All posts by Pintip

Food and FLIRTING with Kerri-Mermaid

October 29, 2014Books, Interview, Kerri Carpenter, mermaidsFlirting with the CompetitionPintip

Flirting with the Competition

Friends,

I’m so excited to be talking food with Kerri-Mermaid today! As you may have noticed, we’re big foodies here in the lagoon. That is, if brightly colored drinks with cocktail umbrellas qualify as a food group. And in the lagoon, it totally does. 🙂

It’s been a busy few days for Kerri, since her first book debuted earlier this week. FLIRTING WITH THE COMPETITION is as much fun as it sounds! Almost as fun as Kerri herself. But don’t take my word for it. Read on to find out for yourself.. .

* * *

Did you know that the two main characters in my new book, FLIRTING WITH THE COMPETITION, make a food-related bet? Whitney and Jordan are up for the same job. They decide whoever loses buys a traditional steak dinner with all the fixings for the other. Who doesn’t love a steak dinner with some creamed spinach and a nice big glass of red wine! Okay, maybe I’m revealing a little too much of myself. On to the questions….

1. What is your favorite food?

Pizza!!! I actually had my favorite pizza when I studied abroad in Italy. But here in the States, I like it with extra cheese and anchovies.

Kerri at a Pirates game with one of her favorite “Pittsburgh” foods – a pierogi!

2. What is your favorite food memory?

My family is Italian and we do the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve – spaghetti with anchovies, scallops, baccala, and more. This is my favorite night of food the entire year! I have so many memories of cooking with my mom, dad, and Nunnie on Christmas Eve, I don’t even know where to begin.

3. What are Jordan and Whitney’s favorite foods? What do these foods reveal about them?

My hero Jordan is a carnivore – give him red meat and any kind of burger and he’s a happy camper. Although, sometimes he’ll order a nice piece of fish. Totally fits him too. Just when you think he can’t get any more alpha, he’ll surprise you.
Whitney is all chocolate, all the time. Unless she’s being challenged, then she’ll eat anything.

4. What food would be involved in their first date?

Funny you should ask that. While they’re stuck in the elevator together, Jordan describes where he’d take Whitney on their first date. They’d take his family’s boat up to Annapolis and dock it at this little hole-in-the-wall that has the most amazing crabs!

Bibs, mallots – Isn’t there something fun and satisfying about working for your food!

5. If you had to pick one for the rest of your life, would you choose to have mediocre food and excellent sex OR mediocre sex and excellent food? What would Jordan or Whitney say?

Whitney: Excellent food, definitely!
Jordan: Excellent sex, for sure!
(Whitney and Jordan look at each other, smile, and run off somewhere in a hurry.)
Kerri: (Rolls eyes at characters.) Um, I can’t answer this question. My mom will be reading it. *Grin*

Order your copy of FLIRTING WITH THE COMPETITION, available now!

Mermaid & Friends: Vanessa Barneveld Swims with the Mermaids

October 17, 2014Books, Giveaway, Interview, mermaids, Mermaids & Friends, PintipBloomsbury Spark, This Is Your Afterlife, Vanessa BarneveldPintip

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 days, 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?

KEIRA: 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?

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

Why My Life Is Like The Hunger Games

October 16, 2014mermaids, PintipPintip

As some of you know, I have a newborn baby. And that sweet, darling child has made my life crazy busy these last few months. So busy that I’ve cut back on tv time, exercise time, relax-in-a-bubble-bath time — in essence, “me time” — until there’s nothing left to cut. So busy I fall into bed every night stressed about how little I accomplished — and how much more I need to do the next day. So busy I haven’t been able to read very many YA books.

This last, in particular, makes me very sad. That is, until I realized I don’t need to *read* YA stories. Because I’m living my very own!

Behold: Ten Reasons Why Having a Newborn Baby Is Like Living the Hunger Games

1. You can train and prepare and study all you want, but you won’t know what you’re in for until the moment you step into the arena. Even if you’ve been there before.

2. Your body is no longer your own. Instead, you will have a team of people poking and prodding at your naked form. After the team is done, you will not recognize yourself — whether it is your waxed eyebrows or stretched-out midsection.

3. Random gifts will rain down on you, from the sky or the UPS man. The more lovable you (or your baby) are, the more gifts you will receive.

4. You will find yourself tying or strapping everything in sight — car seats, bouncers, baby carriers, tree branches.

5. Your life is boiled down to the most basic needs. You try not to worry about the finer things (hygiene, hurt feelings, relationship drama) because you’re just trying to make it to the next day, alive. Said things have a way of creeping into your life, nonetheless.

6. Your basic needs are at the whim of the Game Makers/baby. You will eat when (and what) they allow you to eat. You will deal with more bodily functions than you ever thought possible. And if they want to keep you up for days at a time? Game on.

7. Just when you think you’ve figured out a routine that works, they change the rules.

8. You find yourself urging your breastfed baby to take one more sip, just as Cinna counseled Katniss to drink more water, as your child prepares to go into battle (i.e. face the evil bottle while you must be away for hours).

9. You will learn that allies are a necessity not an option.

10. The moment your baby enters this world, and maybe even before, you will pull a Katniss and protect your baby at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing your life.

So there you have it! The ten reasons why my life is like The Hunger Games. Either that, or I’m delusional. That tends to happen when writers are too busy for their normal outlets. 😉

What do you think? What book are you secretly (or not so secretly) living? Please share!

Beyond Talks with Imaginary People: Ten Reasons the Rest of the World Thinks Writers Are Crazy*

September 18, 2014mermaids, Pintip, WritingPintip

1. At the table of a crowded restaurant, we debate the pros and cons of killing by poisonous gas or a slit to the throat.

2. Most of our texts to our friends read something like: “1236 words! You?”

3. We return to our manuscripts and add an adjective (only to take it out later in revisions) just so we can say we hit out daily word count.

4. We call our friends to share life events – “Brynn just got into college!” or “Brynn has a baby!” – and accept the ensuing congratulations like a proud mama, even though Brynn is not our daughter. Or niece. Or even a person, really.

5. One year later, we completely blank on Brynn’s name.

6. We convince our husbands to help us out with a sticky detail by contorting our bodies into complicated sexual positions. And when we figure out just the right angle, we pop up and rush out of the room, saying, “Thanks! Gotta get this scene down!”

7. We respond to highly erotic sex scenes by pointing out the missing commas.

8. We get caught checking out a teenaged soccer player, over two decades younger than us, because he reminds us of the hero in our book.

9. We make plans to meet up with our out-of-town best friend, with whom we’ve exchanged thousands of texts, emails, and phone calls, and ten minutes before we arrive at the destination, we turn to our companion and say, “Gee, I hope I recognize her.”

10. We spend hundreds of hours, over months or even years of our lives, sacrificing sleep and entertainment and time with loved ones, pouring our hearts and souls into a story that may never earn us more than spare change, may never be read outside a circle of our closest friends, may never amount to anything other than a file on our computer — and yet, we do it anyway. For the love of the story.

And then we get up the next day and do it again.

* This post is dedicated to Kimberly-Mermaid.

Lessons in Rejection

August 21, 2014mermaids, Pintip, WritingrejectionPintip

My heart has been breaking all summer. Over problems no parent can solve. About my inability to protect my children — from hurt feelings, from being excluded, from the agony of rejection.

“I’d rather get a hundred rejections than have my child go through this,” I thought.

The sacrifice of a mother? Sure. But being a seasoned veteran of rejection, I also felt I was better equipped to deal with the pain.

After all, I’ve had LOTS of experience with rejection as a writer. And I’ve learned a ton. For example:

1. I learned to temper my expectations. Seven-figure deals, international book tours, movie adaptations — I’ve dreamed them all. But they didn’t happen, and they didn’t happen quickly. And so, my dreams are different now. Simpler. And they motivate me just as much. A career as a writer. My book on a shelf. Spending my days doing what I love most.

2. I learned that rejection gets easier over time. The very first rejection — whether it is the first one ever or the first on a particular submission — is always the hardest, at least for me. I don’t have the world’s thickest skin, but after years in this industry, I’ve had no choice but to toughen up. These days, I (mostly) react to rejection by shrugging and redoubling my efforts on the next book.

3. I learned to see the silver lining in every cloud. Most things are not all bad. In every rejection, we can find something positive to take away. A lesson about craft, perhaps, or information about the market. Maybe even a compliment on which we can focus. In the midst of the overall message – “NO” – these compliment can easily get lost. But as with anything else, the skill of honing in on the positive part, while ignoring the rest of the noise, improves with practice.

4. I learned to have confidence in myself. Writing is so subjective that it is impossible to please everybody. We can’t depend on external sources for validation (even though they are nice to have!) It’s not easy — this believing-in-yourself business. But when you’re faced with the decision of quitting or persevering, and you choose the latter time and time again, you develop that inner core. I’m not saying I’ve perfected the art, but I’m so much better at it today than I was a few years ago. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.

5. I learned why I’m really doing this. It’s not for the money or the recognition. Certainly not because it’s an easy career path. I write because I love it. Because I have stories to tell. Because I feel closest to my true self in my words.

I’ve learned all this and more by being rejected. And so maybe I shouldn’t try to shelter my children from the pain, after all. Maybe the disappointments of today are exactly what they need to prepare themselves for the bigger obstacles of tomorrow.

That doesn’t mean my heart won’t break when my child buries her face in my chest, and her tears soak through my shirt to scorch my skin. But maybe there’s a lesson in that, too.

Please share. What has rejection taught you? What makes your heart break?

Mermaids & Friends: Amy Patrick

August 8, 2014Books, Giveaway, Interview, mermaidsAmy Patrick, Channel 20 SomethingPintip

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’s 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?

Amy: 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.

Summer Reading Recommendations from the Dauntless

June 19, 2014Books, mermaids, PintipYA Book recommendationsPintip

I love book recommendations. I especially love YA book recommendations. And I REALLY especially love YA book recommendations from my writing friends. What’s more, I’m at the beach this week, and I needed to load up my kindle with lots of good reading.

So who better to ask than the Dauntless, my fellow YA Golden Heart finalists from this year?

Here’s what they had to say:

1. SWEET EVIL series/SWEET RECKONING.

I am crazy about the Sweet Evil series by Wendy Higgins! If you haven’t picked up these books yet, now is the perfect time to start, because the third book in the trilogy, Sweet Reckoning, was just recently released and shot right onto the bestseller list. The series features the sons and daughters of fallen angels, whose lives literally depend on being bad influences. Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna is fighting her fate until she meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe and her willpower is put to the test– he’s the son of the fallen angel responsible for Lust– like father like son? I am telling you, it’s been a long time since I’ve read a YA book this much fun, this well-written, and featuring a truly hot bad boy hero even a slightly “older” (ahem) YA fan can appreciate.

— Amy DeLuca/Amy Patrick, FOUR BULLETS, 2014 GOLDEN HEART® Finalist; CHANNEL 20SOMETHING, debuts August 12, 2014.

2. OBSIDIAN.

BETTER OFF FRIENDS.

I’d recommend Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout, which was published a couple years ago, to anyone who likes stories with a bit of a speculative twist. Obsidian was the first book in a long time where I didn’t skim any parts—at all. (I have this really bad habit of skimming the slow parts and then missing something and having to backtrack…not at all a recommended way to read books!) Obsidian’s plot was unique and interesting, the voice was fun and engaging, and the guy (Daemon) was hot. A recipe for success!

More recently, I read Better off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg and would recommend this to anyone who likes contemporary stories. The story switches POVs between a teen boy and girl, best friends. I normally don’t books with two different narrators because many times, they read choppy. This one did not. It was a cute story, and again, no skipping!

— Barbara Gerry, MACHA AND THE RIVER BLUE, 2014 GOLDEN HEART® Finalist.

3. VAMPIRE ACADEMY.

I recommend the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. The heroine is kick-butt and feisty–she saves herself instead of waiting around for a guy to save her. There is a love story through the series that will break your heart at times (it literally brought me to tears), but stick with it! It’s worth it in the end. Make sure you carve out a chunk of time for these books–you won’t want to put them down!

— Jessica Ruddick, LETTING GO, 2014 GOLDEN HEART® Finalist.

4. ELEANOR & PARK.

I’ve read a bunch of fabulous YAs recently, but I loved this book because the characters aren’t your typical ones. Eleanor is on the fatter side of chunky with unruly red hair while Park is half Korean. Their romance is sweet and sarcastic and completely real. It’s about acceptance and love and putting yourself out there. I found this book refreshing, and it stands out even in the midst of this fabulous genre.

— Kimberly MacCarron, CHASING FIREWORKS and TO FEEL OR NOT TO FEEL, 2014 double GOLDEN HEART® Finalist.

5. THE CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE

I’d love to recommend The City of Heavenly Fire, by Cassandra Clare. I loved the conclusion to this portion of the Shadowhunter story. I loved seeing how Jace and Clary got together and worked all the problems out. And I think Clary is a real kickass heroine.

— Marnee Bailey, ALTERED, 2014 GOLDEN HEART® Finalist.

6. MEANT TO BE.
Looking for a fun summer read? Meant to Be, by Lauren Morrill is a spring break romance set in London. The romantic comedy between by-the-books, Shakespeare quoting Julia and her class clown nemesis Jason is entertaining and hard to resist. It’s quick, laugh-out-loud hilarious, and a nice little vacation from some of the darker YA that’s currently so popular.

–McCall Hoyle, THE THING WITH FEATHERS, 2014 GOLDEN HEART® Finalist.

7.THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER.

The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd caught my eye because of its haunting premise. A book written from the point of view of Dr. Moreau’s daughter? Yes, please. The character’s voice drew me in from page one, and the world-building was gorgeous. Her Dark Curiosity, the sequel, was just as brilliant. I’m counting the minutes until the third book in this trilogy arrives.

–Stephanie Winklehake, CARMA ALWAYS, 2014 GOLDEN HEART® Finalist.

8. WHISPER FALLS.

One of the last books I read that stuck in my mind is Whisper Falls by Elizabeth Langston. It’s a YA time-travel romance — I do have a soft spot for those! A 21st-century boy meets an 18th-century indentured servant girl thanks to a waterfall portal. If you love history blended with a bit of mystery, you’ll love this book!

–Vanessa Barneveld, THIS IS YOUR AFTERLIFE, 2014 GOLDEN HEART® Finalist, Fall, debuts Fall 2014 by Bloomsbury Spark.

Wow! Don’t all those books sound awesome? Looks like I’m going to be busy reading this summer!

As for me, I’d recommend DANGEROUS GIRLS by Abigail Haas. After I read that someone had described it as a GONE GIRL for the YA genre, I downloaded it that very night and finished it in one sitting. This novel is about a spring break vacation in Aruba gone awry, in the worst imaginable way. Anna’s best friend Elise is brutally murdered — and the prime suspects are Anna and her boyfriend, Tate! Each chapter alternates among the trial, the few days leading up to Elise’s murder, and the previous year. I could not stop turning pages, and the ending left me thinking about the story all night long. In fact, a couple days later, I had to go back and reread parts of the novel in order to glean a new understanding of the whole story. This is a fun, fast-paced read, perfect for a sunny day at the beach — not unlike the idyllic Aruba setting!

What about you, mermaids & friends? What recommendations do you have for summer reading? (Does not necessarily have to be YA!) Please share — my kindle can never have too many books!

Refilling Your Creative Well

May 21, 2014mermaids, Motivation, Pintipartist date, Julia Cameron, The Artist's WayPintip

When the Waterworld Mermaids blog first started three years ago, I wrote a post about the Artist Date and my hobby of making bento box meals for my kids. For those of you who don’t remember, Julia Cameron defines the Artist Date as a time used to nurture our inner artist and a way to refill our creative well. (THE ARTIST’S WAY, 20-21).

In the past few weeks, I have found myself in desperate need of refilling my well. Lots of things can suck your creativity dry, some writing-related and some not. Health issues, money problems, fatigue, and the loss of a loved one, to name a few. Rejections, revisions, and less-than-stellar reviews, to name some others.

Whatever your reason, if you find yourself in need of an Artist Date, here are some suggestions:

1. Plant a garden. Buy some potted plants, seeds, soil, planters and dig in. Get your hands dirty. Nurture your plants, day after day, and revel in the pure joy of growing something.

2. Get a mani/pedi with your daughter, niece, or neighbor’s kid. Pampering yourself at the salon is a treat in and of itself. But experience it anew through the eyes of someone who’s not used to such an outing. I guarantee you’ll gain a fresh appreciation for something you may have been taking for granted.

3. Go fruit-picking — and make a fresh fruit pie. I believe strawberries are in season at the moment, but blueberries, cherries, and blackberries are coming right up. My personal favorite is raspberry pie — but regardless of flavor, let that freshly-picked taste burst in your mouth. There’s nothing quite like it.

4. Flex your creative muscle — in an area outside of your comfort zone. If you’re a writer, dance. If you’re a dancer, paint. If you’re a painter, make some music. In particular, I would suggest going to pottery painting studio, where they have all the equipment you need and you just pay for the cost of a certain piece. I have spent many relaxing hours creating fun, moderately attractive pieces at these places.

5. Go out to dinner — at a new restaurant, or better yet, in a cuisine in which you’re unfamiliar. What better way to stimulate the senses by trying something utterly new? And if you can taste yummy food while you’re at it, even better. Best of all? Invite a friend along for the outing, someone who connects with your creative self, and before you know it, your well will be overflowing.

So what do you think, mermaids and friends? What suggestions do you have, or what fun Artist Dates have you been on lately? Please share! I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Where Do You Write?

March 20, 2014mermaids, Pintip, WritingPintip

The place I write most often is my recliner.

My favorite place to write is probably in my bed, first thing in the morning, when I’m snuggled into my pillows, sleepy and uninhibited.

The strangest place I’ve ever written is flat on my back, under a glass coffee table, dictating to a laptop which is face-down on the glass.

I’ve written almost everywhere, in coffee shops and on airplanes, in friends’ houses and libraries, on the sidelines at gymnasiums and swimming pools, at the beach, a ski lodge, a bench at the Navy Pier in Chicago. Basically, anytime I have a free moment, I pull out my iPhone and write.

But where am I most productive? This answer might surprise you. I certainly never would’ve expected it.

In my car. Yep, that’s right. Behind the wheel, my seat slid all the way back, parked on some side street or lot. Sometimes, I’m between appointments, and it’s not worth my time to drive all the way home. Other times, I’ve been known to drive to a parking lot and sit for eight hours, finding a coffee shop or restaurant for food and restroom breaks.

I’m not sure WHY I’m so productive in the car. Maybe it’s the complete and utter lack of distractions. Maybe it’s because the seats aren’t comfortable enough to make me feel drowsy. Maybe it’s because I’d feel silly hanging out in my car if I *weren’t* writing. Whatever the reason, I can almost guarantee a high word count and minimal wasted minutes when I write in a parked car.

So why don’t I do it more often? Good question. I’m not really sure — although I suspect it has something to do with the fact that I’m weird but not quite weird enough to make that my regular office space.

What about you? What’s your favorite/most productive/weirdest place that you write?

In Memory of Karen E. M. Johnston

March 6, 2014mermaids, Pintip DunnKaren E. M. JohnstonPintip

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our souls to dance. They awaken us to new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never ever the same.”
— Flavia Weedn

“Don’t cry,” Karen said to me, after she told me her doctor had given her two months to live. “I’m not afraid. I want to see my dad again.”

Funny that in this scenario, she should be the one comforting me. But it shouldn’t surprise me. Throughout the duration of her illness, this has been her refrain. “Don’t cry.” “Don’t cry.” “Don’t cry.”

And so I didn’t. For Karen’s sake, I swallowed my tears and I talked of my writing, about which she never failed to ask. I told her (and Stephanie and Sharon, with whom I often visited) how my kids were doing, and we reminisced about old times.

I saved my crying for later, when I was in the privacy of my own home. Because it’s one thing to be strong for someone with as much grace and dignity as Karen, even in the face of her own passing. It’s another, nearly impossible, task not to shed tears over the loss of someone so special.

Why is Karen E. M. Johnston so special? This is where my powers of writing fail me. I’m afraid, deep down to my bones terrified, I will never be able to do her justice. And so a big part of me doesn’t even want to try. That part wants to shut myself away and grieve in private, where my feelings and memories can’t be judged unworthy.

But I won’t. Because Karen would want me to try. She believed in my writing from the very first time she read it. Her faith in my abilities exceeded what I dared hope for myself. I think Karen would tell me not to be scared. To do my best, and that it would be enough.

More than anything else, Karen deserves to be remembered. For whatever small memories I or anyone else can contribute. And so, for one of the kindest and most beautiful individuals I’ve ever known, here goes:

I met Karen when we both volunteered as time-keepers for the pitch appointments at the WRW retreat. She had the shift after mine, and I was free to go after she arrived. After exchanging a few words with her, however, I was entranced. By her smile, her earrings, her scarves, her charm. Instead of leaving, I sat with her for the next hour, and we talked about everything from writing to family to life.

A few months later, I came across Karen’s contact information on an SCBWI database and emailed her to see if she would be interested in critiquing together. Now, you have to understand Karen had plenty of CPs. She was already meeting two other critique groups on a regular basis. All she had to do was explain the situation to me, and I would’ve understood. Instead, she offered to form a third critique group, just so I could be in it. When I protested she was already overextended, she laughed. “I love writers,” she said. “Who couldn’t use more writer friends?”

As a writer and CP, Karen was unparalleled. In addition to her published middle grade novels, she had wide-ranging interests, from YA to women’s fiction. She went to Wegman’s every single day, where she sat from 8am to 2pm, and dedicated herself to her craft. Her words made me laugh out loud, marvel at her wit, and choke back deeply-felt emotion.

When I was on the agent search, she dictated to me word-for-word what I should write in my correspondence. When I was in revision mode, she would be “on-call” for days at a time, where she would respond within five minutes to the ten or so scenes I would shoot her throughout the day.

The writer in Karen never left, even when she got sick. After she was diagnosed, she immediately came up with four new story ideas inspired by her brain tumor — one picture book, two women’s fiction, and one erotica. During the last two years, she wrote and queried a picture book, as well as continued to revise and resubmit one of her women’s fiction manuscripts. What’s more, even when she lost the use of her hands and could only read large-print material, she continued to serve as my critique partner, offering her wisdom on pitch paragraphs and story ideas and first chapters.

In the end, though, all these memories are just facts, and Karen is so much more than that. I think my daughter summed it up best.

Last summer, I took my kids to have lunch with Karen. Before we arrived, I said to my six-year-old: “Now, I don’t want you to be surprised. Karen’s been sick, so she might not look the same as a healthy person.”

But my warning proved unnecessary. Maybe it was because kids understand so much more than we give them credit for; maybe it was because, even at her young age, my daughter sensed something in Karen we all knew and loved. Maybe, like her mother, she was simply entranced. For whatever reason, over the course of the next two hours, she stood next to Karen’s wheelchair for long minutes at a time. Neither of them spoke. Neither engaged in busy work with their hands. They were just being together.

Afterwards, my daughter said to me, “Mommy, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Karen didn’t look sick; she was nice.”

I think, in one simple statement, my daughter captured Karen’s essence more thoroughly than I ever could. Because she wasn’t talking about Karen’s pleasant demeanor or her exceeding generosity — to which anyone who ever knew her can attest.

My daughter was getting at something else entirely. The intangible quality that is so hard to define. The spirit that made Karen who she was. The something so unique and powerful and beautiful in Karen E. M. Johnston even a six-year-old could pick up on it.

Karen, I will be forever grateful you have entered my life, however briefly. You move my soul to dance. You make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. You have left a footprint on my heart.

And I will never, ever be the same.

***

What footprints has Karen left in your heart? If you would like, please share.