Dystopian Q&A: Jessica Cage (Djinn Rebellion)
“My biggest pet peeve is for the heroine to be facing life changing challenges and still being expected to pick a lover.”
The author creates a future with magic, complains about dystopian love triangles, and makes a case for relatable characters.
As a little girl, urban fantasy author Jessica Cage wondered why there were no black vampires, werewolves, and fairies in the stories she read. Today, she’s an award winning, USA Today best-selling author who can do something about that. Her many series include the Siren series, the Alpha series, High Arc Vampires, and Scorned by the Gods. She counts among her influences L.A. Banks, Richelle Mead, P.C. Cast, and Rachel Caine. “All of these authors have influenced my writing today in some way,” Jessica tells Monster Complex, “because of the way that they created something entirely new. Their stories felt unique and true and I hope for all of my stories to feel the same.”
Ms. Cage’s latest novel is Daegal’s Return, the new book in her Djinn Rebellion series: A baby on the way. A demon army. The World on the brink of apocalypse. With the supernatural beings coming together to prepare for what’s to come, more secrets unfold…
In this interview the author takes us behind the scenes of her Djinn Rebellion series, talks about the unusual angle for her werewolf/vampire novel Anew, and explains why even the most action-packed stories need relatable characters.
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Complete Djinn Rebellion Series by Jessica Cage
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Tell us about the world of the Djinn Rebellion. How close is this to the world around us?
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The Djinn Rebellion is set 300 years in the future after a magic was discovered on earth. Because of the war that ensued, the human population has dwindled to the point of near extinction.
The new world is run by magical beings who are facing a lot of the social issues that we see in the world around us today. Where they assumed they would do so much better than the humans, they are coming to realize they were wrong.
The earth is thriving, but all its inhabitants are not. A big part of the story is a fight to bring equality to all the supernatural species.
What inspired your Djinn Rebellion series?
The Djinn Rebellion series was inspired by my childhood daydreams of the genie from Aladdin. I always wondered what happened to him after Aladdin was gone. I spent years dreaming up different scenarios about what his life would have been after his days of granting wishes and flying around on carpets.
When this story hit me, I had to write it down. I’m so glad I did, because it’s taken me on an adventure that has become one of my favorites.
It has really been a childhood dream come true to be able to explore this new world, Jinn's life is so much more amazing than I ever imagined before.
Book Six is DAEGAL’S RETURN—no spoilers, but how does this fit into the larger picture of the Djinn Rebellion series?
In the first five books, while we follow the current story line, we are learning about how these characters came to be a part of this world. And we find that all of their stories are intertwined, Daegal (our bad guy) is at the center of all the drama. Daegal is one of those guys that no matter how many times you beat him down, he just keeps coming back.
Only this time, the team is stronger because they’ve worked to build bonds that they hope will be unbreakable. Daegal’s Return is the moment that we’ve been building up to. Its each one of these characters finally facing the demons that haunt them.
Your novel ANEW is an interesting take on the werewolf/vampire dynamic. What inspired this?
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I love a good hybrid story. In many of my books you’ll find that I’ve blended together different beings to create powerful and unique characters. I think it brings an interesting dynamic to the story. Especially when that blend is of two species known to be enemies.
The question that brought me to write Anew was one that I pondered for a while. What if that hybrid being could be weaponized?
Do you have plans to return to these characters?
When I first wrote Anew it was intended to be a series, but the initial reception wasn’t as great as I’d hoped. In recent years the story has gotten a lot of love and I’ve actually had readers reach out to me asking for more of the story.
As of this year I have begun writing more for Kendra. I loved her story so much and I’m excited to finally be able to return to it.
What are your favorite authors / kinds of stories? (Were there stories or authors you saw or read as a child that influenced what you write now?)
I love a good paranormal, sci-fi, or fantasy story. That love actually stems from watching movies with my mother.
When I was a child, I read more romance than anything. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I started to find authors like Richelle Mead, P.C. Cast, and Rachel Caine. It was even later that I found books where I felt represented like with L.A. Banks.
All of these authors have influenced my writing today in some way because of the way that they created something entirely new. Their stories felt unique and true and I hope for all of my stories to feel the same.
What are your biggest pet peeves for urban fantasy stories?
My biggest pet peeve (for any story really) is for the heroine to be facing life changing challenges and still being expected to pick a lover. The world is crumbling around her, she doesn’t know if she’ll survive another day, and yet here are two men she has to choose between as if it has any real impact on her life.
I’ve even addressed this in my book Siren’s Call. Syrinada was faced with this choice, and she outright tells them that she has way more important things to think about.
What do YOU look for in a great urban fantasy story?
I look for adventure and a story that grips me, but mostly I want relatable characters. I want to care about what happens to them and I want to become invested in their stories. No matter how great the action is, if I don’t connect with the characters, I am immediately turned off by it. If I don’t care about the character, why should I be concerned with their attempt to take down the evil empire?
What are the best ways for readers to find out more about you and about the Djinn Rebellion series and your other books?
Readers can connect with me on various social media platforms and, of course, my website: JessicaCage.com
Social media links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jcageauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jcageauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jcageauthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jcageauthor
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