In My Mailbox #3: A Special Gift

Welcome to In My Mailbox (IMM)! IMM is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren which features books bought/received in the mail, borrowed from the library as well as other awesome book-related goodies in your mailbox.

On Tuesday night last week, I came home from French class to my dad telling me I had something in the mail. I immediately got super excited until he handed me a letter addressed to me from the bank.

Me when I saw the bank letter.

"Daaaaad, you lied," I grumbled. "You knew I was expecting something other than that." There was a one-second pause and then he burst out laughing, saying that I had indeed received something other than the bank letter. Anyway, I gobbled up my dinner as fast as I could and zoomed in eagerly on the package. It'd made it here, all across the way from Canada!

My awesome Twitter friend Megan and I had decided to mail out gifts to each other for the festive season last December,  but postponed it because I wouldn't be in the country for Christmas and therefore wouldn't receive it in time. It was exhilarating, doing this. Megan and I have never met each other in person before but we both share a great love for Young Adult novels. She's also a very dear friend and a talented writer and I wouldn't have met her if not for the Twitter book community. I'm just pretty amazed at how someone thousands of miles away, whom you've never met, can be a better friend than the people you know in person.

Megan had asked me if I preferred necklaces or bracelets, and I'd replied the former (I do love both, though!). I knew she would be sending me a letter along with the gift, but I really wasn't prepared for what I found in the package I received!

So there was this beautiful envelope...

... with a handwritten letter and greeting card with a mermaid on it! I just adore handwritten letters (: The letter's not in this photo but you'll get to glimpse it later.

There was also an adorable box (:

Inside it...

My reaction when I saw it:

It's just too perfect. It's gothic yet classy, with a touch of vintage to it. I've seen similar necklaces on Etsy and other online stores, but none with mermaids, and there I sat completely speechless at the my necklace with a MERMAID on it.

And here's everything together!

Just a couple more photos!

Vintage!

Closeup...

I just LOVE how snobbish the mermaid looks! You've outdone yourself, Megan – I've never had a more gorgeous necklace!

I'll put just one photo of me with it on for this post. The other is on my About Me page ;D

Oh, one last thing (: Megan, your letter is amazing. YOU are amazing and I heart you. I'm thankful to have met you and I really appreciate how we've stayed friends. You're a complete stranger I haven't met at all before, but I can totally feel your warmth from across the ocean in Canada. I hope we'll meet one day; you're someone I won't forget so easily. Thank you girl <3

I HEART YOU!

You can catch Megan at her blog and on Twitter – have I mentioned that she loves books as much as I do? Oh, I have? Haha.

So that's it for IMM! What awesome bookish goodies or gifts have landed in your mailbox this week? Leave a link to your post in the comments below so I can swim over! (:

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Author Interview: Katie O'Sullivan, author of SON OF A MERMAID

Remember when I reviewed Son of a Mermaid by author Katie O'Sullivan? I gave it four fin-tastic starfish and today I bring you an author interview with Katie, in which we discuss her Pinterest board, love for mermaids, awesome characters and much more!

Son of a Mermaid by Katie O'Sullivan
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Released: May 15th 2013
Format: Ebook

Shea MacNamara's life just got complicated. After a freak tornado devastates his Oklahoma farm, the fifteen-year-old orphan is whisked away to Cape Cod. Struggling to make sense of his new surroundings, he's trying hard to deal with feelings of abandonment... and the emotions stirred by a girl he meets along the shore.

Kae belongs to an undersea world hidden from drylanders. The daughter of royal servants, she knows the planned marriage of her Princess to the foreign King should put an end to the war between the clans. But two things stand in the way of lasting peace: the ambitions of the foreign King's regent, and rumors of the Princess's bastard child. Sparks fly when she meets Shea, but could the cute drylander really be the Son of a Mermaid?

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: KATIE O'SULLIVAN, AUTHOR OF SON OF A MERMAID

Sherlyn: Hi Katie! Thanks for agreeing to the interview (: Let's start off with this question — which character do you love more: Shea or Kae? Why?

Katie: First, thanks for inviting me to stop by and chat! I love talking about SON OF A MERMAID! And then second... do I have to pick just one? I love both of these characters! When I first started this book, Shea was my favorite guy I'd ever written. He's strong and vulnerable at the same time, which I love in a character. But then Kae's character started growing, and after her bicycle lesson I fell in love with her bravery as well. So, yeah. I don't think I can choose between them.

Sherlyn: I liked the bicycle lesson scene very much. Kae is just too adorable! So, how do you visualise your characters? Do you search for images or have actors/actresses in mind?

Katie: That's an interesting question, because usually when I start writing a character I have a hazy image in my mind. It solidifies as I write, but then someone inevitably asks, "Who would play the characters in the movie version?" (I like to ask other authors the same thing!)

I do have a Pinterest board where I pin images that remind me of my characters and settings, but mostly I do this after I've already written them, when I'm procrastinating during the editing phases. I found a great photo of a young Alex Pettyfer that's my image of Shea, (circa I am Number Four, pre-Magic Mike.) The mermaid photos and the pins of "Kae" aren't of a specific actress, but I picture someone like Amanda Seyfried. It's so much fun to search for mermaids and see what other people have pinned!

(Here's a sneak peek at Katie's Pinterest board!)

Follow Katie O'Sullivan's board Mermaids and Ocean Views on Pinterest.
Sherlyn: This is one of my favourites from your board; those waves are simply stunning! I'm sure Kae would have hair like that.


There've been many books written about mermaids. What inspired you to write about the son of a mermaid, particularly?

Katie: My kids all loved Disney's Little Mermaid, especially my daughter, who had a mermaid-themed bedroom throughout elementary school. As she got older, I realized there weren't a lot of mermaid books for her to read (although that's certainly changing!) and there was nothing mermaid-themed that my sons even wanted to take a second look at.

The spark for Shea's story came one day as I was walking on the beach with my middle son. We found an odd stone on the beach, with a strange hole cut right through the center. We decided a mermaid must have lost it, and talked about what my son would do if she came ashore to get it back from him. The adventures kind of took off from there, with him at the center of it all.

Unfortunately, when he took that beach rock into school for 5th grade show and tell, another boy broke it so we no longer have the rock. But we still have the stories.

Sherlyn: Aww! I would loved to have seen a picture of the beach rock. I do appreciate how Son of a Mermaid is a novel that guys would be more likely to read, as compared to other mermaid books. Have you always loved mermaids? If so, what drew you to them?

Katie: As a kid I spent summers at the Jersey Shore. My friends and I would pretend to be mermaids and make up elaborate stories about riding our dolphins through the waves and whatnot. Okay, they were really boogie boards but the waves were real and we had vivid imaginations! Now my family lives year round on Cape Cod, and we walk on the beaches almost every day. I still love mermaids and dream about their adventures.

The oceans are vast and mysterious places, with so much still to be discovered. The idea of another race of beings living beneath the waves isn't totally impossible! I love that mermaids have a totally different perspective on our world, and are so closely tied to the environment. I also like the idea of them having mercurial temperaments... mermaids are not all sweetness and light, and we shouldn't underestimate them.

Sherlyn: I wholeheartedly agree with you on that. Sirens are not to be trifled with ;) Now... Shea's granddad is probably my most favourite supporting character (other than Mr Guenther). Did you plan on making him funny from the start?

Katie: I'm so glad you enjoyed him! And no, originally he was more gruff and formal. You know, "regal" in a stuffy textbook sort of way. It's got to be hard ruling a territory as large as the Atlantic Ocean and dealing with a defiant daughter. I was thinking he was pretty much a jerk for dragging Brynn away from her baby and husband and making Shea grow up without his mother. But these are the choices a king has to make.

But then my son started comparing him to Liam Neeson, who is also gruff in so many of his roles. Duty and honor come first, but always with a twinkle in his eye. I wanted that twinkle, lol, and tried to add it into the story.

Sherlyn: That's awesome! I'm really happy that he turned out to be so hilarious. Are any of your characters based on people you know personally?

Katie: "Not in this book," she says with a smile. Some of Shea's traits are based on my sons - he's not one or the other, but a blend of the two. But he's his own character.

Sherlyn: Now that's interesting! 'A blend of the two' is totally cool. So what's your favourite mermaid book or movie of all time, and why?

Katie: I love the movie "Splash" with Daryl Hannah and Tom Hanks - it's a classic! I love how Madison the mermaid is fascinated by all the new things she discovers on dry land, her openness and curiosity about stuff. And I'm a sucker for a happy ending. For a more modern mermaid tale, I have to admit I enjoy watching "Aquamarine" with my daughter. Navigating the shifting sands of friendship (and boys) is hard for humans and mermaids!

Sherlyn: I'm an Aquamarine fan too! The best part about mermaid movies is when the mermaids are curious about the stuff on land – it always makes for a good giggle. By the way, what are you currently reading?

Katie: I have a pile of ARCs I'm happily reading to review. The current book on my Kindle is called "The Memory Witch" by Heather Topham Wood (witches and magick, but no mermaids), and my sister just gave me a paperback of "The Shark Dialogues" by Kiana Davenport for Christmas, which I'm eager to start. (It's set in Hawaii, but there are still no mermaids, lol.) Actually, I don't read the other current mermaid tales because I don't want them to influence my story or writing.

Sherlyn: Oh, The Memory Witch! It's on my to-read list – I found the synopsis interesting when I chanced upon it. Good to hear you're enjoying your current reads. Well, now for the last question! Seashells, or starfish?

Katie: Seaglass, actually. The shards of broken glass that the ocean smooths and buffs... I love it!! I have jars filled with all different colors of seaglass from my many walks along the shore. I love that it's something that starts out as trash but the ocean takes it and actively changes it into something beautiful. Don't get me wrong, I love seashells and starfish as well - but if I have to choose one treasure from the ocean, it's definitely seaglass.

Thank you so much for inviting me to visit! It's been fun!

Sherlyn: Thank you, Katie, for stopping by with such great answers! It's been a pleasure to have you around! (:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katie O’Sullivan lives with her family and big dogs next to the ocean on Cape Cod, drinking way too much coffee and inventing new excuses not to dust.

She writes YA and romantic suspense novels, as well as working as an editor. For the last four years, she’s worked as the Editor of CapeWomenOnline.com magazine and writes “The Write Way” column for the magazine.

She hopes her debut YA novel, SON OF A MERMAID, will make a big splash this summer, engaging young readers with a Cape Cod tale of a boy who discovers both his roots and his destiny far below the waters of Nantucket Sound.

Connect with Katie: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Get your copy of Son of a Mermaid!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

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In My Mailbox #2: How To Be A Mermaid and more!

Welcome to In My Mailbox (IMM)! IMM is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren which features books bought/received in the mail, borrowed from the library as well as other awesome book-related goodies in your mailbox.

This week, I'm positively quivering with excitement to share what I got in the mail!

Author Raina Mermaid

On 1st December last year, I ordered my very own copy of "Fishy" Business: How to Be a Mermaid by Raina Mermaid. Raina has always been an inspiration to mermaids and mermen around the world (and me as well) on MerNetwork with her journey to becoming a professional mermaid. She also has an incredibly vast knowledge of the mermaid industry. "Fishy" Business: How to Be a Mermaid narrates her mermaid journey (which makes it sort of like the autobiography on the fishy aspect of her life) and dishes out some fins of the trade, regardless of whether you're looking to make a splash in the mermaid business, learn more about us mers, or just wanting to experience a little of the mermaid magic ;)

"Fishy" Business: How to Be a Mermaid by Raina Mermaid
Publisher: Raina Mermaid (on Lulu.com)
Released: May 2013
Pages: 160

Dive into the world of professional mermaiding with Raina Mermaid! In her first book, Raina details how she transformed herself from an unemployed educator into a living, breathing, performing mermaid! Read her interesting narrative of her mermaid journey and how she turned it into a performing business! This book is ideal for anyone who'd like to become a mermaid and turn it into a business, to gain insight into the bustling mermaid community, or who appreciate an interesting tail.... ​
​​
So make a splash with Raina, and learn all about "Fishy Business". Foreword by "Mermaid" author, Carolyn Turgeon.

I'm so relieved to have received my copy on the morning of the day I was about to go overseas (you know, post-office complications and stuff if I'm not in the country). I can't wait to dive into this book, but I've got that reading pile... 

Oh, starfish.

But no matter. I'm determined to get this book reviewed this year!

You can find out more about "Fishy" Business: How to Be a Mermaid on Raina's blog, in an interview with author Carolyn Turgeon (author of Mermaid: A Twist On The Classic Tale), as well as the book's official site!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Raina has a degree in child and youth development, her bachelor of education (elementary), teaching license, and ECE certification. In May 2013 Raina published her first book "Fishy" Business: How to be a Mermaid. Raina also appeared on CBC's This Hour has 22 Minutes in 2013. Raina has been appearing in music videos from 2012 onward, and has done loads of public performing. 

Raina lives in Halifax with her merwrangler of 6+ years, Sean, and their adopted old kitty – Chicklet. Chicklet likes to sleep on Raina's mermaid tails and protect them. When she's not a mermaid, Raina enjoys playing guitar, singing, photography, getting outside, going to movies, reading lots of books (mystery books are her favourite) and spending time with her friends and family. Raina has big goals for Halifax Mermaids and is enjoying the time she gets to spend with her mer-girls. 

Connect with Raina: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr

Click here to get your own copy of "Fishy" Business: How to be a Mermaid!

Also in the mail...

The front... and back of the postcard~

A beautiful postcard from Eggplant Literary Productions featuring the cover art of Spellbound Magazine's Giants issue, signed by cover artist Karen Ann Hollingsworth! I won it in a giveaway at Word Spelunking, hosted by Aeicha. I was pleasantly surprised when Aeicha contacted me saying I was a winner, as I totes hadn't expected it (:

So that's what I got in the mail for December last year! What have you received in your mailbox? Comment below with a link to your IMM post and I'll swim over to have a look!

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Top 10 for 2013... and a New Year's Resolution

It's been a little more than 6 months since Mermaid with a Book was launched, and this mermaid's flippin' out over the things that have happened since then. Book blogging has been such a wave to ride on and I'm so thankful for this experience. I've picked my way through a lot of things – still am, actually – things like improving my blog design with HTML, building relationships with authors and other book bloggers, how to write a review to best express my thoughts on a book (negative reviews, especially).

First things first — my New Year's resolution for 2014:

To read more books than I did in 2013.

One thing that bugs me the most is not hitting my target of reading 100 books last year. I've only got a miserable 44 on Goodreads, no thanks to school assignments and projects. Also, I read 111 books in 2012 without writing any proper reviews for them, so writing reviews will lower my target for 2014. 50 would be a nice number to start with. I'm really hoping I don't end up something like this at the end of this year...

"ALL THOSE BOOKS I HAVEN'T READ YET OMG ASDAFAOSIOINGYTKLRG!"

Anyway, here are my top 10 reads for the past year (in no particular order)!

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Even In Darkness (Between, #3) by Cyndi Tefft [review here]

Dangerous Depths (The Sea Monster Memoirs, #2) by Karen Amanda Hooper [review here]

The Twice Lost (Lost Voices, #3) by Sarah Porter [review here]

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Stolen Night (Vampire Queen, #2) by Rebecca Maizel

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Sweet Shadows (Medusa Girls, #2) by Tera Lynn Childs

Dearly, Departed (Gone With The Respiration, #1) by Lia Habel [review here]

Just For Fins (Fins, #3) by Tera Lynn Childs

The journey for Mermaid with a Book hasn't been exactly a smooth sailing one. Running a book blog is tougher than it seems, what with juggling reading, reviewing, schoolwork and family matters. I encountered my first experience of writing a negative review for a book, and it was hard work organising my thoughts. I finally realised how hard it is to write a good review. Not only do your feelings go into the review, you've also got to analyse what made you feel happy, angry, sad or confused. It's about embracing the book and the hard work which went into writing it.

I've discovered many more gems to read, made friends with other book bloggers and authors from all over the world and did what I love best – reading books and writing about them. I'd love to thank all who have supported me in one way or another – by reading my reviews, retweeting and commenting on them, following my blog and entering giveaways hosted here. Each and every one of you make my day. This book blogging journey has just begun for me, and I hope 2014 marks the start of a beautiful new year filled with more bookish events and friends!

Happy New Year, everyone!

                                                                                 Merhugs,

           

P.S. What's your New Year's resolution? (;

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