Lies Beneath, the predecessor to Deep Betrayal, was one of my more favorite mer-books from recent years. It was one of the few narrated from a male perspective, it was a darker imagining of mermaids than what most us were used to, and it had excellent characters and romance. Deep Betrayal was just as good if not better.
Oh yeah, spoilers. Don't read this if you haven't read Deep Betrayal.
I really liked the direction Anne took with Lily's dad. The book begins with Calder and Lily revealing that he is in fact a merman, which is the catalyst for most of the events in the book. It was interesting to see where that took his psyche and the effects it had on his family.
And to further that, the inevitable build up towards Lily's transformation was incredibly suspenseful and perfectly done. I couldn't stop reading.
Lily's narration is also awesome. It's different from Calder's, but ties in very well. It's like peanut butter and jelly. Props to Anne on that one. I loved all the Tennyson in here as well, it all tied in so great with the story and the tone.
A lot of romances don't seem to click with me, but Calder and Lily are excellent together and you can really feel that when reading the book. It doesn't feel forced, cheesy, or unnecessary at all.
You definitely need to read Lies Beneath first, just to understand what's up, but this book definitely has it's own merits. It's different enough from the first to keep it interesting, but consistent enough from the tone of the first novel.
Easily one of the best mermaid oriented books on the market right now. The characters and places were all I could think about for days afterwards. Read this book.
Showing posts with label mermaids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mermaids. Show all posts
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Revised Mermaid Playlist!
Sidenote: HAPPY NEW YEAR! May your 2013 go swimmingly :)
Anyway, a while back here on our illustrious blog, Garrett and I both posted a playlist we had worked on featuring songs that we had used to help with writing our mer-novels. Well, it's been a good year and a half, if not two so I'll post a couple songs released in that time that have helped me tremendously.
1. Never Let Me Go by Florence + The Machine. I even posted here on the blog when the video came out. Seriously, there is nothing more evocative of the sea than this Florence song in particular, even though all of them have a sort of ocean tinged feel. The percussion sounds like the tides rushing in and out, and the lyrics are sort of a romanticized overwhelming experience that no other artist has replicated for us.
2. Year of the Tiger by St. Vincent. St. Vincent, a.k.a. Annie Clark, has been doing cool music for quite a while now. While this one is not explicitly related to an oceanic quality, it has this really weird floating feel to it that helped me out when writing my current mer-novel. There's a really magic quality to Annie's voice, so a lot of her songs could be considered helpful in this area. Another good one for your writing is Dilettante, both of which are featured on St. Vincent's third album, Strange Mercy. For even further listening, try Rosalyn, which was a team up between Annie and Bon Iver.
3. SHERlocked by David Arnold and Michael Price, from the Sherlock Series 2 Soundtrack. Admittedly, I'm a very big fan of pretty much most British TV. Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, The Hour, Wallander, you name it, I probably watch it. Anyway, Sherlock is a stand-out modern adaptation of, surprise, Arthur Conan Doyle's classic detective stories. Anyway, this theme from the soundtrack is for "A Scandal in Belgravia", which is based on the original "Scandal in Bohemia". The theme is used for dominatrix Irene Adler, professionally known as "The Woman". It's very moving and romantic. It's very mournful and has that sea-like quality to it. I also like writing to soundtrack because I'll get less distracted with singing along. So two birds with one stone here.
4. Supernaturally by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Chance are that you have probably not heard of this super awesome rock/soul/punkish/goth band. That can be fixed. If you have heard of them, than you probably did so when their song "O Children" was featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, as the song Harry and Hermione dance to in the film. Supernaturally is a rocking, poetic, dark, and beguiling tune that is anthem-esque, loud, brash, and utterly perfect for a story with any sort of supernatural resonance. Especially good for chase scenes.
5. Lover of the Light by Mumford and Sons. This song finally found a home on the band's sophomore effort, Babel, after often being performed live. It's a beautiful song, with lots of catharsis and build up, tension and release. I used this song to write a very big even in one of my novels and it's one of my favorite chunks of writing I have written thus far. Seriously, not to be missed. Also, this whole album is what got me through this first semester of freshman year. Their cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Boxer" is another good writing tune.
6.Skyfall by Adele. I know, I know, we'll not discuss my love for British secret agents (and their sometimes ridiculously cute quartermasters) here, but this song is great for writing. Very mysterious, and very fun to listen to. Also, if like me you enjoy writing noir secret agent mermaid stories, this is right up your alley. AND on top of that, go see Skyfall if you haven't, it lives up to the hype.
Well, that's it so far. I'm sure we'll update it again next year around this time. Music is such a big part of writing for me, and I hope this helps out a couple of you. I'd love to see other suggestions in the comments!
-Randi
Anyway, a while back here on our illustrious blog, Garrett and I both posted a playlist we had worked on featuring songs that we had used to help with writing our mer-novels. Well, it's been a good year and a half, if not two so I'll post a couple songs released in that time that have helped me tremendously.
1. Never Let Me Go by Florence + The Machine. I even posted here on the blog when the video came out. Seriously, there is nothing more evocative of the sea than this Florence song in particular, even though all of them have a sort of ocean tinged feel. The percussion sounds like the tides rushing in and out, and the lyrics are sort of a romanticized overwhelming experience that no other artist has replicated for us.
2. Year of the Tiger by St. Vincent. St. Vincent, a.k.a. Annie Clark, has been doing cool music for quite a while now. While this one is not explicitly related to an oceanic quality, it has this really weird floating feel to it that helped me out when writing my current mer-novel. There's a really magic quality to Annie's voice, so a lot of her songs could be considered helpful in this area. Another good one for your writing is Dilettante, both of which are featured on St. Vincent's third album, Strange Mercy. For even further listening, try Rosalyn, which was a team up between Annie and Bon Iver.
3. SHERlocked by David Arnold and Michael Price, from the Sherlock Series 2 Soundtrack. Admittedly, I'm a very big fan of pretty much most British TV. Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, The Hour, Wallander, you name it, I probably watch it. Anyway, Sherlock is a stand-out modern adaptation of, surprise, Arthur Conan Doyle's classic detective stories. Anyway, this theme from the soundtrack is for "A Scandal in Belgravia", which is based on the original "Scandal in Bohemia". The theme is used for dominatrix Irene Adler, professionally known as "The Woman". It's very moving and romantic. It's very mournful and has that sea-like quality to it. I also like writing to soundtrack because I'll get less distracted with singing along. So two birds with one stone here.
4. Supernaturally by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Chance are that you have probably not heard of this super awesome rock/soul/punkish/goth band. That can be fixed. If you have heard of them, than you probably did so when their song "O Children" was featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, as the song Harry and Hermione dance to in the film. Supernaturally is a rocking, poetic, dark, and beguiling tune that is anthem-esque, loud, brash, and utterly perfect for a story with any sort of supernatural resonance. Especially good for chase scenes.
5. Lover of the Light by Mumford and Sons. This song finally found a home on the band's sophomore effort, Babel, after often being performed live. It's a beautiful song, with lots of catharsis and build up, tension and release. I used this song to write a very big even in one of my novels and it's one of my favorite chunks of writing I have written thus far. Seriously, not to be missed. Also, this whole album is what got me through this first semester of freshman year. Their cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Boxer" is another good writing tune.
6.Skyfall by Adele. I know, I know, we'll not discuss my love for British secret agents (and their sometimes ridiculously cute quartermasters) here, but this song is great for writing. Very mysterious, and very fun to listen to. Also, if like me you enjoy writing noir secret agent mermaid stories, this is right up your alley. AND on top of that, go see Skyfall if you haven't, it lives up to the hype.
Well, that's it so far. I'm sure we'll update it again next year around this time. Music is such a big part of writing for me, and I hope this helps out a couple of you. I'd love to see other suggestions in the comments!
-Randi
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Mermaid Crossovers That Should Or Should Not Happen
I know a lot our lovely readers are involved in a fandom of one sort of another, like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Doctor Who, Sherlock, Game of Thrones etc. So I thought I'd make a long, silly, lengthy, and utterly un-necessary post about what would happen if we put in some mermaids to these lovely shows/books/movies/lifestyles. Here goes nothing.
Warning: Hilarity and Twilight bashing ensue.
Harry Potter + Mermaids = That already happened.
Sherlock (as in BBC Sherlock, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman) + Mermaids = YES!
Just imagine it. Dead mermaid washes up on shore, Sherlock and John go investigate, and then a strange guest in a wheel chair shows up at 221B. Brilliant!
Twilight + Mermaids = Oh please, no.
I hate myself for even entertaining this possibility. But sadly, Twilight and mermaids would be the most un-intentionally hilarious crossover. Is this a love square I sense coming on? Sorry if this offends any Twlight fans! I really just never got the hype behind the series.
Game of Throne + Mermaids = That actually makes sense, sort of.
I myself have not actually read or watched Game of Thrones, but I've consulted with a few experts on this crossover, and according to them, this would actually be a ridiculously good idea. Any GoT fans want to weigh in?
The Hunger Games + Mermaids = Potentially one of the most dangerous arenas ever.
Think about it: Mermaids are known to have dangerous soul sucking, flesh eating, seducing tendencies. Now figure that into one of Suzanne's famously twisted arenas. Then translate that to the silver screen. Quaking with fear? Yeah, me too.
Doctor Who + Mermaids = I would watch this in a heartbeat.
We've been through dinosaurs, robots, vampires (sort of), and debatably a mermaid (Curse of the Black Spot), but a lot of Who fans will definitely agree with me when I say mermaids are definitely an interesting crossover with an already whacky show. Imagine an episode with a mermaid as a one time companion. Exciting stuff!
Supernatural + Mermaids = Should happen in the near future.
I mean seriously, that's gotta be the next step on the ladder right? Sam and Dean better find some scuba gear. Demon mermaids anyone?
The Avengers + Mermaids = Potentially disastrous.
I literally see no plausible way of this working ever. And I mean that. I love the Avengers, but it would take an act of God to put these two together and make me believe it. But hey, The Little Thormaid perked my interest. Loki as Ursula? Odin as Poseidon? It's surprising how much it works. Small note: Sleeping Beauty is also applicable to Captain America. And The Emporer's New Groove is applicable to Iron Man. And Anastasia (which isn't Disney, I know) applies to Black Widow and Hawkeye. I could literally go on forever about the similarities between Avengers and Disney movies. But mermaids and The Avengers? I can't dig it, much as I love both of them.
That's all I've got for the moment, but what do you guys think? Anything I left out? Let me know, okay?
-Randi
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Lies Beneath Review (WARNING: A few spoilers)
Lies Beneath is an fascinating look into the mermaid genre, something that is growing larger and larger as the year rolls on.
This one offers a respite from some of the more fluffier additions. It leans more towards Lost Voices, another excellent mer-novel.
One of the cool things about Lies Beneath is that it is one of the few mer-books to be narrated by a guy. It really works for the story. If it had been narrated by the main female protaganist, Lily, LB could have easily fallen into Twilight territory. Nice move, Ms. Brown.
I also enjoyed Calder's character development. I also enjoyed that even though the book is short, I personally still felt like there was enough time for his relationship with Lily to mature and his feelings and loyalties to change.
The middle passages of the book get a little tedious, but it's over pretty quick. I also would've liked a little more development to Calder's sisters and maybe even a little more on Lily. These are the only parts of the book that I felt were a little rushed.
This one offers a respite from some of the more fluffier additions. It leans more towards Lost Voices, another excellent mer-novel.
One of the cool things about Lies Beneath is that it is one of the few mer-books to be narrated by a guy. It really works for the story. If it had been narrated by the main female protaganist, Lily, LB could have easily fallen into Twilight territory. Nice move, Ms. Brown.
I also enjoyed Calder's character development. I also enjoyed that even though the book is short, I personally still felt like there was enough time for his relationship with Lily to mature and his feelings and loyalties to change.
The middle passages of the book get a little tedious, but it's over pretty quick. I also would've liked a little more development to Calder's sisters and maybe even a little more on Lily. These are the only parts of the book that I felt were a little rushed.
I also enjoyed how the mer-side and human sides are dealt. For example, in some mer-books, transformation from human to sea creature is often painless. In Lies Beneath, it describes transformation as extremely physical and painful without being incredibly graphic or gory. I also thought the motives for murder and migration patterns were nice touch. Calder often faces the struggle of where the human side of him begins and ends, and the mythology of the mer-people in this book really aids that struggle to a fascinating conflict.
Perhaps the greatest feat of Lies Beneath is how some of the more disturbing content is handled so tastefully that you're able to stomach it. For example (And this is a spoiler so skip ahead to the next paragraph if you don't want to be spoiled), it's revealed later on in the book that one of Calder's adopted mermaid sisters is secretly in love with him. Calder handles it with class. Also, the sirens are all a little crazy anyway, so it softens the blow. And as I mentioned before, Calder is a serial killer, basically. And although he learns to let go of that part of him as the story draws to a close, he spends most of the book in that mindset.
If you like the darker side of mermaids, this one is definitely for you. I might even recommend it to those who are looking for an introduction to darker mermaids. Don't miss this one.
-Randi
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
H2O Spin-Off Given New Title/Cast Pictures
We reported earlier this year that a spin-off from the popular Australian mermaid show H20: Just Add Water, was going into production. Originally titled Mako: Island of Secrets, it's now been changed to Mako Mermaids.
Production started in early May, according to an Australian film site. However, a detail I didn't catch was that the show is mainly going to center around a trio of mermaids, Sirena, Nixie, and Lyla, while Zac, previously thought to be the male protagonist, looks to be taking more of a supporting role, but still crucial to the plot.
Actresses Lucy Fry, Ivy Latimer, and Amy Ruffle will be taking up the roles of Lyla, Nixie, and Sirena respectively with Chai Romruen playing Zac.
It's on contract for 22 episodes about 20 minutes each.
Here are pictures of Lyla, Nixie, Sirena, respectively (note that these aren't shots from the set, they're whatever picture I could find of the actor, so you'll at least know what you're in for).
Believe it or not, I couldn't find any legit picture of Chai floating around Google, but if anyone has any good souces, let me know and I'll edit the article to include them.
EDIT:
THIS JUST IN: Here is a shot from the set. No mermaid shots yet, but here you go:
What do you all think? I know there are massive amounts of H20 fans across the world, so this news is incredibly exciting. Comments are welcome!
-Randi
Production started in early May, according to an Australian film site. However, a detail I didn't catch was that the show is mainly going to center around a trio of mermaids, Sirena, Nixie, and Lyla, while Zac, previously thought to be the male protagonist, looks to be taking more of a supporting role, but still crucial to the plot.
Actresses Lucy Fry, Ivy Latimer, and Amy Ruffle will be taking up the roles of Lyla, Nixie, and Sirena respectively with Chai Romruen playing Zac.
It's on contract for 22 episodes about 20 minutes each.
Here are pictures of Lyla, Nixie, Sirena, respectively (note that these aren't shots from the set, they're whatever picture I could find of the actor, so you'll at least know what you're in for).
Believe it or not, I couldn't find any legit picture of Chai floating around Google, but if anyone has any good souces, let me know and I'll edit the article to include them.
EDIT:
THIS JUST IN: Here is a shot from the set. No mermaid shots yet, but here you go:
What do you all think? I know there are massive amounts of H20 fans across the world, so this news is incredibly exciting. Comments are welcome!
-Randi
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Spotlight: Just For Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
WARNING: Mild spoilers for the first and second books in this series are in the plot description for this third installment in the Fins series. Proceed with caution if you haven't read the second book.
The Fins series is the Princess Diaries of the mermaid world. Very fluffy and girly, but there is also a lot of heart and some depth to the stories. Lily and Quinn are adorable and I personally was giggling every other page. It's just a really cute series.
I myself have not finished the second book in the series yet, but this third one looks to be pretty darn interesting if I do say so myself!
The book will be published on July 3, 2012. Here is the Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13019704-just-for-fins?a=5&origin=related_works
Are you guys excited?
-Randi
The Fins series is the Princess Diaries of the mermaid world. Very fluffy and girly, but there is also a lot of heart and some depth to the stories. Lily and Quinn are adorable and I personally was giggling every other page. It's just a really cute series.
I myself have not finished the second book in the series yet, but this third one looks to be pretty darn interesting if I do say so myself!
The book will be published on July 3, 2012. Here is the Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13019704-just-for-fins?a=5&origin=related_works
Are you guys excited?
-Randi
Friday, April 27, 2012
Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama Gets A New Cover!
Hey guys!
This week, Elizabeth Fama's upcoming mer-novel Monstrous Beauty was revamped with a new cover!
Here it is!
(source: http://acrowesnest.blogspot.com/2012/04/cover-reveal-for-monstrous-beauty.html?showComment=1335476686534#c1944834503196460780)
Thanks to Zoraida for the tip!
While we were discussing the new cover on Goodreads, Garrett pointed out that this cover worked better than it's predecessor because it is a lot more gender neutral. The other cover was very feminine. This one would encourage more male readers possibly.
I also think that this one would pass a lot more parent inspection. While I'm not particularly sure if Monstrous Beauty is YA, the last cover was definitely much sexier. This one is still sensual, but a little less in your face about it.
Which brings me to today's topic: Should mermaid covers be kept more gender neutral. Let's face it, most of the mermaid demographic is girls. But there are a few men out there who enjoy the same literature. Not all of the books are as girly as their covers let on for sure. For example, Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs featured a very pink/purple mermaid and tattoo, whereas the content contained a lot of action, and a lot of romance admittedly. Lost Voices' cover was very girly as well, and the content was very dark and not nearly as feminine as the cover let on.
What do you guys think?
-Randi
This week, Elizabeth Fama's upcoming mer-novel Monstrous Beauty was revamped with a new cover!
Here it is!
(source: http://acrowesnest.blogspot.com/2012/04/cover-reveal-for-monstrous-beauty.html?showComment=1335476686534#c1944834503196460780)
Thanks to Zoraida for the tip!
While we were discussing the new cover on Goodreads, Garrett pointed out that this cover worked better than it's predecessor because it is a lot more gender neutral. The other cover was very feminine. This one would encourage more male readers possibly.
I also think that this one would pass a lot more parent inspection. While I'm not particularly sure if Monstrous Beauty is YA, the last cover was definitely much sexier. This one is still sensual, but a little less in your face about it.
Which brings me to today's topic: Should mermaid covers be kept more gender neutral. Let's face it, most of the mermaid demographic is girls. But there are a few men out there who enjoy the same literature. Not all of the books are as girly as their covers let on for sure. For example, Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs featured a very pink/purple mermaid and tattoo, whereas the content contained a lot of action, and a lot of romance admittedly. Lost Voices' cover was very girly as well, and the content was very dark and not nearly as feminine as the cover let on.
What do you guys think?
-Randi
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Never Let Me Go by Florence + The Machine
If you've stuck around this blog long enough, you know I'm totally in love with Florence + The Machine, a British rock/soul/alternative/magical woodland band, led by red headed goddess Florence Welch.
Their music is very reminiscent of the ocean and especially merpeople, and I've recommended it be used in mer-films many times, but the band themselves had not put that imagery into their videos.
Anyway, the video for new single Never Let Me Go premiered on MSN yesterday (it'll be on youtube officially tomorrow morning. You can watch it here: http://video.uk.msn.com/watch/video/florence-and-the-machine-never-let-me-go-video-premiere/2t6mw8gg
Ok, so there's no mermaids in the video right? I was a bit disappointed with the video when it first premiered myself. But now that it's had some time to grow on me, I think the video might be a messed up retelling of The Little Mermaid, and I mean the original one and not the Disney one (both are cool though!).
Florence's character is the mermaid figure, while the boy (that's Jamie Campbell Bower by the way, best known for his role in Tim Burton's beloved remake of Sweeney Todd) is the human. The general idea is that Florence is some creature from the sea that can't stay on land too long, and randomly wanders into this skating rink and there's a boy and they have a weird little romance, but her time runs out and she turns to sea foam, MUCH like the original Hans Christian Anderson telling of The Little Mermaid.
This is all fan speculation of course. The great thing about Florence + The Machine's music is that it can mean something different to every person who hears it. Never Let Me Go might be a song of hope and surrender to some, or a sad and sweet anthem of being lost.
Anyway, the song reflects beautifully on ocean themes and I think I'm starting to like the video a lot more.
What are your thoughts?
-Randi
Their music is very reminiscent of the ocean and especially merpeople, and I've recommended it be used in mer-films many times, but the band themselves had not put that imagery into their videos.
Anyway, the video for new single Never Let Me Go premiered on MSN yesterday (it'll be on youtube officially tomorrow morning. You can watch it here: http://video.uk.msn.com/watch/video/florence-and-the-machine-never-let-me-go-video-premiere/2t6mw8gg
Ok, so there's no mermaids in the video right? I was a bit disappointed with the video when it first premiered myself. But now that it's had some time to grow on me, I think the video might be a messed up retelling of The Little Mermaid, and I mean the original one and not the Disney one (both are cool though!).
Florence's character is the mermaid figure, while the boy (that's Jamie Campbell Bower by the way, best known for his role in Tim Burton's beloved remake of Sweeney Todd) is the human. The general idea is that Florence is some creature from the sea that can't stay on land too long, and randomly wanders into this skating rink and there's a boy and they have a weird little romance, but her time runs out and she turns to sea foam, MUCH like the original Hans Christian Anderson telling of The Little Mermaid.
This is all fan speculation of course. The great thing about Florence + The Machine's music is that it can mean something different to every person who hears it. Never Let Me Go might be a song of hope and surrender to some, or a sad and sweet anthem of being lost.
Anyway, the song reflects beautifully on ocean themes and I think I'm starting to like the video a lot more.
What are your thoughts?
-Randi
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Spotlight: Lucy (Daughters of the Sea #3)
Hey guys! Garrett and I have been at a loss for posts lately, but we finally have a small event we can write up....
The third book in Kathryn Lasky's Daughters of the Sea series is being published on March 1, and since that is coming up soon, I'd thought I'd do a little post on it, answer a few questions people have asked me about the series ect.
Here's the synopsis from Goodreads:
A choice between love and survival . . .Lucy's family is excited to spend the summer in Bar Harbor, Maine. Her minister father is pleased to preside over such a prestigious congregation, and his social-climbing wife is ecstatic at the chance to find a rich husband for her daughter.Yet Lucy wants nothing to do with the Bar Harbor social scene; she's simply excited to spend the summer by the sea, watching the waves from her favorite spot on the cliff. Despite having never gone swimming, Lucy feels an intense connection to the ocean, and meets a handsome ship-builder who shows Lucy a world she's never known, yet somehow always longed for.However, her mother will stop at nothing to keep Lucy and the ship builder apart, even if it means throwing Lucy into the arms of a wealthy man with a dangerous secret. Can Lucy break free and embrace her destiny as a daughter of the sea? Or is she doomed to waste away in a gilded cage, slowly dying of a broken heart?
Alright, sounds pretty cool right? I've actually had more than a few people inbox me on Goodreads and ask some things about this particular series, so here are some things you should know before starting the book:
1. You should read the the books before it (Hannah and May respectively). May didn't particularly depend upon Hannah as far as plot details and such, but it was good to read them together.
2. This series is decidedly more middle grade than Young Adult, which is not a bad thing. I still liked them, but the writing is descriptive yet simple and there isn't a whole lot of complexity, but they are interesting. That might change with this installment however. May leaned more towards Young Adult than Hannah (there was a love interest, some family drama, whereas Hannah was firmly set in the middle grade).
3. It''s turn of the century historical fiction, which I personally loved. Mermaid books are either urban fantasy or set back in the ancient days of the Greeks, so this is a really fresh perspective on the legends and lore. Lasky is well researched in the era, and presents it very well for young and old readers.
4. This book is the set-up for the finale' due in the fourth book. While there haven't been a lot of details released about the last DOTS book (Ha! DOTS! That's cute!) we do know that it ultimately involves the sister's going home to the sea. I'm hoping to see more of that in this book.
What are y'all's thoughts? Looking forward to it? Happy reading :)
-Randi
The third book in Kathryn Lasky's Daughters of the Sea series is being published on March 1, and since that is coming up soon, I'd thought I'd do a little post on it, answer a few questions people have asked me about the series ect.
Here's the synopsis from Goodreads:
A choice between love and survival . . .Lucy's family is excited to spend the summer in Bar Harbor, Maine. Her minister father is pleased to preside over such a prestigious congregation, and his social-climbing wife is ecstatic at the chance to find a rich husband for her daughter.Yet Lucy wants nothing to do with the Bar Harbor social scene; she's simply excited to spend the summer by the sea, watching the waves from her favorite spot on the cliff. Despite having never gone swimming, Lucy feels an intense connection to the ocean, and meets a handsome ship-builder who shows Lucy a world she's never known, yet somehow always longed for.However, her mother will stop at nothing to keep Lucy and the ship builder apart, even if it means throwing Lucy into the arms of a wealthy man with a dangerous secret. Can Lucy break free and embrace her destiny as a daughter of the sea? Or is she doomed to waste away in a gilded cage, slowly dying of a broken heart?
Alright, sounds pretty cool right? I've actually had more than a few people inbox me on Goodreads and ask some things about this particular series, so here are some things you should know before starting the book:
1. You should read the the books before it (Hannah and May respectively). May didn't particularly depend upon Hannah as far as plot details and such, but it was good to read them together.
2. This series is decidedly more middle grade than Young Adult, which is not a bad thing. I still liked them, but the writing is descriptive yet simple and there isn't a whole lot of complexity, but they are interesting. That might change with this installment however. May leaned more towards Young Adult than Hannah (there was a love interest, some family drama, whereas Hannah was firmly set in the middle grade).
3. It''s turn of the century historical fiction, which I personally loved. Mermaid books are either urban fantasy or set back in the ancient days of the Greeks, so this is a really fresh perspective on the legends and lore. Lasky is well researched in the era, and presents it very well for young and old readers.
4. This book is the set-up for the finale' due in the fourth book. While there haven't been a lot of details released about the last DOTS book (Ha! DOTS! That's cute!) we do know that it ultimately involves the sister's going home to the sea. I'm hoping to see more of that in this book.
What are y'all's thoughts? Looking forward to it? Happy reading :)
-Randi
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Exciting Disney News!
REALLY big news for those who loved the mermaids in Pireates of the Carribean.
Disney has just confirmed that they will be adding mermaids to the Pirates ride at Disney World!
I'm a bit hesitant to publish this, but OH. MY. GOD. I'm sorry, I'm a little kid every time I've been to Disney (like twice, but roll with me here). This is going to be amazing. Looking forward to this more than you know!
What are your opinions on this new addition? Let me know in the comments.
-Randi
Disney has just confirmed that they will be adding mermaids to the Pirates ride at Disney World!
I'm a bit hesitant to publish this, but OH. MY. GOD. I'm sorry, I'm a little kid every time I've been to Disney (like twice, but roll with me here). This is going to be amazing. Looking forward to this more than you know!
What are your opinions on this new addition? Let me know in the comments.
-Randi
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Interview with Vanessa Barger
Thanks so much fo the interview! I always enjoy talking to people, and I hope that you get a chance to read Slack Tide and that you enjoy it!
1. How did your book come about? What was the inspiration?
Well, I'd known about selkies for awhile and thought that there were few books that featured them, and those I'd read that did didn't delve much into their mythology. After a strange dream one night, the story sort of emerged into what it is now. Starting mostly with the idea of the skin and the idea of it being able to transform something. And then it wasn't a far stretch for me to wonder if a skin could belong to more than one person.....
2. Selkies are starting to become just as trendy as merpeople. What drew you to them?
I think it was because I've always had a special interest in the UK and celtic folklore and mythology. Selkies just captured my imagination, and I figured they had so much more potential for merging my own take on them into what already exsisted.
3. I always ask this question simply because it gets some weird answers, but what did you eat while writing?
What did I eat? Hmmmm... There was probably some chocolate in there. (Isn't there always), but I do remember that on at least two occaisions, there was tea, scones, homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream. The whole nine yards.
4. If any, what music did you listen to while writing and/or inspired moments or scenes? I love book playlists.
There's a ton of songs on the playlist, but I can tell you that the ones featured most prominently were Running Up That Hill by Placebo, Moonlight Sonata, Imogen Heap, Tomanandy, Voodoo by Godsmack, and The Call by Regina Spektor, to name a few.
5. Just for fun, what was the last movie you saw and book you read?
Let's see... I just finished Fade by Lisa McMann last night, and I'm trying to start What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz. (though my overactive imagination demands that one be read in daylight!). as for movies, I watched the Vicar of Dibley Wedding Special last night. Hilarious, if you like Dawn French and/or Brit Coms!
6. Halloween is coming up. What are you doing on All Hallows Eve?
Every year we host a big Halloween party for all our friends (my roommate and I). So that's this weekend. This year we're doing a murder mystery and then heading to a flashlight corn maze. It should be fun. Each year the activities change. Sometimes its ghost tours through Williamsburg, sometimes its just hanging out around the house. This year is pretty low key, with only 15 guests, and only a few staying over. (There was one year we had about about 10 people speniding the night. Suffice to say, you had to be careful where you walked!)
On the actual night, I'll probably watch the Ghost Hunters Live event, and keep some candy, just in case any children brave the dark to get to our house out in the boonies. Its never happened yet, but its a goode excuse to buy candy!
7. What's your next writing project?
I'm in the middle of two, actually. I've got five more chapters left to write in a new thriller/mystery based very loosely on Hamlet, and I've got a romance/horror I'm outlining to use as my NANOWRIMO project.
8. Zombies or Unicorns?
oooo.... tough one. Zombie Unicorns? Think of how odd that would be!
Thanks again, and let me know if you need anything else - URLs, pics, etc.
:) Have a great night!
Vanessa
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Mer Book Review: May, Daughters of the Sea #2 by Kathryn Lasky
After a re-read of number two, I think I'm ready to divulge my thoughts to you all on the second Daughters of the Sea book.
After strong-starter Hannah, May answers more questions and really starts to build the story up to what is sure to be a thrilling climax in the fourth novel.
First of all, the pacing of the book was MUCH better than Hannah. May doesn't wait nearly as long to dive in as Hannah. The funniest bit is that May and Hannah's stories are entwined and May gets a little antsy when Hannah STILL hasn't found out about her tail (I see what you did there Kathryn).
The setting here is Maine, where the last half of Hannah takes place. May lives in a lighthouse with her "foster" parents Edgar and Zeeba (I don't thnk I can spell her real name right to be honest. It's an odd name). Edgar found her at sea floating in a treasure chest (remember that bit, it's prominent in the story). Zeeba is sick all the time and makes May care for her, which adds that sort of villian-y touch to the story (think someone like Gothel from Rapunzel).
However, there is a love story in this book, which I wasn't very happy with UNTIL I started actually reading the book. One of the things that made Hannah so special was that there was no love interest and that it was just a story about a maid that finds out she's a mermaid (I know, I'm punny, deal with it). It's a little overblown at times as the book progresses bit it is a very sweet love interest and I can say I enjoyed it well enough.
Again, just the fact that this is a non-modern, non-super lovey dovey mermaid book is really something cool. This one seems to be aimed a little older than Hannah, but all in all, it's a fitting seuqel not to be missed if you read the first.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Mer Book Review: Hannah, Daughters Of The Sea #1 by Kathryn Lasky
Hey everyone! Before I begin my review of this cool book, I want to thank everyone who recently started following the blog and reading these jewls on the Internet :) It means a lot to me and Garrett for each comment and follower, and I know that I for one am thrilled. Don't be shy! I'll be happy to read comments and be total dorks with you all!
But onto the book review....
Kathryn Lasky (The Owls of Ga'Hoole series most notably, which was turned into a film last year) is writing a great quartet about mermaids called Daughters of the Sea, and I've read all the published volumes, which are Hannah, and May, which I'll review in my next post.
The basic premise is this: Three mermaid (triplets as they're all the same age) sisters seperated at birth and all sent in different directions and walks of life. This book focuses on Hannah. The year is 1899 and Hannah was put in an orphan home, and quickly sent off to a job as a scullery girl in a fine Boston Home. Whacked out stuff starts happening, and by the hands of fate, Hannah finds out she is a mermaid, and that the mysterious cool artist guy currently staying with aforementioned fine Boston family might know more about her than she does herself.
My one big complaint about this book is the pacing. Hannah is super oblivious to the whole mermaid thing, and it's in the last FIFTY pages that she discovers she is a mermaid, which leaves very little time to explore all the concepts and questions that come with that tail of hers. I spent the whole book resisting the urge to just shout " GO TAKE A SWIM!"
But there was a lot of other cooler things about the book.
1. It's a historical mermaid fiction. Not a lot of these out there, except for the occasional Greek Mythology ones (Sirena for example). Not only that, but a turn of the century setting. It makes for an interesting read.
2. Except for a brief moment with the painter I mentioned up there, there is no love interest in the book, which is super refreshing with all of the mer-books that revolve around love. And I'm not dissing those books at all, in fact, I enjoy them as much as the next mer-obssessed girl, but I do get a little tired of them sometimes. That was one of the coolest things about the book. It made me like it a lot more.
3. Hannah wasn't Beatrix Kiddo from Kill Bill, but she wasn't a completely whimpy heroine either. She was a little plucky, but not mouthy. There was something fun about her strongwilled but demure aspects. It was a nice blend. She's like a mix of the headstrong Katniss from the Hunger Games with a big dose of Alice of Wonderland.
4. This book really sets up the sequel really well, which after reading the sequel, I like this book even better.
It's aimed at the more tween set, but I know adults who've enjoyed the series as well. You won't find the cheesy processed romance or lots of brain food, but a good period read that's unique from a lot of other mer-books.
Review of the sequel to come soon after I give it another read.
-Randi
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Interview with RANDI!
And now the long awaited final chapter!
1. How long have you been interested in mermaids? How exactly did you get interested in them?
I got hooked (haha, punny!) after seeing The Thirteenth Year admittedly. The acting was bad, but the whole idea intrigued me. Then I found H20 and then I started having whacko dreams about merpeople, and then I figured I'd write some books about them. And thus began the obssession.
2. If you could be in any mer-book or movie (human or mermaid) which would it be?
Hmmm, I really liked Kathyn Lasky's Daughter's of the Sea series, but you couldn't go back and forth, so that'd be a con... I'd have to go with that one though. Or maybe The Fins series. I haven't finished it yet, but at least you can get a bit of land, a bit of sea.
3. Which merworld would you NOT live in?
Much as I loved the book, I wouldn't want to live in Lost Voices, because of all that's implied when you get a tail, that trauma that gets you there and all. Plus, they were all at each other's throats at some point in the book. I'm sort of a hippy, I can't take drama like that very well.
4. What's been your favorite post on the blog?
I really liked following the build-up to Lady Gaga's mermaid video, because I thought that video was pretty cool :) But don't get me wrong, I love posting on the blog and every little blurb is special.
5. What's your most anticipated mer-related thing of any sort to happen in 2012? (It's ok if there's more than one).
Ooooh, you know, I'm excited about the films coming up. I want to be a director when I get older and I'm excited to see some of the films that are in development. Oh, and tons of books too.
6. What do you think of the recent upsurge in mermaid popularity?
It's a little bittersweet in the sense that I thought I was being super unique writing about mermaids, but I've also found more people who are into merpeople because of it. Like this blog for example ;)
7. So you're a big music fan. What songs or bands do you think would make a great mermaid soundtrack?
I'd actually assembled a playlist for the blog, but I haven't got around to posting it yet. But for bands, Florence + the Machine wihtout a doubt. Florence herself is so like a mermaid it's hard to imagine anyone else, though if I did, I'd probably come up with Tori Amos or someone sort of like that. And for composers, Alexendre Desplat (The last two Harry Potter movies, The King's Speech) or Hans Zimmer (Pirates of the Carribean, Inception, ect).
8. What other interests do you have besides mermaids?
Well like I said, film, music, writing, books, and I'm on a quest for rainbow knee socks and Dr. Suess Chuck Taylors. I have a wizard rock project called Love Wrocks, that plays songs about Harry Potter, Doctor Who, The Hunger Games, and a bunch of other cool stuff. I'm just looking to explore all kinds of stuff to see what I like and do best.
9. We've gotten to interview a lot of authors. What's been your favorite interview?
Well I got to interview Maijia Barnett, author of Black Waters, which was cool because I really enjoyed the book, but Sarah Porter was awesome as well.
10. You've written a series of mermaid-themed books that you said you might publish on Kindle someday. How did you get the idea for the series?
Awww, now I feel bad, I should've plugged your writing too! But yes, I am writing a merpeople series. The overview name isn't decided yet, but the first book is Dancing Barefoot, the second is Bottle It Up, and the third is Falling or Flying, which I haven't finished the last one yet. All the titles are song names, and extra points as to who can guess all three in the comments, heheheh. But I got the idea from the aforementioned whacko dreams I had about merpeople, and I was really looking in to developing an underwater universe and people but incorporate the land to. It's going pretty well. But not ready for le Kindle yet!
11. Just for kicks, what was the last movie you watched?
I think it was Sucker Punch or Kill Bill. I'm on an action movie kick. I think I liked Kill Bill better though. I need to watch Sucker Punch to determine what's real or not though.
12. Do you have any other blog type things besides this one?
YES! www.distractedgenius.blogspot.com and I'm on Tublr as well under the same name.
13. So, what's YOUR favorite food?
Hmmm.... I'm a Greek food person, so baklava, but there's also this popsicle stand that sets up at our local Farmer's Market, and they make Peach And Cream popsicles that are delicious.
1. How long have you been interested in mermaids? How exactly did you get interested in them?
I got hooked (haha, punny!) after seeing The Thirteenth Year admittedly. The acting was bad, but the whole idea intrigued me. Then I found H20 and then I started having whacko dreams about merpeople, and then I figured I'd write some books about them. And thus began the obssession.
2. If you could be in any mer-book or movie (human or mermaid) which would it be?
Hmmm, I really liked Kathyn Lasky's Daughter's of the Sea series, but you couldn't go back and forth, so that'd be a con... I'd have to go with that one though. Or maybe The Fins series. I haven't finished it yet, but at least you can get a bit of land, a bit of sea.
3. Which merworld would you NOT live in?
Much as I loved the book, I wouldn't want to live in Lost Voices, because of all that's implied when you get a tail, that trauma that gets you there and all. Plus, they were all at each other's throats at some point in the book. I'm sort of a hippy, I can't take drama like that very well.
4. What's been your favorite post on the blog?
I really liked following the build-up to Lady Gaga's mermaid video, because I thought that video was pretty cool :) But don't get me wrong, I love posting on the blog and every little blurb is special.
5. What's your most anticipated mer-related thing of any sort to happen in 2012? (It's ok if there's more than one).
Ooooh, you know, I'm excited about the films coming up. I want to be a director when I get older and I'm excited to see some of the films that are in development. Oh, and tons of books too.
6. What do you think of the recent upsurge in mermaid popularity?
It's a little bittersweet in the sense that I thought I was being super unique writing about mermaids, but I've also found more people who are into merpeople because of it. Like this blog for example ;)
7. So you're a big music fan. What songs or bands do you think would make a great mermaid soundtrack?
I'd actually assembled a playlist for the blog, but I haven't got around to posting it yet. But for bands, Florence + the Machine wihtout a doubt. Florence herself is so like a mermaid it's hard to imagine anyone else, though if I did, I'd probably come up with Tori Amos or someone sort of like that. And for composers, Alexendre Desplat (The last two Harry Potter movies, The King's Speech) or Hans Zimmer (Pirates of the Carribean, Inception, ect).
8. What other interests do you have besides mermaids?
Well like I said, film, music, writing, books, and I'm on a quest for rainbow knee socks and Dr. Suess Chuck Taylors. I have a wizard rock project called Love Wrocks, that plays songs about Harry Potter, Doctor Who, The Hunger Games, and a bunch of other cool stuff. I'm just looking to explore all kinds of stuff to see what I like and do best.
9. We've gotten to interview a lot of authors. What's been your favorite interview?
Well I got to interview Maijia Barnett, author of Black Waters, which was cool because I really enjoyed the book, but Sarah Porter was awesome as well.
10. You've written a series of mermaid-themed books that you said you might publish on Kindle someday. How did you get the idea for the series?
Awww, now I feel bad, I should've plugged your writing too! But yes, I am writing a merpeople series. The overview name isn't decided yet, but the first book is Dancing Barefoot, the second is Bottle It Up, and the third is Falling or Flying, which I haven't finished the last one yet. All the titles are song names, and extra points as to who can guess all three in the comments, heheheh. But I got the idea from the aforementioned whacko dreams I had about merpeople, and I was really looking in to developing an underwater universe and people but incorporate the land to. It's going pretty well. But not ready for le Kindle yet!
11. Just for kicks, what was the last movie you watched?
I think it was Sucker Punch or Kill Bill. I'm on an action movie kick. I think I liked Kill Bill better though. I need to watch Sucker Punch to determine what's real or not though.
12. Do you have any other blog type things besides this one?
YES! www.distractedgenius.blogspot.com and I'm on Tublr as well under the same name.
13. So, what's YOUR favorite food?
Hmmm.... I'm a Greek food person, so baklava, but there's also this popsicle stand that sets up at our local Farmer's Market, and they make Peach And Cream popsicles that are delicious.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Interview with GARRETT!
Surprise! Garrett and I interviewed each other once we hit fifty followers so this is his interview! Mine will be following shortly.
1. What prompted you to found the mer-blog?
Well, I started it when this whole mermaid craze finally started kicking off. I tried creating a blog about mermaid-oriented books in the past, but in the time there wasn't much. It was when mermaids started to surface in books, music, and movies that I decided to make a blog that had all this information in one place, where mermaid fans could find out about the latest in mer pop culture.
2. If you could be in any mer-book or movie (human or merman) which would it be?
I'm not picky, I'd like to be in quite a few of them. But the most recent would probably have to be as a character in the Forgive My Fins world. Normally, I would want to be a merman, but in FMF, there's hope for land-dwellers, too, as humans can be turned mer also!
3. Which merworld would you NOT live in?
Hmmm...probably the Pirates of the Caribbean world. It'd be scary to live in a world where the mer girls eat you!
4. What's been your favorite post on the blog?
I'd have to say the interviews. I can't pick just one! I know, I know, that's cheating, but I love each and everyone. I love picking the brains of each individual author and learning more about the mermaid world they've created.
5. What's your most anticipated mer-related thing of any sort to happen in 2012? (It's ok if there's more than one)
I'd have to say all the new mermaid books! Tempest Unleashed, The Vicious Deep, Of Poseidon, Waking Storms, and, even though it's in this year, Tangled Tides!!!
6. What was your reaction to passing the fifty followers mark?
I was excited I even got one! I remember after the first week and I already had ten followers, I was beaming. This is the reason why I started the MerBlog - to spread the mermaid love to other mermaid fans!
7. Just for kicks, what was the last movie you watched?
Ummm...movie? Probably The Adjustment Bureau with Matt Damon. I really liked that one and its message that sometimes love can overcome all obstacles...even fate. The last thing I actually watched was Terra Nova - gotta love Spielberg and dinosaurs!
8. What do you think of the recent upsurge in mermaid popularity?
I LOVE IT!!! For years, I've been wanting new mermaid books to come out. I'd read the same ones over and over. I remember when I first saw Forgive My Fins. I has Googled "people need to write more mermaid books," and it was one of the first things to pop up. Soon after, more and more mermaid books started to show up, until I was beside myself in excitement. I hope it lasts for years and years.
9 If you could pick one band to provide the music to a mer-movie, who would it be?
Hmmm... I think it depends on the mood you're looking for. If it was for a beachy, feel-good movie, maybe Weezer, whose "Island in the Sun" is the perfect beach song and was used in Aquamarine. But I really love Florence and the Machine. Their music is truly magical, perfect for a mermaid movie.
10. So you're a guy, and you're into merpeople, and I know you've said that people think it's weird sometimes. Has that changed any since merpeople started to become trendy?
I think so. No one says anything about my mermaid interest anymore that's negative, mainly because since then I've gotten more confident in what I'm interested in and don't feel the need to hide it anymore. This is who I am, this is what I like, so why hide it? Surprisingly, a lot of people seem to respond to it rather well, probably because of the new Pirates movie. People now see mermaids as darker and more complex, rather than the traditional Disney princess.
11. So what do you do besides keeping up with our now massively popular blog?
Well, I'm a senior in high school, counting down the days till it's over. :D But I'm also a massive fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and True Blood, besides mermaids. Buffy + mermaids + Sookie = bliss.
12. The last book/book series you read?
The last book I finished was the first book in a 4-book series of Buffy novels, entitled The Lost Slayer. (Yes, I'm so obsessed with Buffy, I read the tie-in novels, too. My English teacher hated me for it, lol.)
13. Do you have any other blog type things besides this one?
I used to, but now I've basically given up on them. Some of the reviews I have on my old blog I've copied and pasted and made new blog posts on here. So, it's kind of like Blog Post Recycling.
14. We've gotten to interview a lot of authors. What's been your favorite interview?
Ooh! What a trick question! I can't answer that. Seriously! I've loved each one and getting each author's different take on mermaids, so I'd say each one has different unique qualities as to why I love them.
15. Lastly, one of my trademark questions I always end up asking anyone: What's your favorite food?
Haha, that's easy. My mom makes this special dish called Mexican Chicken that I LOVE! It's like a casserole with chicken, Velveeta Cheese, Rotel tomatoes, and it's topped with a layer of Doritos that act as a crust for the casserole. Yum! It's insanely delicious, and it's a rare thing for there to be leftovers. In fact, friends from school actually make me tell them when Mom's making it to invite them over. It's definitely a favorite among friends and family!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Mermaid Films: Part 2 of 5 Location
So you have your incredibly talented cast, your suited-to-the-film director, now you need to know where to film your epic mermaid movie of awesome. We'll go by your type of movie and how you can play off your location to the best advantage of a film.
For your typical epic high fantasy sort of film (it can be one with a darker portrayal of merpeople or it can work with a lighter tone as well), you'll want to go to where most epic fantasies are filmed: New Zealand. You've got plenty of beautiful locales to do your scenes on land (if you have any, which odds are you will) and many more for the water bits. If you don't believe me, just watch the Extended versions of The Lord of the Rings a couple times.
For a dark take on an Urban fantasy, I'd go with Boston or Washington D.C. Washington is a little harder with the water scenes, but there are great bodies of water in the proximity. Boston might be a bit easier in that aspect however.
Or, if you're going in the vein of the beloved "Splash" New York of course :) Another interesting though would be Canada. I've always thought of setting some mermaids up in Canada. Maybe that's just me.
Either way, lemme know what you think guys!
Much love and sonic screwdrivers,
Rnadi
For your typical epic high fantasy sort of film (it can be one with a darker portrayal of merpeople or it can work with a lighter tone as well), you'll want to go to where most epic fantasies are filmed: New Zealand. You've got plenty of beautiful locales to do your scenes on land (if you have any, which odds are you will) and many more for the water bits. If you don't believe me, just watch the Extended versions of The Lord of the Rings a couple times.
For a dark take on an Urban fantasy, I'd go with Boston or Washington D.C. Washington is a little harder with the water scenes, but there are great bodies of water in the proximity. Boston might be a bit easier in that aspect however.
Or, if you're going in the vein of the beloved "Splash" New York of course :) Another interesting though would be Canada. I've always thought of setting some mermaids up in Canada. Maybe that's just me.
Either way, lemme know what you think guys!
Much love and sonic screwdrivers,
Rnadi
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Interview with Black Waters Author, Maija Barnett
How did you get the idea for Black Waters?
I've always been fascinated by mermaids. It probably started back when I saw Splash. I remember really liking the underwater footage in that movie. (If you haven't seen it, they make Daryl Hannah look like an actual mermaid. As a kid, I was stunned.) Anyway, I've wanted to write a mermaid novel for a long time. I actually started one before I wrote Black Waters, but it wasn't really going anywhere, so I scrapped it and started fresh.
What do you think is the allure in mermaids?
think what's appealing about mermaids is their dark history. I remembering reading James Joyce's Ulysses in college and being assigned to present the chapter about the sirens. Let me tell you, they are evil. But what I like about mermaids is that the present day culture has, for the most part, made them good. Just think of Disney's Little Mermaid-- she doesn't seduce the prince into smashing his ship into a pile of rocks. Instead, she saves his life. (It's just like the Hans Christian Andersen tale except, of course, everything works out in the end.) So, I wanted to create an ethically torn character--one who's unclear as to whether she's good or not. Also, I love the whole transformation idea of mermaids. It's amazing to think that someone can seem human in one moment and then turn into a sea creature in the next.
The mythology in the book is really cool in the fact that the sirens are part fish as well as bird. How did you figure out how to combine the two together?
Well, technically, sirens and mermaids are different because sirens are women who are part bird and mermaids are women who are part fish. However, I think that the difference between the two has become a bit blurred, probably because both of these mythological creatures use their voices to capture their prey. Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to turn mermaids and sirens into one being. I took a lot of license with the mythology surrounding the two and sort of came up with my own hybrid version complete with a new mythology to go with it.
Did you listen to any music while writing? If so, what?
You know, I've tried, but I find that I can't listen to music when I write. It's too distracting for me. I am, however, a spectacularly awful typist, so I do listen when I'm running through spell check. I don't know if that really counts, but Sarah McLachlan usually fits my mood when I'm spell checking.
What have been some of your favorite mer-books?
It's funny, but I haven't read a ton of mer-books. I was, however, really inspired by Margaret Atwood's poem, Siren Song. I've always loved that poem, and I actually read it at least twice a week while I was writing my rough draft. It really helped me get the novel's mood.
Mermaids/sirens are getting a lot of attention in the mainstream media lately? Are you surprised by this?
I am kind of surprised. It took me about three years to write Black Waters, and, believe it or not, I thought I was being unique. But then, when I decided to try and publish it, there were already a bunch of mermaid books out there, all published around the same time. That' s actually why I decided to go indie. The market seemed so saturated with mermaids that I decided it might be hard to get an agent. So I just put mine up on my own.
What did you eat while you were writing (it always has an effect on me while I write)?
I don't think food really affects my writing much, so I pretty much stuck to what I usually eat (mostly vegetarian). I did however, step up the caffeine consumption. I have two little kids, so I either have to write really early in the morning or late at night. Sometimes I need a jolt to get going.
What can we expect in the next book in the series?
Well, I don't want to give too much away, but Abby will definitely be revisiting the Shadowlands. Of course, Eleanor will be involved. Also, Brian will struggle with the possibility of transforming into a serpent, losing his identity to Hendrick, or possibly both. I'm in the rough draft stage right now, but this book is moving a lot faster than the first one did. (This probably has to do with the fact that my kids are a little older now and can entertain themselves.) So, hopefully, the second installment will be out there soon.
Thanks so much for interviewing me. Your readers can find out more about me and see my book trailer at http://maijabarnett.blogspot.com/.
I've always been fascinated by mermaids. It probably started back when I saw Splash. I remember really liking the underwater footage in that movie. (If you haven't seen it, they make Daryl Hannah look like an actual mermaid. As a kid, I was stunned.) Anyway, I've wanted to write a mermaid novel for a long time. I actually started one before I wrote Black Waters, but it wasn't really going anywhere, so I scrapped it and started fresh.
What do you think is the allure in mermaids?
think what's appealing about mermaids is their dark history. I remembering reading James Joyce's Ulysses in college and being assigned to present the chapter about the sirens. Let me tell you, they are evil. But what I like about mermaids is that the present day culture has, for the most part, made them good. Just think of Disney's Little Mermaid-- she doesn't seduce the prince into smashing his ship into a pile of rocks. Instead, she saves his life. (It's just like the Hans Christian Andersen tale except, of course, everything works out in the end.) So, I wanted to create an ethically torn character--one who's unclear as to whether she's good or not. Also, I love the whole transformation idea of mermaids. It's amazing to think that someone can seem human in one moment and then turn into a sea creature in the next.
The mythology in the book is really cool in the fact that the sirens are part fish as well as bird. How did you figure out how to combine the two together?
Well, technically, sirens and mermaids are different because sirens are women who are part bird and mermaids are women who are part fish. However, I think that the difference between the two has become a bit blurred, probably because both of these mythological creatures use their voices to capture their prey. Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to turn mermaids and sirens into one being. I took a lot of license with the mythology surrounding the two and sort of came up with my own hybrid version complete with a new mythology to go with it.
Did you listen to any music while writing? If so, what?
You know, I've tried, but I find that I can't listen to music when I write. It's too distracting for me. I am, however, a spectacularly awful typist, so I do listen when I'm running through spell check. I don't know if that really counts, but Sarah McLachlan usually fits my mood when I'm spell checking.
What have been some of your favorite mer-books?
It's funny, but I haven't read a ton of mer-books. I was, however, really inspired by Margaret Atwood's poem, Siren Song. I've always loved that poem, and I actually read it at least twice a week while I was writing my rough draft. It really helped me get the novel's mood.
Mermaids/sirens are getting a lot of attention in the mainstream media lately? Are you surprised by this?
I am kind of surprised. It took me about three years to write Black Waters, and, believe it or not, I thought I was being unique. But then, when I decided to try and publish it, there were already a bunch of mermaid books out there, all published around the same time. That' s actually why I decided to go indie. The market seemed so saturated with mermaids that I decided it might be hard to get an agent. So I just put mine up on my own.
What did you eat while you were writing (it always has an effect on me while I write)?
I don't think food really affects my writing much, so I pretty much stuck to what I usually eat (mostly vegetarian). I did however, step up the caffeine consumption. I have two little kids, so I either have to write really early in the morning or late at night. Sometimes I need a jolt to get going.
What can we expect in the next book in the series?
Well, I don't want to give too much away, but Abby will definitely be revisiting the Shadowlands. Of course, Eleanor will be involved. Also, Brian will struggle with the possibility of transforming into a serpent, losing his identity to Hendrick, or possibly both. I'm in the rough draft stage right now, but this book is moving a lot faster than the first one did. (This probably has to do with the fact that my kids are a little older now and can entertain themselves.) So, hopefully, the second installment will be out there soon.
Thanks so much for interviewing me. Your readers can find out more about me and see my book trailer at http://maijabarnett.blogspot.com/.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Black Waters by Maiji Barnett
Black Waters was one of the better works published in the recent outbreak of mer-fiction, and I enjoyed it to the full extent of enjoyabililty.
The best part of this book was the mythology. It always kind of bothered me that sirens are always half fish and not half bird, but in Black Waters, they're both. The snakes were also a welcome addition and felt like a real breathing dangerous enemy.
Lots of good action sequences, some nice romantic tension, family drama, mystery, and some of the best mermaid mythology I've yet read made for a good read.
If there was one thing I wasn't too keen on was that between all I described above the plot dragged in places and most of the characters are fairly flat at times.
I will certainly be reading the next book :)
Much love and sonic screwdrivers,
Randi
Friday, August 5, 2011
Merbook Review: Home to the Sea by Chester Aaron
HI everyone, Randi here again. This time I'm reviewing a book and not talking about movies!
Home to the Sea is a short, little-known, children's book. I found it on Books-A-Million fairly cheap if you want to read it.
Basically, 12 year old Marian starts developing scales and talking to fish and saving sea creatures. The climax of the book is Marian going home to the sea, saving a bunch of whales, seals, ect. from death by earthquake.
This isn't the best mer-book out there. The charactesr are stiff and I feel like there wasn't too much time spent on any one thing, especially the fantastical elements. And it seems Mr. Aaron spent a bit too much time on his message of the book as well. Some of the only bits of the book with good details were the parts about rescuing marine life and how our oceans aren't safe for them and we need to go to Save the Whale rallies, a message I agree with, but it gets in the way of the story. I wanted to know the details of Marian's change and how her family and best friend felt. And some things were a bit ridiculous. Like Marian learns the complicated game of Bridge in a few hours. That has NOTHING to do with being a mermaid...
As I mentioned, the Marnie Life Rescue makes up the climax. Marian thinks working with them will help with her change, and when she goes out to the sea, it's saving everything from dying in the aftermath of an earthquake in Alaska. It compromised too much of the story for me to be interested. Half the book is spent helping seals or getting whales out to the ocean.
Something else that bothered me was the relationship she had with her families neighbor and Doctor. I know this book was originally written a long time ago (it was published in 2005, written long before that). It wasn't Pedo-bear behavior, but they were a little too honest with each other. Nothing dirty, just strange.
Despite it's flaws however, this book has a beautiful, eerie, quality about it. The best time to read it would be during rain showers when nobody's home to bother you so you can plow right through it (it's less than two hundred pages). Eerie really sums it up. There's something feral beneath the surface when Marian submerges into the water and forgets the human language and doesn't remember the names of her parents and who they are. It's a bit chilling. The imagery is quite strange, especially the bits where Marian is in Maine in her Unle's house (he supposedly turned into a merman, or at least I think so. The book is very vague on this subject particularly).
Altogether worth it for how cheap it is and will leave you with chills, but not the best. I think a sequel should be in order.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Mermaid Film Series: Part 1 of 5 (Directors)
Hello again! So we've already cast a solid mermaid movie, now we've got to figure out the rest. Today I'll be picking some directors that could do a fantastic job bringing everything to life.
Directors is a pretty big topic to choose from. It all depends on the tone you want to set for your movie, so dividing it up into genres would be a good idea.
First, if you want to make a darker, creepier type of mer-film, you'd want to go with a director who's had some experiance in the genre. My first choice would be Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, The Corpse Bride, this most recent Alice in Wonderland adaptation). He is one of my favorite directors and I think he could pull something like this off really well. Known for making the creepy relateable, the strange not so hard to understand and wonderful art direction. All of his movies are a feast to the eyes.
Other good directors would be David Fincher (The Social Network, the upcoming American remakes of the Millenium series starting with the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo), Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill), Christopher Nolan (Inception, the newest Batman reamkes) and I think I might be able to pull it off alright (I want to be a director in case you haven't ;) )
If you want a mermaid comedy type thing, you'd want to have Edgar Wright. He's done stuff like Scott Pilgrim VS. The World and Shaun of the Dead. The aforementioned films were funny, but they also had a really big heart which is essential. Another idea would be John Lassater (Pixar mermaids anyone?).
Historical mermaids are also setting trends so a few directors who would ace the subject would be people like Tom Hooper who directed The King's Speech, which won Best Picture for Oscars 2011 (The film made me laugh and made em feel all good and mushy inside). The Cohen Brotheres also do good historical stuff. They're remake of the John Wayne film True Grit was excellent, but they might go for a darker tone film.
I'll go on later this week. Give me some more ideas, I'd love to hear them!
Much love and Sonic Screwdrivers,
Randi
Directors is a pretty big topic to choose from. It all depends on the tone you want to set for your movie, so dividing it up into genres would be a good idea.
First, if you want to make a darker, creepier type of mer-film, you'd want to go with a director who's had some experiance in the genre. My first choice would be Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, The Corpse Bride, this most recent Alice in Wonderland adaptation). He is one of my favorite directors and I think he could pull something like this off really well. Known for making the creepy relateable, the strange not so hard to understand and wonderful art direction. All of his movies are a feast to the eyes.
Other good directors would be David Fincher (The Social Network, the upcoming American remakes of the Millenium series starting with the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo), Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill), Christopher Nolan (Inception, the newest Batman reamkes) and I think I might be able to pull it off alright (I want to be a director in case you haven't ;) )
If you want a mermaid comedy type thing, you'd want to have Edgar Wright. He's done stuff like Scott Pilgrim VS. The World and Shaun of the Dead. The aforementioned films were funny, but they also had a really big heart which is essential. Another idea would be John Lassater (Pixar mermaids anyone?).
Historical mermaids are also setting trends so a few directors who would ace the subject would be people like Tom Hooper who directed The King's Speech, which won Best Picture for Oscars 2011 (The film made me laugh and made em feel all good and mushy inside). The Cohen Brotheres also do good historical stuff. They're remake of the John Wayne film True Grit was excellent, but they might go for a darker tone film.
I'll go on later this week. Give me some more ideas, I'd love to hear them!
Much love and Sonic Screwdrivers,
Randi
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