The Djinn Entrapment follows a teenager who, armed with a unique ability to see unseen entities, must confront enigmatic beings implicated in her mother’s demise while navigating her everyday adolescent life. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Many stories illustrate dichotomies such as good vs. evil or right vs. wrong. This book, alternatively, invites the reader to enter a world of “gray”– where the supposed villains become the characters we root for.

I was inspired to write a story that incorporated supernatural components, plot tactics, and characters I had not seen before. The main character, Melody, is a “do-gooder” who is kind and highly ambitious, but is also hard on herself. Similar to many young people, she struggles to overcome self-doubt and imposter syndrome. However, it is her ability to challenge her thinking and push past her fears which makes her a strong protagonist. Witnessing her mother’s death fuels her motivation and drive throughout the rest of the book.

The world of the Djinn seems richly constructed. Could you talk a bit about the process of creating and developing this unique realm?

The inception of this book occurred 20 years ago when I immersed myself in paranormal stories about vampires, ghosts, clones, etc. I longed to write something different, and I quickly became enthralled with the Djinn lore. This book has roots in that lore (and odes to the vampire books I enjoyed as well).

I thought about the Djinn and what it would be like to exist as a Jinni. It made sense that they would exist in alternative dimensions, and within that, I enjoyed playing with concepts such as “pocket” dimensions. Bringing the reader into these new realms deepens their understanding of the Djinn and what it is like to exist as one.

How did you approach the delicate task of making the Djinn both frightening and sympathetic in your narrative?

A key element of the story is Melody fearing the mythical creatures only she can see, and yet – she decides to help them. It was a challenge to make this shift believable and understandable. After many drafts, I came up with a key strategy: writing scenes from other characters’ perspectives.

I invented a “memory share” technique where the reader (and Melody) experiences a Jinni’s recount on what has happened. These scenes are pivotal in helping the reader better understand the characters and they propel the plot forward in an enlightening and enjoyable way.

What else can you tell us about this book? Are there plans for a sequel?

The Djinn Entrapment begins as a mystery and morphs into a fun, romantic adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I deeply enjoyed writing it, and a fan wrote, “It was hard to put the book down and take a pause from Melody’s story as reading it leaves you breathless and wondering what’s going to happen next.”

I do have plans for a sequel (and perhaps a trilogy). The next book would be in Carrie’s perspective, and would follow her journey with the strange “glow” from the Epilogue.

If you would like to learn more about me and my work, please see my author profile on Amazon and reach out to me at leigh.mascolino@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

Fun fact: the name “Melody” is a combination of both of my daughters (Melanie and Lydia)!

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