Saturday, September 17, 2011

Guest Post - J.A. Saare - The Renfield Syndrome

On writing The Renfield Syndrome for my readers



When I was asked to write about the creation of the second book in the Rhiannon’s Law series, The Renfield Syndrome, I didn’t know where to start. The original ending of Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between is very different from the ending everyone has come to love or hate. What started out as a joke with my mother-in-law became a roadblock.  There was no way I could focus on the love story I’d developed in the first book, not with the obstacles I’d thrown in my heroine’s path. I couldn’t write about Rhiannon, Goose, and their misadventures to help lost souls cross to the other side. The entire arc of the series changed with one single decision, taking on new life.

The question became: What did I do with a series that placed the protagonist in a not-so-stable future?

I could lie and say that I sat down and “knew” exactly where I was going with The Renfield Syndrome. I could tell you all of the ideas were clear in mind. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. A few flashes appeared here and there but nothing was concrete. Perhaps it was due to the fact that the series was going somewhere I hadn’t planned, or maybe it was due to the desire to make the second book better than the first. Ending Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between in an enormous cliffhanger meant the pressure was on. That alone caused me to stall, hesitate, and second guess.

Many readers were put off by the length of time between the books. While I understood, I have to say I’m glad I didn’t rush. I developed the story over months, allowing the material come to me instead of forcing it. As a result the characters started guiding me and I didn’t intrude. I remember worrying about a pivotal scene in The Renfield Syndrome, one that will turn off some readers. I stopped writing for almost two weeks because of it, trying to reconcile what was transpiring on the page with what readers would “want.” This persisted for weeks, even after I made up my mind and soldiered on.

That pretty much sums up my experience when I wrote the book.

I can honestly say writing The Renfield Syndrome was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. However, the payoff was wrapping it up and reaching The End. My hope is the book is better than the first. I did everything in my power to deliver something with action, emotion, and depth, although now I face a whole new problem…

Writing the third book.

Wishing you all my best! Happy reading!

Jaime AKA J.A. Saare

About the book:
Vampires, and werewolves, and demons oh my.
Rhiannon thought facing off against a deranged child vampire was the most dangerous task she would ever have to undertake, but she’s about to discover making a deal with a demon is far, far worse. Sent forward into another reality, one in which vampires are now dominating nearly extinct humans, she realizes the sooner she returns to her vampire lover, Disco, the better.
Unfortunately, time changes a lot of things; including those most trusted around her. When she’s faced with a loss and betrayal unlike any she has ever known, her focus shifts from severing the debt between the demon that wants to kill her, to exacting a revenge that will bring forth consequences she never could have fathomed. By reaching out to the darkness lingering within her, she’ll find the strength to push forward despite the circumstances that would see her dead and buried.
After all, when it’s all said and done, all that she has left to lose is her soul.

Paperback, 212 Pages Published Aug 23rd 2011 by Mundania Press
ISBN: 1606592661 (ISBIN13: 978160592663) Book 2 In Rhiannon’s Law
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