, who saw dead people. Yes, that’s somewhat different, but not entirely novel. Therefore, I knew that the vampire who arrives in the picture had to offer something dangerous and unexpected – but what?

The decision to use vampire blood as a drug came unexpectedly, as I was pondering their capacity to heal and regenerate. Vampires are stronger, faster, and have exceptional reflexes and senses. So wouldn’t their blood, which is an essential element of their existence, provide much of the same to a human who ingests/injects it? Armed with this idea, I went full-on with it, and was pleasantly surprised at how well the story formed as a result. Using blood dealers as suspects, I was able to guide my characters through the underground world of blood dealing. It added a slice of darkness, and allowed me to place the heroine, Rhiannon, in the hot seat on more than one occasion.

Which brings me to a question – what is the most unique and original idea you’ve read in a story? Was the blurb on the back enough to get your attention and encourage you to give it a go? I’m a very visual person, so sometimes a cover is enough to have me pulling out my wallet. But I have been known to purchase more than one story entirely by the blurb if it promises something I’ve never experienced before.

I can’t wait to read your answers! Happy Reading!

Jaime AKA J.A. Saare

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One bad corpse can ruin your whole day. No one knows that better than Rhiannon Murphy.

She’s left behind the flash and sass of Miami for the no-nonsense groove of New York City, eager for a clean slate and a fresh start. A bartender by trade, a loud mouth by choice, and a necromancer by chance; she’s managed to keep her nifty talent hidden from those around her – until now.

The deliciously good-looking vampire Disco knows her secret, and when he strolls into her bar to solicit help investigating the mysterious disappearances of his kind from the city, she discovers he’s not the kind of person that appreciates the significance of the word no.

But in a world where vampires peddle their blood as the latest and greatest drug of choice, it’s only a matter of time before the next big thing hits the market. Someone or something is killing vampires to steal their hearts, and unlike Rhiannon, this isn’t their first stroll around the undead block.

Available now from Eternal Press