All posts by Alethea

To Be Or Not To Be…a Local Author

Alethea Kontis, , ,

Lunch Money -- Family Indie Rock for Kids!It’s June, everyone! Three weeks ’til midsummer, countdown to the end of the school year, and advent of THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM.

I love Summer Reading Programs. Always have. Even before I was a Children’s Librarian running puppet storytimes and painting faces at Carnival, I was a kid checking out 20 books every two weeks (the Richland County Public Library max at the time) and racking up the prizes.

This past weekend, my friends in the band Lunch Money held a concert to kick off the RCPL Summer Reading Program. (If you happen to have young children in your life and they don’t have these CDs, they are missing out!) J.P. texted me after the show and told me that he’d name-dropped my one of my children’s books (AlphaOops: The Day Z Went First) during the set and highlighted the fact that I was a local author. By the end of the concert, this display had magically appeared in the Children’s section:

Lunch Money & AlphaOops -- a match made in Heaven!

BEST INSTADISPLAY EVER.

Hooray!

But I have to admit…I felt a little guilty. Technically, I haven’t lived in South Carolina since 1998. My family moved there from Vermont when I was six. I learned to speak the strange language (“Y’all take y’all’s books and go to y’all’s classrooms”). I graduated from high school and college there. Heck, I had a starring role in a miniseries on SCETV. Of all the places I’ve lived, South Carolina probably has the most claim on me. But I wasn’t born there, nor do I live there now.

This got me thinking…what exactly is it that makes a “Local Author”?

I’ve moved around a lot, so let’s use me as an example.

1.) Vermont: I was born there. If you were born in a place, I think that should grandfather you in as a Local Author.

2.) South Carolina: Spent 16 years there, and graduated from college. Even if it’s no longer “home,” I still spent the largest percentage of my life in SC.

One of my goals in life is to have my name up on the Author Frieze in the library where I used to work.

One of my goals in life is to have my name up on the Author Frieze in the library where I used to work.

3.) Tennessee: 11 years here. Remember when I said I was a Children’s Librarian? That was in Tennessee. I  spent almost a decade there working for the world’s largest book wholesaler. My first book was published while living in Tennessee.

4.) Washington DC (area): I only lived in Northern VA for 4 years, but I made an incredible amount of friends and a definite name for myself as an author in the time I was there. My first novel was published while I lived there. The Waterworld Mermaids were created. I signed at least four times at Nora Roberts’ bookstore in Boonsboro, MD. My favorite local bookstore–Turn the Page–is in Arlington. I taught at the local libraries and signed at almost all the bookstores. I belonged to the Washington Romance Writers AND the Maryland Romance Writers AND the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of SCBWI. Leaving was really, really hard.

5.) Florida: Where I live now. Like your birthplace, I figure “the state where you live now” grants you immediate Local Author status.

So what do you guys think? Is there a statue of limitations on how long an author has lived in a place or how much an author accomplishes in a place before they are considered a Local Author?

And for those authors out there: In how many states do YOU claim Local Author status?

 

Judging A Book By Its Cover…and Then Writing It To Match

Alethea Kontis, , , , , , ,

The manuscript for my fairy tale novella, Trixter (available today!), was supposed to have been finished in January. I had not factored in home renovations, my father’s surprise birthday party, Marscon, houseguests and a dual book launch (Hero & Dearest).

Oops.

So I found myself back in DC for the NoVa Teen Book Festival in early March, having an impromptu Mermaid Brunch with Kerri and Dana. I’m sure I whined about the fact that the novella still wasn’t finished, but I showed them the preliminary cover art and smiled when their jaws dropped.

TRIXTER by Alethea Kontis

Cover design by Rachel Marks (the model is her son)

“Yeah,” I said, “it’s not exactly what I had in mind for the character…he’s really kind of scrawny in the book, but this cover is SO gorgeous that I’m going to keep it.”

Kerri and Dana–mouths still open–looked at me as if I was insane. (It’s a look I’m used to.)

“You have to do something about that,” said Dana.

“Your book is a fairy tale,” Kerri said vehemently. “Can’t you just…I don’t know…whip up a magic spell or something? Trix needs to look like this.”

Dana nodded fervently

Suddenly, the wheels began to turn. Truth be told, I actually had passed up the perfect opportunity to bespell Trix with such a “curse.” Fey children take longer to physically mature in my world…who’s to say I couldn’t decide to speed that up a bit? It was just the sort of spiteful, backhanded gift a Feline Fairy Godfather might give: Handsomeness, Strength, and Puberty. Even better, Trix could be so busy adventuring that he doesn’t even notice that Papa Gatto’s “curse” has taken hold…oh my, that would be amusing…

And then that moment happened–you know, the one where the clouds part and the angels sing. I smiled back at Kerri and Dana and told them I would name the magic potion after them, in their honor. (And I did.)

Yes, I am one of those annoying people who thinks everything happens for a reason. (I wrote an entire book about it–it’s one of the universal themes in Enchanted.) Regardless of your own opinion on the subject,  I am very glad that I had not finished the novella manuscript before I had that brunch. Kerri and Dana’s idea added a whole new facet to the book that I believe made for a richer story…and a more perfect cover.

So, have any of you had such epiphanies? Been frustrated by waiting and then thought…perhaps I was waiting for a reason? I’d love to hear your stories!

Mermaids & Friends: Delilah S. Dawson

Alethea Kontis, Mermaids & Friends

I met Delilah S. Dawson at Dragon Con. We were on a panel together — I forget how many years ago. She was the other author on the panel (besides me) wearing a fabulous costume. We did not sit next to each other. I slipped up and accidentally called her “Delia” and felt like an idiot. I don’t think I saw her again that year. But I remember thinking, That woman is really cool and I wish I knew her better.

Getting to know Delilah S. Dawson has been one of the better decisions of my life.

My love for Delilah started with her tweets of verbatim dialogue with her kids. (Delilah’s son once decided to be an evil supervillain whose goal was to shut off the sun. She asked him politely not to, because she needed it. His response: YOU HAVE A LAMP.) Then there was her blog, with its incredibly helpful entries on being an author and reader that continually make me think “Why didn’t I post that?” And then there was her fantastic entry for Dear Teen Me that broke my heart into tiny pieces and made me love her all over again.

Delilah has a new book out this month — HIT — about a futureworld teen who is forced to become an assassin in order to save her mother’s life. (It also has a seriously kickbutt cover.) I thought this was as good an excuse as any to invite Delilah into the Mermaid pond for a swim and a chat about three of the books changed her life…

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Three Books That Changed My Life, by Delilah S. Dawson

I’m a Romance writer, but I grew up with no respect for Romance. In my house library, horror and science fiction ruled. We thought of anything with smooching as “bodice rippers” and assumed they were all poorly written drivel without a plot. Oh, what fools we were, and oh, how our shelves have changed. Now my mom wears a “Keep Calm and Dinna Fash, Sassenach” shirt, and I have penned three Romance books with naked man chest on the covers.

So what happened?

These three books happened.

The Valley of Horses by Jean Auel
When I was 13, my mom suggested I read Clan of the Cave Bear. It was a gripping tale merging real history with the fictional account of a homo sapiens raised by neanderthals. When I found its sequel, The Valley of Horses, in the used book store, I had to buy it to see what else Ayla did. As it turns out, she tamed a horse, adopted a wolf, invented a spear thrower… and had lots and lots of athletic sex. And I couldn’t put it down, even as I knew that what I was reading was forbidden and strange. That paperback—which I still have— was my first introduction to the concept of women as sexual beings capable of receiving as much pleasure as men. No bodices were ripped, and Ayla continued to be a great fighter, a fierce friend, an intelligent inventor, a talented cook, and basically the progenitor of our species, all while having a billion orgasms.

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Just as The Valley of Horses was my introduction to women as sexual creatures, The Mists of Avalon was my first taste of women as figures of power. Although I recently discovered that the author was a horrible person who did horrible things (http://www.jimchines.com/2014/06/rape-abuse-and-mzb/), that doesn’t change the fact that when I felt the most powerless and awkward on the brink of puberty, this book made me feel like I could claim strength and be more than just a spectator in my life. King Arthur was actually a pawn of strong women? SOLD. It was so gratifying and reaffirming to see women recast as the heroes of history and legend.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
I didn’t recognize, when I was younger, that The Valley of Horses and The Mists of Avalon were actual Romances. I considered them Science Fiction or Historical Fiction. That’s right—young me had a genre chip on her shoulder, the little goof. And then a friend recommended Outlander. I took one look at the back cover and put it right back on the shelf. A bodice ripper! 900 pages of ripping bodices! And then I moved 300 miles away and had pneumonia for three months with no money to see a doctor and no TV. The used bookstore was the only thing that helped keep me sane, and when I stumbled upon a ripped-up copy of Outlander, I figured it was a good bargain for that many pages. And then, fourteen hours later, I looked up and counted down the hours until the used bookstore would open in the morning. Because I needed the sequel like I needed air. I’d never cared about characters so much, never hung on every word, whether it was dialog or instructions for making porridge.

History, violence, sex, intrigue, jokes, horses, castles, kilts—Outlander had it all. And I was finally forced to admit that Romance could be so much more. That it wasn’t silly or poorly written, that it could have plots that made you sweat and characters that clung to your heart and never let go. That’s what I want out of every book, not just Romances: I want it to stick with me. And that’s the kind of book I try to write, every time.

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Delilah S. DawsonDelilah S. Dawson is the author of HIT, Servants of the Storm, the Blud series (with naked man chest!), and the upcoming Wake of Vultures. She also writes Geekrotica as Ava Lovelace.

Find her online at www.whimsydark.com.

[And if you’re up for a ton of fun, be sure to follow Delilah’s exploits  on Twitter! –AK]

Finding My Joy

Alethea Kontis, , , , ,

Norton Nominated PrincessI finished a new novel yesterday.

I didn’t write the words “THE END” because I was running late for a dinner party. I sent the last chapter to my mom (she reads chapter by chapter) and the whole thing to my editor and went off to watch the sunset at Cocoa Beach (technically, the Banana River).

I don’t think I was much fun at the dinner party. Which was okay–it meant I got to sit around and soak up other people’s stories for a while. And it allowed me to process some things.

Because I had just finished the first book I’m ever going to self publish.

I know what you must be thinking right now: “I get it. She got dumped by her publisher because she’s a terrible writer. Ugh. I don’t have to listen to this.” I know this is going through some people’s minds because it’s what went through my mind many, many times in those first days.

Yes, I did get dumped by my publisher last year. I also got dumped by my boyfriend. Turns out, sometimes in a failing relationship you accidentally find a door marked EXIT. Sometimes even in the same 24 hours.

I’m here to tell you to take it.

Here’s what I heard happened with the publisher: Somebody new came in. Somebody higher up. For whatever reason, everyone I knew and loved at my publisher started leaving. The head of Digital. The head of Marketing. My own beloved editor. Turns out, my publishing contract was just one of the first casualties of this event. You know, no hard feelings.

I had spent years forming these relationships. If they hadn’t dropped me like a hot potato, I would have been forced to start fresh with all new people…even if I didn’t like them. As it was, I was going to have to work with all of these new people for my last book there. They pushed back the release date, sent it through several more rounds of copyedits even after the final pages were done, and declined the change we had decided to make on the cover. One of the new people, I fell in love with. One of the new people I didn’t care for at all.

And yet, like that terrible boyfriend, if they had asked me back in those first few months I probably would have said yes.

There have been other times like this in the past when the Universe has saved me from myself. This is why, when I look up at the stars at night and don’t have a wish on the tip of my tongue, I say, “Thank you.”

I finished a book last night. My editor will look at it today, because her only client is me. I have full approval on the cover art. And the title. Barnes and Noble will not be swooping in to change anything at the last minute. My author photo will be on the back (or jacket flap). I have a copyeditor lined up, and proofreaders, and I have to get back to the layout people.

This book could be out in a month.

Beyond that: New York would never have let me write this book in the first place. There are already two parallel novels in the Woodcutter Sisters Series — this is a third. It’s a spinoff series, like starting Angel in the middle of Buffy. If Dearest is Book 3 of the Woodcutter Series, this is Book 2.5. Also, the entire novel’s worth of adventure bumps right up against 40,000 words. New York pretty much has no idea what to do with that.

But you know what? My fans know what to do with it. Mom read the last chapter this morning over her coffee, gave it two thumbs up, and yelled, “ENCORE!”

I am thankful that the romance writing community has embraced self-publishing in such a vigorous way, when other genres still look down their noses at it. You know what? I think every published author should try self-publishing a novel, in the same way I think everyone in America should have to work a retail job through the Christmas season. Short stories don’t count. I’ve self-pubbed those too. It’s not the same. You have to spend months–YEARS–invested in a title and then realize that, if your ducks are in a row, it will be in the hands of fans around the world in one month. Not a year, not two years, but ONE MONTH.

That is where the joy is. JOY. That is the strange feeling I contemplated in silence as I watched the dolphins frolic in the twilight.

Would I like to continue publishing with traditional New York publishers? Yes. Specifically, I would like to work with my beloved editor again at her new publisher. But I will be finishing the Woodcutter Series on my own, with no fear.

The paperback of Dearest will hit stores next February. My goal now is to see how many books I can get out into the world before then.

What are your goals for 2015? It’s not too late. It’s never too late!

Three Books That Warped Heather Brewer

Alethea Kontis, Guest Post, ,

Alethea and Heather at the Less Than Three Conference 2014My dear friend, bestselling YA author Heather Brewer, has a new book out this week. In honor of the release of THE CEMETERY BOYS, I asked Heather if she would share with us a few of the books that made her into the fabulously awesome and darkly misfit Auntie we know and love today.

Three cheers for Auntie Heather and all her Minions!

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THREE BOOKS THAT WARPED ME INTO WHO I AM TODAY
By Heather Brewer

It’s not difficult to admit that I was always an…unusual…child. Whereas most of the kids my age were reading The Babysitters Club books and Little House on the Prairie, my tastes leaned toward the dark and macabre. Horror was like candy to me. I watched it on television, in movies, read books. If it featured blood or monsters, I was instantly drawn to it. But there are three books that really stand out in my childhood. Three books that happily warped my twisted little mind into the even more twisted thing it is today.

1. SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK, written by Alvin Schwartz and illustrated by Stephen Gammell. This was an incredible collection of short horror stories that came out in 1981. The stories themselves were twisted and delightfully weird, but the best parts were the illustrations. I can’t imagine publishers okaying such frightening imagery in a children’s book today, but as a child in that day that hungered for scary, they were perfect for me.

2. THE AQUEDUCT by Ray Bradbury. Granted this one is a short story, but its length was good enough to satisfy a hungry young reader, and the big twist of what the aqueduct was for was MESSED UP. I loved it. It came out in 1979, and to this day, gives me a delightful shiver whenever I reread it.

3. IT by Stephen King. Published in 1986, this book is the sole reason I am afraid of clowns. More than that, it’s the most brilliant example of flashback scenes that I can think of. Perfectly evil!
There were many other books and stories that I can blame my weird side on, but these three are right up there. They made me love horror. They made me want to write it. Because what’s better than scaring children?

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Thank you, Heather, for dropping by! Everyone, please be sure to check out THE CEMETERY BOYS, now available online, or in a store near you.

So…what are three–just three–stories that made YOU are who you are today?

Mermaids & Friends: K. Tempest Bradford

Alethea Kontis, Interview

Hello, the Lagoon!

Alethea & Tempest, Blowing up the InternetsAlethea Mermaid here, swimming today with my first ever Writer-in-Residence at my Florida Oasis: K. Tempest Bradford! In addition to writing fiction, Tempest also writes reviews, articles, and opinion pieces for various magazines, both online and in print. One of her recent pieces for xojane challenged readers to broaden their reading horizons. A worthwhile challenge, n’est-ce pas? Except for one teeny tiny little detail…

Tempest’s article, with its clickbait title and similar photo, pretty much blew up the internet. Seriously. Be careful if you go read that original post. There are over 2500 comments–most posted within the first 72 hours–and the majority of them are not kind. Beyond that, Tempest was called names and threatened for even daring to suggest this challenge. A #lovetweetsfortempest movement was started to counteract some of the hate. The vileness spilled over into her other social media. The post went viral on Tumblr and was picked up by Time magazine. Over a month later, she’s still feeling the backlash from this.

And I witnessed all of it.

We were having a write-in day with Leanna Renee Hieber and Tempest’s editor Marianne. We were all sitting on the porch when Tempest finished the article and pitched her title to Marianne.

“Make it first person,” said Marianne. “I want YOU to challenge people to do this.”

So it was done. Tempest made $50 for the article, the same thing she makes for all the articles she writes, and went on to work on developing her next piece…while the internet went to Crazytown. Who knows how many thousands of advertiser dollars she raked in for the various affiliates who picked up her news and republished it. I think of the personal trauma she went through…and to some small extent is still going through…all for a measly $50.

Leanna and I watched Tempest closely over the next few days. She got quiet and retreated into the computer. (On an average day, Tempest plays music, dances, and sings at the top of her lungs.) We poked her every so often to make sure she was okay–and she promised she was–but we didn’t believe her. We knew some of the things that were being said about her. We went out to dinner and took her phone away, so that we could all have a break from the poison. Because our dear Tempest is a fighter…and standing up against all that bile can be addictive. We are taught to fight the good fight–but at what cost?

We’ve all read the articles on cyberbullying. It’s happened to many of us. But to be present from start to finish while you watch it happening to someone else…someone that you love…wow. You realize the horrible lengths to which people will go to wish ill (and even harm) to someone they don’t even know.

I am so glad Tempest was here when all this went down. I’m glad she wasn’t alone. Yes, sometimes the world needs to be shaken up a little bit. Sometimes we are the ones to do the shaking. But knowing you’re not alone and physically being alone are two very separate things.

I asked Tempest to join me here at the lagoon for a very special interview, in which she challenges romance readers (who often have no trouble not reading books by men) to broaden our own horizons.

Thank you, Tempest!

So…what reading ruts do you find yourself getting into?

What books can you recommend that might broaden our literary horizons? I’d love to hear them!

(also, if you’re on Tumblr, you’ll want to reblog this bit Tempest just posted as a teaser for her video series, because it’s hilarious and brilliant.)

The Writing Oasis

Alethea Kontis, ,
Alethea & Leanna at the Oasis

Alethea & Leanna at the Oasis

“I’m sorry,” Leanna texted me. “My life is just so crazy right now.”

“Everything is wonderful and there is no drama at my Writing Oasis,” I replied. “Just hurry up and get here.”

My dear bosom companion and book release-date sister Leanna Renee Hieber joined me here in Florida for two weeks in February for our Florida Fabulosity Book Tour, but she was not my first Writer in Residence. That honor belongs to K. Tempest Bradford.

I saw Tempest when I was in NY for BEA last June. She was contemplating giving up her very expensive (and falling to pieces) apartment in NYC and couch surfing with all of her great friends who lived all over the country. I knew where she was coming from — I contemplated  this very thing when I left Virginia. But, having previously been a homeowner, I have STUFF, so I require a home base. In fact, I had just put an offer in on a house in Florida. It needed a LOT of work.

“When are you thinking of doing this?” I asked Tempest.

“Oh, sometime after New Year’s.”

“Come stay with me in February,” I told her. “Leanna and I will be gone a lot of the time on book tour anyway. You’ll have the place to yourself. It will be perfect.” Seven months away. Surely whatever renovations we needed to do would be completed by February.

Ha.

As you’ve probably guessed, the house needed a lot more work than anyone expected. It was not finished by February. In fact, the day before Tempest flew in, Dad was frantically installing a broken countertop and sink that we duct taped together so that the house would *have* a kitchen sink. I don’t have a stove either — there’s a toaster oven, and Mom & Dad’s camping cooktop are out on my back porch. Along with my microwave. And the gas grill. And the washer and dryer maybe don’t fit perfectly in place, but they’re hooked up. And the master bathroom still needs a complete overhaul…but who’s going to see the master bathroom but me anyway?

I worked so hard the week before Tempest arrived that I spent the first three days she was here asleep from exhaustion. The house is maybe 75% done…but an acceptable 75%.

And then all renovation stopped. From that moment forward, my home became The Writing Oasis.

That part WAS perfect.

I have lived on my own since I was nineteen, but I’ve always been in the shadow of a bad relationship…be it a horrible guy or a horrible job. It’s a little surreal to be in this place–MY place–and be doing in this place things I want to do…namely writing…with people I want to do it with.

I go for a walk in the mornings. Sometimes Tempest comes with me, sometimes not. Sometimes I pick Mom up on the last loop, sometimes not. We share the grocery buying, and the cooking (we have had some of the most fabulous meals–who needs an oven?). Sometimes we have writing sprints. Sometimes we wake up at 3am and get more work done. All of this is okay.

When Leanna arrived, she fit right into the routine. We lit tons of candles and wrote on the porch until 1am, listening to movie soundtracks and the eerie sound of the geckos serenading us from the creek in the backyard. We played music and had impromptu dance parties. We took care of each other. We went to the beach on a cloudy day. We made s’mores over the fire pit. I had guest stars on my Fairy Tale Rant videos. We invited my parents and Tempest’s friend Marianne for a cookout one afternoon and had a ball. I got to be a HOSTESS, for the first time in maybe ten years. I forgot how much I missed it.

And I loved every minute of it.

Leanna & Tempest guest star on "Tristan and Isolde"

Leanna & Tempest guest star on “Tristan and Isolde”

I had been joking to Leanna about the Oasis…but that’s how we began referring to this place, and it’s stuck. Milton the Flamingo watches the front yard. The gnomes hang out back. The hawk comes to play sometimes, and there are butterflies aplenty.

Tempest and I worked so well together (and we’ve been getting so much work done) that she extended her stay until the end of March. I began to worry about what my life would be like when she left. So I booked another Writer.

The day after Tempest leaves, Denny S. Bryce arrives.

DENNY MERMAID IN THE OASIS! I CANNOT TELL YOU how excited this makes me!!! But now I’m torn between booking more Writers in Residence and working with Dad to finish this darn house. <groan>

So…what would you have in YOUR perfect Writing Oasis?

Candlelight writing time at the Oasis

Candlelight writing time at the Oasis

Mermaids’ Favorite Fairy Tales

Alethea Kontis

Hello, everyone! Alethea Mermaid here.

Hero in Paperback With Hero out in paperback this week and Dearest out next week, I’ve got a serious case of Fairy Tales on the brain (and Buzzfeed just told the world that fans of Once Upon a Time should read Enchanted…how cool is that?!?).

With all those Happily Ever Afters in my noggin, I took the opportunity to ask my fellow mermaids which tales were THEIR favorites.

(Mine? “The Goose Girl” by the Brothers Grimm. Followed closely by “Snow White & Rose Red” and “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” and “The Wild Swans” and “The Fairies”…)

Kerri Mermaid — My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast (the Disney film version). Not only do I love the idea of kindness and really getting to know who a person is on the inside, but Belle likes to read. And I dig that! Reading rocks my socks!

Carlene Mermaid — My favorite fairytale has always been “Thumbelina.” As a kid who grew up traveling between divorced parents, grandparents and family and friends to be taken care of, I always appreciated how Thumbelina, or “Tiny”, was also passed from one to another. I think kids identify with “feeling small” when we’re growing up and don’t quite have the ability to control our destiny yet. I also adored the swallow she cared for. He probably began my lifelong love for romance heroes who sacrifice their happiness for the ones they love.

Dearest Masha Mermaid — “The Ice Queen.”  A reminder there is good and bad in all of us, and not to let the bad cloud your vision.

Susan Mermaid — When I was learning to ready, my parents had brought a volume back from Japan, after their stationing there was over (and I was born). It was called “Japanese Fairy Tales,” and I used to go through it and look at the illustrations. I especially liked “The Bamboo-Cutter and the Moon-Child,” and “How An Old Man Lost His Wen.”

I liked the bamboo cutter story because it was so nice that he was rewarded with such a beautiful daughter, when he’d given up hope. And the old man who lost his wen (goiter) was so clever. Beautiful, kind, clever… What’s not to love about those type of stories?

Pintip Mermaid — “Puss in Boots”! I love heist movies like Ocean’s Eleven, where characters employ fun and ingenious tricks to rob a bank, casino, etc. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, “Puss in Boots” was my favorite fairy tale as a kid. I wasn’t focused on the moral back then; I just loved how clever the cat was!

 Kimberly Mermaid — My favorite fairy tale is “Beauty and the Beast” for so many reasons.  I loved the idea of superficial and arrogant people being called on it and brought down a few pegs.  And I like the idea of people falling in love without getting caught up with appearances.  I think the prince would have always been a shallow shell of a man without having lived many years as a beast.  It’s probably why I liked Shrek, too!

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So…what’s YOUR favorite fairy tale?

 

Mermaids from Coast to Coast

Alethea Kontis, Carlene Love Flores, mermaids
Alethea & Carlene

Carlene & Alethea — Mermaids Forever!

Alethea: I honestly believe that Carlene and I were destined to meet. Even on the day we officially met–around that table at the WRW luncheon that we relabeled “Misfits”–we realized we’d already met once before. “You might not remember this,” Carlene said, “but I saw you at a Sherrilyn Kenyon signing. You helped me take a photo.” “I am SO glad you said that,” I told her. “Because you look so familiar, it’s been bugging me.”

Carlene: Yes! Destiny it is. That was the weekend I joined WRW just so that I could meet Sherrilyn at that retreat. What I came away with was the blessing that is Uh-lee-thee-uh!

Alethea: Carlene and I were instant friends. Our shared love of music led us to a few concerts together, and mutual fangirl squeeing over bands.

Carlene: I still owe you a Kings of Leon concert!

Alethea: Carlene and her son even came over to my apartment and helped me pack during my escape from Washington DC to Titusville, Florida. Carlene moved this past summer as well…only she went all the way to San Diego, California.

Carlene: That was a fun packing day and you were a wonderful hostess. That sauce you gave me …Tiki Marsala or something … yum! I also believe there was a delicious smoothie involved. And lots of books. Lots. Of. Books.

Alethea: I’m glad I had those years with Carlene, (Me too) however brief. Thanks to the magic of the interwebs, we get to stay in touch almost as much as we used to! Even better, Carlene and I get to bring some coast-to-coast culture here to the Mermaid lagoon.

Today–as a special Mermaid treat for December–Carlene and I are taking you on a sunny, seaside tour of our favorite new writing spots, from sunrise to sunset.

“Writing at the beach” often conjures the mental image of a woman in a bikini relaxing on the sand with a laptop. A romantic notion, but NO NO NO. Sand is HORRIBLE for electronics. And have you ever tried to see the screen on your phone in bright sunlight? Exactly. The same goes for your laptop. As for the bikini…well…we’ll just leave that part to your imagination.

Carlene: Yeah, ditto everything Alethea just said. I originally set out to disprove her “you can’t write on a laptop at the beach” theory but alas, she’s one smart cookie.

Without further ado, Alethea and Carlene now bring you the Bi-Coastal Mermaid Writing Tour!

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Alethea: As the Mermaid of the East, I’ll start with sunrise. And not just any sunrise…this particular sunrise was the morning of the infamous Orion test launch. This is the part about living on the Space Coast that fills my geeky little princess heart with glee. (That square block you see on the far left is the NASA Space Shuttle Assembly Building.) Carlene: This was so cool! Orion landed about 630 miles from San Diego and word is that it’s being trucked back to Cape Canaveral just in time for Christmas! Talk about a cross country road trip! #SpaceshipRoadtrip. Also, it’s like we all just woke up together, on the same side of the country!

Sunrise on the Indian River, Titusville FL

That photo was taken from the middle of the Max A. Brewer bridge, an award-winning walking bridge, and one of the best places to watch launches from either Canaveral or Patrick AFB. My first writing spot is near there, at the pavilion in Sand Point Park.

Sand Point Park Pavilion

The pavilion is huge and NO ONE IS EVER THERE…except maybe a bunch of hungry squirrels and a great blue heron we’ve dubbed Hobo Heron. There’s a great view of the water here–the Indian River, part of the Intracoastal Waterway. It’s full of dolphins and manatees and some great birdlife. The pavilion also has a tin roof! Such a calming sound when it rains…like it does here in Florida, every day in the summer. Every. Single. Day.

Sunshine Bread Company, Titusville FL

If it’s raining and also HOT (as it also tends to be in the summer…every single day…), I like to park my tail at the Sunrise Bread Company. (The only Starbucks in this town is in the Target, and plastic cafeteria chairs are not for me.) Sunrise Bread Company has fresh bread, great ambiance, and one of the best frozen coffee drinks I’ve ever tasted: the dark chocolate Granita. Just writing about makes me crave one. It’s also the only one of my spots with free wi-fi.

Inside the Sunshine Bread Company

My third writing spot is possibly also my favorite. There’s a marina down US-1 that boasts a “Manatee Viewing Deck and Visitor’s Center”…which is essentially a fancy front door you walk through, then immediately exit through another door to get to the marina. There is a bridge overlooking a little protected channel by a runoff drain, which is where all the manatees LOVE to hang out. Beside this mini-lagoon is a small covered area with a table and chairs. Sunshine, water, boats, fresh air, and MANATEES. What’s not to love?

Hideaway at the Manatee Marina

I also plan to make friends with someone who owns a boat here so they can teach me how to sail. Because I am a SCHEMING SIREN.

Carlene (Mermaid of the West): I don’t know about scheming, but you are definitely one of the most creative and resourceful people I’ve ever met! Um folks, I owe Alethea Mermaid a gigantic cyber hug because she really had the tougher job of the two of us with this post. Me: “Hey Alethea, wanna write a really awesome post together?” Her: “Sure!” (Alethea is up for most things which is why she rarely sleeps in her own bed!–Which came out sounding all wrong just now! She travels a lot! Saying yes to things that keep her away from home, in case your mind went somewhere else. Ayayayay!) Me: “You live in Florida now. I live in California. Let’s post sunrise and sunset pictures!” Her: “That means I have to get up super early. Yes! Hooray!” See, she’s a really great sport and I am truly the lucky one in this lagoon.

As we drift from charming Titusville, pass over many great states, then TEXAS …

Texas

and then a few more states, we finally land in beautiful San Diego, California. This is where I live now. This is where I write. (This is also where I consume too much delicious Mexican food but whatevs. A mermaid’s got to eat!)

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My first “story-making spot” is the San Diego Zoo. It’s a “no worries” type of place I can go, free to think up whatever the heart desires. There are lots of view-friendly and surprisingly comfortable benches, hot beverage kiosks, cute military couples to watch and my favorite–year-round Siberian reindeer. I don’t know what it is, but their presence makes the place magical, especially this time of year when I start missing the wintery weather of DC. Spiral notebook and pen approved, although you could probably get away with a laptop here since there is plenty of shade and daily perfect weather.

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The Fabulous Mr. Flores is a high school football coach which means if I want to see him from July to December, I spend an abnormal amount of time hanging out at the bleachers. I secretly love this. The Friday night lights are complimentary and great to write under. Just toss your laptop in your back pack, bring some spare change for concession stand hot cocoa, and make like a kid again! This is a pic I took in October from San Diego High School’s football stadium with a gorgeous view of downtown.

El Cortez

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The very first story I ever wrote is set in Julian, CA which is San Diego County’s sleepy little mountain town. I’ve gone to Julian every year since I was about five and know it inside and out. There are any number of hideaways to cop a squat and write, like Buffalo Bill’s cafe. For those of us who need music and aroma for writing inspiration, how about a potpourri shop where you can browse, sniff AND be serenaded by local cowboy singer, Graham Nancarrow?

Graham and Carlene in Julian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, by that setting sun below, it looks like I better wrap up. When I’m working on a story, I’m not always physically writing. Sometimes, we need a place to just “think” about things. It’s at those times when the ocean calls. Up to the writer what to bring whether it’s a blanket, towel, folding chair or just your two feet and buns. Err, fins. 😉 I took this picture at La Jolla Cove last month on a “book thinking” mission.

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Thanks for taking this intergalactic writing adventure with Alethea and me! What? There was a spaceship involved! ORION! 

Fishy friends, where do you love to write and read and think and drink warm beverages?kisses

Fishy Kisses!

Alethea Mermaid and Carlene Mermaid

The Portable Career

Alethea Kontis

As most of you know, I moved to Florida this summer.  In reality, I’ve been on the road since Christmas of 2013. (In between I’ve been temporarily parked at my parents’ house–my new place is *still* mid-renovation.)

Cities I Visited in the Last 12 Months (in chronological order):

The Traveling MermaidCharleston SC
Baltimore MD
Williamsburg VA
Leesburg VA
Abingdon VA
Tampa FL
Charlottesville VA
Arlington VA
Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Charlotte NC
Titusville FL (the big move)
Rochester NY
New York NY
San Antonio TX
Atlanta GA
Burlington VT
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Ft. Lauderdale FL
…and then Charleston SC again this December, to come full circle.

For those counting, that’s nine states and two provinces. (It’s also very possible I skipped something in there.) Yes, I am definitely one very well-traveled Mermaid (and I’m not the only one…I know Denny Mermaid in particular tends to jet set at least as much as I do, if not more!).

We always say the great thing about writing for a living is the ability to work anywhere. Where our brains go, our stories go. It’s a blessing, right?

Right. And also a curse.

It’s so nice to have a writing nook and a schedule, to sit down on your favorite chair with a hot cup of tea and just write until…well, until. But when you’re just coming home and/or just about to leave again, it’s tough to find that zen. Writers on the road end up in coffee shops and restaurants and kitchen tables and basements and hotel lobbies and airports and hospitals and  chairs on sandy beaches. They write on laptops and notebooks and legal pads and post-its and postcards and Starbucks receipts.

Having a Portable Career is a bit of a Trial By Fire, and ultimately a talent I’m glad I’ve been able to cultivate. But I do still long for My Own Spot in My Own Space. One day…hopefully soon…

So — my question for the lagoon today is: Where is the strangest place YOU have ever gotten work done?

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And be sure to check back here on Friday for Alethea & Carlene’s Extra Special Bi-Coastal Mermaid post…with pictures!