A Mermaid "Tail": The Mermaid's Vengeance

Okay, so I have decided to begin posting various myths and legends about mermaids from different cultures all over the world. That way, blog readers will also get a glimpse of how mermaids have been portrayed in mythology, rather than just recently published books.And believe me, the mermaid of legend is often dark and frightening, the exact opposite of Ariel or Darryl Hannah. This first "tail" is entitled "The Mermaid's Vengeance" and is from English folklore.

When Selina was only a small child, her mother took her bathing in a small pool near the rugged coast of Perran. While playing in the water, Selina's mother accidentally dropped her, and Selina disappeared from sight. After returning to the surface a few moments later, she was changed - her face was brighter and more beautiful than ever. Selina's mother was heartbroken, for she knew the mermaids had claimed her daughter.

As Selina grew older, she had a deep fascination for the ocean. She loved to play in the waves and swim like a seal, and she loved to take long walks on the beach. The locals whispered that Selina was a changeling, a mermaid or fairy. But as the years passed, Selina never bore any characteristics of being an otherworldy creature, and these mermaid accusations were eventually forgotten.

Selina grew to become a beautiful young women, at the ripe old age of eighteen, the nephew of the local squire, a boy named Walter, became quite taken with her. He would accompany her on her beach walks, and soon their friendship deepened into something more.

Walter was a scoundrel, however. He drank and cavorted with women, and he eventually grew tired of Selina, retreating to the big city. Selina was devastated, and she finally died of a broken heart.

Years passed, and Walter returned to the village. He was staying at a seaside cottage with some of his friends, drinking and partying the night away. Sometime during the night, Walter stepped outside to get some fresh air and wandered down to the water where he came across a beautiful young woman on the beach. With a shock, he realized she looked a great deal like Selina! She sang a sad song about lost love to Walter before vanishing.

Walter became obsessed with finding this girl. Weeks later, he returned to the shore and heard her ethereal melody filling the night. He followed her voice into a cave near the water's edge. There he found the woman, who beckoned him closer. He came nearer and embraced her, and she kissed him. She told him, "The kiss of a sea-child is forever. You are mine till death."

"Death!" Walter cried out in horror.

The mermaid held him tightly and continued to kiss him as the cave filled with water. When the cave was deep enough, she took him into the open water, where the other mermaids tossed him back and forth until he died. This the mermaid's vengeance for the death of her adopted daughter.

So, what do you guys think? Creepy and dark, huh? This is one of my favorite mermaid tales, and I hope you enjoyed it. I paraphrased this from the website http://www.beautiful-mermaid-art.com/.

What Could Have Been....

Back in early 2005, the executive producers of the hit TV show Charmed, about three sisters who happened to be witches, began working on a pilot about a - yep, you guessed it - mermaid! The name of the pilot? Well, it's simple really. Mermaid! Here's information about the pilot as found on Wikipedia:

The series plot is centred on a mermaid, Nikki, who is rescued by a young man when she washes ashore in Miami. Her savior, Matt Johnson, is a lawyer living with a roommate and engaged to the daughter of his boss. Initially, he is in utter disbelief of Nikki's nature, until it is proven true. According to the series mythology, mermaids are a race of creatures whose evolution took place underwater. The mermaids originate from a sunken city and have supernatural abilities, including superhuman strength and agility, as well as being able to see in the dark, read emotions and have a connection with other sea creatures. However, another race of creatures who began their existence underwater, but have since adapted onto dry land, include Luger who is hunting Nikki. Nikki, meanwhile, attempts to enact a normal life by working as a waitress at a local restaurant while living with Matt and his roommate. She begins assisting Matt in his attempts to help people: as the villainous Luger assesses, mermaids are drawn to protecting the innocent, it's "in their blood".


The insanely gorgeous Australian actress Nathalie Kelley, as pictured to the left, was to portray Nikki in the pilot. While there are no photos of her in mermaid costume, here's what she probably would have looked like, as Alyssa Milano also portrayed a mermaid in an episode of Charmed and who is pictured to the right.


According to Wikipedia, due to budget restraints and the emergence of the CW Network, the show was passed on, but it would have been amazing if it had actually been made!

Would you guys have watched it? Do you think, with the recent onslaught of mermaids in the media, there might be a slight chance of this show reappearing? (Remember: this was six years ago, so I highly doubt it.)

NEW Pirates of the Caribbean Mermaid Posters!!!

So, Disney has released more posters from the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film, and I'm loving the first one featuring Syrena alone more than the previous mermaids' poster. These posters feature Syrena, the mermaid who temporarily assumes human form and joins Jack Sparrow's crew. In the other picture is Syrena with Phillip, a young missionary and Blackbeard's slave, who falls in love with the timid young mermaid. I think they make a great couple, and I think they'll be the Will and Elizabeth of the fourth film!



What do you guys think of these beautiful new posters?

Selkies & Sirens: Mermaid's Kin?

Mermaids aren't the only fantastical sea creature lurking in the ocean's depths of mythology and folklore. There are countless other finned beings that populate the legends of cultures from all over the world. Here, I am only going to mention two of the more popular ones: the selkies and the sirens.

Selkies are shape-shifting seal people found in Scottish and Irish folklore. They're kind of like werewolves, minus the full moon and that they transform into seals rather than wolves. Selkies are mainly featured in romantic tragedies, usually having to do with a selkie who sheds their sealskin and falls in love with a mortal, only to later find their skin and being forced to return to the sea. If a mortal wishes to summon a selkie to them, they must shed seven tears into the sea. Selkies are seductive and beautiful in their human form, but they find it difficult to maintain an intimate relationship with human beings. Selkies aren't as popular in today's culture, but there's been a few books written about them.


Sirens are also gaining popularity these days. Contrary to popular belief, sirens are not actually mermaids. Or, well, they didn't always used to be. They used to be terrifyingly seductive creatures with the upper bodies of young women and the grotesqely disfigured lower body of a bird. Like mermaids, they lured sailors to a watery grave. Somewhere along the way, these bird-women evolved into the finned version we've all come to know and love to this day. With books like Siren by Tricia Rayburn and the upcoming book that sounds just as creepy as it sounds good, Siren's Storm by Lisa Papademetriou, sirens are everywhere these days. And, to me, that's a good thing.


So, have any of YOU read any selkie/siren books?

Interview With ANTARA Author Marilena Mexi!

Marilena Mexi was born and lived in Athens, Greece in 1986. She studied graphic design and illustration in “Akto of Middlesex University - Athens, and she has been working as an illustrator for the past few years for book publishers – magazines and fantasy board and card games. She is also an awarded illustrator from various CG community sites, and she has been featured in a few magazines from around the world. Her artwork reflects her own personality; it is emotional, romantic and dreamy, and it can touch the viewer’s soul.In her spare time she likes reading books and listening to symphonic music.
Her love for books led her write her own which she illustrated, too. This process has been very time-consuming and difficult, but it also was a journey to the land of dreams. ‘Antara’ is her first illustrated novel, and it includes 26 illustrations. At the writing of this article, she is preparing the sequel and the final part of the story.


I have gotten to know Marilena Mexi through Goodreads, where she is promoting her debut fantasy novel Antara! Antara is different from other fantasy novels these days as it is illustrated with 26 beautiful illustrations done by Marilena herself! Here's a summary of the book:

Peace and tranquility on the island of Aster, home to both humans and 'merfolk', has long been broken by a devastating phenomenon, recurring every five years. A storm including gusting winds and huge waves mysteriously appeared and eradicated much of the population. The misunderstandings, suspicion and hate born of this disaster have torn the two races apart, and the peace loving merfolk are now in a never-ending struggle to prove their innocence and restore peace to the island.
On the human side, things are even worse; under the tyranny of cruel king Orestis, the people suffer and all their king cares for is vengeance against the “fish”, as he spitefully calls them, executing merfolk after merfolk for just being near his lands.
Secrets, intense emotions and strange phenomena will upset their lives forever.

I have also included some pictures of the beautiful artwork featured in Antara that I have used with the author's permisson. Now, here's an interview I did with Marilena where she talks about herself, her work, and the beautiful realm of Antara!

Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
First of all, thank you for giving me the chance to say a few things for myself and Antara. I live and work in Greece, I'm a professional illustrator and I mostly work with publishers / writers. I make book illustrations, game cards, I'm an awarded artist from various cg sites, and my work has been published in various magazines.

What can you tell us about your illustrated novel Antara?
Antara is an illustrated fantasy romance for young adults, and its target audience is mostly women/girls. Of course, it was illustrated by me. A couple of years ago, I've written a short story on a paper and then I started making illustrations based on this story. Afterwards, I decided to sit down and write it from scratch, creating a full novel, where the reader could also see the concept art of the story. Back then I haven't thought of publishing it, until my sisters encouraged me to try it. In the process, however, I faced a lot of problems. I have written the book in Greek, so I had to find a good translator in order to translate it in English, and after a log time I found one and I'm really grateful to him. Then I started sending queries to literary agents, hoping that I'll find one to represent me in order to find a publisher too. Unfortunately, I found out that there weren't any agents specialized in my book's category. Those who who look for author / illustrators, are actually looking for picture books and graphic novels, which is completely different from Antara. But I didn't let down and I decided to publish it on my own. With the help of some friends I tried to achieve the best possible result.

What inspired you to write Antara?
I come from Greece and Greek mythology has inspired me, along with symphonic metal music. Also, my grandfather was a fisherman, and many times he's been telling me stories with mermaids when I was a child, and I adored them. So, my first story couldn't have been anything else.


Which character do you relate to most in Antara?
I think that I mostly relate to Urania. She's a character from the side of humans; low profile, caring, calm and shows understanding and patience.

How do you feel about all this sudden attention mermaids are getting in the media?
Indeed, recently there's been some particular interest in books with mermaids. I think that a few years ago everyone were writing stories with fairies and wizards, then stories with vampires and werewolves, then zombies, and now it's the mermaid season. I believe that this is going to be the summer of the merbooks.


Antara is not only a novel, but also features your own beautiful artwork. How long have you been drawing and painting?
The illustrations of Antara took me about 2 years. There were some illustrations that I have been working on them for about a month. The process was very tedious and time-consuming, and I really gave everything I got to get a good result. I would like to make the viewer travel to a magical world, and forget all the drudgeries of everyday life.

Will we see more adventures set in the world of Antara?
Of course, I'm working on the second and last part of Antara. Many people ask me why it is not a trilogy. I understand that trilogies are common nowadays, but I don't feel that Antara should end in a third book. I'm going to publish that in a few months too, hopefully during the summer.

What do you hope readers will take away from your novel after reading it?
I want the readers to feel like they've read a fairy tale, like they entered a land different and magical, where time and everyday problems don't exist. My book is a fantasy romance, but for me it's purely symbolic. The merfolk represent a different society of people, ideal, without hatred or cunning. A paradise I would like to exist in our world. I want the readers to feel hope in their heart, and every one of us can become better if we really want to.

Finally, what other projects --if you’re at liberty to say -- are you currently working on?
After the sequel of Antara I would like to take break from the typical fantasy setting. I have thought of a new concept much different than Antara. Probably I'm going to start writing this during the summer.

Thanks again to Marilena Mexi for agreeing to do this interview! Check her out on Goodreads or her own website at http://www.marilenamexi.eu/ where you can learn more about her and the magical world of Antara!

You can buy a paperback copy of the book here: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/antara/15202347
You can buy an ebook version here: http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/antara/15206378
Soon, Antara will be available on the websites Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Ebay.

Mermaid Movie: Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989)

When most people think of mermaids, the first image they think of is redhaired Ariel sitting on a rock, singing about wanting to become human and walk on land. I have always and will forever love The Little Mermaid. It's virtually impossible not to love it. I mean, it's a Disney classic, right?

Maybe the reason I loved the film and specifically Ariel was because I found her very relatable. No, not because I also have fins and sing and dance with talking sea creatures, but because I have always wanted to experience more. I've always wanted to venture out into the world and experience new things for myself. Plus, we're both redheads. Gingers need to stick together; there's so very few of us out there!

Ariel definitely was a "fish out of water," no pun intended. She wanted to explore the human world and was always looked strangely at because of her interest in the world above the sea. I think teenagers would be able to relate to Ariel well because of her clashing relationship with her father. Sometimes, teens feel like parents just don't understand, and Ariel definitely conveys this emotion throughout the movie, right up to when she finally mends things with her father as she sails off into the sunset.

Unlike other Disney princesses, Ariel is a strong and winning heroine. When she wants something, she doesn't just swoon and prance around, hoping her prince comes to her rescue. She goes out and gets it herself. In fact, she's the one who rescues the prince, not the other way around! Eric does save Ariel's life at the end, so they reciprocate. The movie doesn't have the usual sexist approach where the macho hero saves the damsel in distress. Ariel and Eric are equals, Ariel maybe moreso due to her superhuman nature.

Ursula is also the best villain of all time, hands down. She knows what she wants, and she doesn't waste time bumbling around like other villains. She devices a plan, uses her manipulative and vindictive skills, and she takes charge. This film definitely has a cast of take-charge female characters, which is one reason I like it so much.

All the side characters are wonderful, too. I love both Flounder and Sebastian, especially Flounder (he's just so cuddy-looking, even for a fish!), and Sebastian might come across as strict and demanding, but he's actually loving and caring.

Disney is timeless and ageless. Seventeen years after first watching The Little Mermaid, I can still watch it and fall back into the happy, carefree mood I always feel when watching it, all the way up to my favorite scene when King Triton finally realizes how much Ariel loves Eric and that while he will miss his youngest daughter, he knows it is for the best. With a wave of his magical trident, King Triton transforms Ariel's tail into a pair of legs, finally making her human and letting her sail off into the sunset with the prince of her dreams.

I will always have a special place in my heart for The Little Mermaid, and no matter how old I get, I can always turn back and smile on Ariel and all her underwater friends.

MerBook Review: Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman

Hailey and Claire are spending their last summer together when they discover something at the bottom of the murky pool at the Capri Beach Club. There in the depths is a mysterious and beautiful creature with a sharp tongue and a broken heart: a mermaid named Aquamarine who has left her six sisters to search for love on land. Now, as this mythological yet very real being starts to fade in the burning August sun, a rescue is begun.
On the edge of growing up, during a summer that is the hottest on record, Hailey and Claire are discovering that life on land can take an unpredictable course, friendship is forever, and magic can be found in the most unexpected places.


I believe this is the first mermaid novel I have ever read. Or, really, it is more of a novella, since it only has 112 pages. I have seen the movie that came out in 2005 and was based upon the book, but it was completely different. That was a shame, because it took away some of the magical qualities in the novel.


This book is basically the story of two best friends, Hailey and Claire, who are about to be separated at the end of summer. Claire and her grandparents are moving to Florida, which both girls aren't happy about. They find one morning, after a terrible storm one night, a mermaid lurking in the swimming pool of the Capri Beach Club. Her name is Aquamarine, and she has fallen in love with Raymond, an employee at the Capri. The two girls try to help Aquamarine, but they soon realize she is fading away in the chlorinated water, and if she is not returned to the sea in seven days, she will die.


That's pretty much it. Like I said, it's a short book. I give it 3 out of 5, but what it lacks in page length, it makes up for in magic. There's just something about the book, its prose, the shades of blue that color the pages throughout, or the story itself, that makes you truly believe in friendship, true love, and most importantly, mermaids.