Friday Feature: What to Give a Mermaid for the Holiday? #HolidayBooks

Today may be "Black Friday" for retailers, but I'm spending the day at home baking with my college student before he heads back to campus tomorrow. Sounds like more fun than battling the crowds at the mall, doesn't it?

If you're looking for online gift ideas, might I suggest books? Perhaps a series of mermaid books for that hard-to-buy-for kid in your life? If they like adventure and light paranormal tales like the Percy Jackson series, they'll love my Son of a Mermaid books.

And if you're wondering what to get for the actual mermaid in your life, here's an excerpt from the second book in the series, DEFIANCE, where Shea tries to give Kae a present...

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Excerpt from DEFIANCE:

 

“I got something for you.” He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small box, carefully wrapped in shiny blue paper with raffia string. “I saw it in Hyannis the other day when I was walking on Main Street with John and Hailey. I thought of you.”

 

Kae stared at the package in Shea’s hand, but didn’t reach for the gift. “Oh, it’s pretty. And so shiny blue! Like the ocean’s surface on a sunny day. But Shea, I don’t think paper will last very long underwater.”

 

Shea’s face cracked into a wide grin. “That’s just the wrapping, silly.” He placed the box in her hand. “You need to look inside for the gift.”

 

“I’ve never heard of wrapping paper,” Kae turned the box slowly around in her hands, the shine of the paper reflecting the light. “It’s so pretty.”

 

“You’re supposed to rip it off,” Shea explained, shaking his head. Sometimes he forgot that they came from such different worlds. He showed her how to slide the bow off, and then tore the edge of the paper to get her started.

 

It was a small package, and the paper came off fairly quickly once she started to rip it. She stared at the white box. “Oh, it’s lovely. But Shea, cardboard is not much better than paper…”

 

He interrupted. “The box isn’t the present.”

 

She looked up at him, cocking her head to the side. “Then why did you give it to me? Why give me shiny paper to rip and a box that isn’t a present? I don’t understand.”

 

He shifted his weight uncomfortably, feeling slightly foolish. “I don’t know. It’s how we give gifts.” He smiled again. “Just open the box already.”

 

Inside was a cuff bracelet of hammered silver, made of five thin distinct strands that rippled across like waves, looking like the undulating surface of the ocean. Kae stared, not saying anything.

 

“I saw it and thought of you, leaving on your journey,” Shea stammered, unsure how to gauge her reaction. “You know, the five lines of silver flowing like water, like the five oceans…” His voice trailed off. “You don’t like it?”

 

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, her eyes looking watery.

 

“It’s just a bracelet.” He reached over to take it out of the box. “Let’s see if it fits okay.” He slipped the cuff over her wrist and gently squeezed so that it closed snugly against her skin. He trailed his fingers up to her elbow and leaned his forehead against hers. “It’s so you don’t forget me while we’re apart.”

 

“Oh, Shea…” Her voice was still a mere whisper. “I won’t forget you.”

~ *~ * ~ * ~

Find the whole series on AMAZON :

DESCENT ~ DEFIANCE ~ DECEPTION

Friday Feature: Mermaid fans and fantasies

March has been a fun time in my author bubble (the one I pretend to be in when I'm not at my day job or volunteering at something for one of my kids...)

I spoke at a local elementary school to three different classrooms of fourth graders, answering questions about my books, other books, being an author, and writing in general. Great questions from a bunch of interested, respectful, polite kids... most of whom admitted to being enthusiastic readers.

I was invited to participate because one of the teachers happened to have taught all three of my kids when they were at a different middle school, and is a fan of my mermaid series. Since March was author month, she thought it might be fun for the kids to have a real author come in to answer their questions. It was fun for me too.

And then I also got a call from a local bookstore with a request for more of my mermaid books to carry in stock, as people had come in to request them. They took a few extra to put on the shelves, so if you're on the Cape, the Brewster Book Store on 6A in Brewster now has the whole series (so far) in stock!

I received a nice piece of fan mail recently too - from a young reader in Colorado. I actually met her dad at a conference in California, and sat next to him at a dinner. He shared a funny-in-retrospect story about when his daughter was very young and convinced that she was actually a mermaid... and sank to the bottom of a pool and almost drowned. She still wants to be a mermaid, but is now a little more practical about it.

I sent her a copy of DESCENT. It's always fun to connect with a fellow mermaid lover.

Which brings me to today, and the fun piece of fan mail I received by email from a college student in Mexico City whom I've been corresponding with for a few years, since he first read Book One and reached out to me via my website "Contact Me" page. Jorge has lots of suggestions and ideas of prequels and scenes he wants me to write - - he's really anxious for Shea and his mother to spend time and get to know one another.

And he's really anxious for Shea and Kae to have some intimate moments before the end of the series. Don't misunderstand, the way he phrased his request was romantic and poetic, but he still wants them to go there.

I admit to some bemusement - having just been in the elementary school with the same stories.

I don't think I'm going there with this series. I've gotten enough grief from a certain faction of readers over the fact that the characters are teenagers and using the words "I love you." Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, fifteen and sixteen-year-olds use those words to one another when they're in relationships. They may not "mean" it in the same way as a thirty year old, but then again, Romeo and Juliet were sixteen. But getting more intimate than kissing? I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be appropriate for a young YA book like my series.

But romance? Emotion? Longing? Sure.

Excerpt from DESCENT:

Her body shivered under his touch and he remembered why they’d come upstairs in the first place. “You’re still cold?” He put his arm around her and hugged her. She felt warm against him, her body radiating heat like a bonfire. Her hair smelled of salt air and sunshine.

“I’m not cold,” she whispered and shivered again. “Just scared.”

He cupped her cheek with his hand and tipped her face, looking into her wide eyes. “Don’t be,” he whispered, and kissed her lightly. Her soft lips tasted of salt and sweetness, like the saltwater taffy they sold in the center of town. He wound his fingers through her golden locks, her hair silky and fine like spun sunshine. His heart hammered as he kissed her, the blood pounding in his ears drowning out the world around them. He felt like his body was tumbling through space… until a sharp bark brought him back to the present and he opened his eyes. Lucky stood next to the bed, prodding Kae with his black muzzle.

Kae drew away, her cheeks flaming red once again. “Oh,” she said, jumping to her feet. “Oh, I’m so sorry!”

“Sorry?” Shea stood slowly, his brow knotting with confusion. “What is there to be sorry about?”

“I…I… Maybe we’d better get going. My father will know what to do to help your mother.” She turned and walked into the hallway. He felt like all the heat left the room with her, his heart still pounding with a rapid, steady sharpness. Sorry? Why would she say that?

Lucky stood next to Shea. He frowned at the dog. “Way to go, dog. Rule number one? Never interrupt a first kiss.”

Lucky gave another sharp bark and wagged his tail.

“Stay here,” he commanded and followed Kae. The dog whined. “No, boy. You’ve done enough.” He shut the bedroom door behind him. The dog thumped against the door and barked a frantic warning. Shea ignored the noise and followed Kae down the stairs. He had no idea where they were headed, but after that kiss he’d follow her anywhere.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Grab a copy of DESCENT on AMAZON

What do you get a Mermaid for Christmas?

The third book in my Son of a Mermaid series it out now - just in time for holiday gifting for that mermaid-lover in your life! Grab it on AMAZON.

Since I live on Cape Cod, I tend to let the ocean influence my Holiday decorating and gift buying. As an author who writes about mermaids, I tend to gravitate toward, you know, mermaid-inspired wall art, decorations and ornaments. Cape Cod is a great place to find mermaid ornaments for the tree…

 

I also have lots of starfish and shell ornaments, as well as mermaid ornaments we made with my daughter’s Girl Scout troop a few years back…luckily, my daughter gave me a few for Christmas!

 

But what do you buy for your friend who’s, you know, a *real* mermaid? That gets a bit trickier, since life underwater is played by a whole different set of rules.

First of all, mermaids celebrate the Winter Solstice instead of Christmas. And electric Christmas lights don’t work too well underwater. Anything made with paper or glue is right out as well – imagine how quickly a pile of gift wrapped boxes would turn into a soggy mess underwater! Mermaids tend to wrap packages with sheets of seaweed and twine instead of paper and tape for those reasons.

But mermaids do love receiving gifts, and anything shiny is always appreciated! Think of Disney’s Ariel and how she had a room filled with shiny objects that she’d collected. To make a big impression, jewelry is always a good choice, but remember it’s going to be worn in saltwater, so either choose real silver or gold, or go simple with leather cords.

In DEFIANCE, the second book of the Son of a Mermaid series, the main character, Shea MacNamara, takes my advice about jewelry and gives a shiny bracelet to his mermaid girl friend. The bracelet comes up a few times in reference in the current release, DECEPTION, but in case you forgot, here's where Kae first opened the gift.

And Happy Holidays!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Excerpt from DEFIANCE:

 

“I got something for you.” He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small box, carefully wrapped in shiny blue paper with raffia string. “I saw it in Hyannis the other day when I was walking on Main Street with John and Hailey. I thought of you.”

Kae stared at the package in Shea’s hand, but didn’t reach for the gift. “Oh, it’s pretty. And so shiny blue! Like the ocean’s surface on a sunny day. But Shea, I don’t think paper will last very long underwater.”

Shea’s face cracked into a wide grin. “That’s just the wrapping, silly.” He placed the box in her hand. “You need to look inside for the gift.”

“I’ve never heard of wrapping paper,” Kae turned the box slowly around in her hands, the shine of the paper reflecting the light. “It’s so pretty.”

“You’re supposed to rip it off,” Shea explained, shaking his head. Sometimes he forgot that they came from such different worlds. He showed her how to slide the bow off, and then tore the edge of the paper to get her started.

It was a small package, and the paper came off fairly quickly once she started to rip it. She stared at the white box. “Oh, it’s lovely. But Shea, cardboard is not much better than paper…”

He interrupted. “The box isn’t the present.”

She looked up at him, cocking her head to the side. “Then why did you give it to me? Why give me shiny paper to rip and a box that isn’t a present? I don’t understand.”

He shifted his weight uncomfortably, feeling slightly foolish. “I don’t know. It’s how we give gifts.” He smiled again. “Just open the box already.”

Inside was a cuff bracelet of hammered silver, made of five thin distinct strands that rippled across like waves, looking like the undulating surface of the ocean. Kae stared, not saying anything.

“I saw it and thought of you, leaving on your journey,” Shea stammered, unsure how to gauge her reaction. “You know, the five lines of silver flowing like water, like the five oceans…” His voice trailed off. “You don’t like it?”

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, her eyes looking watery.

“It’s just a bracelet.” He reached over to take it out of the box. “Let’s see if it fits okay.” He slipped the cuff over her wrist and gently squeezed so that it closed snugly against her skin. He trailed his fingers up to her elbow and leaned his forehead against hers. “It’s so you don’t forget me while we’re apart.”

“Oh, Shea…” Her voice was still a mere whisper. “I won’t forget you.”

~ *~ * ~ * ~

Find the whole series on AMAZON :

DESCENT ~ DEFIANCE ~ DECEPTION

Booksigning and Excerpt from DESCENT: Son of a Mermaid, Book One

I'll be signing books on Saturday August 12 from 10 to noon at the Whydah Pirate Museum in Yarmouth, MA. Mermaids and Pirates go together.... and the museum is filled with actual pirate treasure, as well as all kinds of cool facts about pirates and the pirate life...

In anticipation, here's an excerpt from the beginning of the story, when Shea's home is destroyed and he meets the grandmother he never knew ...

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ 

Guilty thoughts plagued Shea as he surveyed the damage to his former home. Why am I still alive? The flattened fields looked like an army of soldiers trampled them, leaving nothing in their wake. Broken hunks of wood and window dotted the yard, all that remained of the two-story farmhouse. Beyond the edges of the farm, everything was normal. The rogue twister only targeted the acres belonging to Tom MacNamara.

I should’ve been home. Maybe I could’ve saved him. He turned from the flattened fields and saw a thin plume of dust rising along the road. A yellow cab. A shiver ran through him, remembering the last taxicab to come out this far from the city, bringing his dad home from the airport. Shea stayed in Oklahoma to mind the farm while his dad went to Cape Cod to bury his father and brother. A murderous wave rolled their fishing boat, killing them both in one fell swoop. It had been a hard few months for the men of the MacNamara family.

The taxi stopped halfway up the drive, where the John Deere tractor lay on its back blocking the road like some passing giant’s discarded toy. The rear passenger door opened and a wisp of a figure emerged, dressed all in black. Shea watched the woman lean in to say something to the driver before turning toward him. Tilting her head to one side, she cupped a hand to her mouth and called out, “Are you Shea Thomas MacNamara?”

He nodded, not trusting his voice. He watched her pick her way around the John Deere, walking the rest of the way up the graveled driveway to where he stood rooted. Spreading her arms wide, she gave him a sad smile. “Come give me a hug. I’m your Gramma.” When he didn’t move, she lowered her arms and sighed. “I guess boys these days don’t hug. More’s the pity.” She closed the distance between them and extended her right hand. “I’m Martha MacNamara. But you can call me Gramma.”

So this was the grandmother he’d never met.

“You’re sure to be having lots of questions,” she continued, as if sensing his curiosity, “but there’ll be plenty of time for catching up. First things first, let’s have a look at you.” She put both hands on his shoulders and squinted her eyes behind her half-moon glasses, nodding to herself. He could see that behind the lenses her eyes were blue, just like his dad’s were. Had been. “And how old are you now, lad? Fourteen, is it?”

“Fifteen,” he corrected, squirming under her scrutiny. “My birthday was Saturday.” He’d planned to spend the day in Oklahoma City, watching baseball and celebrating with his best friend. Instead, he’d spent the day sitting by the Hansen’s phone, waiting in vain for word about his father.

She cocked her head to one side, her eyes glittering brightly. “Is that so? Fifteen already? My, oh, my, how the time does fly.” She shook her head and took a step back when John and his father approached. Mr. Hansen and his sons had been checking to see if any farm equipment could be salvaged from the collapsed barn.

“Hello there!” Mr. Hansen reached a meaty fist toward Martha, enveloping her entire hand with a hearty shake. Even in the midst of the devastated farmland, it was hard for the big man to tone down his boisterous nature. “You must be Tom’s mother. My wife called to say you stopped at our house first. I’m so sorry for your loss.”

John sidled over to Shea. “She looks like she might be okay,” he whispered. Shea didn’t acknowledge John’s words or even spare him a glance. His eyes were riveted on the woman who claimed to be kin, sizing her up as she chatted with John’s dad. Mr. Hansen’s blond bulk towered over the thin, grey-haired woman with the sharp blue eyes, and yet Shea had the feeling the little old lady would be the victor of any argument. There was something odd about her, but he couldn’t quite put a finger on it.

She looked nothing like his father, for starters. Except for the eyes. And while her long braided hair was steely grey and her clothes screamed “old lady alert,” there were very few wrinkles on her face. Behind those half-moon glasses, her eyes looked clear. As he made his assessment, she turned those sharp eyes toward him, catching him with her gaze.

“Let’s not dawdle then,” she said, cutting off whatever it was John’s dad had been babbling about. “We need to get your things, dearie, and get a move on.” She kept her eyes locked with Shea’s.

Mr. Hansen was startled. “But surely you’re not leaving right away. Aren’t you going to stay for the funeral service?”

Martha narrowed her eyes. “Have you found my son, then?”

The big man shuffled awkwardly under her piercing gaze. “Well, as a matter of plain fact, no. But folks here thought it would be the decent thing to have a ceremony. Put some closure on this tragedy.”

“Tragedy it is,” she agreed, taking her glasses off. She pulled a lace handkerchief from somewhere up her left sleeve and polished the lenses while they stood watching her. She took her time, rubbing first one lens and then the other, sliding the handkerchief along the brass while everyone else stood silent. She finally slipped the half-moons back on, her eyes sparkling more brightly. “But I’m afraid there will be no closure for now. Nothing is over,” she added cryptically. “It’s only just begun.”

Grab a copy on AMAZON - 

or come visit me at the Whydah Museum tomorrow.