How great is she?
My mother found her in a seaside shop in coastal Maine and couldn’t resist her. (Who could?) As her gold loop reveals, she’s an ornament, and she’s exactly what I imagine Tess would have sitting in her bathroom cup holder in THE MERMAID COLLECTOR.
Like so many residents of Cradle Harbor, twenty-five year-old Tess lives for the magic of the town’s annual Mermaid Festival, eeking out a living as a woodcarver and searching for a love as mystical as the sea. But on the eve of this year’s celebration, mystery and romance will enter her life in an unexpected way. She will collide—body and heart—with a quiet teacher named Tom Grace, a man who has lost all belief in life’s magic—until he happens upon Tess working in her studio.
THE MERMAID COLLECTOR is a story of the power of legends to shape our worlds, and the power of love to see the truths we don’t always want to see in our own hearts.
Do you believe in magic?
Aren’t mothers just the best!
And The Mermaid Collector sounds wonderful! Can’t wait to read it.
Thanks, Jenny! My girls assumed it was for them and, well, I agreed to share.
Love it! I predict a lot of mermaid figurines in your future.
I hope so, Linda. I think I could get swept away quite easily by a “collection” like this!
A seaside romance between a disheartened teacher and a hopeful woodcarver? With mystery, and legends of mermaids? I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
And I can’t wait to hear what you think of my star-crossed lovers, my friend. And I’m with you–who can resist a mermaid legend?
!!!!!!!!!!!
YAY! Can’t wait to get my hands on your latest. Look what I found:
“Mermaids are the perfect woman: beautiful, mysterious, unattainable. I am inspired by a sense of grace, and mermaids offer unlimited opportunities to express grace. The flowing hair and swaying sea grasses~ poetry emerges with each subtle movement.”
~ Christina Wyatt, Artist
http://homeiswheretheboatis.wordpress.com/2010/08/28/women-and-the-sea/dsc_0021-18/
Oh Josey, I want, I want!! However did you find her? And that quote is everything. There’s so much about the myth of mermaids that fascinates me–and Christina nails it with the suggestion of the freedom that mermaids have–the grace AND the independence–that’s exactly it!
i googled beaufort south carolina mermaid statues.
we saw a bunch of them when we were there over the christmas holiday last year–i remembered when i saw your post that i had wanted to find out what they were all about. it was part of a public arts project called “the big swim” where local sc artist decorated these mermaid statues and placed them all over town.
they’re gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous
Yes! I remember that! And I was so inspired to take a trip down there–I’m so glad you reminded me. I need to google and see more. Thank you, Josey!
Love the mermaid and the book sounds great. I think Linda may be on to something. I predict a collection.
Well, that settles it, Downith dear. A collection it is. (Of course, when the boxes pile up and the Hoarders producers come knocking, I am holding you and Linda fully responsible. Only fair.)
I can’t wait!! And I was so happy to check on amazon yesterday to find out I could pre-order it! And I agree that a collection seems inevitable… especially if you have a little help from your friends
Julia, it’s funny–I am not a big collector of anything (does piles of laundry count? Gah.) but I am totally jazzed at the idea of collecting mermaids now. This could be dangerous…
SO much fun to learn more about your next book! I love thinking about magical possibilities. Can’t wait to meet Tess!
I’m excited for you to meet her too, Melissa! And of course you would believe in magical possibilities–your ties to nature and the beautiful natural world where you live is proof of it–and you are so wonderfully tuned in to it, as your incredible photos always reveal.
I’m smiling because about 7 or 8 years ago, a good friend of mine who lived in Boston gave me a mermaid similar to that one — I have it hanging on the knob of the bathroom drawer where things for guests are tangled around for their use.
Ooo!! Kat, would you take a picture and send it to me?? I’m posting mermaid sightings on my book’s FB page and I’d LOVE to show it. Would you?
erikamarksauthor@gmail.com
Sounds like another winner, Erika! I do love a good romance. And yes, I absolutely believe in magic.
Thank you, sweet Cynthia! I have no doubt you are a believer in magic. How are you feeling? The summer seems to have slipped through all of our fingers–how was yours, my friend?
Hot diggity! So looking forward to reading this and getting to know these new characters of yours. Is the book already available?
Hey MSB!! It’s available for pre-order, my friend, releasing October 2nd! I was just emailing our friend Averil about getting her here for an interview. Stay tuned. Wish I had a few handfuls of those raspberries from your slide show today–maybe hold on to summer for a few more days. There’s already talk about Halloween costumes. Wait! It’s not even September!
Love it!
Years ago, I went with my best girlfriends to a tiny beach town, where I found a painting of a mermaid in a little arts shop. I loved it but told myself I did not need it, so there it stayed. Two years later, I was back in the same town, walked into the same shop, and there it was, just as I remembered! I bought it that time, of course. I have no yet hung it in my new house yet, but it’s here with me. There’s something special about a found mermaid (or one who finds you).
Laura, I read that story with baited breath–and you went back and got it! THAT I love. Two years! It was meant to be, no doubt about it.
Ack–is it bated or baited? I should know this…Yeesh…