Jessica Cage’s I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend follows Rayna, the last single friend in her group, as she finds herself out of her depth with a demon boyfriend attached to her. Released on May 24th this year, Cage plays with humor and imagery to bring the story to life. Initially in disbelief with the other planetary worlds, Rayna learns more about herself as she falls in love with Metice.
Want to know more? Check out my short review, including more information from the author.
Fandom Spotlite got the opportunity to ask Cage about her writing process as a whole and for I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend. Read on to learn more about how the story and characters came to life.
Both Cage’s book and this interview include mature content. Consider it an 18+ to read.
Fandom Spotlite: Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
CAGE: Yes! I was around 8 and I wrote it for my grandmother. It was about the adventures of a butterfly trying to befriend an apple. I can’t tell you how it turned out but I do remember the smile on my grandmother’s face when I shared it with her.
FS: What or who inspired you to start writing in the genres that you do?
CAGE: Sci-fi Saturdays with my mother inspired my love for the genre. I didn’t read much of it until I was in high school but we watched a ton of fantasy, science fiction, and other sub genres throughout my life. I just remembered I wanted to see more characters who looked like me in those stories. So I created them.
FS: How did writing I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend differ from your other books?
CAGE: I allowed myself to tap into my love for comedy. For a while now, I’ve wanted to tip my toe into a lighter style of writing but I still wanted the work to sound like it was written by me. This forced me to push myself to elevate as a story-teller while blending the two genres I love the most.
Writing this book was therapeutic for me. A lot of my other works are heavier. They will make you cry and scream and throw the book across the room. I decided I didn’t want to put myself or my readers through that again…yet.
FS: After the encounter with Likosa, would you consider Rayna bisexual/in the LGBTQIA+ community or would you consider her sexually open?
CAGE: I would say Rayna is sexually open. She wouldn’t let something like sexuality limit her experiences especially after thinking for so long that her greatest experiences were psychosis. She’s not signing up for a girlfriend, but I bet if Metice asked for a threesome, she would say yes.
FS: How do you usually come up with the names for your characters? I’d love to know where Piko’s name came from!
CAGE: My characters tell me their names. (At least the main characters do.) A lot of people have asked where Piko’s name came from. It came from Rayna. When I was writing the story, I heard her voice shout his name in my mind. Yes, I know how strange that seems.
FS: Did anything surprise you when writing, like a plot or character idea?
CAGE: The complexity of Piko surprised me. I didn’t expect him to become such a big part of the story or for readers to love him so much. His budding bond with Rayna wasn’t something I went in knowing would happen, but it was fun to explore.
FS: What inspirations did you draw from for Rayna and Metice’s relationship?
CAGE: Examples of love that I’ve witnessed and experienced in my own life. Metice is a culmination of all the greatest parts of the men I’ve dated. If I could pick one piece from each of them, the result would be Metice (minus the rotating member). I wanted Rayna to be strong, and I wanted her to have a partner who would allow her that strength and offer support when she needed to be vulnerable.
FS: What was your favorite part you wrote in the book?
CAGE: That would have to be when Keri pulled out Popianna and started blasting the demon in her home. She didn’t know what was happening but she knew her friend needed her and that was all that mattered.
FS: Keeping in theme with the book, if you could pick one planet from our solar system to represent each character in I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend, what would they be?
CAGE: This is interesting. I would say Metice has to be Mercury. He is closest to the fire and still resilient. There is also a mystery about Mercury that I can’t quite put my finger on. Rayna feels like Neptune. With her artistic abilities and other supernatural gifts, I imagine her flowing through space and time like a river. Neptune is mostly water, so that fits. She’s also far from the sun and I could see her throwing a lasso around Mercury to pull him out of his comfort zone. Piko is Pluto. Simply because that’s my favorite and I don’t care what the scientist say, Pluto will always be a planet in my eyes.
FS: What is your next project that you’re looking forward to?
CAGE: I’m currently working on another book in this line up to be titled, I Accidentally Hooked Up With a Vampire. This will be a collection of connected standalone titles. It’s rom-com fantasy and so much fun. I can’t wait for readers to meet this new couple.
FS: How do you handle writer’s block?
CAGE: I first identify the reason behind it. I know many people say that you push through it, but that’s not the way I think about it. It’s not something to be pushed through, it’s something to be dissected and resolved. Usually, I find the root of my writer’s block is connected to either my need to refill my creative cup or a need to get back out into nature. But sometimes I’ve just been pushing myself too hard and need a nap. I’ve learned over the years that addressing the root cause of writer’s block is the best way to handle it.
FS: What have been your favorite readers’ reactions to I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend?
CAGE: Honestly, it is being called out as the “Booty Juice Author” at reader events. It’s the most hilarious and unexpected things I’ve ever experienced. I’m thinking about getting a shirt that says, “Yes, I am the Booty Juice Author!”.
FS: Are you someone who uses outlines or do you dive right in when writing?
CAGE: I’m someone who wishes she could use outlines. I try, and I try, but all the projects I started with an outline are still in the WIPS folder on my computer. I get hit with inspiration, strap myself to my desk chair and let the words fly.
FS: What advice do you have for upcoming authors on how to market yourself and your books?
CAGE: The number one thing is to remain authentic. People connect with authentic people and messages. If you go out and try to just be what you think other people want you to be, you’ll find yourself looking in the mirror and not knowing why you’re even doing this anymore. Understand the reason why you are writing. Write it down. Then make sure everything you do aligns with that. And yes, that reason can and will change, and that’s okay.
FS: How would you engage with Rayna, Metice, and the other characters of I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend? Who would you be friends with?
CAGE: I would be friends with Rayna and Keri, who I’d be asking to see Popianna all the time knowing I’m not brave enough to touch it! I would side-eye Olian and ask her why she isn’t getting all over that orange demon. Likosa I would hope, would be open to having me over for tea and gossip. I just know she has so many juicy stories to tell! But I’m staying away from that magical pool of hers!
Thank you, Jessica Cage for such honest, intelligent answers. I thoroughly enjoyed reading through them and found myself laughing and smiling just as much as when I read I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend. I look forward to the continuation of these books.
Readers can order their own copy through online platforms such as Amazon and directly from Jessicacage.com.
