Category Archives: Giveaway

Mermaids & Friends: Sonya Cooke + Book Giveaway!

“Avoid boxing yourself into choices without allowing yourself a period for discovery.” ~ Sonya Cooke

Carlene and Sonya celebrating the release of Seven Pillars Acting.

Sonya and I haven’t known each other for very long, which says a lot for the amount I’ve already learned from her. We connected this past September when she was in need of a last minute proof read of her book which she was very close to having published. My friend Kathleen, who I had edited for in the past, was a student at Sonya’s Acting Studio of Orange County and when she heard of Sonya’s need, she graciously thought of me. I happened to be free and it was within a few days’ span of working with Sonya that I realized, someone very special had crossed my path.

Author, actor, founder, & teacher Sonya Cooke.

I will do my best to list the plethora of hats Sonya regularly dons. She is the Founder/CEO/Owner and Head Teacher of Seven Pillars Acting: LA Studio and the Actor’s Studio of Orange County. She is also a Film/TV, Commercial and Voice-Over Actor, a producer, and the creator and author of Seven Pillars Acting. What a busy lady! Pursuing, creating and involving herself in so many wonderful endeavors. When the opportunity arrived to get to meet Sonya in person this January, I have to admit, I was a little nervous. Not to belittle myself, but sometimes it can be intimidating to be in the presence of someone who is so accomplished with so much charisma and ambition and drive. Well, it turns out I had nothing to be nervous about. Within seconds of meeting her, I learned Sonya is all those wonderful things, but she is also more… She is warm, and grounded, and kind hearted, and gentle and incredibly nurturing, and supportive of those around her.

The wall of the Seven Pillars at Sonya’s LA Studio.

Her book, Seven Pillars Acting, the one she wrote to encapsulate the comprehensive technique she designed for the modern actor, is BRILLIANT. I remember thinking to myself as I was proofing it that not only was it absolutely going to help actors become better at their craft, but there was a significant amount of material that would be spot on and superbly helpful to writers.

To quote Sonya: “Acting is not an escape; actors put themselves in the line of fire, exposing themselves to tremendously high stakes to tell a story.” Which is exactly what we do as writers, too! When Sonya equates creating a role with building a house, light bulbs instantaneously go off in my head. “You have to build a house before you can live in it, right? It’s much the same for the actor creating a role. In order to bring the character to life, the actor must craft his circumstances, history, and life conditions.” ~Sonya Cooke

Sonya’s book detailing her acting technique, Seven Pillars Acting.

The beautiful thing about this book is that it goes even a step beyond. Not only will an actor or writer benefit from Sonya’s experience, tips and philosophies which she shares in a very organic and natural way–not formulaic or mechanical, but so will non-actors and non-writers as she touches on the heart of communication and the human experience. I’m not sure how she managed it, but she has truly written a book that while intended to help actors, ends up being for every one of us! There are so many more passages of this book I have earmarked to quote (like my favorite section which explores the lifespan of a human emotion…pages 183-187). My hope is that if you are looking for answers or assistance or a fresh perspective on how we as humans operate and affect each other, you will check out Sonya’s book. I honestly feel you will not only benefit from reading it, but you will be touched, inspired and entertained as well, just as I was.

GIVEAWAY: Thank you so much for stopping by the mermaid lagoon today and learning a little more about a wonderful book and its author! In celebration and appreciation, I am giving away a signed copy of Sonya’s Seven Pillars Acting. All you need to do to be entered is leave a comment below. The winner will be randomly selected one week from today on the evening of Friday, March 2nd. Good luck, everyone! (Continental US mailing addresses only please due to shipping fees. Thank you so much for your understanding.)

Have a productive and inspired day!

Fishy kisses,

Mermaid Carlene

 

Brand New Release for Harlequin Author Kerri Carpenter!

Psst… it’s me, Carlene Mermaid. Sorry for the whispering, but word on the waterway is that there is a mysterious person purporting to be the Bayside Blogger while at the same time purporting to not be the Bayside Blogger. (Scratches head) and they are lurking in the lagoon, trying to stir up trouble. I don’t know if he/she is the real deal, but I’m not about to let this sneakster steal the spotlight from our fishy sister on her big day.

Today will be a glittery, sparkly day of book releasing celebration if it’s the last thing I do! Join me in this effort, fishy friends! All right, so I’ve just had a swim around and our waters once again seem peaceful. Let’s sit down and tune in to the Bayside author herself, Miss Mermaid Kerri Carpenter, as she gives you the exclusive and ever-so-dazzling scoop on her brand new Harlequin release (and some tips on disguises that perhaps our mysterious person of interest should have followed):

Thank you for answering all my tough questions, Mermaid Kerri! You are MY hero. Maybe when our mysterious blogger’s book comes out later this year, you and said blogger can visit the lagoon together, out in the open. Until then, I know I am so excited to get my hands on and read the next installment of the Saved by the Blog series, Bidding on the Bachelor which is out RIGHT NOW! Click HERE for more info on Kerri’s books.

So readers, with dress up season just around the corner, are costumes a yay or a nay for you? One lucky commenter will be randomly drawn and will win a free copy of Bidding on the Bachelor. Good luck!

A Bit More About the New Release…

Another roll of the dice
Big news, fair readers! Bayside High’s favorite It Girl is back. Would you have bet Carissa Blackwell would ever return? Ten years ago, she crushed Jasper Dumont’s heart under her Jimmy Choos and left town for a bigger, better life. Her return raises one question: What is she running from (or is it to) now?
Perhaps Jasper knows? One look at Carissa and he fell in the bay! (Rich, single and devastatingly handsome, Jasper’s our catch of the day.) That icy plunge should have brought him to his senses, yet “Casper” has been spotted together all over town. Does this mean Bayside’s legendary couple may reunite? The stakes are high, but the Bayside Blogger’s money is riding on love!

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iTunes / Kobo / Harlequin Page
Look for books 1 and 3 in the Saved by the Blog Series:
Falling for the Right Brother, Available now
Bayside’s Most Unexpected Bride, December 2017/January 2018

New Mermaid Release! Pintip Dunn’s REMEMBER YESTERDAY

Remember Yesterday | Release Blitz | JenHalliganPR.com

Yippee! This is the release week for my novel, REMEMBER YESTERDAY (Forget Tomorrow #2)! Check out the book’s details and teaser, and be sure to enter the giveaway below

Remember Yesterday by Pintip Dunn | A Book and a Latte | bookandlatte.comREMEMBER YESTERDAY
(Forget Tomorrow #2)
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication: October 4, 2016

Sixteen-year-old Jessa Stone is the most valuable citizen in Eden City. Her psychic abilities could lead to significant scientific discoveries―if only she’d let TechRA study her. But after they kidnapped and experimented on her as a child, cooperating with the scientists is the last thing Jessa would do.

But when she discovers the past isn’t what she assumed, Jessa must join forces with budding scientist Tanner Callahan to rectify a fatal mistake made ten years ago. She’ll do anything to change the past and save her sister―even if it means aligning with the enemy she swore to defeat.

FORGET TOMORROW:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo

REMEMBER YESTERDAY:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo

Excerpt from Remember Yesterday

I lift my eyes to meet his, and I reach into the future—his future. The vision pours into me. The future Tanner grabs me and kisses me. Without warning, without hesitation. It is hot and searing and exquisite. And I like it. Oh, how I like it.

“No!” I fall out of the vision and scoot away from him, so far that I approach the edge of the platform. My pulse is thundering; my nerves are jumping. Oh, Fates. What’s wrong with me? Is it because I don’t want him to kiss me? Or because I want it too much?

His eyes turn watchful. “Come back here, Jessa. You’re too close to the sky.”

I look into the open space, fluffy with wads of cotton-ball clouds. I take a breath, hoping to inhale some of the sky’s serenity. He doesn’t know about the kiss. Why would he? In the vision, he acted impulsively, without premeditation. The desire to kiss me hasn’t arisen in him yet. Maybe I can prevent it from cropping up altogether.

“Look, you don’t want to kiss me,” I babble, staying where I am. And hope I sound more reasonable than I feel. “It’s only because we talked about kissing the other day. When you talk about something, you give it life. Make it real. Like an annoying song you can’t get out of your head.”

He creeps toward me, his eyes flicking between my face and the sky. “So you can’t get the idea of kissing me out of your head?”

“I said it was annoying. Like a song. Not based on anything real.”

He stops five feet from the edge of the platform. “So let me get this straight. You saw into the future and we kissed. Right?”

“Y-yes,” I stutter, shocked that he guessed the truth so easily. “But it doesn’t have to happen that way,” I add quickly. “As my sister proved, we’re in control of our own fate. We can make any future we wish.”

“Unless this is our Fixed.” His voice is low, rough. And yet, every syllable imprints into my memory forever. “Unless this kiss is so important, it happens in every one of our worlds.”

“It’s just a kiss. How can it be that important?”

His eyes glitter with the challenge. With one last look at the platform’s edge, he crawls to me, slowly but steadily. “The path of our particular world might depend on this kiss. Would you risk our future just to be stubborn?”

And then, he’s right in front of me. He rests his hands lightly on my back. They slide down to my waist, until his fingers brush against the strip of bare skin between my pants and top. I shiver, and my skin pebbles into a million goose bumps. He pulls me against him. So much of my body is touching his that I can’t think; I can’t breathe. All I can do is feel. His trembling breath. My hammering heart. His shaking hands—or hell, maybe that’s me, vibrating against his touch.

Our lips are inches apart. Time blends together. You couldn’t move me from this spot if the world were crashing down around us.

“I thought I wasn’t your type,” I whisper.

“You’re not,” he says. “But for the fate of our world, I’m willing to make the sacrifice.”

And then, he closes the gap between us.

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Pintip Dunn | JenHalliganPR.comAbout the Author

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Pintip Dunn is a New York Times bestselling author of YA fiction. She graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language, and received her J.D. at Yale Law School.

Pintip is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. Her debut novel, FORGET TOMORROW, won the RWA RITA® for Best First Book. Her other books include THE DARKEST LIE and REMEMBER YESTERDAY.

She lives with her husband and children in Maryland. You can learn more about Pintip and her books at www.pintipdunn.com

rememberyesterday_bday

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Mermaids Immortalized in Romance Fiction (And a giveaway to boot!)

7Hello fishy friends!

How’s everyone doing? I hope your 2016 is off to a great start. I’m humbled and honored to say January is wrapping up very nicely with the release of my eighth published novel. Let Me See (Book 2 of the These Three Words series) just came out today. I’m so very happy I get to share this story with you but guess what really has me smiling?

I’ve missed my fishy sisters so much since moving away from their area nearly two years ago. But today I get to be with them again. Sort of.

I hope you’ll enjoy this excerpt from my new release in which the Waterworld Mermaids become immortalized in romance fiction. **Be sure and leave a comment below for a chance to win a free e-copy.** Let’s see if you can spot them…

Copyrighted Excerpt from Let Me See (These Three Words, 2) by Carlene Love…

Jay normally spent as much time out front chatting with the guests as he did on stage performing for them but right now he wanted a few extra quiet moments alone to let the importance of tonight sink in.

“Jay, come.”

Having thought that, Marie was rarely persistent with him like this. So he followed her out front, forgetting for the time being that he was only half-dressed for his solo. He ran his hand over his abs, rubbing away some of the sweat already sticking to his skin. He’d barely crossed paths with Julian but the bump-in had been enough and he had the man’s angel wing glitter all over his black pants. Jay dusted it off as best he could, eventually giving up. Jay hooked his thumbs in his suspenders. He left the newsboy hat that would—pardon the pun—cap off his college prep outfit in homage to Maggie, in his locker and followed Marie out front. One thing he recognized for sure was the extra pep in her step. If he didn’t know better, he’d have thought she was playing Cupid or something ridiculous like that. Too bad he couldn’t just tell her he’d officially taken his heart off the market, for good, two weeks ago when he’d been stood up again by the girl who had somehow taken his everything prisoner.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said and followed her out, pumping himself up for the night and walking to the beat of Gabe’s solo song.

“So you guys had a pretty successful adoption event at the last shelter drive?”

“Yes, Marie. Why do you ask? You sure are talking to me a whole lot tonight. I mean, I love it. But, do you swear everything is okay with you?” He’d do anything he could to help her. She worked hard and he knew she had issues she kept hidden. Jay knew how that could eat at a person.

“I’m in the mood to do some good and you think there’s something wrong with me? Gee, thanks, Stud.”

He wasn’t sure exactly what to say back to her, to be honest. It was tricky with Marie because Jay knew he had to keep his flirting to a minimum, remembering how wrecked it had made him when D had gotten too loose with his flirty words for Kelley. “My apologies to the lady.”

They walked single file through the last bits of the cramped back hallways until they got to the door that led into the public portion of the club. Jay took an extra-long step to put him in front of Marie so that he could get the door for her. He ushered her through but then noted how she quickly jumped back in front of him. Guess she really wanted to be the leader.

“Accepted. And you’re right, it is odd that I’m feeling so chipper. It’s freaking me out but I’m going with it for this night only. I just feel like this burst of goodness came inside earlier. Apparently your sister’s spirit of positivity has its claws in me tonight.” She winked and smiled softly at him. “Anywho, recognize anyone?”

Marie suddenly stopped walking when they’d only made it a few feet into the club, clearly waiting for him to stop too and have a look around. Okay, he’d play along and checked out the bar area since that was where he associated Marie as being most often. “Drunk Al. Tina and her mom and her sisters. Um, Brad?” He noted the faces he could see this far in the dark.

“Ahem.” She cleared her throat and pulled him around by the suspender until he was facing the stage. She let go and the elastic snapped his skin. It didn’t really hurt but he let out a yelp just to tease her. “Ouch.”

Now he did see a ton of familiar faces. “Do you really want me to start naming everyone? Cause there’s Liz, Kerri, Dana, Kim, Alethea, Pintip, Susan, Loni, Masha, and Denny, just for starters.” It gave him an immense feeling of joy that so many of the regulars were already here supporting the cause. “Oh, and let’s see … Lynne, Robin, and Avery. I can keep going—Jen, Keely, Deb, Denise, Sue, Lil. Ooo, Becky’s looking supa-hot tonight. She turned fifty in here last week, you know. Still fricking gorgeous. Did you know she’s the drummer in a band? I think I’m going to give her a late birthday lick later on. In fact, I think I’m gonna go over there with my sexy self and lick her right now.” Of course he was just teasing, watching Marie’s face get more and more perturbed with him. It was his playful payback to her for bringing him out before he’d gotten dressed and then being so secretive. But honestly, who did she want him to see?

“Ugh. You’re impossible. And you wonder why I don’t talk much to you boys. Gabe—”

But she may as well have stopped speaking.

The second he changed his line of sight to the stage where Gabe currently held court as a half-dressed military hero, he saw the one thing he never would have expected, not in a million years at this point.

She didn’t even have to turn around for him to know.

*****

Eek! I hope you liked it!

Take my friendly fishy advice. If you find yourself missing those who you care about and can’t be near, write them something. Whether it’s a letter, an email, a text, or yeah, in this case a novel. Reach out. Let them know you’re thinking of them. I call it a paper hug. xoxo

**Giveaway Info: Say hi, or better yet, say hi and leave a message for someone you’re currently missing in the comments section and I’ll enter you into the drawing for a free e-copy of Let Me See. Winner will be randomly picked on Sunday night, 1/31/2016. Good luck!

My best to you and yours!

Fishy kisses,

Carlene Mermaid

Let-Me-See-evernightpublishing-JayAheer2016-3DrenderAre you sure you’re ready to see what’s inside?

Two hearts beating…      

S Club dancer and extrovert, Jay, has worked very hard for this eye-opening moment with his reluctant and shy friend, Kelley. Unfortunately, a humorous attempt to get her to open up serves to push her further away. Now it’s nearly impossible to convince her he’s not just out to play.

Hundreds of scars in need of hiding…       

For good reason, Kelley has yet to let Jay see all of her whereas he takes his clothes off nightly for a living. Her respect for him runs unmatched because she sees who he is inside. There’s just no way to ever reciprocate and that’s not fair to him. His interest in her has never made sense. The best option is convincing Jay there really is nothing to see.

One dark night to shine some light on their healing…

Sometimes, it just takes one very patient man, one dimly lit room and one safe set of arms.

Check out more from Let Me See HERE at the Evernight site or HERE at Amazon. xoxo

Romance Book Cover Junkie: I Love the Pretty, Artistic, and the Wow!

Denny (PortRoyale)Happy Thursday! I woke up this morning and all I could think about was romance book covers, and why I love them so much. Yes, books covers were my very first thought when I opened my eyes. Seriously.

I also adore the story inside the book covers, too, but I also read books (and love them) with covers I don’t always love, love, but just like, like. Yesterday, I was hanging with Mermaid Pintip and we started chatting about book covers for about five minutes, but the convo reminded me just how much I love a pretty cover. So I thought today, I’d reach out to visitors to the Waterwold Mermaids blog and ASK YOU to share the title of one of your favorite book covers! Just comment below because I need to know! And SURPRISE! I will pick a random commenter to receive an electronic copy of one of my favorite book covers below — your choice! (Note: one of books below won’t be released until later in 2015 – but if the cover moves you, you’ll wait for it!)…Also, to see a full size version of cover click on it! And hey, did you notice how I seem to have a thing for angles, partial images, and profiles? Also, this is just the tip of my love of book covers iceberg. It was just that these were top of mind:)!

Also, check out the Houston Bay Area RWA’s Judge a Book by its Cover Contest! It’s fun to browse some gorgeous covers (and vote for your favorites), but also you might run into some author friends and be reminded of their great covers, too! Here are a few of my current favorites! Some are in the contest, others maybe next year!

b63226645e7fbceed581edc6976c0a03 TSG_500 FwtC_500 Song-of-Blood-and-Stone-600-300x450 9780553390919 Afterlife_FC_FNL uploads-56c9a127-f0b3-18f6-a63a-0dc80336b005 virtuousruby-a300Dearest

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evernight Teen’s Birthday Blog Hop, UPDATED!

BirthdayBHPromoDearest Fishy Friends:

The Waterworld Mermaids lost several posts from the past two weeks, including our original posting for the fabulous Evernight Teen Birthday Blog Hop. Unfortunately, all record of the wonderful comments left on that original post were also lost. If you commented then, please comment again here. And if you are visiting the hop for the first time, please comment as well! The mermaids are keeping a handwritten record this time, just in case the mysterious ghost of the lagoon strikes again. We want your comments counted toward the awesome prizes being offered and we want you to know all about the awesome book by Melissa Frost being spotlighted here in the pond! Thank you for your patience. Fishy kisses, xoxoxo.

 

Happy Birthday to EVERNIGHT TEEN! Continue reading

Mermaid & Friends: Vanessa Barneveld Swims with the Mermaids

Friends, I had a very special day planned for the lagoon today. I was all set to welcome the fabulous Vanessa Barneveld, whose YA novel, THIS IS YOUR AFTERLIFE, debuts in four short unnameddays, on October 21. I’m a huge fan of this book — not only is it fun, fresh, and touching, but it’s all delivered in Vanessa’s smooth-as-butter voice.

So you can imagine how excited I was when Vanessa agreed to dip a toe in the lagoon. But alas, due to travel difficulties (Vanessa lives in Australia, after all), she couldn’t make it. But not to worry. She promised she would send a replacement. Ah, here comes someone now…

KEIRA: Hi. I’m Keira and I’m clairvoyant. But I’m not your interview guest today. I’m just here as a ghost interpreter.

PINTIP: Ghost interpreter?

KEIRA: Not everyone can see, hear or talk to ghosts, but I can. I’ll relay everything Jimmy says and does for you and your readers. (Whispers) He’s a shameless flirt, so watch out.

JIMMY: (Coughs) I can hear you, Keira.

KEIRA: Whoops.

PINTIP: OMG. You mean you’re Keira and Jimmy? From the book?!

KEIRA: Where else? Why are you so surprised?

PINTIP: (Stutters) No reason. I was just expecting someone, you know, real. In more than one sense of the word.

JIMMY: Do I get a say in what you call this article, Pintip?’Cause I’ve got some ideas. How about Ghost Host? Ghost Host with the Most? Ghost Host Post?

KEIRA: Enough with the rhyming.

JIMMY: Interview with a Vampire Jock?

KEIRA: You’re a ghost, not Dracula.

PINTIP: Uh, those are very…nice suggestions, Jimmy. I’ll give them serious thought. (Clears throat). Why don’t we get on with the interview? So, Jimmy. Wow. I’ve never talked to a ghost before. What’s it like in the afterworld?

JIMMY: Can’t say I was thrilled about dying at seventeen, but now that I’ve gotten used to it, the ability to walk through walls is kinda cool. I had to learn how to get around. After a while, I figured out all I have to do is think of a location and I’ll be there in seconds.

(Long silence)

KEIRA: (Squints, looks around) Jimmy?

(Crickets chirp)

JIMMY: I’m back! I went to Antarctica just then. Pretty cool. Okay, what was I saying? Oh, yeah, travel. I plan to hang around for the Super Bowl. Gatecrash a luxury box.

KEIRA: You could sit on the goal posts if you wanted to. The horizontal bar thingie.

JIMMY: (Laughs) Glad you clarified that, Keira.

PINTIP: Can ghosts taste or touch?

AfterlifeKEIRA: Weirdly—and I never understood this—Jimmy felt a lot of physical pain in the early days of his afterlife. I likened it to phantom pain that amputees get. It’s something to do with nerve endings. Don’t ask me why ghosts get it.

JIMMY: I’m all healed now, in case you were wondering. I can’t feel a thing.

PINTIP: I’m so glad you’re no longer in pain! What do you miss the most about being alive?

JIMMY: Playing football in front of a home crowd. Hearing everyone stamp their feet on the bleachers. I miss the entire cheerleading squad. My car… But, you know what? None of the material stuff really matters. What I miss most is my family and friends. And I especially miss my brother, Dan. We fought in the days before I died. I loved him. I wish I told him when I was alive.

KEIRA: (Chokes up) He knows.

PINTIP: (Blinking back tears, too) I bet he does. So, out of all places, why did you show up in Keira’s bedroom?

JIMMY: Hey, I had no choice. Another ghost, an old lady, found me, said she knew someone who could help. Before I knew it, she was pushing me through a wall and into Keira’s bedroom.

PINTIP: Did you know Keira before you died?

KEIRA: We were in different classes. He was a senior and I’m a junior. The awful irony is that I was invisible to Jimmy when he was alive.

JIMMY: That’s not true! I noticed you. (Lowers voice) Keira with the long black hair and sexy silver eyes—

KEIRA: They’re gray.

JIMMY: Whatever color they are, they’re pretty.

PINTIP: Very smooth, Jimmy. What were your first moments like being a ghost? Did you know you’d been murdered?

KEIRA: Hold it! I don’t think Vanessa wants us to talk the murder.

JIMMY: Who’s Vanessa?

KEIRA: She’s that author I told you about. Our story—your story—wouldn’t be out there for everyone to read if it weren’t for her. Or her incredible critique partners. Or her agent. Or her editor—

JIMMY: Ha! I get it. No spoilers. Well, the afterlife was confusing for the first few days. When I “woke up” after dying, my head just killed.

KEIRA: That’s a really unfortunate choice of words.

JIMMY: Okay, I had a huge headache. Pain that was worse than any concussion I’d ever gotten playing football. There were big gaps in my memory. It felt like I was living a dream.A very intense, confusing nightmare. My death really hit home when I saw my buddies at school and they walked right through me. Keira helped me deal with all of that.

PINTIP: Sounds like Keira has a lot of wonderful qualities. Your brother Dan certainly noticed. Did you suspect any attraction between these two while you were still alive?pintip

JIMMY: (Shakes head) I was too wrapped up in sports and my own life. I had no clue about those two. Dan keeps to himself. But now that I know Keira a lot better, I think the two of them would be great together. He’s an artist. She’s a creative type, too. And she’s got sexy silver eyes.

KEIRA: (Fidgets nervously) No comment.

PINTIP: What about you? Any cute ghosts in the afterworld?

JIMMY: Hey, forget ghost girls. These Waterworld Mermaids are freakin’ gorgeous. Can I have your number, Pintip?

KEIRA: Nuh-uh-uh, Jimmy! Pintip’s gorgeous and smart and talented, but she’s married. With kids. Go find a mermaid your own age. I know one called Ariel. She really wants to be part of your world.

JIMMY: Under the sea?

PINTIP: Unfortunately, I think she might be taken, too.

JIMMY: (Sighs) I guess ghost girls it is.

PINTIP: I’m sure you’ve got them lined up along the pearly gates already. Thanks so much for being here, you two! And give my love to Vanessa!

KEIRA: Thanks, Pintip! We will!

Aren’t they adorable? If you want to know what Keira and Jimmy look like, click here to see the book trailer.

Vanessa will be giving away a digital copy of THIS IS YOUR AFTERLIFE and a $10 gift card from Amazon to one lucky commenter.

IN ADDITION, because we are so proud of our awesome CP, Kimberly-Mermaid and I will also be giving away another copy of THIS IS YOUR AFTERLIFE, along with a lavender-themed gift basket. The gift basket is in honor of Keira’s grandmother, also a ghost, whose presence is always preceded by the scent of lavender.

Four awesome prizes! Two lucky winners!* One amazing book! Comment away!

*restricted to U.S. and Australian residents.

BLURB: When the one boy you crushed on in life can’t seem to stay away in death, it’s hard to be a normal teen when you’re a teen paranormal.

Sixteen-year-old Keira Nolan has finally got what she wanted—the captain of the football team in her bedroom. Problem is he’s not in the flesh. He’s a ghost and she’s the only one who can see him.

Keira’s determined to do anything to find Jimmy’s killer. Even it if means teaming up with his prickly-yet-dangerously-attractive brother, Dan, also Keira’s ex-best-friend. Keira finds that her childish crush is fading, but her feelings for Dan are just starting to heat up, and as the story of Jimmy’s murder unfolds, anyone could be a suspect.

This thrilling debut from Vanessa Barneveld crosses over from our world to the next, and brings a whole delightful new meaning to “teen spirit”.

BIO: Vanessa Barneveld lives in Australia. She has one husband, two cats, and three Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® nominations. When she’s not writing, devouring chocolate or dreaming of going into space, Vanessa works as a closed-captioner for the deaf and audio describer for the blind.

Social media

http://www.vanessabarneveld.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Vanessa-Barneveld/185502258167596

https://twitter.com/vanessab73

Bloomsbury Spark  Amazon | iTunes Australia | iTunes US | Google Play | Kobo | B&N

Mermaids & Friends: Amy Patrick

Friends, I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Amy Patrick to the pond today. Her debut, CHANNEL 20 SOMETHING, released earlier this week. It’s such a fun read, and I gobbled it up in one sitting. But don’t take my recommendation alone! Here’s a blurb:

22-year-old Heidi Haynes is almost one year into her “real life”. She has her first reporting job and her first apartment, but she’sCTS FINAL COVER yet to experience first love. Yes, she’s in a comfortable relationship with her college sweetheart, and according to her friends and family, he’s perfect for her. But for some reason she’s not as eager to talk about walking down the aisle as he is.

And while Heidi’s doing what she wants to do, she’s not where she wants to be. She longs for big cities, big-market breaking news, and real independence from her way-too-close-by helicopter parents. Problem is, the last time she left the security of home for new places and new people, things didn’t go so well. Disastrously, in fact, and she came running back to a local college and a “safe” boyfriend.

Well-traveled Californian Aric Serrano plans to stay in small-market-Southern-Hell just long enough to grab a cup of coffee and put together a kick-ass “escape tape”. He’ll serve his one-year contract, then he’s taking off for a higher rung on the TV sports ladder—alone—the way he likes it. But when he walks into the newsroom and meets Heidi, he may have finally found something and someone worth committing to.

Heidi would be so much more comfortable if she could avoid her new co-worker—he’s just her type—the type she’s so careful to avoid. But that becomes impossible when she and Aric are forced to work together on the weekend news. Now there’s no denying the attraction between them, and she’ll have to decide between settling for the “good enough” life she already has or taking the risk of going for what she dreams of, an exciting career and a real love.

This book was as fabulous as it sounds! Just as fabulous as Amy herself, who graciously agreed to answer a few of my questions…

Pintip: Amy, thanks so much for being here! You are particularly qualified to write this story. Can you tell us a little about your background in journalism?

Amy: This series is so much fun to write, because I get to call upon so many great (and not-so-great) experiences from my 12 year career in TV news. During that time I was climbing the career ladder, moving frequently, working at 6 different stations in 4 different states. I met so many “characters” through the years, and naturally they influence my fictional characters and events. I still work for a Boston TV station as a station host, so the story ideas keep piling up!

Pintip: Well, your expertise certainly showed in this book! Tell us the truth: did any of these scenes, or a version of them, ever happen to you? Such as, ahem, stealing kisses in the edit bay?

AmyAmy: Hmmm. There was this one time… No actually I was not guilty of “fraternizing” during my first TV job, as Heidi and Aric are. But I was sorely tempted, because when I met my husband… he was the hot new sports guy. Unfortunately, the part about the nervous stomach and throwing up in front of the governor of Mississippi one minute before air time was also based on fact.

Pintip: Oooh. I didn’t know that was how you met your husband! How romantic! Or maybe I just think it’s romantic after reading your book, lol. What was your favorite scene to write?

Amy: I’m a sucker for first-kiss scenes, reading and writing them, so that was probably my favorite.

Pintip: What was the most difficult scene?

Amy: There were a couple scenes I cried through while writing, but I won’t tell you which ones– don’t want to ruin it for someone else.

Pintip: Good idea! We’ll see if the readers can figure it out once they get to those scenes. I adore your voice. Your heroine, Heidi, is utterly charming, and I love how she says, “Oh, sugar” when she curses. How did you come up with her character?

Amy: Oh, thank you! I’m so glad you found her charming– I can’t help but sympathize with her, because though she’s flawed, she tries so hard to please everyone (sometimes too hard), as many of us are apt to do in our early twenties. She’s a born and raised Southern girl, and there’s still a bit of a taboo about “ladies” cursing in the Deep South, thus the “sugar”. Also, Heidi has a really quirky boss who’s made public cursing, short skirts, and fraternizing grounds for firing at his TV station, so she has to be careful. She’s also living very close to her crazy-but-loving family, and struggling with being a daughter and sister to them while striving for real independence and trying to figure out who she really is. I started my first TV job at 21 years old, three weeks after graduation. So while I was a “professional” and a “grown-up” on TV, I was still very much developing as a person and sometimes felt like a kid faking my way through it all.

Pintip: Ha! I still feel like a kid faking my way through it all! You also write YA under the name Amy DeLuca. How is writing NA different from writing YA?

Amy: I’d say the voice is more mature, and the consequences of your character’s decisions are often more dire. By the time you’re out of college and starting life in the “real world”, you’re making decisions that can have lifelong repercussions, good or bad. And you’re making them with little (if any) influence from your parents. NA characters are in relationships that have a real chance of lasting forever, which is sometimes, but not often true of the relationships in YA books. Of course, everyone who marries their high school sweetheart and stays married for 60 years proves that wrong, but they may be the happy exception. My YA characters never even think about getting married, but I think twenty-somethings are much more likely to have that in their minds somewhere.

Pintip: So true. Lucky for us, we get to experience it all again by reading this book. And I hear there are going to be more books in the Channel 20 Something series. What’s coming up? Might these books involve Heidi’s friends, Mara and Kenley?

Amy: You guessed it! Book 2, STILL YOURS– A 20 SOMETHING NOVEL comes out in September and tells Mara’s story. She’s taken a new TV job in Providence, Rhode Island, the last place she wanted to work because it’s way to close to home and to him, the only guy who’s ever tempted her to abandon the Himbo-hunt and open herself up to actually loving someone.

And in October, Kenley’s story comes out. It’s called STILL ME- A 20 SOMETHING NOVEL. Kenley is reeling from a shocking change in her relationship status and regretting the day she ever left her on-air job for a man. Then she lands a new job at WNN in Atlanta and meets the network’s rising star, and even at the network level, what happens behind the scenes is the real story.

Pintip: Oh, wow! I can’t wait to read Mara’s and Kenley’s stories! I’ll be the first in line to purchase them. Thanks so much for being with us today, Amy!

Amy: Thank you for having me Pintip! It’s a thrill to be here with the Waterworld Mermaids today. And I’d love to give away a copy of the CHANNEL 20 SOMETHING e-book to one of the commenters. I’m curious to ask them: are there any moments from your own career that would make a great scene in a book?

Pintip: That’s a great question! Comment away, friends, and you’ll be entered to win this wonderful book!

BUY LINKS:
Amazon
NOOK/Barnes and Noble
KOBO
All Romance


Amy is a two-time Golden Heart finalist (2013 and 2014) who writes Young Adult fiction as Amy DeLuca and New Adult romance as Amy Patrick. She lives in Rhode Island with her husband and two sons and actually craves the heat and humidity of Mississippi, where she grew up. She’s been a professional singer and news anchor and currently narrates audio books as well as working as a station host for a Boston TV station.

Mermaids & Friends: Lynne Silver (Giveaway!)

Good morning, everyone — Carlene and Kerri Mermaid here with a special introduction.

Kerri: Guess who’s here in the lagoon today? Our critique partner and friend to the Mermaids, the fabulous Lynne Silver!

Carlene: Oh! After someone tall, dark and handsome, that was going to be my next guess! I can’t help it, I have Rowan from her new book, “Desperate Match” on my mind.

Kerri: I understand – Rowan’s hot and sweet! Is he your favorite of Lynne’s characters?

Carlene: Yes! He’s a total smarty pants but backs it up with a big heart…

Kerri: I love that about him – although you know I’m partial to Adam in the first Coded for Love book!

Carlene: Ohhhhhh…Adam. Why do you love him so?

Kerri: He’s alpha and yummy!

Carlene: All the Coded boys are alpha and yummy! It’s like an alpha yummy buffet.

Kerri: True that, boo! We should probably stop drooling and let Lynne talk now. Want to introduce her?

Carlene: Yes! Tall, fair and beautiful…Lynne Silver! Author of yummy alpha boys, some really bad guys and some pretty awesome girls too!

Kerri: Welcome to the lagoon, Lynne! We hear you wanna know what type of readers we all are AND that you’ve got a copy of Desperate Match to give away! Let’s get this chat underway…

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Lately it seems there are a rash of bloggers and readers out on social media talking about their newfound love of reading. Some of them haven’t read much sinceLynne Silver high school or college, and they can all credit a book special to them for getting them back on the reading bandwagon. Welcome back. We authors are thrilled to have you.

So yes, I’m an author, but I’m a reader first. To say I’m voracious would be an understatement. In kindergarten, students got a star sticker on their name strip for every book they read. My stars went off the strip and around the room.

I get lost in books. My husband says it’s as though I’ve left the room. And I have. My body is present, but my mind is in the world of the book.

And I’m a re-reader. There are certain “comfort” reads that I go to again and again. I can’t find a pattern in which books are my comfort reads. They run the gamut and include: Little Town on the Prairie & These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder, All of the Wallflower series by Lisa Kleypas, Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh, Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon, He She & It by Marge Piercy, and the whole Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace.  See an eclectic mix.

There are other books I adore, yet I’ve never re-read them. So what makes a comfort read? I obviously have no idea, judging by my crazy list. The only thing in common is that I own all those books in print. I don’t read them on an e-reader. I love certain things about e-readers, but I hate that Candy Crush and Facebook is one easy click away.

Have you noticed your reading patterns change depending on the medium? Do you have comfort reads? What are they?

Thanks for having me!

Lynne

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Thanks so much for swimming with us today, Lynne! For all our fishy friends, Lynne has generously donated an e-copy of “Desperate Match” and so we will be picking one random winner from the comments section to take Rowan home with them.

More About Lynne:

By day, Lynne Silver lives the suburban soccer mom life; volunteering with the PTA, doing laundry and working. By night she enters the sensuous world of alpha males and passionate heroines.

She calls the nation’s capital home and lives in an old fixer-upper with her husband and their two sons. When not writing romance, she reads it. Lots of it. Over and over and over again, preferably with a bag of M&Ms in hand. She is represented by literary agent, Jessica Alvarez of Bookends LLC http://bookends-inc.com/index.htm

Visit Lynne at her website http://www.lynnesilver.com/

And be sure to check out her sizzling hot and heartfelt new title, DESPERATE MATCH.

Desperate Match