Book Cover Release...

As many of you know I love the book Dead, Undead or Somewhere Inbetween by J.A. Saare.  Well, J.A. Saare is reissuing the book through Mundania Press.  So there is a new amazing looking cover.  Now, I did love the old one for the eyes on the cover, but this are just amazing!



Oh, and did I mention the cover for The Renfield Syndrome?

Yep, it's here too!  AWWWWSOOME!  I love it as it is just what I imaged the world to look like at the end of Dead, Undead or Somewhere Inbetween.

Curious by what I mean and the looks of the cover?  Well, go pre-order Dead, Undead or Somewhere Inbetween.


And Cool news to add to the mix is that Jaime is contracted for the third book in the Rhiannon's Law series as well ~~ The Ripple Effect!  This is all such wonderful news!!!

The Renfield Syndrome has an anticipated release (but could change) of summer/fall 2011.

The Ripple Effect has an anticipated release date of 2012.  (which Jaime is still working on writing.)

You can visit J.A. Saare on her blog for more details on the books, HERE.

Favorite Fictional Character (29)

Meme Sponsored and hosted by the creative mind of Ryan at Wordsmithonia.

My character this week is from an Urban Fantasy book I enjoyed.  She has a touch of necromancy powers to her, so yes in other words she sees dead people...
 
Now, many of the readers will tell you about her co-star in the book.  He is a delicious sounding vampire, but she is the main character and is a great one at that.  The character I am talking about is Rhiannon from Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between by J.A. Saare. 
 
Rhiannon is one to take the bull by the horns and wrestle it down.  Okay so that may be a little bit much.  But she will definitely tell you like it is, and use some colorful flavor with that.  She is a tough girl.  Ready to bounce out any trouble at the bar she works in and will even hustle you for some money at pool.  She is a strong character to stand up to the "bad" guys.
 
She did have a rough childhood and even though this makes for a hard time with relationships she still cares for others and tries for herself.  She does finally find that one to share with and who loves her.  Even if he is a gorgeous few hundred year old vampire.  But, then there is the end to this first book that leaves you wanting more...
 
But I do enjoy the strong headed tell-it-as-it-is with flavor women here.

Author Interview with J.A. Saare!

As some of you may have read, I have just completed Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between and enjoyed reading of Rhiannon. If you missed it, here is the link to my review. I am pleased to introduce J.A. Saare the author, as she is gracious enough to do an interview with me.

M:  Hello J.A. Saare! Welcome to My World…in words and pages!  Thank you for joining us today.

J:  Thanks for having me! ;-)

M:  I like the name Rhiannon.  The name Rhiannon is different to me.  How did you come up with this name?

J:  Growing up, my Dad was a huge Fleetwood Mac fan.  So when I was trying to think of a unique name that was memorable but not too “out there”, Rhiannon (after the song of the same name) was everything I was looking for. 


M:  Do you have a planned number of books for The Renfield Syndrome series?

J:  Currently, I have the next two installments mapped out in my mind (The Renfield Syndrome and The Ripple Effect).  I also have roughly 33k words written into The Renfield Syndrome, so it’s getting there.

M:  When writing Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between did you plan for multiple books or did you have to go back to add hints, extra ties, or change anything to make it a series?

J:  When I sat down to start writing Dead, I knew it would be a series.  Originally, I intended to explore Rhiannon’s relationship with Goose and her growing powers. There wasn’t supposed to be any romance (I kept swearing I wouldn’t write romance following Crimson Moon) but Disco came along, ruined that, and ultimately changed the entire story (as well as the arc of the series).

I didn’t have to go back and add or change anything to create new ties, thank God!  My subconscious seemed to be aware of things long before I was and made sure to leave little crumbs along the way to use in The Renfield Syndrome.

M:  Who is your favorite character out of your books and why?  Who is a favorite character from a favorite series you have read?

J:  That’s tough. If you’re asking for a female protagonist, it would be Rhiannon.  If you’re asking about a hero, it would be Caleb (from Crimson Moon). ;-)

As for my favorite character from a series – that’s easy.  Lord Mason from Joey W. Hill’s Beloved Vampire snared my heart a long time ago.  He’s so wonderful, in so many ways. 

M:  You have an amazing play list for Dead:

Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between (<~ Click to Listen!)
1. Let's Dance - David Bowie
2. Boadicea - Enya
3. My name is Mud - Primus
4. Closer - Nine Inch Nails
5. Unrecorded - M83
6. Smooth Criminal - Alien Ant Farm
7. Deep - Nine Inch Nails
8. If I was your Vampire - Marilyn Manson
9. A Change in the House of Flies - The Deftones
10. Beauty has her Way - Mummy Calls
11. Love you to Death - Type O Negative

12. Faustrecht - Fiendflug

13. Arbor Vitate - PIG
14. Lights in the Sky - Nine Inch Nails
15. Meet your Master - Nine Inch Nails

I have to say I love the songs.  These are what I went through high school with.  A friend and I use to sit in study hall with a walkman and Nine Inch Nails.  They were my favorite then, and I still love them now.  Do you find music helps set your mood in writing?  Anything new on the play list for the second book?

J:  Music always sets the mood, regardless of what I’m writing.  I know some people need silence to write, but I can’t function with at least a moderate amount of background noise.

Some of the music listed on the Dead playlist came to play as I was writing.  For example: In the first chapter of Dead, David Bowie blasts through the speakers as a stripper takes the stage. Just before I started writing that scene, David Bowie’s Let’s Dance came on my itunes.  I couldn’t have planned it better and incorporated the song into the story.

There are a few songs that will be on The Renfield Syndrome playlist *grin* Expect some Nickelback, NIN, M83, and maybe some old school stuff.

M:  Any books, authors, or movies which inspired you to write?

J:  All books inspire me, even those I might not enjoy. I don’t think people realize just what an accomplishment it is to see a story through from start to finish.

As for personal favorites, I am a fan of the masters of urban fantasy -- Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs, Laurell K. Hamilton, Jim Butcher -- as well as romance -- Joey W. Hill, J.R. Ward, Kresley Cole, Gena Showalter -- and horror -- Stephen King, Dean Koontz.

M:  I am always curious to know about authors, how long they have been writing.  Some have been doing it since wee little and others just starting not long before they publish a book.  So, how long have you been writing?  Was it something you always wanted to do?

J:  Although I wrote small things here and there when I was younger, I didn’t “start” writing in June of 2008.  I had the idea for a story and decided to take the journey.  It turned out to be the most cathartic experience, and when I finished, the most addictive.  Shortly after I wrapped up Crimson Moon, I wrote Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between. After that, it was on to Eternity and a Day. 

Now, I can’t stop writing.  Although I can say it’s not as relaxing as it once was.  Edits, revisions, and deadlines take it from play to work.

M:  I know you are working on book two, but can you leave us with any hints to it?

J:  Sure can. ;-)  You know, I read a comment in which a reviewer was a bit miffed at the ending of Dead (to be fair, I get that reaction rather often) and complained it took the series into a different genre.  For the sake of remaining spoiler free, I can assure you that while things occur in the not too distant future, The Renfield Syndrome does not have a sci-fi/futuristic spin.

You can expect more of Paine in this installment, as well as several twists and turns you probably won’t see coming.  Everyone seems to have an idea as to what they think will happen, but so far, they’ll all been wrong.

Thanks for having me on the blog!  I really appreciate sharing more about Dead and discussing the characters.  Rhiannon is a hoot and I enjoy every moment I spend writing her.  Feel free to pass along the playlist for Dead if you’d like.  ;-)

M:  Thank you J.A. Saare!  I really appreciate you stopping by to do this interview with me.  I am looking forward to reading more installments of Rhiannon in the future. 

Also, to note if anyone is interested in learning more of Crimson Moon here is the link to J.A. Saares' site, directly to Crimson Moon which will be released June 25, 2010.  And take a look around for a few other books.


I would love to mention you short story as well, called Penance. Please click here to read the short story. Any thoughts you would like to share on it? Very intense feeling for me.

Book Review: Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between

Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between

By:  J.A. Saare

Re-Published:  May 2011, by Mundania Press with New Cover!

Publisher:  Eternal Press

Publish Date:  February 2010

Genre:  Fiction, I think maybe Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance.

Format:  Paperback,

Series:  1st book of The Renfield Syndrome (Rhiannon's Law's)

Recommendation: Yes, if you like a strong female character, a little necromancy magic, action, sexual tension, and love with a surprise here and there.

Book Synopsis:
One bad corpse can ruin your whole day.

No one knows better than Rhiannon Murphy that one bad corpse can ruin your whole day.

She left behind the flash and sass of Miami for the no-nonsense groove of New York City, eager for a clean slate and a fresh start.  A bartender by trade, a loud mouth by choice, and a necromancer by chance; she managed to keep her nifty talent hidden from those around her - until now.

The deliciously good-looking vampire, Disco, knows her secret.  When he strolls into her bar to solicit help investigating the mysterious disappearances of his kind from the city, Rhiannon discovers he's not the kind of person that appreciates the significance of the word no.

But in a world where vampires peddle their blood as the latest and greatest drug of choice, it's only a matter of time before the next big thing hits the market.  Someone or something is killing vampres to steal their hearts, and unlike Rhiannon, this isn't their first stroll around the undead block.

First Sentence:
Rhiannon's Law #27: When you're working in a gentlemen's club and one of your dancers takes off those heels, alert the big guns, an ass kicking is on the menu.

My Review and Summary:
The story starts with Rhiannon doing her job, tending bar in New York at an exotic dance club.  Disco, a friend of Cash's who became a kind aquaintance while she was on the job, has been coming in regularly lately (now that Cash hasn't been in).  Rhiannon keeps putting him off when he comes in wanting to talk to her, as she's not fond of vampires.  Rhiannon knew what Cash and Disco are, as she is a necromancer and can see the dead - so she gets a feeling from vampires (as they are dead) and ghosts.  Finally, after Disco's persistance Rhiannon agrees to meet after work.  Rhiannon soon learns Disco need her help and doesn't give her the option to say no.  Rhiannon figures the only way to return to her simple mundane life is to do the few things he needs and be done with it.  Rhiannon is to green to realize what is out there in the world, to harm her or help her, and life will never be the same.

To me there was action, sexual tension, and love all mixed into one here, and I enjoyed it.  This book does have vampires in it, but they are not the main part of the book.  Yes, the plot surrounds the vampires in search of who is killing them but Rhiannon and her necromancy ability is the main story here.  I was pleasantly surprised in a few twists of the plot and story line which I enjoy when a story does this to me.

I enjoyed the character building in the story for Rhiannon, Disco, and the secondary characters.  I felt the growth of the relationships between the characters was genuine for them.  Rhiannon learns a lot in this book about herself, her powers, and the world.  She has a lot to learn yet, which will be great to read in the next book.  Rhiannon, what can I say of this character?  I loved her!  She is just a regular person, who happens to see ghosts.  Rhiannon shies away from a ghost when she sees them, not knowing what they want or why.  Rhiannon does have her own ugly past she is trying to leave behind, but she doesn't wear it on her sleeve for pity, it has steeled her into a harder person - a fighter.  She does have a mouth, as she speaks her mind and many times it's not in the language many think woman should use.  But for me that is part of what made her wonderful to read, and even more personable to me and many times I got a chuckle out of her comments.  It was mentioned to her by other characters, "Do you kiss her mother with that mouth?"  We also got a look into her thoughts as they where in italics.

I enjoyed the start to this series, and looking forward to where the future takes Rhiannon, Disco, and all their friends.



I received this book from the author for review after mentioning I would love to read this book and review it.

This book qualifies for my Speculated Fiction Challenge at BookChickCity.