My Otherworld series includes many supernatural races, and most of them were introduced with a corresponding “major series character” in the second book, Stolen. But Stolen got a little crowded, so one race was dropped: necromancers—those who can contact and raise the dead.

I knew I’d need to create a main necromancer character, but I struggled with it. When I think of someone who can commune with the dead, I think “dark and creepy,” which would make a great villain or interesting secondary character, but not necessarily a good main character in a series with a healthy dose of romance.

I hate creating characters simply to fill a void, so with my necromancer, I decided to take my time. Then I read a magazine article about a TV medium, and thought “What if my necromancer was someone like that?” Flamboyant and charismatic was a whole lot more appealing to me than dark and gloomy. And so, Jaime Vegas was born.

Jaime is my good-time girl. She’s a gorgeous redhead who’s built her career more on her sexuality than her necromancy skills. When she was first introduced in Industrial Magic: Women of the Otherworld, she seemed like an opportunist using her powers to prey on the grieving. But it soon became clear there was more to Jaime than her outsized persona. She genuinely believes she’s helping people. They want reassurance; she provides it.

After twenty-five years in the business, though, she’s starting to wonder whether she’s doing as much good as she thought. And, at forty-four, she knows she’s not going to be able to rely on sex appeal much longer. Is it time to make one last push for true stardom? Or seize the excuse to give up the limelight? That’s where No Humans Involved picks up her story.

I’ve been waiting to write from Jaime’s perspective for a few years. One of the joys of doing a multi-narrator series is that when I create a character who really interests me, I can give her a novel of her own, and explore her life in more depth than I could from someone else’s point of view.

There are downsides to doing multiple narrators, too. Many readers seem more comfortable with a single narrator, especially if it’s one they really like. I learned that back when Stolen came out and I announced that my werewolf narrator, Elena, was stepping aside for my witch, Paige. The response came fast and furious—mostly furious.

In retrospect, I’m glad that I’d already written Dime Store Magic or I would have been seriously tempted to change my mind. When I realized how angry readers were about the change in narrator, I was sick—I foresaw my new career going up in smoke. But if I’d stuck with Elena, by now I would be sick . . . of her. I love my characters and the surest way to kill my passion for them would be to overuse them.

Now, when I think about writing another Elena book (or Paige or Eve) I’m excited by the prospect. They’re like friends I haven’t visited in a while, and I can’t wait to spend more time with them. First, though, I’ll make sure I have exactly the right story for them to tell. Until then, I’ll sample new lives through new narrators, loving every minute of it, as my fictional universe grows.