Falling in Deep – {Bokerah}

Siren’s Kiss by {Margo Bond Collins}

Review (Be sure to check out the giveaway at the bottom of this post!)

Siren’s Kiss by Margo Bond Collins begins in an ancient playground. On a soul searching trip, Clay visits Athens, and he finds himself drawn to the ocean’s edge. Driven by an outside force, he discovers Skyla, illuminated by moonlight, shifting from mer to human. When she disappears beneath the surface, Clay wearies and returns to his hotel. The following day, again guided by an unexplained pull, Clay finds Skyla in the midst of Athens.

Margo Bond Collins writes in alternating first person, weaving a lovely romance throughout. Skyla speaks with an ancient wisdom interwoven with old tales of Titans and gods, beautiful words ordered in a melodic telling. Clay is a modern-day police officer struggling to reconcile the magic between them with realism and what he knows to be true. Some adult situations and language. An enjoyable afternoon read.

I received a copy of Siren’s Kiss by Margo Bond Collins in exchange for an honest review.

Her kiss might save the world . . .

Unless his kiss kills her first.

It’s been almost two thousand years since the mer-shifter Skyla walked the streets of Athens—not since her heart was broken by a human man and she exchanged the land and sky for the ocean depths. Ever since, she has lived in the underwater ruins of Atlantis, studying with the priestesses of the goddess Amphitrite, refining her mermaid powers and ignoring her human half.

But her studies are interrupted when she is called upon by the god Poseidon himself to investigate rumors that the world above is being polluted by the magic of creatures from another realm—and worse, that the ocean kingdom of the mer-people might be next.

When her inquiries in modern-day Greece lead her to an American detective asking similar questions, Skyla realizes that the magical problem she’s been sent to research is bigger than she anticipated—and that one human’s kisses might be more dangerous to her, and her world, than she ever could have imagined.

Goodreads | Amazon

EXCERPT

This is not a love story.

It’s been over two thousand years since I walked these shores, and even then, the man who broke my heart was centuries gone, sailed away into death—the last journey into yet another land where I will not follow.

Truth be told, though, he left me long before he died, gone away to rejoin a wife he hadn’t seen in twenty years, to reclaim a rocky, wind-swept island for a son he barely knew.

Gone home, to spin stories about his absence like his wife spun his death-shroud—picking out the stitches at night and reweaving them anew to postpone the inevitable moment when the stories wear thin and you find the monsters have been in your home all along, posing as suitors who would win your heart.

The poets lie, you know. They say our songs seduce the sailors, draw them into the ocean to drown.

But if the ocean sings to them, it is not our doing—no more than the earth’s call to us is theirs.

And Odysseus never tried to resist.

On the cliff above the Theatre of Dionysus, the Parthenon loomed, its marble columns partially obscured in scaffolding. The last time Skyla had been here, when the marble seats of the open-air amphitheater were new, she watched the Oresteia trilogy—tragedies to the Athenians surrounding her, but too far from reality to be anything but comic to Skyla. Agamemnon had been a monster, a tyrant of a man who murdered his daughter for the joy of killing, a sacrifice to the gods of power and control. When his wife Clytemnestra killed him in return, other women did not blame her. Their house fell, but it was not of her doing.

But the memories of men are short, and the stories they share shift and change, like the ocean’s surface.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margo Bond Collins is the author of urban fantasy, contemporary romance, and paranormal mysteries. She lives in Texas with her daughter and several spoiled pets. Although writing fiction is her first love, she also teaches college-level English courses online. She enjoys reading romance and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about heroes, monsters, cowboys, and villains, and the strong women who love them—and sometimes fight them.

_____________________________________________

Connect with Margo

Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com

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Interview with {Anna Albergucci}: Part Two

Anna Albergucci brings the final installment of the Falling in Deep Summer Collection from the Blazing Indie Collective. I caught up with Anna at the Albergucci estate somewhere in West Texas.

Happy release day, Anna!

To Each His Own releases TODAY. (: Anna is running a special giveaway in honor of To Each His Own.

What is your favorite writing music?

Since I write a lot of dark elements, Breaking Benjamin is my go to band, and I like to listen to Evanescence. For my upcoming release I did add Celtic music to the mix. Last of the Mohicans was inspiring. When I write I chose a song that fits the mood of the scene and play it on repeat. This keeps me from wanting to sing along. It becomes a mood setter and allows my writing to flow.

Where is your favorite place to find inspiration?

I find it in nearly everything, but the best place for me is listening to music and reading other books. It gives my brain time to reboot, rest, and absorb.

What was your inspiration for To Each His Own? Tell me about your characters.

Well, as I said earlier, it is part of the Falling in Deep Collection. The rule for this collection of books written by a collection of authors was that it had to be a romance and it had to spotlight a creature of the deep. Most of the books feature mermaids, but I had a Scottish water horse named Douglass McGrail in my Phoenix Decree Series and decided to tell his story in this collection. I’m so glad I did, and in fact will be telling his twin brother, Muireach McGrail’s story in the Beasts of Summer Collection coming out during the summer of 2016.

My characters:

Douglass McGrail is a deadly each-uisge—pronounced ech-ooshkya—a Scottish water horse/man shifter. He’s tall, dark, and a wild dream in a kilt! His father is Laird of Cainneach-Balfour. He and his family don’t mingle with humans, but an encounter with Jinny will change that for Douglass.

Jinny Fairchild is a young English lady who’s recently lost her father and has moved to the Highlands to live with her Scottish family. Too compassionate for her own good, she finds herself in a difficult situation with her cousin, Lachlan, and because of it, crosses paths with Douglass.

Lachlan Brockhouse is… well, I’ll let you be the judge of that 😉

Any advice for new writers (like me)?

Never underestimate yourself, but in the same right, never think you’re better than you are. Grow a tough skin and always be willing to listen to advice and learn from others. Finish what you start, and don’t burn yourself out by putting too many irons in the fire at once. Quality vs. quantity. But mainly, enjoy it—don’t become jaded because of pressure and deadlines. Always write with the love and zeal you have now, as a new writer.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway. You could win these!

About To Each His Own

Douglass McGrail is a Scottish water horse—his clan the deadliest in the British Isle. When the shifter chooses to save—rather than eat—a young lassie, he never expects her innocent face to mark his memory so strongly.

Months later, he stumbles onto a perceived attack in progress and plays the hero once more. He’s shocked to find the victim is the same lass who haunts his dreams.

Jinny Fairchild is an English miss who’s come to the Highlands to live with her last remaining family. She is pursued by her handsome older cousin, Lachlan Brockhouse, but he has a dark side that lands her in the path of the mighty Douglass McGrail.

Douglass wants Jinny for himself, yet discovers she is connected to the attacker she denies knowing. He’s determined to find the truth.

Jinny loves Lachlan, even with his dark side. And she loves Douglass, even with his dark secret. Her heart is torn, but one thing is certain—no matter which of these men she chooses, she will be choosing a monster.

About Anna

Anna Albergucci has always had a vivid imagination. When she was a child, she entertained her mother and anyone who would listen with the telling of her intricate dreams. Now she puts that inspiration to paper, weaving her stories into deeply passionate characters that live lives the rest of us only dream about.

Married to her high school sweetheart, Anna lives in Texas surrounded by her ever-growing family and her fur babies. She serves as president of Cisco Writers Club, and is the founder of a yearly writers’ retreat she hosts at her estate each fall.

She loves mornings, coffee, and sitting on the porch appreciating her life. She’s a sucker for hosting parties, especially historical costume parties. And in her spare time you can find her touring old mansions, shopping for antiques, or curled up reading a romance, paranormal, or thriller, whether historical or contemporary.

Meet Anna:

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Love mermaids? Looking for a great beach read? The Falling in Deep Collection, a collection of 15 unique tales of creatures of the deep, is rolling out the first novella in their collection at the end of May.

From mermaids to sirens, Miami to Athens, dark paranormal romance to contemporary stories with steam, the fifteen award-winning and best-selling authors of the Falling in Deep Collection are bringing you mermaid tales like you’ve never seen before.

Every week beginning May 26th, 2015, we’ll be releasing one unique, never-before-published novella! Each novella will feature our favorite creature of the deep: mermaids.

The Falling in Deep Collection (May – September Releases)

Scales by Pauline Creeden

Ink: A Mermaid Romance by Melanie Karsak

Of Ocean and Ash by A. R. Draeger

Deep Breath by J. M. Miller

At the Heart of the Deep by Carrie Wells

The Mermaid’s Den by Ella Malone

How to be a Mermaid by Erin Hayes

The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless

An Officer & a Mermaid by Blaire Edens

The Water is Sweeter by Eli Constant

Cold Water Bridegroom by B. Brumley

Immersed by Katie Hayoz

Siren’s Kiss by Margo Bond Collins

To Each His Own by Anna Albergucci

Never miss a release! Join our newsletter for behind the scenes information and release updates:

Join the Mermaids!

Interview with {Margo Bond Collins}: Part Two

Margo has been an amazing find and an incredible author in the Blazing Indie Collective. I’m honored to have released my novella alongside hers in the Falling in Deep Collection. In honor of her own release, Siren’s Kiss, She agreed to stop in for a bit and answer a few questions. (: Happy Release Day, Margo!

You can order Siren’s Kiss today. Do it. You’ll love it.

What is your favorite writing music?

Every couple of months, I put together new iTunes playlists on my phone. This summer’s playlist includes, among others:

“All Souls Night” by Loreena McKennit

“Drumming Song” by Florence + the Machine

“Follow Me” by Uncle Kracker

“Hammock” by Howls

“Hold Me Down” by Halsey

“Second Chances” by Gregory Alan Isakov

“Step Off” by Kacey Musgraves

“Voodoo” by Godsmack

I tend to include a pretty wide variety of styles. I have eclectic tastes, so whatever hits me as interesting at the moment gets added to the list

Where is your favorite place to find inspiration?

Wow. It depends on what I’m writing, I guess. I love the not-quite-rolling-landscape of North Central Texas where I grew up and where I returned when I had my own child. My current office is a partially-remodeled attic, and I don’t have any windows, so a friend of mine regularly sends me Texas landscape pictures to make up for that. I often take short breaks to soak in the cyber-view.

And if I need to relax and recharge, put me in water and I’m happy. Even a child’s wading pool will do.

But in the end, I can take inspiration from anything—a word, a phrase, a place, a person. I rarely have to seek inspiration; I try to breathe it in from everything around me.

What was your inspiration for Siren’s Kiss? Tell me about your characters.

Two years ago, I took my mother on a trip to Athens, Greece. For years, I’ve taught The Odyssey, Oedipus Rex, Medea—and seeing so many of the places I’ve talked about to classes was quite literally thrilling. I had tears in my eyes as I sat in the Dionysian Theatre below the Parthenon.

And I wondered what it would be like for someone who had lived the history to return.

So the novella opens with Skyla, a Siren who once had an affair with Odysseus, returning to land in order to stop a terrifying incursion into our world—and remembering that the world of humans doesn’t always mesh well with the world of the sea.

Any advice for new writers (like me)?

The very best advice I ever got was just this: keep writing new things. Always have a work in progress. Finish writing a piece, do a quick edit, and submit it somewhere for publication (or, if you self-pub, send it to beta readers). Then move on to the next project. Don’t wait to hear back—that way lies madness! If it’s rejected (and often it will be; that’s the nature of writing for publication—or if there are a lot of changes suggested), don’t let it get you down. Just revise it, then send it out again and go back to your work in progress. Be a working writer, not a writer-in-waiting. : )

About Siren’s Kiss

This is not a love story.

Truth be told, though, he left me long before he died, gone away to rejoin a wife he hadn’t seen in twenty years, to reclaim a rocky, wind-swept island for a son he barely knew.

The poets lie, you know. They say our songs seduce the sailors, draw them into the ocean to drown.

But if the ocean sings to them, it is not our doing—no more than the earth’s call to us is theirs.

And Odysseus never tried to resist.

But the memories of men are short, and the stories they share shift and change, like the ocean’s surface.

Connect with Margo

Twitter: @MargoBondCollin

Google+

Goodreads Author Page

Facebook Author Page

Tsu

Every week beginning May 26th, 2015, we’ll be releasing one unique, never-before-published novella! Each novella will feature our favorite creature of the deep: mermaids.

The Falling in Deep Collection (May – September Releases)

Scales by Pauline Creeden

Ink: A Mermaid Romance by Melanie Karsak

Of Ocean and Ash by A. R. Draeger

Deep Breath by J. M. Miller

At the Heart of the Deep by Carrie Wells

The Mermaid’s Den by Ella Malone

How to be a Mermaid by Erin Hayes

The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless

An Officer & a Mermaid by Blaire Edens

The Water is Sweeter by Eli Constant

Cold Water Bridegroom by B. Brumley

Immersed by Katie Hayoz

Siren’s Kiss by Margo Bond Collins

To Each His Own by Anna Albergucci

Never miss a release! Join our newsletter for behind the scenes information and release updates:

Join the Mermaids!

Interview with {Katie Hayoz}: Part Two

I caught the lovely Katie Hayoz, and she graciously agreed to an interview. On Tuesday, August 18, 2015, she’s releasing Immersed as a part of The Falling in Deep Collection.

Order Immersed. It’s out today! Happy Release Day, Katie!

What is your favorite writing music?

I have to write to dead silence. Or maybe white noise, like a fan or the hum of the refrigerator. Music makes me lose my concentration.

Where is your favorite place to find inspiration?

My favorite place WOULD be in my very own writing room with a fantastic view of the mountains and a glacial stream. However, I don’t have that. So…I find inspiration where I can get it, usually at the kitchen table staring out at the parking lot and alleyway below. A lot of weird characters pass through there.

What was your inspiration for Immersed? Tell me about your characters.

First is the medieval myth of Melusine. There are several stories, but the one that stuck with me was the French one where Melusine was cursed by her mother for killing her father. Plus, she’s the mermaid on the Starbucks label – Melusine has two tails. The other inspiration was the history of Chicago. In the 1850’s, Chicago was literally sinking. The city was built on marshland, had no proper drainage and was a cesspool of disease. So the city officials raised the streets up by several feet to put in underground plumbing. Houses followed…though not everyone could afford to raise their home. You can still see “sunken” houses in Chicago today! I had to use that setting. Just had to. And so that’s where Melusine lives and works.

Any advice for new writers (like me)?

Get into a good critiquing group. Find other writers who are honest and like your work, but aren’t afraid to tell you when they think you’re doing it wrong. Because we are steeped in our own thoughts and words, other sets of eyes are vital to making our work the best it can be. That said, despite how much you rewrite and get critiqued, you will end up thinking of the perfect way to fix something in the novel only AFTER it’s published. But, by then, it’s time to move on.

Make your library ecstatic. Order Immersed. 🙂

Blurb:

What if love turned you into a monster?

Forget petticoats and demure female behavior. Melusine Doré prefers armored corsets and knives and slays evil creatures for a living. The grim and gruesome don’t frighten her; she’ll take on a cyclops or a dragon and not even break a sweat. But when her rival, the charismatic Levi Cannon, comes to town, all her buried fears begin to surface. Melusine realizes she is in danger of something much more horrifying than facing blood-thirsty beasts – she’s in danger of falling in love. Because love alone has the power to reveal a secret terrible enough to completely shatter her world.

Set in the muddy streets of 1850s steampunk Chicago, Immersed by Katie Hayoz is a dark yet romantic fantastical romp. It is a stand-alone novella, but the first in a series of adventures that follow Melusine on her quest to rid the world of monsters…and her struggle to come to terms with every monstrous facet of herself.

About Katie:

Katie Hayoz was born in Racine, WI, the youngest of six kids. Originally, she wanted to become pope (for the awesome hat and fancy robes), but quickly realized reading – then writing — was her true religion. She devours speculative fiction like she does popcorn and black licorice: quickly and in large quantities.

Meet Katie:

Get VIP access to Katie’s releases, giveaways and news:http://www.katiehayoz.com/p/mcembedsignupbackgroundfff-clearleft.html

Connect with Katie on her website: www.katiehayoz.com

On Goodreads

On Twitter

On Facebook

On Pinterest

Every week beginning May 26th, 2015, we’ll be releasing one unique, never-before-published novella! Each novella will feature our favorite creature of the deep: mermaids.

The Falling in Deep Collection (May – September Releases)

Scales by Pauline Creeden

Ink: A Mermaid Romance by Melanie Karsak

Of Ocean and Ash by A. R. Draeger

Deep Breath by J. M. Miller

At the Heart of the Deep by Carrie Wells

The Mermaid’s Den by Ella Malone

How to be a Mermaid by Erin Hayes

The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless

An Officer & a Mermaid by Blaire Edens

The Water is Sweeter by Eli Constant

Cold Water Bridegroom by B. Brumley

Immersed by Katie Hayoz

Siren’s Kiss by Margo Bond Collins

To Each His Own by Anna Albergucci

Never miss a release! Join our newsletter for behind the scenes information and release updates:

Join the Mermaids!

Interview with {Katie Hayoz}: Part One

I caught the lovely Katie Hayoz, and she graciously agreed to an interview. On Tuesday, August 18, 2015, she’s releasing Immersed as a part of The Falling in Deep Collection.

Pre-order the awesome.

Tell me about you. What do you write?

In life, I am the good girl. I’m responsible. I’m nice. I avoid confrontation, always wear underwear and only swear in certain company. That’s probably why I love writing dark stuff where the characters are flawed and the stories are creepy. I’ve written YA and have two more YA books ready to publish, but am also venturing out into the adult world with Immersed.

When did you start writing? When did you start publishing?

I’ve always written. I have stories from my childhood that bring tears to my family’s eyes. (Tears of laughter, that is. Because the stories are so BAD.) I published Untethered in 2013. Since then, I’ve written three books and am working on getting them out. Immersed will be published August 18, 2015.

Has there been a progression through genres in your writing?

Not everything, but almost everything I write has a paranormal or fantastical edge to it. That hasn’t changed. However, I’ve gone from paranormal YA with romantic elements to adult steampunk romance for my latest adventure.

What authors do you like to read?

I read different authors and bounce around in my tastes. I have no problem going from Toni Morrison to Jackie Collins (I know, I know). Lately, I’ve been reading lots of indie authors. One of my favorite indie novels is Chasing the Star Garden by Melanie Karsak. Adventure. Kickass characters. Steampunk gadgets. What’s not to love?

You have something coming out very soon. Tell me about that.

I don’t know how it happened, but somehow I was allowed into the Blazing Indie Collective with all you awesome writers. Within that group, the Falling in Deep Collection project was born: write a novella with a mermaid in it. Immersed is the result of that. It’s the story of Melusine, a female monster hunter who is afraid of nothing except falling in love. It is what I call a dark yet silly fantastical romantic romp set in steampunk Chicago. Lots of innuendo. Lots of weapons. And, I hope, lots of fun.

Part Two of my Interview with Katie Hayoz is coming on Tuesday, August 18, 2015. See you then. (:

In the meantime, make your library ecstatic. Pre-order Immersed. (:

Blurb:

What if love turned you into a monster?

About Katie:

Meet Katie:

Get VIP access to Katie’s releases, giveaways and news: http://www.katiehayoz.com/p/mcembedsignupbackgroundfff-clearleft.html

Connect with Katie on her website: www.katiehayoz.com

On Goodreads

On Twitter

On Facebook

On Pinterest

Every week beginning May 26th, 2015, we’ll be releasing one unique, never-before-published novella! Each novella will feature our favorite creature of the deep: mermaids.

The Falling in Deep Collection (May – September Releases)

Scales by Pauline Creeden

Ink: A Mermaid Romance by Melanie Karsak

Of Ocean and Ash by A. R. Draeger

Deep Breath by J. M. Miller

At the Heart of the Deep by Carrie Wells

The Mermaid’s Den by Ella Malone

How to be a Mermaid by Erin Hayes

The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless

An Officer & a Mermaid by Blaire Edens

The Water is Sweeter by Eli Constant

Cold Water Bridegroom by B. Brumley

Immersed by Katie Hayoz

Siren’s Kiss by Margo Bond Collins

To Each His Own by Anna Albergucci

Never miss a release! Join our newsletter for behind the scenes information and release updates:

Join the Mermaids!

Interview with {Eli Constant}: Part Two

Woot, woot! Eli Constant is in the house. She’s releasing The Water is Sweeter as a part of The Falling in Deep Collection. Here is Part Two of our interview! (Get This Now)

What is your favorite writing music?

Quiet. Ha-ha. Yeah, I’m not really into having music on while I’m writing. Sometimes, I’ll stick a favorite movie on the television- one I’ve seen so many times that it just becomes a background hum, but rarely do I listen to music.

Where is your favorite place to find inspiration?

There’s no magic place for me – it happens whenever and wherever it wants. Quite frustrating actually – to be sound asleep and get an idea, to be driving down the highway with no way to jot it down, desperately fumbling with your phone to hit the sound record function, to be in the shower soaking wet and suddenly have a brilliant notion pop into your noggin. I wish I did have a special place that inspired me. Life would be easier.

What was your inspiration for The Water is Sweeter? Tell me about the story.

Female empowerment. Finding the will to improve your life, even if it’s daunting and scary and hard. Realizing that love, although imperfect and difficult, is not ugly and cruel.

Here’s the blurb actually:

When the land becomes a desert, the water will quench your soul

Orphan Lena McMillan used to think that what she shared with Truman Kent was real. Now she sees their relationship for what it really is- controlling and abusive.

She has to choose to die slowly from ‘love’ or say goodbye to the family she’s always desired. Leaving scares her though, so much so that dying seems like her only option.

But fate won’t let her quit life and Truman won’t let her quit his love. Not without a fight.

Under the layers of a lonely childhood and an adulthood romance gone wrong, a starfish holds the key to Lena’s parentage and the answer to the mesmeric ocean dreams that haunt her.

If she can find the strength to leave the only life she knows, Lena will discover the truth. And she will find a new world, one that will cleanse her of the memories of false love and abuse.

One that will finally lead her home.

Any advice for new writers (like me)?

Keep at it. If you stop for a while, force yourself to get back in the saddle as soon as possible. Don’t take crap from anybody. Just because you’re a new author – that doesn’t mean that you don’t have an opinion or perspective worth listening to, that doesn’t mean that your voice isn’t good enough already. I will agree that the more you write, the more you work at it, the better you’ll get- It is talent and skill combined, not one or the other. Getting better doesn’t change the core of who you are as a writer, it simple hones your voice and makes it clearer, so people can recognize it through all the other noise.

Be honest with yourself too, on the things you know need improvement. Again, this doesn’t detract from your God-given talent, it doesn’t mean you aren’t good enough, but what it does mean is that you’ll keep working and pushing yourself. And pretty soon, you won’t be ‘new’ at all; you’ll be an old hat giving others advice (and probably feeling awkward when you do, because a good writer should retain a modicum of humility. It makes them more real, human and approachable).

Blurb:

When the land becomes a desert, the water will quench your soul

Orphan Lena McMillan used to think that what she shared with Truman Kent was real. Now she sees their relationship for what it really is- controlling and abusive.

She has to choose to die slowly from ‘love’ or say goodbye to the family she’s always desired. Leaving scares her though, so much so that dying seems like her only option.

But fate won’t let her quit life and Truman won’t let her quit his love. Not without a fight.

Under the layers of a lonely childhood and an adulthood romance gone wrong, a starfish holds the key to Lena’s parentage and the answer to the mesmeric ocean dreams that haunt her.

If she can find the strength to leave the only life she knows, Lena will discover the truth. And she will find a new world, one that will cleanse her of the memories of false love and abuse.

One that will finally lead her home.

Make Your Library Happy ❤

About the Author:

Eli attended USC-L, Columbia College, Texas A&M, & George Mason University. She studied everything from Mariculture to Differential Equations. Settling on Biology, Eli participated in research fellowships in Texas and at NIH, worked a few random jobs, and finally settled into a Virginia lab where she focused on mastering diagnosis procedures and implementations of histology and pathology.

Choosing to be a dedicated homemaker after the birth of her first child, Eli rediscovered her passion for writing. She’s never regretted the decision. Not only are her kids the most amazing creatures, but writing fulfills her soul the way science never did.

******

Eli is the author of Dead Trees, Dead Trees 2, Mastic, DRAG.N & Z Children: Awakening. She is a contributing author to Let’s Scare Cancer to Death, State of Horror: New Jersey, State of Horror: Illinois, & Fading Hope. Her books are available in eBook, paperback, & audio formats.

Meet Eli:

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Interview with {Eli Constant}: Part One

Woot, woot! Eli Constant is in the house. She’s releasing The Water is Sweeter as a part of The Falling in Deep Collection. On to Part One of our interview!

Tell me about you. What do you write?

I’m 29 and was voted ‘most likely to succeed,’ but I haven’t fulfilled my perceived potential by a long shot; I haven’t fulfilled all the dreams I had as a kid. I’m definitely in a different place in my life than I expected to be and it isn’t what I thought I wanted as a child. I realize now that I’m not sure those wants were right for me. I’ve a family now and once I thought I’d be this worldly loner researching X in the middle of nowhere. Could I live without my children now? If it meant becoming that loner with such life experience and travel? No, probably not. So- this is me- a stay at home mother who is about to be 30, who gave up the research lab for diapers and bottles and writing. I couldn’t be more myself if I tried.

I’m not one for fluff or mindless reading/writing. I don’t just want to entertain people; I want to make my readers consider things deeply, from different angles. That doesn’t mean I don’t want them to also be entertained, just that I want the experience to delve deeper than surface pleasure. That means that I bring them into the way I see reality which sometimes isn’t an escape from their own reality. Does that make sense?

My style is a mash-up in every sense of the word – genres, characters, & point-of-views are all mixed and blended until something unique can be poured out onto the page. I tend towards dark concepts and even my most lighthearted pieces usually have a flipside full of shadow.

When did you start writing? When did you start publishing?

Grade School- I won a contest for best creative fiction. It was a ridiculous piece about space ducks stealing a little boy’s umbrella. Very Howard the Duck inspired. I’ve been scribbling ever since, but never took it seriously until I transitioned from work place to home place. I self-published my first piece back in 2012.

Has there been a progression through genres in your writing?

I started out in the Dystopian & Horror genres with my debut Dead Trees – many of the authors I knew wrote in that genre and it felt natural to follow suit. Now, I’ve pieces that edge towards Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Mystery, etc. I like experimenting.

What authors do you like to read?

Indies: Claire C Riley (Odium, Limerence, Thicker than Blood), Jack Wallen (I Zombie, Shero), TW Brown (The Dead Series, That Ghoul Ava), Ivan Amberlake (The Beholder), Ken Mooney (GodHead), Mike Lee (Starfire)… There’s so many more; I could list them all day.

Traditionally Published: Orson Scott Card, Tolkien, L’Engle, Crichton… again, so many more. I’m an avid reader and can’t imagine life without a book by my bed at night.

You have something coming out very soon. Tell me about that.

‘The Water is Sweeter’ is part of the Falling in Deep Collection. It’s supposed to be about a mermaid(s) and it is, in a way. Lena is a woman who realizes that the relationship she is in is emotionally abusive, but because she’s an orphan, someone who has craved a family her entire life, she has a hard time walking away from her fiancé Truman. She finds freedom in her head (or is it only psychological?) where she can drift away and become a mermaid. There’s a lot more to it than that, but I don’t want to spoil the story line.

Blurb:

When the land becomes a desert, the water will quench your soul

Orphan Lena McMillan used to think that what she shared with Truman Kent was real. Now she sees their relationship for what it really is- controlling and abusive.

She has to choose to die slowly from ‘love’ or say goodbye to the family she’s always desired. Leaving scares her though, so much so that dying seems like her only option.

But fate won’t let her quit life and Truman won’t let her quit his love. Not without a fight.

Under the layers of a lonely childhood and an adulthood romance gone wrong, a starfish holds the key to Lena’s parentage and the answer to the mesmeric ocean dreams that haunt her.

If she can find the strength to leave the only life she knows, Lena will discover the truth. And she will find a new world, one that will cleanse her of the memories of false love and abuse.

One that will finally lead her home.

About the Author:

******

Meet Eli:

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Interview with {Poppy Lawless}: Part Two

I’ve met awesome (and camera shy) YA author, Poppy Lawless, through the Falling in Deep Collection. She’s one of 15 authors writing paranormal summer romance novellas. (: She agreed to do an interview! Yay! Order The Glass Mermaid.

What is your favorite writing music?

It all depends on the story. For The Glass Mermaid, my latest release, I listened to a lot of swing music! This music plays an important role in the novella, and listening to big band tunes put me in the mood right along with them.

Where is your favorite place to find inspiration?

It all depends, but I like having idea boards on Pinterest. But you never know. Even the smallest thing can inspire me!

What was your inspiration for The Glass Mermaid? Tell me about your characters.

This novella is set in a fictional town situated along Lake Erie. I lived in on the lakeshore for many years, and one thing I really loved to do was pick up beach glass. I think the image of Kate, my mermaid, was born of my own love of those pretty little baubles. I spent a lot of time looking out at those waters wondering what lay beneath. The Glass Mermaid is my little contribution to that.

Any advice for new writers (like me)?

Tell the stories your soul wants to share and keep a positive attitude!

The Glass Mermaid:

Kate

I’m the last mermaid.

I’m back on shores of Lake Erie, but the cold waters are silent. There is nothing here for me but ghosts and the beach glass that litters the rocky shore. Long ago, I lived below the waves. Now, I am the sole survivor, and at long last, my mermaid glamour is leaving me.

Every day, I walk the beach. Every day, I wonder what happened to my people. The little pieces of colored glass that wash ashore give me simple pleasure. They are gifts from the lake, reminders of home. I fashion them into trinkets: necklaces, earrings, bracelets. They are beautiful things. The humans seem love them.

Every day, I walk the beach. Nothing ever changes, until the day he says hello.

Cooper

I’m dying.

It’s not a question, it’s a fact. The cancer is eating me alive. They told me I have six months to live, maybe less. I came home, back to Chancellor on Lake Erie, to die. The sunsets are vivid there, and I will relish every one.

I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than a Lake Erie sunset until I see her.

All life is as fragile as glass.

What would you sacrifice to save the one you love?

Order the YA awesome.

About the Author:

Sinfully delicious tales of romance . . .

Romance author. Cupcake connoisseur. Certified herbalist. Beach bum. Fan of all things Starbucks. Holistic healing advocate. Surfer girl wanna-be. Lost guru. Maker of dandelion wine. Counselor. Paranormal buff. Etsy addict. Secretly Jedi. So not a geek girl. Gifted in sarcasm. Hot wife. Ninja mom. And now, I’m ready to share a whole head full of witty, mouthy, smart, lovely, heart-warming, and hot characters with the world. Are you ready?

Poppy Lawless is the author of The Glass Mermaid and the forthcoming Love & Chocolate series releasing in 2015. Poppy holds degrees in English and Psychology. She is a counselor in the field of mental health and is a trained herbalist.

Connect with Poppy!

Blog
Facebook
Pinterest
Newsletter

Subscribe to Poppy’s newsletter and receive her exclusive shorts, “Poppy’s Quickies,”

feature tales of love and delicious recipes! http://eepurl.com/bbaeo9

Every week beginning May 26th, 2015, we’ll be releasing one unique, never-before-published novella! Each novella will feature our favorite creature of the deep: mermaids.

The Falling in Deep Collection (May – September Releases)

Scales by Pauline Creeden

Ink: A Mermaid Romance by Melanie Karsak

Of Ocean and Ash by A. R. Draeger

Deep Breath by J. M. Miller

At the Heart of the Deep by Carrie Wells

The Mermaid’s Den by Ella Malone

How to be a Mermaid by Erin Hayes

The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless

An Officer & a Mermaid by Blaire Edens

The Water is Sweeter by Eli Constant

Cold Water Bridegroom by B. Brumley

A Beyond the Sea Prequel by Emily Goodwin

Immersed by Katie Hayoz

Siren’s Kiss by Margo Bond Collins

To Each His Own by Anna Albergucci

Never miss a release! Join our newsletter for behind the scenes information and release updates:

Join the Mermaids!

Interview with {Poppy Lawless}: Part One

Tell me about you. What do you write?

I write romance that spans from fantasy romance to romantic comedy. My latest release, The Glass Mermaid, is a sweet romance with a dark edge. I am planning a 3-book set of paranormal romance novellas set in Chancellor where we find Kate, my mermaid, in The Glass Mermaid. After that I’ll be releasing Love & Chocolate, a romantic comedy. I have another series planned thereafter, and it’s also in the romantic comedy line.

When did you start writing? When did you start publishing?

I’ve always written. I remember scribbling stories when I was in elementary school. The Glass Mermaid is my toe in the big romance pool. I’m really excited to get started on this adventure!

Has there been a progression through genres in your writing?

Yes. I used to write more literary, but now I just want to write stories that will touch people’s hearts, help them see good in the world, bring them hope, and make them laugh. The Glass Mermaid, my latest, is about having faith that the universe wants to bring you light and love.

What authors do you like to read?

I have a wide range of author fangirl moments! I love Bella Andre, Sarah Addison Allen, Deborah Geary, and so many more!

You have something coming out very soon. Tell me about that.

On July 14^th I’m releasing my first novella, The Glass Mermaid. This short and sweet novella tells the story of Kate and Cooper. Kate is a mermaid whose mer-magic is coming to an end. Cooper is a man dying of cancer who never had a chance to fall in love. Kate and Cooper are undeniably attracted to one another, but neither wants to take the plunge for fear of hurting the other. They are both truly lovely people, and I really enjoyed writing their story.

The Glass Mermaid:

Kate

I’m the last mermaid.

Every day, I walk the beach. Nothing ever changes, until the day he says hello.

Cooper

I’m dying.

I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than a Lake Erie sunset until I see her.

All life is as fragile as glass.

What would you sacrifice to save the one you love?

Pre-order the awesome: here.

About the Author:

Sinfully delicious tales of romance . . .

Connect with Poppy!Blog
Facebook
Pinterest
Newsletter

Subscribe to Poppy’s newsletter and receive her exclusive shorts, “Poppy’s Quickies,”

feature tales of love and delicious recipes! http://eepurl.com/bbaeo9

Every week beginning May 26th, 2015, we’ll be releasing one unique, never-before-published novella! Each novella will feature our favorite creature of the deep: mermaids.

The Falling in Deep Collection (May – September Releases)

Scales by Pauline Creeden

Ink: A Mermaid Romance by Melanie Karsak

Of Ocean and Ash by A. R. Draeger

Deep Breath by J. M. Miller

At the Heart of the Deep by Carrie Wells

The Mermaid’s Den by Ella Malone

How to be a Mermaid by Erin Hayes

The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless

An Officer & a Mermaid by Blaire Edens

The Water is Sweeter by Eli Constant

Cold Water Bridegroom by B. Brumley

A Beyond the Sea Prequel by Emily Goodwin

Immersed by Katie Hayoz

Siren’s Kiss by Margo Bond Collins

To Each His Own by Anna Albergucci

Never miss a release! Join our newsletter for behind the scenes information and release updates:

Join the Mermaids!

Interview with {Erin Hayes}: Part Two (and a giveaway)

It’s out, it’s out! You could WIN it here.

I met the lovely Erin Hayes through a rocking writers group! She’s releasing a novella with the Falling In Deep Collection. You can Order the mermaid awesomeness here.

What is your favorite writing music?

I listen to a lot of movie and video game music. It’s meant to enhance a situation, not distract from it, and I find that a good soundtrack amplifies my mood. I just need to find the right mood.

Where is your favorite place to find inspiration?

My desk! I’ve surrounded my writing area with great, creative things, such as my Sailor Moon figurines, 50 pieces of art, and my Sharknado figurine.

What was your inspiration for How to Be a Mermaid? Tell me about your heroine.

I wanted to tell a fun story unlike anything I’ve ever seen before for mermaids. I came across professional mermaids, and the story unfurled from there.

Any advice for new writers (like me)?

Other writers have said it, but I find the best advice to be to read as much as you write. This is an art where it’s easy to isolate yourself from everyone, but reading is something that takes you to different worlds and allows you to perfect your craft.

Synopsis:

All Tara ever wanted was to be a mermaid.

So she takes a year off between high school and college to don a fake tail and tour aquariums across the country in a professional mermaid troupe.

Everything’s great until she meets a gorgeous real-life merman named Finn. Suddenly, what she thought was a dream turns out to be a nightmare — she’s turning into a mermaid herself. For real.

Yet when she returns to the sea to seek out Finn and reverse her transformation, she finds herself in the middle of an impending war between the land and sea. Tara may have always wanted to be a mermaid, but now it’s sink or swim. In order to survive, she has to learn how to be one, too.

ORDER IT! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO.

Check out this GIVEAWAY!

Short Excerpt:

“What is this?” a rough, intense voice demanded.

I swam out of unconsciousness, an uncomfortable experience that revealed my entire body aching, my head most of all. It was so dark, and a strange feeling had overtaken my body. Like I was floating. I tried touching a hand to my head, only to find that I couldn’t.

What the-?

My hands were tied behind my back with what felt like…kelp?

The realization hit me and I thrashed about trying to free myself, and I finally opened my eyes.

I paused for a moment, unable to grasp exactly where I was.

I was…underwater?

Air bubbles popped out of my mouth in a flurry when a scream escaped my throat. A thousand thoughts filled my head, none of them making sense except for the overwhelming dread that I was somehow underwater with my hands tied behind my back. From what I could tell, there was no way I could get air to breathe. I’d lost a lot of air when I screamed.

Oh my god, I was going to drown.

My mermaid necklace was thrust in front of my vision, momentarily disorienting me.

“What is this? I demand you to tell me now!”

“What?” I asked out loud. A sharp pain zigzagged across my head from where I’d hit it on the rock. I was trapped underwater and this man wanted to know…what exactly? What my necklace was?

The necklace came even closer to my face, so much that I’d have to go cross-eyed in order to focus on it.

“Where did you get this? What is it?” the man demanded.

“It’s my…” I was unsure and still terrified of my situation. “It’s my necklace.”

About the Author:

Sci-fi junkie, video game nerd, and wannabe manga artist Erin Hayes writes a lot of things. Sometimes she writes books, like the fantasy mystery novel Death is but a Dream, the sci-fi middle grade book Jacob Smith is Incredibly Average, and the Her Wolf paranormal series.

She works as an advertising copywriter during the day, and she moonlights as an author. She has lived in New Zealand, Texas, and now in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, cat, and a growing collection of geek paraphernalia.

You can reach her at erinhayesbooks@gmail.com and she’ll be happy to chat. Especially if you want to debate Star Wars.

Meet Erin:

Every week beginning May 26th, 2015, we’ll be releasing one unique, never-before-published novella! Each novella will feature our favorite creature of the deep: mermaids.

The Falling in Deep Collection (May – September Releases)

Scales by Pauline Creeden

Ink: A Mermaid Romance by Melanie Karsak

Of Ocean and Ash by A. R. Draeger

Deep Breath by J. M. Miller

At the Heart of the Deep by Carrie Wells

The Mermaid’s Den by Ella Malone

How to be a Mermaid by Erin Hayes

The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless

An Officer & a Mermaid by Blaire Edens

The Water is Sweeter by Eli Constant

Cold Water Bridegroom by B. Brumley

A Beyond the Sea Prequel by Emily Goodwin

Immersed by Katie Hayoz

Siren’s Kiss by Margo Bond Collins

To Each His Own by Anna Albergucci

Never miss a release! Join our newsletter for behind the scenes information and release updates:

Join the Mermaids!

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Review (Be sure to check out the giveaway at the bottom of this post!)

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EXCERPT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Meet Eli:

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The Glass Mermaid:

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