Category Archives: Interview

She’s With the Band: Carlene Love Flores Chats About Her Latest Rock Star Book

Carlene Love Flores, Interview, ,

Carlene MermaidMy mer-sister Carlene Love Flores and I have two HUGE things in common: 1. A deep and abiding love of real Mexican food and 2. A special place in our hearts for Depeche Mode. So of course when the latest in her rocker series, Sin’s Flower, came out I had, had, had to corner her in the lagoon to chat Jaxon, great music and the top five falling in love tunes and break-up songs.

Y’all are going to love this interview. How could you not, it’s Carlene?

But before I turn it over you have to check out the Sin’s Flower blurb.

sins-flower3When Jaxon James, a sexy rock star and struggling single-father, is invited to ditch California and spend Christmas in Tennessee with his estranged family, he hesitantly accepts for his young daughter’s sake.  But his attraction to his best friend’s baby sister, Lily Elstone, threatens to unravel the bonds he’s made for his daughter.  The honorable thing to do would be to give up Lily.  But his instincts are telling him she’s exactly the one who could bring light to his life and the missing fire to his bed.  Unfortunately, Lily’s too sweet for his world.  He fears his rock and roll life style will taint her.   How far are Jaxon and Lily willing to go to find what’s missing at home?

Take it away Carlene!

I love these questions and I want to thank you, Avery Flynn, for coming up with them! I’m beyond smitten.

(Right back at you mer-sister! *fist bump*)

What is it about rock stars that sucks you in?

Their ability to captivate masses of people in just one moment. I could never be that interesting and so I like discovering what their special spark is, where it comes from, how it makes them both super intoxicating yet incredibly vulnerable. And then how the bulk of their lives are spent as relatively normal human beings when they’re not on stage. In Sin’s Flower, Jaxon has to deal with everyday things like being a single father and paying his daughter’s ballet lessons on time or going home for Christmas and not pissing off his relatives at the family dinner.

What are the three best things that come with writing about rock stars?

Attending live shows is my research, meeting and talking with totally awesome and talented musicians is my research, and being obsessed with music is my research!

What five songs should be on every person’s playlist when they are in the midst of a new romance?

1. Private Emotion by Ricky Martin

2. Take Care by Drake & Rihanna

3. Summer Wine by The Corrs & Bono

4. The Sweetest Condition by Depeche Mode

5. That’s Where It’s At by Sam Cooke

What five songs should be on their playlist for right after a breakup?

1. Who Have You Been Loving by Bobby Long

2. Tears Dry on Their Own by Amy Winehouse

3. She’s Just a Girl That I Knew by Adam Ezra Group

4. Mama’s Broken Heart by Miranda Lambert

5. Four Kicks by Kings of Leon.

Jaxon is so hot. What is your favorite thing about him?

Thank you Avery, I’ll tell him you said so. (wink) I love that he’s a single parent and thinking about trying to be a good dad every single day but doesn’t deny his true nature when he’s with Lily. Also he has cool hair (think punk-goth blond Elvis) and a rockin’ hot neck tattoo that is a work in progress throughout Sin’s Flower. Jaxon’s hotness in a song? Check out Man Made Machine by Motor.

Why is Lily the perfect one for him?

Hopefully Jaxon won’t mind me saying this, but I’m obsessed with Joel Schumacher’s Phantom of the Opera movie and Jaxon has always reminded me a lot of the Phantom. I’m broken hearted that Phantom (played by Gerard Butler) bares his true self and isn’t rewarded with love in the end. In Sin’s Flower, Lily seems too sweet to handle Jaxon but I think she proves grit can be made of sugar too. Lily’s secret to Jaxon’s heart? Check out A Woman’s Touch by Casey James.

When you hear Jaxon singing in your head, what real life rock star does he sound like?

So Jaxon is the leader of the band and the chief songwriter, but aside from harmonies, he leaves the singing up to Stefan. I can hear Jaxon loud and clear in his speaking voice or when he’s humming the beginnings of a song, but he just doesn’t put himself out there when it comes to full on singing. Not sure why because he’s got an incredibly sexy voice. But if you want to “hear” Jaxon singing, check out this video of Jeremy Renner from SNL on You Tube. He sounds very close to that first Avenger song.

Can I just end by saying what a lucky girl Lily is? Thank you for having me and my musical friends today! Love stories rock! Big fishy kisses to all our fishy friends. xoxoxo

***

Be sure to check out Sin’s Flower and the first book in the series, Sidewalk Flower. Both are awesome.

Avery Flynn Climbs the Vine to Tell Us About Jax and the Beanstalk Zombies

Avery Flynn, Dana Rodgers, Giveaway, Interview, mermaids, , , ,

AFlynnHeadshot2Mermaids, friends, and romance readers galore… I have convinced the fabulous Avery Flynn to tell us a little about herself and dish on her latest release, Jax and the Beanstalk Zombies, a zombie-apocalyptic romance published by Lyrical Press.

Don’t forget, Avery is doing a Rafflecopter giveaway to celebrate the release of Jax and the Beanstalk Zombies, so read on for the details on how to enter to win those great prizes are below.

Hello, lagoon! 🙂

Welcome Avery! Can you please tell us a little about yourself?

Let’s see … I drink a lot of coffee. I have an unfortunate addiction to Oreo cookies. I’m a bit of a loud mouth. Stop laughing, there are people in the world who talk more than me. … There just aren’t many of them.

When you were five years old what did you want to be when you grew up?

I have never wanted to be anything other than a writer. OK, I may have wanted to be Wonder Woman, but I got over that. Mostly.

How long have you been writing and do you recall what originally sparked your interest?

I got my first typewriter before I could even spell and I used to write gibberish stories about my stuffed animals. I have no idea what sparked my first story, but I’ve always loved reading or being read to

What is your favorite part of the writing process and what is your least favorite?

That depends on the day. If everything is flowing, I LOVE everything about writing. It is all unicorns and rainbows. On the days when nothing but crap is coming out of my fingers (ewwww, now isn’t that a pretty visual?), I despise everything about writing

What was the inspiration behind your most recent story, Jax and the Beanstalk?

I was on the way home after a July 4 BBQ at Kimberly Kincaid’s house. That means I was well fed and a little tipsy – don’t worry, the Fab Mr. Flynn was driving. I knew I wanted to write a twisted fairytale involving zombies and Jack and the Beanstalk seemed like the perfect candidate.

What was your favorite chapter (or scene) to write and why?

The scene where Jax and Veronica have sex on the magic carpet was pretty fun. I mean come on, how do you top that?

What has been the toughest criticism you’ve received as an author? What has been the best compliment?

Criticism? No one criticizes authors. 🙂 I think I’ve blocked out the worst, but my own aunt did give me a three on Goodreads once. But we’re not really a hold-your-punches kind of family, so I’m OK with it. The best compliment? Really, anytime someone enjoys something I’ve written, it’s the best compliment.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

Reading. Shopping. Eating. Spending the day in yoga pants with a bottle of wine. Wait, did I type that last bit out loud? 🙂

What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done to research for a book?

I wish I had done something crazy to research a book. Maybe I can work skydiving into a book. I’d need to research that. Of course, I’d have to hogtie the Fab Mr. Flynn to a chair or he’d tackle me before I got out the door.

Please share five random things about yourself.  

  1.   I love shoes, but spend most of my time barefoot.
  2.   I love to eat, but hate to cook.
  3.   I love men who are smart, funny and hot … hello, the Fab Mr. Flynn.
  4.   No one makes me laugh harder than my kids.
  5.   I would rather chew off my own arm than shop with my mother.

 

Thanks so much for letting me hang out with you today, Dana!

No, thank you Avery for taking a break from your crazy, busy schedule to keep us up to date on your latest release. But let’s not let the fun end now.

9781616504717

Jax and the Beanstalk Zombies by Avery Flynn

“I loved this story.” – -Darynda Jones, NY Times Bestselling Author

“4 stars. Snappy, smart, thoroughly romantic.” – RT Book Reviews

“This is Jack and the Beanstalk smexified, zombified and all grown up.” – Elisabeth Staab, Bestselling Author

 

The treasure hunter… Veronica Kwon is determined to be the only person in control of her destiny. After surviving a broken engagement and turning her back on her wealthy manipulative father, she’s started a treasure hunting company and is ready for the adventure of a lifetime.

The ex-fiance… Jax Taylor is a Southern charmer with enough sex appeal to melt the polar ice caps. He disappeared three months before their wedding and swore he’d never cross paths with Veronica again.

The magic beanstalk… Brought together again by their dying mentor, who has found three enchanted beans, Veronica and Jax agree to an uneasy partnership. Together they’ll climb a magic beanstalk to the cloud kingdom, but will their destiny be the riches they so desire, the passion they thought dead…or will the undead get them first? 

Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. Find out more about Avery on her website, follow her on Twitter, like her on her Facebook page or friend her on her Facebook profile. Also, if you figure out how to send Oreos through the Internet, she’ll be your best friend for life.

Now for the GIVEAWAY!

Enter to win a JAX AND THE BEANSTALK ZOMBIES prize pack (including a Shaun of the Dead DVD, zombie hunting license and more) from Avery Flynn and a $25 Amazon gift card!

Party Time in the Lagoon! Loni Lynne #Book Release and #Giveaway!

Avery Flynn, Interview, Loni Lynne

Wanted-1600Y’all I am super excited to have cornered our own Loni Lynne in the lagoon. She’s getting tipsy on the One Fin Cosmopolitan, so you know she’s going to spill the goods. Why is she in such a party-down mood? Because her debut novel Wanted: One Ghost was released this week and it’s time to celebrate.

Since it’s always 5 p.m. in the Waterworld Mermaid lagoon, grab yourself an adult beverage and join the conversation with Loni. And be sure to play along in the comments for a chance to win Loni’s debut novel, Wanted: One Ghost.

OK, I have to ask about your writing space. Where does the magic happen?

My daughter’s former bedroom which now has my L- shaped writing desk, an aerobics ball I use for a chair and three book shelves loaded with romance books and research books.

I’m going to totally out you because you’re one of the more quiet mermaids in the lagoon. I promise not to share it with the world *wink*, but what are three things about you that would surprise other people?

Loni Lynne 5 p12756ta105474_251.) One of my first jobs was as a radio DJ for a country music station out in western Oklahoma.

2.) I joined the Navy right after high school and tried out for Navy Diver when they started to accept women in the program…I didn’t make it.

3.) Was stationed for four years in Hawaii.

Loni, you have led an interesting life, which is great for a writer. 🙂 How did you get your idea for Wanted: One Ghost?

After a few ghost tours I wondered what the ghosts would think or do so I created my own version of ideas.

 If you could divine history by touching objects, like your heroine April, what event or person would you like to know more about?

I’ve always had a thing for Revolutionary War era. I would have loved to sit in on the signing of the Declaration of Independence or sat and talked with Ben Franklin.

James, your hero, is a ghost/ladies man. That’s quite a combination. What inspired you?

I consider that era so full of charming gentlemen. He was a combination of some of the historical romance heroes I read in the 1980’s and 90’s.

Are you a history buff? If so, what’s your favorite era and why?

To read about and study, I love Colonial American and Westward Expansion. I grew up in the Midwest and was fascinated when my family moved and traveled frequently around the country. First thing we did was check out local museums.

For music/decor I love vintage/1920’s-1950’s. Big Band and the old crooners.

OK, now for the most important question ever. Historical hotties (i.e. who’d you rather): A dashing Duke or a brawny Viking?

A dashing Duke. Dark hair, charming and elegant.

***

Who’s ready to get their hands on a copy of Wanted: One Ghost? Yay! I want to giveaway a digital copy to one lucky commenter (open internationally) who answers this question: If you could divine history by touching objects, like April- the heroine in Wanted: One Ghost, what event or person would you like to know more about?

Put your answer in the comments and I’ll pick a winner at random on Monday.

Wanted: One Ghost 

Wanted-1600Stuck in ghostly limbo for 238 years, James Addison can’t move on to an afterlife.  After being falsely accused of treason and executed, fate’s cursed him to remain an earth-bound specter until he meets a historian sent to research his past.

Distrustful of fate, Dr. April Branford wants to be taken seriously, but her unique ability to divine history by touching objects seriously compromises her credibility. Her latest assignment?  James Addison, a legendary colonial ladies’ man with a shadowy past.  Without much to go on, she doesn’t hold out much hope to discover the man behind the legend until the day she accidentally touches him and brings him back to life.

 With the help of family and ghosts from James’s past, they unravel the truth. But after falling in love and with time running out, it’s hard for April to believe in fate and a future where forever is now.

 

Zoraida Cordova Swims with the Mermaids

Alethea Kontis, Interview, , , ,

Zoraida, Queen of the MermaidsGood morning, everyone!

I hope you’ve all had as remarkable a month as I have. (And gods willing, a more relaxing one.) Are you ready for summer?

I thought I’d honor this fabulously scorching-hot day by sharing with you a really fun interview I did with my dear friend Zoraida Cordova. You’ll love her–not only because she is INCREDIBLY GORGEOUS, but because she also WRITES BOOKS ABOUT MERMAIDS.

That’s right — you heard me! Zoraida’s debut novel The Vicious Deep and its follow up, the recently-released The Savage Blue, are young adult novels that follow the adventures of Tristan: a young lifeguard on Coney Island who discovers that his father is…well…the Sea King.

I’ll let Zoraida tell you more in her own words! She and I recorded this interview while having a blast at MISTI-Con, a fantastic Harry Potter themed convention held in Laconia, New Hampshire just a few weeks ago.

Enjoy!

To find out more about Zoraida and her work, please visit her official website at: http://www.zoraidacordova.com/

The Savage Blue by Zoraida Cordova

 

Guy Day: Interview with Bassist, Dino Villanueva! (Giveaway too!)

Carlene Love Flores, Guy Day, Interview, , , , ,

 

Mermaid CarleneGrowing up on the Las Vegas strip, every weekend I watched my mom dance to her favorite local bands.  Wherever the bass player was stationed on stage was where the ladies crowded around.  Mom says that’s because the bass man is the beat for all the dancers. Dirty and low-down—complimentary words, I assure you, for the incredible sounds that flow from these instruments.

It’s an honor & treat to have a man who masters the art of funk and soul, bassist, Dino Villanueva, in the pond with us today!  He was a real sweetheart to answer my questions for our Guy Day segment.  After all, musicians are often the subjects of our stories.  How many bluesy, guitar-strapped-across-his-back heroes have strutted across the pages?  How many punk rock, attitude-served-up-on-a-prickly-stick heroines have been written to deconstruct the poor boy next door?   Dino Ham n Yam 2013 019

What can I tell you about Dino?

He hails from the great state of Texas, plays bass for Casey James, was flattered to be invited to the pond and is a Very Good Sport!

Please enjoy our interview~

Carlene: Hi Dino! Thank you so much for being our guest “Guy” today.  I’ve seen you perform several times and there’s a good reason your fans keep coming back for more.  As a musician, how do you decide how much to keep for yourself on stage and how much to share with the audience?  Or is that never a question?  (I kind of like being able to hide in my writing but you’re up there on stage, definitely more exposed.)

Dino: As a musician, it definitely helps to be connected to your audience. I personally like to give as much on stage to the audience while we play. After all, they are the reason why we are there. It’s a great feeling as a musician to share the same energy and emotion with the crowd. There’s no better feeling to see the crowd having a blast because you’re giving your all as a performer.

(Seriously friends, catch a show, find him on YouTube—Dino gives his all each and every time.)

 

Carlene: Do you as a musician have similar contrasting feelings about the evolution of music into the digital age as authors do with their books?  Comparing holding a physical record or CD in your hands—something you made—to knowing the benefits that digital media offer as far as ease and speed of sharing your work with listeners/readers?

Dino: I believe that the digital age has definitely changed the way people view/purchase music. Before the digital age, the focus was on an entire album, whether it be in the creation or the buying. While the focus on creating a great album will never change from an artist standpoint, the digital age has shifted the focus towards “singles.”

 

Carlene: I’ve never played a bass guitar but I imagine it feels something like when you hit a baseball with an aluminum bat and that vibrating feeling zings your flesh, even to the bones.  Am I close or entirely off?  Can you please describe that feeling?Dino Villanueva Belpre Ohio 023

Dino: Playing the bass is very similar to playing the guitar. The strings are thicker and requires a little more dexterity in both your hands.

 

Carlene: Is there anything special you do before or after shows to help take care of your hands/fingertips?  It seems like playing the guitar could be rough on that tender skin.

Dino: Not really. We do get callus fingertips from playing but that is actually a good thing!

 

Carlene: What are your favorite bass solos?  A couple of mine are Tony Kanal on “Hella Good”, everything by Aaron Mills (Cameo), and Kings of Leon’s “Charmer”.

Dino: Anything by Victor Wooten is on my favorites list. He’s an amazing bass player and one of the players I aspired to be as an up and coming bass player. Check out his version of “Amazing Grace.”

I also tend to listen and appreciate all bass lines played. It’s a way to “study” and become a better player. After all one can never stop growing as a player.

(I checked out a version on You Tube…Holy Cow!  How is that finger work even possible?  This commenter got it right—“Before Wooten played this, it was called Grace.”  Thanks for the great find, Dino!)

I hope these help!

Thanks,

Dino

Carlene: Dino, this was awesome!  Thank you so much for taking the time to have this conversation with us!

Friends, connect with Dino on Facebook / Twitter / His Website

And if you’re in these areas, go see him play live!

5/17  Graham Central Station, Oklahoma City, OK

5/18 Crawdad Days, Harrison, AR

5/23 Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar, Syracuse, NYDino Chesapeake Jubilee 052012

5/24 The Ice House, Lewiston, NY

5/25 The Pepsi Roadhouse, Burgettstown, PA

5/26 Fed Live, Harrisburg, PA

5/27 Bottle and Cork, Dewey Beach, DE

5/31 The Bluebird, Bloomington, IN

Click here for the full schedule of shows!

 

To celebrate books, music, and our special guest, check out today’s sweet giveaway:

-A copy of Victor Wooten’s book, The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music (paperback or Kindle—winner’s choice)

-A copy of Casey James CD (cd or mp3—also winner’s choice)

So be sure and leave a comment!  I’ll  pick one random winner from the comments on Sunday, May19, at 10pm Eastern Time.  Good luck!

 

Peter Andrews swims with the Mermaids and shares his tips on HowToWriteFast!

Guy Day, Interview, mermaids, Susan Andrews, Writing, ,

 

petergreatlakes

Addressing the crowd at a Great Lakes event.

I’m thrilled to introduce Peter Andrews to the lagoon today for a different sort of Guy Day interview.  Peter has been writing and earning a living at it (!!!) for many years.  He keeps a blog on how to write fast, and teaches online courses on the same subject.  A writer, hubby, great dad, and all-around good guy, he even makes dinner!

It’s exhausting work, let me tell you!  So, first, let me offer the nice man a drink with an umbrella…  and let the questions roll!

1. What if you finally can sit down to write and realize you can’t get started?

Starting is dependent on preparation. Before you finish writing each day, you need to determine what you will work on the next day (or next definite session). This is a promise to yourself. And you keep it. You can still do other things, but you need to commit to work forward.

How not to write fast (duh)!

2.  What if you’re suddenly not in love with your book?  

Everyone falls out of love with their books.  Occasionally, a book is just a bad idea. So be it. Usually, though, we forget why we love the book. The passion fades. I always write out why I MUST write the book before I do more than a few pages. Ten or more reasons. In complete sentences. Designed to persuade me to persevere. It almost always works.

3.  Susan profiled your “bagel” practice for unknown words in an earlier post.  Is there a story behind this?  (pretty please?)

It used to be the Next Best Thing in our quest to write fast.

When I was writing a lot of science articles that were jammed with facts, I kept coming to screeching halts. I lost my momentum, over and over again, as I looked up names, dates, places, and materials. I realized I needed a placeholder that would be unlikely to be in my final copy. Bagel was born.

4.  Do you have a “think positive” mantra that gets you going in the morning?  Susan says you get up at the same time as her (she has to be up at 5:30 a.m.) and you’re already working when she comes into the kitchen at 6:15.  Are you secretly a machine?

Well, it could be the Puritan genes, but I think I just have found work that I am passionate about. Writing is what I was born to do.  (it’s true)

5.  What’s the most you’ve ever written in a week?

I don’t know. I’d estimate 15,000 words. Not heroic, but exhausting for me.

6.  What are you most proud of?  

It changes. I am delighted by the script and the novel I just finished. But I have also gotten a real thrill out of writing a speech and hearing laughter (or seeing tears) as it’s delivered.

7.  Do you have plans for the blog you run?  www.howtowritefast.blogspot.com

The blog will keep going. It already has led to courses (an online version begins on Monday), and, eventually, I’ll edit up the material from these into a book.

Peter

Peter’s blog offers every writer ideas for increasing their output.  Find it at http://howtowritefast.blogspot.com.  

He is also teaching an online course this month at  http://www.yosemiteromancewriters.com/workshops.

 

Thanks, Peter!  The Mermaids are all clapping their fins and splashing around, now you’ve given them the keys to How To Write Fast!

Susan-Mermaid-avatar

 

 

 

J.T. Bock Rocks Our Socks, er, Fins

Interview, Kerri Carpenter, ,

You’ll never believe this! A scary, ugly sea monster jumped into our lagoon while we were all away having a festive Mermaid party and STOLE our words! Sigh. Well, that happens sometimes. But never fear, I, Kerri-Mermaid, grabbed my cloak of awesomeness and fought the dreaded beast until he gave me this interview with J.T. Bock back. So, without further ado, please welcome (or re-welcome) J.T. Bock to the Mermaid Lagoon.

I am thrilled beyond belief to have recently published author J.T. Bock join us in the lagoon. In fact, I’m so excited that I’m throwing the typical bio out the window. So here goes…

This lady rocks my socks! Not only is her debut novel, A Surefire Way, AMAZING, but she is a fellow Joss Whedon fan, she’s been to Comic-Con, she self-published her book and she is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met! Okay, I won’t make you wait any longer.

In her debut Waterworld Mermaid appearance, please welcome J.T. Bock. Continue reading →

YA Mystery Author Amanda Brice Swims With the Mermaids! (Reposting)

Carlene Love Flores, Interview, ,

The mysterious aqua powers that be gobbled up many of our March posts, including this one!  Well, you can’t keep a good YA Mystery Author down so take that Mr. March Mermaid Post Gobbler!  Please enjoy this reposting of our interview with Amanda Brice.

AmandaWelcome, Amanda! We’re happy to have you swimming with us in the Mermaid lagoon today & super stoked that you’ll be talking about Pas de Death!  

 

I’m happy to be here! It’s been rather chilly here in the DC area (as I’m sure all the Mermaids know!), so the thought of a “lagoon” conjures up the exotic – a lovely little grotto somewhere tropical. I’d love to be there right now! Especially if there are cabana boys. There are cabana boys, right?

 

What kind of lagoon would it be if there weren’t? Well, I guess it would be a normal lagoon, but this is no normal lagoon. 🙂  So, Amanda, how did you get your start writing?

 

You mean other than carrying around a little notebook and a purple pen all day when I was a little girl? My opus back then was “Nancy Flew and the Mystery of the Lady Ghost.” It was highly acclaimed by the very toughest of literary critics – my 4th grade teacher. (Thanks, Mrs. Koochagian!)

 

But my dad convinced me to “do something practical” so I went to law school instead. Eventually drafting legal materials was a little too dry to keep my attention and I needed an outlet. I remember the day clearly – I’d just finished reading Dirty Girls Social Club by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez (brilliant book, btw, if you haven’t read it) and was supposed to be writing a patent on the patentability of indigenous medicinal methods (yawn!), but I decided that writing a chick lit novel would be a lot more fun. So I whipped off the first 88 pages of a book that shall never see the light of day and asked my professor for an extension of time on the law paper.

 

Can you tell us what is the last great book you read?

 

Indeed I can. Just last night, in fact, I finished Bluebood, which is book #2 in Matthew Iden’s Marty Singer Mystery Series. I’ll be quite honest and say that I started reading this series because I know Matt personally and I wanted to support him, but just a couple of pages into the first book (A Reason to Live), I was quite literally blown away. It’s THAT good. Kinda like James Patterson in the early days, but much better. The series follows a retired DC homicide detective who left the force because he’s battling cancer, but he can’t seem to run away from the ghosts of his past – they keep popping up in the form of cases left unsolved and he must now find the answers. The writing is gripping and he keeps you on the edge of your seat. And his descriptions of Northern Virginia just highly amuse me. I read the first one a couple of months back, but then got sidetracked finishing up my own book, so didn’t have time to dive into the second one until just now. And I can’t wait to start the third one (One Right Thing) tonight!

 

What can you tell us about your daily routine?

 

Ha, routine? You clearly don’t know me well. I don’t exactly have what you’d call a routine. Between balancing a full-time job as an attorney, managing a busy RWA chapter as president, and being mommy to two high-energy toddlers, writing is rarely at the top of my priority list, unfortunately. Except for when I’m on deadline. Then my family knows not to bother me and that we’ll be eating a lot of frozen pizza. But I really am a spurter. I’ll go months without writing much of anything, and then there will a couple-month stretch there that I live-and-breathe writing. I need to get better about that.

 

What was your inspiration for Pas De Death?PasDeDeath-210x300

 

This is the third book in my YA mystery series set at a performing arts boarding school. The first book featured a sabotage and the second one featured a kidnapping. And while there were definitely some suspenseful and dangerous parts of those investigations, I knew I needed to step up my game a little bit. Throughout the first two books, my heroines is always trying to pass herself off as 15, even though she’s still just 14. Well, she celebrated her birthday during the short story that takes place between Books 2 and 3, so now that she’s 15, she thinks of herself as more grown up and edgy, so a murder mystery seemed like the right move.

 

Last spring I offered up naming rights to the murder victim during the Brenda Novak auction. I assumed that someone would buy it to take out a little “literary revenge,” so imagine my surprise when I discovered that the winner was a book blogger who’d met me at the Turn the Page signing last year and who wanted me to use her name! LOL. So that started the wheels turning, and I eventually made my murder victim be a dance critic rather than a book reviewer.

 

Do you have a favorite scene in the book?

 

Hmmm…good question! Actually, there’s a scene where my heroine and her movie-star-slash-on-again-off-again boyfriend are locked in a closet hiding from the police. They’re “off again” during this part of the saga, so it was fun to write that little bit of tension.

 

Sounds fun! Can you tell us a little bit about your new release?

 

Here’s the blurb:

 

pas de deux (NOUN: pl. pas de deux)
1. A dance for two, especially a dance in ballet consisting of an entrée and adagio, a variation for each dancer, and a coda.
2. A close relationship between two people or things, as during an activity.

pas de death (NOUN: yeah … totally made up)
1. A dance of death.
2. When Dani Spevak stumbles over a dead body and gets into another crazy situation.

Aspiring ballerina Dani Spevak is back home for the summer, recovering from an injury. What was supposed to be a simple day trip into New York City to visit her friends at the Manhattan Ballet Conservatory turns deadly when Dani discovers that the world of professional ballet can be cutthroat – literally.

Check out Amanda’s Book Trailer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw7xvIGhlSg

And Catch Up With Amanda Here!

Robin Covington Gets Lucky in the Waterworld Mermaid Lagoon

Avery Flynn, Interview, mermaids, Robin Covington, ,

Friends, mermaids, romance readers, I have cornered the always fun Robin Covington in the lagoon to get the goods on all the really gossipy stuff about her latest release, His Southern Temptation, including how often she checks her sales numbers, how she manages to write so much and if she’s ever dated her own Lucky.

Avery Flynn

You ready to rock the lagoon?


Robin Covington

You bet!

OK, we just left a Savvy Author chat about getting it done. So give us the secret to making writing work in your life.

Hmmm. I have a husband who likes to have attention now and then and two small kids (10&8) and a full-time job as attorney for the Navy. So, my writing fits in around soccer, school, work etc. My only secret is learning to write anywhere with any snippet of time I can steal.

I love the e-mails I get from you about how you write in the car outside of the kids’ activities. Have you ever gotten any strange looks from the other parents?

Oh yeah. They all think I’m a little weird (and they are right) but I live in a small town and most know that I am writing one of “those” books and they just laugh.

LOL. Speaking of “those” books congrats on His Southern Temptation booking it up the charts. Tell the truth, how often do you check the numbers?

I have no shame – hourly. My iPhone makes my mania easy to maintain.

God, you make me laugh. OK, I’m biased when it comes to Lucky, your hero in His Southern Temptation. Did he start out as a spark of an idea or burst to life in living color?

I loooove Lucky. He burst to life in full, annoying, pesky color. He badgered me to write him first – I mean, why wouldn’t I? Right? But, Jackson (of the four men) spoke to me as the one to set the tone for the series and to give the perfect backdrop to bring all these guys back together. So, Lucky had to wait . . . and even when I wrote him, he surprised me with some of the twists.

I think just about every woman dated a Lucky at one point. Did you?

Oh yes – and I married him.

And no . . . Lucky is NOT my hubby. But I would kill to have Taylor’s bod.

He’s looking over your shoulder right now isn’t he? *waves* Hi Mr. Covington.

Ha! No – he’s watching MMA fights.

Speaking of Taylor (who I would also consider going Buffalo Bill for that body), she is a woman who is really dealing head on with the craziness of her life. She’s ballsy as hell. I saw a poll recently of readers and most said they wanted to see more strong heroines in contemporary romance. Do you think that’s true?

Yes, I do. When we take workshops or read about the craft of writing romance – we are told that we need to write women characters that our reader can relate to. The hero should be someone you could fall in love with and you should want to be the heroine. I think that women today are strong and brave and so talented in every way. They are also juggling so much stuff – so a heroine like that is what resonates. It might take the entire story for her to get there – but that is a ride they want to take.

So what makes Taylor relatable?

Oh – she is like so many of the women I grew up with in the rural South. We were good girls – not too good- but we did what was acceptable. I know that I and so many of them really found our own voice when we left home. Taylor did that and followed her own dreams – maybe to the extreme – but she found her way to be her true self.

That’s awesome. OK, I’m wrapping it up with the most important question I’ve ever asked you. You ready?

Ummmm . . .

Matt Bomer or Joe M?

Ha! Ummm . . . I don’t get the Bomer thing at all . . . and Joe is my boyfriend so . . . totally Joe!

Don’t get Bomer? That gives me a sad. OK, let’s toast to your poor decision making. There has to be a bartender hiding somewhere in this lagoon.

Pabst Blue Ribbon please! ; )

Now that really is sad.

His-Southern-Temptation-900px-e1363619689936
His Southern Temptation by Robin Covington
Some women are bad. Some women are a bad idea. The best ones are both…

As a Black Ops assassin, “Lucky” Landon has had more than his fair share of close calls. Now he’s turned in his sniper rifle for the simple life of his small hometown. So the last thing he ever expected was to end up at gunpoint. Or that the woman holding the gun would be his best friend’s little sister and Lucky’s on-again/off-again lover.
Taylor Elliott is Trouble, and she likes it that way. And seeing Lucky again? Well, he’s been her dirty little secret for the past few years and everyone knows that secrets in a small town are almost impossible to keep. But Taylor has bigger problems on her plate. Like the local mob boss who wants her dead.
And right now the only thing standing between Trouble and disaster is a hottie named Lucky…

A Librarian from Philly Swims with the Mermaids (And A Giveaway!)

Denny S. Bryce, Giveaway, Interview, mermaids, ,

4971733468_79bd541da1_oby Denny S. Bryce

I met Dena at one of my pop culture/fandom obsessions, a small but fabulous convention called Phauxcon, an annual gathering in October of fans of science fiction, romance, popular culture, Doctor Who and much more. Of course, after a few lively conversations, I invited Dena to hang at the Waterworld Mermaids pond and she said yes! She is a fan of Joss Whedon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, romance, reading and more reading (more than 250 books a year). She knows a lot (in fact this is part 1, and you’ll see part 2 at the Denny S. Bryce blog next week!). And yes, she likes to share, so be prepared to be wow’d!

Denny asked Dena: Hey, how did you end up a librarian?

I became a librarian because both my parents are librarians, although I spent the first 21 years of my life running in the opposite direction. I have a drama degree  but discovered quickly that while it was easy to get jobs in theatre, it was pretty hard to get paying jobs. Then one day at dinner with my parents, I was actually enjoying our conversation about libraries, and the next day I applied for grad school.

A few years later, I’m the Department Head of Philbrick Hall at the Central Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. My department houses the fiction, movie, graphic novel, and Teen collections. My specific collection responsibility is maintaining the Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror sections. A lot of what I do is keeping up to date on new releases and new trends in my collection area. I read about 250 books a year and spend a lot of time ordering books (both print and ebooks) for the collection. I also do a lot of reader’s advisory – recommending books to patrons. The internet is a huge help because I can use it to track down next books in series, find out when a favorite author is coming out with a new book, figure out the name of “that movie” starring “that guy”, and discover almost anything else I need in just a few seconds while my patron is standing at the desk. It’s amazing how often they think I’m magic… It’s also amazing how often I DON’T need to check online. My brain is stuffed full of book trivia that I don’t realize I have until I need to access it.I still wake up some mornings and giggle over the fact that I’m getting paid to do what I love.

Denny asked Dena: What is the most surprising trend you see at libraries or in the library industry?

This isn’t a surprising trend, but the rise of ebooks and other digital media affects the library hugely. Our ebook offerings have exploded over the past year or so, and not only local patrons are noticing. I’ve heard of a bookstore in Alabama telling their customers to get a Free Library of Philadelphia library card so they can borrow our ebooks. This then poses challenges to how we view and serve our community. We are a local organization, but we are all of a sudden becoming a national and even global presence. So how do we balance serving the people of Philadelphia with the demands of a wider community? I don’t think that this question has been truly answered yet.

There are other issues that are library specific in the ebook world. Lots of publishers don’t sell ebooks to libraries. There’s a huge issue in the library world right now surrounding publishers not wanting to allow libraries to lend their ebooks at all or limiting the number of times an ebook can be lent. For example HarperCollins only allows an ebook to be checked out 26 times before the library has to repurchase it. Some publishers quadruple the price of an ebook for libraries. And this is just the Big 6 publishers (if they sell to libraries at all). It’s also much harder to get self-published ebooks into the the library system. For example, my absolute favourite romance of 2013 was Courtney Milan’s A Kiss for Midwinter. It’s not available for me to purchase for the library at all, even though her previous books are available and circulate very well (I push her a lot). It’s a completely different delivery method – instead of just placing an order and having a book shipped to me, the author has to actively get their book in with one of the ebook library distributors (in our case Overdrive). I also fell in love with Gene Doucette’s Immortal series, which is published by The Writer’s Coffee Shop (who also first published 50 Shades of Grey) but their ebooks are not available via Overdrive. It’s so frustrating to have our hands tied and not be able to provide so much to our community. This article from Forbes outlines some of the basic arguments that are going on in the library and publishing world surrounding ebook distribution.

Denny asked Dena: What are fiction writers getting right, what are they getting wrong?

Denny's Mermaids

I think that fiction writers are getting far more creative with connecting with the community of readers and reaching their audience. There doesn’t seem to be the same reliance on publishers to do all the promotion for them. Authors are interacting with readers on a far more personal level via blogs, web pages, Twitter, and Facebook. When I couldn’t buy a self-published Courtney Milan ebook for my library (The Duchess War) I left a comment on Milan’s web page, she replied right away, and the next week the book was available in Overdrive (I’m still waiting for her latest to show up).

If they don’t have a traditional publisher, authors are getting far more savvy about self-publishing. It used to be that my knee-jerk reaction to anything self-published was that it was vanity press project and not worth my time to read or buy for the library. That’s definitely changing. Hugh Howey is an example of a very successful self-published author (and he’s now been picked up by Simon and Schuster). Courtney Milan and Sylvia Day moved into self-publishing. And there are different distribution models that are appearing and being successful as well.

Dena’s Top Pics for 2012:

Top romance books read in 2012: A Kiss for Midwinter by Courtney Milan, No Proper Lady by Isabel Cooper, A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant.

Pick one of Dena’s top picks in your comment below and if your name is drawn you will receive an e-copy of the book!

One last gift from Dena for today!

She creates booklists for the Free Library webpage. Go here, here and here, to visit Dena’s lists! Enjoy!

Thank you Dena for joining us in the Mermaid’s Pond!