Balderdash (29)

is a weekly meme hosted by Ryan at Wordsmithonia.

This is very easy to do!

If you comment on blogs you can do this too.

Write down all the word verifictions you get while posting comments on other peoples blogs.

You then play Balderdash with them.

In case you don't know how to play:

You take the made up word and come up with an authentic sounding definition for it.

Do this for a week and then post your best or favorite ones every Thursday.

Here are mine for this week:

hyrethon - this is fundraising for rehydrating the under ground rivers and lakes, in which people are asked to not waste water for the length of the thon and any rinsing water is to be returned to the earth.

miquest - this is a mini quest children go on when they are playing soldiers, warriors, on jungle trips, sailing pirate ships, or any adventure they create in their minds and play for a few hours.

mistosie - this is the plant easily confused with mistletoe, the leaves are close to the same shape except they have three points on the sides instead of two and when the berries come they are of a orange color instead of red.

squallop - this is the whining sound children make when they are forced to follow their parents through the grocery store or even clothing store and the kid(s) don't want to be there but rather at home playing video games or with their friends.

Once again my son has added a few words to the board...

frashes - a kind of name for the style for the non-fashionable.

hydrine - a type of gas that if breathed will cause you to die a long painful death where you can't breathe and feels like being stabbed.

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.

Teaser Tuesday (22) & It's Tuesday... Where are you? (15)

Teaser Tuesday

is a weekly event.

Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading.

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)

Open the book to any random page.

Share 2 "teaser" sentences from anywhere on the page.

Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!

(Don't Give Too Much Away)

Just enough to pique our interests.

List the book and author so other participants can get their hand on it if they choose to read it as well.

This week:

(I am going to cheat a little.  I read this paragraph and just loved the descriptions, so thought I would share it with all of you.  I will be back to the random selections next week.)

All those years in the grey dampness of the North she had silently longed for home, and every night, in response to that unexpressed longing, her heart had conjured this walk for her.  Night after night in honey-soaked dreams, she had taken this exact trip from stable to kitchen.  And now here she was, real and certain, treading on older feet the happy path of her childhood.  She would have liked Razi and Alberon to be here, or the cats maybe, flowing against her ankles as they used to, like warm smoke keeping her company.

The Poison Throne

By Celine Kiernan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is hosted by

An Adventure in Reading

I am with Wynter in her rooms.  It has been a long trip, after being away for so long.  Her father and her traveled for months to get here and she has made it a point to see her old friends.  But now we are looking through her mothers old dresses for court and festivals, which were brought to her rooms in her mothers chest along with all their furniture, as she doesn't have any formal clothing to wear to the banquet tonight.  We had been sitting for a while in the receiving room, while her father sleeps, not really thinking of anything.  But I am worried for her father.  He is not well, sick actually but he is to proud to rest as he should.  And the long trip home had to be hard on him.  But most of my thoughts are on how things have changed here and something is not right n Wynters' home kingdom.  I am curious as to what has happened with or to the King to make him so scared and paranoid.

The Poison Throne

By Celine Kiernan

Monday's Beginnings (32)

So, here we are again... Monday!

First I just want to say, I hope you all had a great Easter Weekend, if you celebrate, and if not - I hope you had a wonderful weekend too!  We had a great weekend here with visiting family and a wedding too.  The weather was amazing for this early in April.  I am really loving it!

Now, how are you faring in reading at the beginning of this week?  Are you starting a new book for the week or finishing one up?

I am still bouncing around through books.  I still have Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie, for a book discussion with a great friend.  I still have Strange Brew in the works, as it is an anthology and I just read a few stories here and there.  And now I am also adding in The Poison Throne by Celine Kiernan.  I am hoping to have a busy reading week.  Don't know if I will get any reviews up this week, as they are all longer reads.

I did get my review up for Dead, Undead, or Something in Between by J.A. Saare.  If you would like to read my review it is here.

My Wishing List... it is still growing, thanks to all of you great people.  I have added two new books to the list.  The wonderful authors out there in the world are going to be happy to hear you are all doing them great justice.  And with adding books to the list is the getting of books addiction as well.

Books I have received in the mail:

I received The Last Track By Sam Hilliard as an ARC from Goodreads.  I entered to win this read and guess what... I DID!  Here is the summary from Goodreads:

Imagine if being late meant a child disappeared forever. That is the fear that drives Mike Brody: the man you want, when the one you love is missing.


Mike is more than just a master tracker. An ex-Special Forces operative, Smoke jumper, and now extreme adventure tour guide, he also possesses a unique ability to tap into the memory and emotional state of those he pursues.

In The Last Track, a police detective recruits Mike to help find an asthmatic boy lost in the dense woods surrounding a dude ranch in Montana. An unwitting murder witness, the boy burrows ever deeper into the rugged terrain, fearful of being found. As Mike and a local officer search for the boy, the killer follows them. While the investigation expands, his ex-wife, a well-connected journalist, uses her contacts to unravel the truth behind the murder.

Her discoveries threaten to snare them all in a treacherous conspiracy . . .

White Cat By Holly Black was a win for me from Melissa @ Books and Things.  Thank you Melissa!  This one looked good to me.  Here is the summary from Goodreads:
 

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers -- people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail -- he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.


Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love -- or death -- and your dreams might be more real than your memories.

 
Now this brings us to my purchase of the week:

I have had my eye on this book, and am now reading it.  Barnes and Nobles has it as a feature for the month of April.  Here is the summary from the back of the book:
 

At the heart of the kingdom lies a secret.
 
A secret so deadly it could tear the realm in two.
 
Only Wynter Moorehawke can uncover the truth.
 
When young Winter Moorehawke returns to court with her dying father, she finds her old home shadowed with fear.  The king has become a violent despot, terrorizing those he once loved.  His son and heir Alberon has fled into exile and now there are whispers everywhere of rebellion.  Meanwhile, Alberon's half-brother Razi has been elevated to his throne.  He struggles to meet his King's demands while remaining loyal to his beloved brother and to his friend Wynter.
 
Now she must choose - her father or her dreams, her friend or her king, her duty or her love.

 
I have not got much reading done today, yet.  I am hoping to get some reading done here before bed tonight.
 
So, now to you... How are you faring this week so far?  Does it look like a good reading week for you?  Here is to hoping you have a great week in words and pages.

Awards Time!

Okay, I need to make a BIG apology.  I am very guilty of delaying in passing out awards, very delayed.  Please forgive me.  I have been trying to visit as many sites as possible, and reading - as reading is what brought me here and everyone has amazing reviews to share and amazing books to buy.

I will try to get a few awards passed out each week to get them all passed out.  If you have already received one of these, I am sorry to pass it on to you again.  But, I have to say thank you to all my followers!

So, here we go with a few for now...

I have to thank The Book on the Hill for this Award!  Thank You!!

These bloggers leave awesome comments – they make you laugh, think, and offer encouragement and support. In other words, they’re freaking awesome.

Those I am Awarding this Award to:

Zia @ My Life in Not So Many Words

Chaity @ Lovin & Livin Life in the 808

Alexia @ Alexia's Books & Such...

Cecile @ All I want and more...

Melissa @ Books and Things

Simcha @ SFF Chat

Petty Witter @ Pen and Paper

I have to thank Book Obsessed, who is now at BookLovers Inc., and Ryan at Wordsmithonia for this award.  Thank you both!!

What to do:

List 10 things that make you happy.

Try and do at least one of them today.

Tag 10 bloggers that brighten your day.

Link back to the person that tagged you.

10 Things that make me happy:
1.)  My Family
2.) Watching my son play football, as he really enjoys himself
3.)  Hearing my son laugh, truly laugh
4.)  Reading
5.)  Seeing there are comments on posts, and reading them
6.)  Discussing books as I read through it
7.)  Relaxing with a good flavored hot tea
8.)  Getting books in the mail
9.)  Leaving comments on all your friendly blogs, and reading the responses
10.)  Eating cheeseburgers and hotdogs on the grill on a wonderful summer day

The Blogs Awarded this Award:
Michelle @ The True Book Addict
Laura @ The Calico Critic
Lindsey @ The Book Guru
Ninefly @ Story on a page
Nikola @ Nikola's Book Blog
Jackie @ My Ever Expanding Library
Jackie @ Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories
Bells @ Hanging with Bells!
WonderBunny @ Cookies, Books & Bikes
Stacey Stew @ A Romantic Heart

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.

Balderdash (28)

is a weekly meme hosted by Ryan at Wordsmithonia.

This is very easy to do!

If you comment on blogs you can do this too.

Write down all the word verifictions you get while posting comments on other peoples blogs.

You then play Balderdash with them.

In case you don't know how to play:

You take the made up word and come up with an authentic sounding definition for it.

Do this for a week and then post your best or favorite ones every Thursday.

Here are mine for this week:

oxygem - a beautiful crystal rock found in nature, made when oxygen is evaporated from the mixture of water and sediment leaving an eye catching gem of various colors.

grotholo - a term used in reference to a gothic angel with a halo.  These are the fallen angels who have turned to wearing the black and gothic look to shy away from the light, in which they lost their wings.  Yet they still have the faded halo of heaven which still possesses them with individual powers to help humans in various ways depending on their abilities.

lubclash - that crashing sound from the other room of something falling and when you go to look nothing is visibly out of place and blame the ghost of the house for the sound.

geomism - a term to cover the complete study of geometry in crystalized structures.