Tuesday, July 16, 2013

My interview with Jaz Primo

Today I have the honor of sharing with you all an interview 
with one of my favorite authors! 
Please welcome:
 
 Jaz Primo

Thanks so much for inviting me to Jeni's Bookshelf  today!
I absolutely love bookshelves. One of my favorite things to do is walk into a bookstore or library to casually browse the shelves. I love the smell of books, and the tactile feeling of them. There’s nothing quite like appreciating the cover art, then fanning the pages of a book before reading the back cover teaser. I even like to peruse the very back of a book to see if there are other teasers and release promotions there. (Of course, I’m careful not to accidentally read anything on the last page of the story. Who wants to accidentally catch an unintended spoiler?)

Thanks so much for being here! It means a lot that you could stop by today! I absolutely agree, I love bookshelves too.
You have a great point, Jaz! Reading the ending before we even get started would be no fun at all. 
 
That all being said, the problem is that, nowadays most of my bookshelves are virtual ones. The fact remains that ebooks fit into much smaller places and don’t have to be dusted periodically. They're just so darned convenient, despite their lack of physical presence and artistic appearance.
Have you experienced similar thoughts and feelings about books and ebooks in recent years?

I have indeed. I love my printed books, but space only allows for so many unless I toss all my kid's toys, etc. Ha! Ebooks allow me to read any of my collection at anytime & anywhere, because let's face it even my huge bag could not carry around all of my print copies at once.
 
I’m a tech-savvy person who uses an iPad daily. My Kindle is always close at hand, too. But I’m a big fan of novel cover art, and cover images are something you don’t regularly get to appreciate through ebooks. (Many publishers don’t even include a duplicate cover image inside the actual ebook file; just a title page image. Curse them!) However, I recently divined a partial solution. While I’m reading a novel, I place an image of the novel as my Windows desktop image. That way, from time to time, I still get to visually appreciate a reminder of what I’m actively reading.

How about you? Are you also addicted to novel cover art? If so, has it caused you to hold steadfastly onto physical books, or is the portability and anonymity of reading ebooks simply too convenient today? Leave a comment today and share your thoughts.
I do adore the covers of many books, & I think your idea of having the cover on your desktop is fabulous! I have a similar solution for myself...I make my favorite book covers into jewelry for me to wear, & then I get to look at them all the time. Much like the keychains & magnets I made for you.
Thank You for your kind words! It means a lot!
  
"Earlier today, I received a wonderful and creative gift in the mail from a talented and kind friend, Jennifer Garrison Treviño. Her handiwork was so detailed and truly impressive and I can't thank her enough for sending these to me. She's amazing!"
 
Moving on…
My visit with you today is doubly pleasing because I not only get to visit with you about books; I also get to respond to some lovely questions from Jeni.
Okay, Jeni, I’m ready to answer those interview questions you posed for me!

What are your favorite pastimes?
Since childhood, my favorite pastimes have revolved around immersive entertainment like reading, creative writing, and watching films; activities that stimulate my imagination, where I can lose myself and live vicariously through the experiences of others, whether fictitious or not.
However, another of my pastimes is freshwater fishing; preferably bass, crappie, and perch. It’s soothing and relaxing, and though I don’t usually catch a lot of fish, just being outdoors in a scenic location makes me feel emotionally centered and refreshed afterward. In a world filled with hectic deadlines and commitments, it’s highly therapeutic for me.

What inspired you to become a writer?

Since grade school, I’ve enjoyed creative writing. However, as a traditionally shy person, it wasn’t until 2010 that I completed a novel length work and strove to see it published. There’s something both scary and satisfying about presenting my work to the world; bearing a part of my soul and imagination to strangers is a daunting prospect, even for the bravest of writers. However, even greater than the fear of possible rejection, is the immensely satisfying feeling when someone reaches out through a review, blog posting, Facebook comment, or email message to express their satisfaction or appreciation for something I’ve written. While writing itself is a self-fulfilling experience for me, the additional connection with another person adds even more satisfaction to sharing and publishing.

What made you decide to write a YA novel?
The story idea and characters for Gwen Reaper was tucked away in the back of my mind for a couple of years before I decided to write it. As my first journey into YA, it was fun and challenging and I had to immerse myself into the minds of modern day teenagers. I’m excited about the resulting novel. A number of both teens and avid YA readers have told me they find the characters authentic. In addition, Gwen Reaper received the Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Young Adult Novel of 2012 by the Paranormal Romance Guild!

For those of you who haven’t had an opportunity to read my YA paranormal romance, Gwen Reaper, I encourage you to give it a try. I think you’ll like it. 


Here’s the teaser…

Taking a detour from his beloved “Sunset Vampire” series, author Jaz Primo offers up a fast-paced, award-winning story for young adults of all ages.
Scott's sure he'll lose everything he's worked for when his family suddenly decides to move after a family tragedy. But he soon realizes that there are some surprising benefits; and a mystery.
A girl, painfully shy, with a dangerous pet, and a dark past.
As trust is earned, secrets are shared, and powers revealed, until Scott is drawn into a love, and a world, he couldn't have imagined.

 

What would you consider to be your best accomplishment in life?
I hope that my best accomplishment in life is being a loving and nurturing companion and husband to my wonderful wife, Lori. She’s the love of my life and she’s been such an amazing supporter of my writing and publishing endeavors.

My thanks to Jeni for the chance to appear here today and for the interview! Those were excellent questions! Most of all, I’ve had such a wonderful visit and I hope you have an excellent day, too. I hope you’ll add me to your list of authors to try. I’ve added my contact links below, so I hope to hear from you very soon. And, as for books go, whether you select a physical book or the convenience of an ebook, happy reading!
 
I have truly enjoyed getting to know Jaz a bit better today as I hope you have too! 
Again ... THANKS SO MUCH, JAZ, FOR STOPPING BY
TO VISIT WITH US TODAY!
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6 comments:

  1. Great interview, I've read everything Jaz has written and am a huge fan. Jeni - the keychains are so creative, you should market them.

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    1. Thanks so much! I'm glad to hear from a fellow Jaz fan! =D
      When I'm not away on a mini vacation provided by our lovely authors I'm usually busy crafting or hanging with the kids. Btw ... I do have a button at the top of my page that will take you to my album of goodies that I make & sell. ;)

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    2. Thanks for being a dedicated fan and advocate of my novels, LTD! :-)
      Jeni is very talented and I love her creative key chains and charm magnets.

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    3. Thanks so much, Jaz! =*) You sure know how to bring a huge smile to my face!

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  2. A huge fan! Great interview! :-)

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    1. Thank You! Yes Jaz is pretty addicting isn't he? Love his books & chatting with him!:)

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