THE VICIOUS DEEP Cover Gets Revamped!

And by revamped, I do not mean it's been invaded by sparkly vampires (but there are shiny mermaids and merdudes in the book, or so I've heard). It's had a complete makeover, and I am loving it! Below is the book's official new cover and the synopsis:

When an unnatural riptide sweeps lifeguard Tristan Hart out to sea for three days and then dumps him back on the shore of Coney Island, it's the start of the Sea Court claiming its own. Suddenly, Tristan's girlfriend dramas and swimming championship seem like distant worries as he discovers the truth: he's a Merman. Now Tristan must fight for his life, the lives of his friends, and his humanity (if he still wants it), while competing in a race for a throne as ancient as the gods.
Like the seductive, duplicitous faeries of Wicked Lovely, these sirens of the deep have an agenda of their own.
The first word that came to my mind when I saw this new cover was "wicked." And it is wicked, right? I love the trident, the waves, the fonts used - EVERYTHING! The book is available for pre-order on Amazon, and it's not only gotten a new cover, but the book will now be in hardcover! It just gets better and better, doesn't it? My fins are definitely flipping for the release of The Vicious Deep.
What do you guys think? Do you love the cover as much as I do? Will you pre-order the book? Let me know in the comments below!

Christmas Under The Sea!

Interview With SYRENKA Trilogy Author Amber Garr

I want to be a writer someday. Most people know that about me. But before I wanted to be a writer, I always wanted to be a marine biologist. I even used to have the fantasy that I could be both! Amber Garr has managed to do both, and not only that, she writes about mermaids! Could there be a more perfect job? I recently caught up with Amber for a great interview! Check out our interview below!




Where did you get the idea for the Syrenka series?
The first chapter was originally a short story I wrote last year. I had just finished a different one about a Death Warden (someone who escorts souls to the next world after they are dead) and I wanted to continue with another set of characters. Mermaids have always been a favorite of mine, and I liked the idea that they could live in the same world as us and no one would ever know. I’m a huge fan of the urban fantasy genre so my short story just took on a life of its own and turned into a three book series!

In addition to being a writer, you’re also a marine biologist (awesome!). Was your professional knowledge of the sea incorporated into the story any?
Yes! Syrenka was a take on sirenians (sea cows and manatees), and I’ve conducted a lot of research in the Florida Keys so I’m familiar with the underwater landscape there. I also had to keep the scenery true to nature…like making sure the plants and animals were in the right location (California versus Florida). It had to be correct! Plus…I used to wish that I could live underwater, and although I get to do some of that with my job, this was an opportunity for me to create the kind of life I’ve always wanted.

Did you do any research into mermaid lore to build your world's mythology? Or is it your own original mythology?
I did some basic research, but more so for the selkie side. I purposely avoided reading other books about mermaids while I was forming the series so that I could create my own world without any subconscious influences. I used some of the traditional legends and put a slightly different spin on it. My mermaids are more like shape-shifters where they can take two different forms but don’t necessarily have to choose one or the other. They are also a little bit like vampires in terms of the mind control and dominance over humans. I was drawn to the selkie folklore and how they can be stuck to a life on land if their skin is stolen. In my books, selkies have a relatively solitary life and are supposed to avoid interactions with mermaids. I also decided to include water sprites/faeries as an important group of creatures that have ties to both the mermaids and selkies.

Which character did you have the most fun writing about?
I would have to say that I enjoy Abhainn, the water sprite. It’s fun to write in a dialect and he is going to be an important part of Eviana’s life as the series progresses.

If you had to choose a side, who would it be: Mermaids or Selkies?
This is a tough one because I think it would be cool to be either! However, I am partial to the mermaids and think that’s the side I would choose.

How do you feel about this growing mermaid phenomenon?
I think it’s great! Don’t get me wrong, I love my share of vampires, werewolves, faeries, etc…but it’s nice to see an interest in a different mythology all together.

What do you hope readers will take away from Promises after reading it?
First, I hope that they are able to just sit back and enjoy travelling to another world for a while. It is the reason I read fiction every day…a chance to get away from it all. But as a YA novel, I also hope that there are some lessons learned about how to treat others, cope with what the world throws at you, and making the right choices.

And lastly, what other projects are you currently working on?
The second book of the series is complete and I will be making final edits on that over the next month. I am gearing up to write the third and final book right now. It’s all in my head so I’m excited to finally have the time to sit down and write!

Lily's Adventure Continues...

Forgive My Fins and its sequel, Fins Are Forever, were among the first books to surface during the mermaid craze. Both books are light-hearted and funny, and they immerse the reader in a fully fleshed out underwater world. But will there be more books in the series? The author, Tera Lynn Childs, has said she hopes there will be more, providing sales are good. And they must be, because there is now going to be a third "Fins" book!

The third book is titled "Just For Fins," and to the right is the cover, and below is the synopsis of the book. WARNING: Read at your own risk, there are spoilers from the last book below.

When Lily Sanderson decided to remain Crown Princess Waterlily of the mermaid kingdom Thalassinia, she knew she couldn’t just coast along in the current. But since she’s spent the last couple of years on land—with gorgeous human Quince by her side—Lily’s not sure she has the fins to lead a kingdom. Even her maddeningly pretentious cousin Dosinia seems to know more about ruling than she does.
But Lily has to dive in deep to keep her promise to Tellin, her mer bond in name only, whose kingdom is suffering in the changing ocean climate. Lily knows this is a seven seas–sized problem: from sea animals dying to oil spills and threats to humans. They’ll need to create some serious waves to make the mer community aware and get it to join together to make things right. Even if that means facing one of the iciest queens in the mer kingdoms.
Just when Lily thinks her double life on land and sea can’t get any more complicated, an ancient mer law might separate Lily and Quince after all. It feels as if the pair is up against a solid tsunami wave!
In this third installment in the series that began with Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever, Lily will have to find a way to balance safety and justice for the mer people as well as for the humans she loves.

So, will you guys be checking out Just For Fins? For those who have read the first two books in the series, what did you think of them?

Underwater Love: The Fred the Mermaid Trilogy Bind-Up

The Fred the Mermaid Trilogy by MaryJanice Davidson is a light and funny series about a disgruntled half-mermaid and her undersea escapades. The books are becoming harder to find now, although not as hard as some other mermaid books. But now, for those who want to be able to read the entire trilogy, you'll be able to purchase an omnibus edition that contains all three of the books in one epic volume!
It's called Underwater Love, and it features all three books: Sleeping With the Fishes, Swimming Without a Net, and Fish Out of Water. I've reviewed all three of the books in one post here on the MerBlog, so you can check that out and then preorder the book. Underwater Love by MaryJanice Davison splashes into bookstores February 7th 2012!
Are YOU going to get Underwater Love? If you've already read the Fred the Mermaid books, what did you think?

Siren's Surrender (Dark Tides #2) by Devyn Quinn Review

Siren's Surrender is the second installment of the Dark Tides mermaid trilogy by Devyn Quinn. This one is quite different from the first novel, due to the fact that humans discover the existence of the Mer, and the mermaid sisters must deal with the realization that their lives may not belong to them anymore.
Unlike the first book, this one did not have as much mermaid action as the first. There were only two scenes, both brief, of the girls in their mer forms. This book focused more on the discovery of the Mer, and how they dealed with the G-men who had them quarantined. Basically, it reminded me of the last half of Splash, in which Madison the mermaid is caught by scientists, and then it's a race against the clock to save her. That's kind of like what happened here.
I do have to admit that I love the villain in this series. Queen Magaera is one evil mer queen, and she doesn't care who gets hurt along the way: she wants power, and lots of it. The actions she commits at the very end make me feel like the Lonike sisters are going to brace for an epic battle in the next book. I can't wait to see how the sisters deal with the Queen for good in the final novel.
All in all, it was another great addition to the Dark Tides trilogy, and I certainly can't wait to see how everything ends with the next book, Siren's Desire, which is Addison's story, and will be released next February.