Welcome to Inside the Mind where we here at The Faerie Review interview authors and creators.
Our guest today is Blaise Ramsay, the author behind BloodLaw.




Lily: ​ Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview Blaise I absolutely got wrapped up in reading ​BloodLaw​. What inspired you to write this in Chicago at the height of prohibition and the mob? Blaise:  That is actually a three-fold question. One, I was inspired by the works of PN Elrod. Two, The Great Gatsby is still one of my absolute favorite works of literature. Three, I have always been a fan of classic detective and noir stories. The 1920s have always been one of my favorite periods of history. It’s the perfect conundrum. On the surface, Chicago is full of glamour and freedom, music and a sense of relief. However, beneath all of this, a darker world is behind all of it and keeps in the shadows, operating the city and staining its streets with blood. It made me wonder what it would be like to have a conflicted and broken character facing down not only the external monsters, but the one he comes to battle within himself.Lily: ​ It made for a captivating story. Alastair doesn’t seem like your typical vampire – what made you deviate from the normal tropes? (I love that he isn’t)Blaise:   I despise tropey characters. I fear urban fantasy nowadays has become rife with them. The characters are too perfect, often lack depth and don’t appear to have a real internal struggle that urban fantasy is supposed to portray. With Alastair, I wanted to create that broken character who suffers from external and internal demons. I knew if I could capture that, it would take him out of the romanticized vampires into what I think one would suffer from after being forced to live a life feeding off of those they once loved.Lily: ​ Alistair was a refreshing change from a lot of the vampires that have shown up in recent years. How much research did you do to make this book come to life? I felt like I was back in prohibition Chicago. Blaise:   That is actually where the cheats come in. Lol. I’m a history major with a Bachelor’s degree in History. The main brunt of the research I had to do and did was watch the old detective movies, read tons of classic detective novels and get a feel of what someone would talk like in the time period. Other than that, I spent hours upon hours in the mafia’s underworld. So much so, I entertained the idea of writing a book about them.Lily: ​ That’s awesome! What was the hardest part of writing/publishing this? Blaise:   Oof. I never know what to say when asked about this one. I guess I wouldn’t say there was a “hardest” part, rather which part was the most time-consuming. That would be the research. The world of the mafia is much more elaborate than the romance novels who use it portrays it to be. I had to capture the hierarchy just right, know who the key figures of the time were and make sure their conflicts were historically accurate enough, it didn’t get over run by the fantasy. Lily: ​ I think a lot of people don’t realize just how intricate the inner workings of the mafia are. Now we’d like to talk about you as a writer. Where’s your favorite place to write? Blaise:   I have a few favorite places. Namely my office in the kitchen (yes, I have a kitchen office due to a lack of space), my bedroom on my Chromebook or out at bookstores and coffee shops. It helps me to switch between these places to avoid stagnation.Lily: ​ I think it’s great that you have a couple places to go. Do you have a ritual to get in the right frame of mind to write? Blaise:  I’m a night owl. Always have been. During the day, I do revisions on what I wrote the night before and on another manuscript (namely BloodMoon, hint hint) or read. If I’m too frazzled or feel stuck (as it happens frequently with a non-planner), I refuel my creative well by drawing, gaming, watching movies or reading. Otherwise, I make a cuppa joe and start in. Lily: ​ I’m always more productive at night too. What’s your favorite time of day to write? Blaise:  I’m a night owl. The wee hours in the morning are the best times because everyone is asleep and the kitchen isn’t bustling with hungry kids. Lol.Lily: ​ I can imagine that definitely helps a lot! Let’s finish up with some fun questions and get inside your mind.  What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done? Blaise:   That would be what I’m fixing to do. Unfortunately, I have to keep this mum until my publisher says otherwise.Lily: ​ Now I can’t wait to find out. Do you have a piece of lucky clothing?Blaise:   Nope. I have a favorite, which is my Hazbin Hotel hoodie, featuring Alastor, the Radio Demon.Lily:  Love it! If you could spend 24 hours with a character from any book, who would it be, and from​ what book? Blaise:   Magnus Bane from The Mortal Instruments and Harry Dresden from the Dresden Files. These dudes are nuts! Harry is my spirit animal. Always has been.Lily:  I have read some of The Dresden Files and I love Harry! Although Bob is my favorite. What do you like to do in your free time?​  Blaise:   Gaming, reading, gardening, taking herbalism courses, cooking and character design in Painttool SAI.Lily:  Sounds like you have a lot of interests and they all sound like a lot of fun. Would you rather be the best in the world at climbing trees or the best in the world at jumping rope? Blaise:   Climbing trees <3Lily:  I bet you’d get some amazing views from up there. How do you feel about clowns?​ Blaise:   Hate them! God, they still terrify me!Lily:  Same! Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?​  Blaise:   Yes. I can’t say much, but next year is going to be packed with title releases. Now is a great time to keep up with me on social media if you’re a book blogger and lover of YA Dark Urban Fantasy and Vampire Chicago. I have included a link to my street team and newsletter below.Lily:  How can readers discover more about you and you work?​  Blaise:   My street team and newsletters are the best way to get a heads up of what’s going on. I often include sneak peeks into character art, covers and other exclusive content.


COMING SOON:
 
BloodLaw Links