JEZEBEL:
Heya, Avid Fans! Welcome back to Cat and Muse, the only Internet talk radio show (that we know of) that’s by and about fictional characters. I’m your host, the former demon Jezebel, coming at you live from the sordid depths of Jackie Kessler’s website. With me, as always, is the lovely, lamentable Muse of Tragedy…producer of Cat and Muse, the cliché-speaking, pop-culture referencing Melpomene!

[APPLAUSE]

Hi, Mel!

MELPOMENE:
YO.

JEZ:
Vampires and assassins and mages, oh my! Our next guest on Cat and Muse is a little bit of all three. That’s right—a walking, talking threesome! Romantic Times declares: “Hold on tight—a gritty new heroine has joined the pantheon of shoot-first, ask-questions-later protagonists. Despite the blistering pace and darkness of the plot, [Wells] neatly balances things with a deft smattering of humor. 4.5 Stars!”

And if that’s not enough to make you want to race out and get RED-HEADED STEPCHILD, check out what these bestselling authors have to say:

“Jaye Wells dishes up a read so satisfying that you can’t wait until the next serving.”— Cheyenne McCray

“A promising start to an exciting new series.”—Rachel Vincent

“I found the book fast-paced and funny, with a strong but sympathetic heroine and a great supporting cast. Very enjoyable!”—Karen Chance

“Brassy, sassy, and hip! Wells’ promising debut is a fast-paced trip through a dark and dangerous landscape featuring an unusual take on vampires, mages, faeries, and demons. It hooks you on page one and takes you for a great ride!”—Kat Richardson

And I’m betting Jaye Wells didn’t even bribe anyone. Go! Get the book! And then sit back and enjoy the interview with the star of Jaye Wells’ fabulous RED-HEADED STEPCHILD…Sabina KAne!

[APPLAUSE]

Heya, sweetie!

SABINA:
What’s up?

JEZ:
Jackie’s weight. But that’s not important right now. [GLANCES AT CUE CARDS] So, a mixed-blood assassin’s latest mission uncovers secrets that threaten the fragile truce between the vampire and mage races. Ooh. I do so love secrets! What’s the worst thing about your situation in the book?

SAB:
What isn’t bad? I’ve got this mage stalking me, a demon sleeping on my couch, the guy I’m supposed to kill is trying to get into my pants, the Dominae are riding my ass, and I don’t know who to trust.

JEZ:
Back up a second. Your mark is trying to get sweaty with you? What’s the problem? Just suck him to death. And not in the fun-filled sexual way. You are a vampire, aren’t you?

SAB:
[SIGHS] Can we talk about vampire myths for a second? You’ve got it all wrong.

JEZ:
Do tell.

SAB:
[COUNTS OFF POINTS] We don’t hate garlic. We can go out in the sun. And we’re not undead.

JEZ:
So necrophilia is right out?

SAB:
Just about the only thing people get right about us is the blood thing. And the immortality. Of course, some of my brethren will be pretty pissed that I reveal our real weakness in RED-HEADED STEPCHILD. But that’s okay, I can take them.

JEZ:
[LAUGHS] Duly noted. Let’s talk fashion. What counts as assassin chic?

SAB:
I prefer clothes that allow for ease of movement. After all, assassins get in pretty tight situations.

JEZ:
And not in a fun-filled sexual way.

SAB:
[LAUGHS] My uniform is usually tank tops and jeans, or maybe my leathers if I’m spending a lot of time on my bike. Occasionally, I’ll jazz things up with a funky pair of boots.

JEZ:
What wouldn’t you be caught dead in?

SAB:
The color pink. Or a skirt. Or . . . a pink skirt.

MEL:
PRETTY IN PINK.

SAB:
[SHUDDERS]

JEZ:
So you mentioned you have trust issues. Do you have any friends?

SAB:
[NODS] Vinca’s pretty cool—for a nymph. I wasn’t sure about her at first, what with all the crazy prophesizing and the background in faery porn.

JEZ:
[PERKS UP] Ooh! Fey nookie! Fookie!

SAB:
[GRINS] Vinca ended up being a good friend. I haven’t had many of those.

JEZ:
But you do have a minion. Right?

SAB:
[GROANS] Have you ever heard of an assassin with a demon cat for a minion?

JEZ:
Can’t say as I have.

SAB:
It’s embarrassing. Plus, he keeps charging [BLEEP] to my credit cards. Like I need a juicer. [SIGHS] I’m a vampire, for chrissakes. We don’t do juice.

JEZ:
[CHECKS CUE CARDS] But you do juicy. Talk about you and Adam. Who’s on top?

SAB:
Besides one ill-fated make-out session, Mr. Lazarus and I did not to the deed.

JEZ:
Aw.

SAB:
And we won’t.

JEZ:
Uh huh.

SAB:
Seriously. He’s the most annoying person on earth. Plus, he’s a mage. Vamps and mages don’t mix—a lesson my own mother learned the hard way. No thank you.

MEL:
THE LADY DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH.

JEZ:
For serious. Well then, even if it’s not Adam, tell us what your romantic fantasy is.

SAB:
I don’t have time for romance.

JEZ:
[BLINKS] Wow. I’m almost afraid to ask, but which is better: sex or chocolate?

SAB:
Blood.

JEZ:
Heh. Well played. So, in RED-HEADED STEPCHILD, were there any parts of the story where you were like, Jaye, sweetie, what the Hell are you making me do? Or were you and your Creator in sync the entire time?

SAB:
She’s pretty smart, that Jaye. But one thing that annoyed me was her insistence that I have “layers.”

JEZ:
Layers?

SAB:
I’m not a freakin’ onion. What you see is what you get. Who has time for self-analysis?

JEZ:
[SIGHS] Authors do, apparently. [GLARES AT COMPUTER SCREEN] Hey, Kessler—maybe you should get your butt to therapy and stop having me navel gaze!

SAB:
Also, since it’s just between us girls…

JEZ:
Yes?

SAB:
I keep trying to tell Jaye that I’m not attracted to Adam. But she keeps managing to put us in these situations where he’s kind of hot. The time when she arranged for him to wear nothing but a towel was a low blow.

JEZ:
[BURSTS OUT LAUGHING]

SAB:
But vamps and mages don’t mix. Period.

JEZ:
So with you, it’s not so much romance as it is romantic tension. Whether you want it or not. Heh. If you had your way, what would you change about RED-HEADED STEPCHILD?

SAB:
I really wish Jaye would have let me kill—

[INSERT DEAFENING CLANGING SOUND HERE]

JEZ:
For [BLEEP] sake, Mel! Shut off the Spoilalert!

MEL:
[TURNS OFF SPOILALERT]

SAB:
Let’s just say I wish I could have tied up more loose ends.

JEZ:
Nice recovery. If you could make Jaye do anything, what would it be?

SAB:
Make her try to fight in stiletto boots.

JEZ:
Hah!

SAB:
Seriously, let’s see her try to be tough when her heels are sinking into the dirt and her toes are being pinched.

JEZ:
I hear you. Even Silk Spetre’s stiletto boots morphed into sensible flats during fight scenes in Watchmen. Tell me one thing in the real world that you wish you could change.

SAB:
I hate liars. I wish everyone had a trait that would tell you when they were lying—like their eyes changed color or something. Then I’d know who not to trust.

JEZ:
Unless they’re so good at lying, they lie even to themselves…[COUGHS] If RED-HEADED STEPCHILD goes Hollywood, who should play you in the movie?

SAB:
She’s not an actress, but I think Shirley Manson from Garbage could play me. She’s tough.

JEZ:
Nice. What about Adam?

SAB:
I think Jaye has a thing for Ryan Reynolds. She has all these pictures of him in her office. Don’t tell her I told you.

JEZ:
Your secret’s safe with me.

SAB:
And Zooey Deschanel would make a good Vinca if she had blond hair.

JEZ:
Finally, if you could be evil for one day, and you were granted spiffy evil powers, what would the powers be and how would you use them?

SAB:
[GRINS] What makes you think I’m not evil?

JEZ:
Heh—well played again!

Avid Fans, give another round of applause for the star of Jaye Wells’ RED-HEADED STEPCHILD…Sabina Kane!

[APPLAUSE]

[No, this isn't Sabina. But it is her talented, if not red-headed, Dear Creator, Jaye Wells.]

You can buy RED-HEADED STEPCHILD at Barnes and Noble, Borders, Flights of Fantasy, Mysterious Galaxy and other independent booksellers, Amazon, and other bookstores near you.

That’s it for this episode of Cat and Muse! Until next time, remember: love your inner demon.