 |
Diary of a Radical Mermaid
Dive into Lilith Bonavendier's
latest scheme to awaken the "inner mermaid" in an
unsuspecting distant relative.
Read Chapter One
Buy Now
- "The perfect summer read" --The Best
Reviews.com
|
This sequel to
Alice at Heart features
a funny, rambunctious mer socialite who’s assigned to turn a
mousey fantasy writer into a glorious mer-babe.
Glamour, mystery, romance, humor and webbed toes are all
back in full fin as rambunctious mer-socialite Juna Lee
Poinfax invades the dignified coastal world of the
Bonavendier clan. Determined to chronicle Mer life for her
on-line journal, Juna Lee instead dives into Lilith
Bonavendier's latest scheme to awaken the "inner mermaid" in
an unsuspecting distant relative. World-famous author M.M.
(Molly) Revere--who writes the mega-successful Water
Hyacinth series, about a group of children who are
secretly mermaids--is a shy, plain-footed young woman with
nothing but vague clues to her extraordinary family link to
the mer world. After Juna Lee--working for Lilith--lures
the likable Molly to the Georgia coast, both Molly and Juna
Lee find themselves in the middle of trouble. Mer-hunk
Rhymer McEvers has come to Sainte's Point Island to hide his
three remarkable nieces from their mysterious and possibly
murderous mer-father--a man who may be more myth than
reality, but dangerous either way. Molly has to face the
reality of her heritage while falling in love with the
enigmatic Rhymer and helping him protect his nieces from a
danger so amazing even the Water People can barely believe
it.
Top of Page
This sequel to
Alice at Heart took a
far more whimsical and comical turn than Alice. It was great
fun to write. If you’re wondering why the cover art changed
dramatically from Alice’s classic Maxfield Parrish painting
to a brightly colored “chick lit” look, well, the change
came partially from a desire to appeal to chick lit readers
but also, acquiring the rights to use another Maxfield
Parrish painting proved daunting! While many early works by
the famous artist are now in the public domain, meaning they
can be reproduced by anyone who wants to use them, you still
have to obtain a high-quality photograph of the paintings,
and those photographs have licensing fees attached.
Regardless,
browse this gallery of Parrish classics and
you’ll see why I was so intrigued by his work.
Top of Page
1. Whether in fantasy fiction or real life, women joke
about being "queens" or "goddesses" or "divas." Either we
openly want to be worshiped, or we secretly want to be
worshiped and resent women who have the moxie to demand it.
Or--third option--we honestly think prima donnas are just
that.
Do you think every woman should consider herself a diva,
as does Juna Lee Poinfax, the main character of "Diary?"
2. What is it about mermaids that attracts women so
much? Why do we want to be mermaids--or, at least, have
their allure?
3. Orion is that most special of men--a true,
shapeshifting bad boy with a heart of gold. He is,
literally, a beast. But also a hero. What is it about
these kinds of male characters that makes them so appealing
to women? Do we always think we can tame the wild male
beast?
4. As a bestselling fantasy author, Molly Revere and her
Hyacinth series are not-so-subtly modeled after J.K.
Rowlings and her Harry Potter books--with true admiration
for Ms. Rowlings and her accomplishments. Do you read the
Harry Potter books and, if so, what is it about the fantasy
of them--and the fantasy of the mermaids--that touches such
a strong chord with readers?
5. Rhymer McEvers is a Scotsman with a difference--he's
also a merman. What is it about Scotsmen that makes them so
sexy? The accent? The kilt? What? Discuss other famous
Scots in literature.
6. The enduring appeal of
innocently special, angel-like children pervades both our
secular and religious dogma. The three young girls in "
Diary"
endowed with healing powers embody that tradition. It's
easy to understand why we celebrate the innocence of
children, but can you think of instances in books, TV, and
film where children are the personification of evil? From
"The Bad Seed" to "Lord of the Flies" to "The Exorcist,"
sometimes children, as portrayed in fiction, are downright
terrifying.
Top of Page
"A delight" -- The Romance Reader
"A keeper" -- A romance review.com
"Fascinating" -- Romance Readers Connection
"The perfect summer read" -- The Best Reviews.com
"Amazing" -- In the Library Reviews
Top of Page
I was herding Paris Hilton and her shopping entourage
down a Manhattan boulevard when I broke the biggest rule of
mermaid life: Don't show your tail in public. It seemed like
such an innocent joke, dissing Donald Trump. But a Mer-babe
of real class does not, simply does not, shout across Fifth
Avenue, "Bad hair is NOT a symbol of self-confidence! For
godssake, Donald, the seventies are OVER. Stop with the
comb-over, already! Or shave your head and get some
transplants!"
Doing a bitch slap on a man's hair is never a good thing,
especially if a loud, beautiful redhead (me) yells at his
(The Donald's) hair in the company of a famous heiress
(Paris "I'm just your ordinary rich girl" Hilton, who asked
for my fashion guidance after recent public fiascos) while a
crew from Entertainment Tonight happens to be filming his
(The Donald's) Manhattan stroll. Because then they started
filming The Donald's hair. Donald's a charming and rich man,
but like most ordinary, plain-footed people on the planet he
thinks he rules the whole globe when, in fact, he only rules
the dry parts. The rest, which is covered in sweet, deep
water, belongs to us - the Mer folk, aka Water People, aka
People of Water, if you want to be politically correct about
it.
Landers, one fourth. Mers, three fourths. Who's more
important? Donald or me? You do the math.
Still, I shouldn't have pissed him off when he was on the
verge of signing a huge New York real estate deal with Riyad
bin Mahadeen, who is a) Lilith Bonavendier's lover, meaning,
like, he's the prince consort to the queen of all Mers in
the entire southeastern United States and b) Riyad is one of
the world's richest men, Mer or Lander and c) he's a senior
member of the worldwide Mer Council.
"Juna Lee Poinfax," Donald told Riyad, "has to be locked
in a room somewhere and forced to look at pictures of my
hair until she apologizes to me."
Horrors. I refused.
So Donald pulled out on the multi-million dollar deal,
and Riyad banished me from polite Mer society for costing
him a small fortune, and, thus, here I am, just another Mer
rebel without a cause, sentenced to community service in the
boondocks. Jane Austin could have written my woeful tale of
class and privilege purloined, it's so sad. She was a
mermaid three times removed on her father's side, you know.
Anyway, here I sit. Serving time on the beautiful but
bucolic Georgia coast. What am I to do? How can I possibly
preserve my J'en est se quoi de mermaid?
I know. I'll start a diary. A really hell-raising one.
Be warned. Mermaid at work.Top of Page
