It's Hot and There's Mermaids

Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to CindyWindy2003. You've won May's giveaway (via RandomNumber.org) of two autographed beach reads and a Starbuck's gift card. Way to go! I appreciate everyone for stopping by and leaving a comment, especially those of you who went on and checked out some of my Regency pirate romances, like Proper Attire. Thank you for your support.


From the Desktop

A nearby creek I visit for solitude.

It's hot, and there's mermaids. At least around these parts. It feels like May just sailed by, doesn't it? We had a beautiful couple weeks of early summer temperatures over the past two weeks, but the sunny, cool days are gone in Georgia. I did a little hiking and went fishing with my 15 year-old-son one Saturday. Good times, even though worms gross me out. It's hot now. Of course, I didn't get all of my yardwork finished in time, so now I get to sweat like a pig pulling weeds and painting the deck this summer. #procrastinationislife

This month in my writing world it's been all about the final sprint on my current manuscript. I've returned to the Young Adult genre for a sea fantasy, and the last portion of the story requires some more in-depth research into mermaids. I'm a bit giddy with excited interest. 

My first exposure to mermaids was probably as a child when I saw Peter Pan for the first time. They were so... rude! The Tom Hanks movie from the 80s, Splash, changed my mind about them somewhat, but I've always been cautious about admiring mermaids too much even though I like to dive. If you recall, the fish-tailed women were eating people in Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides. Mean girls with fins. 

My current read for inspiration is a collection of folktales about mermaids, and although I'm just halfway into it, the stories are riveting. I especially enjoy the bits and pieces of legends from different ages and cultures. It's cool to see how it all ties in together, and there are definitely some juicy ideas I should be able to adapt for a character in my current project. Here's a little hint:

What would you do if you found out your mother was a mermaid?

In other news, who is *not* excited for the next installment of Pirates of the Caribbean? I can't believe there are only a couple more weeks. We have some dear friends coming in town to visit from beautiful Minnesota, and so we're looking forward to hitting the theater together for some Disney fun. Don't worry. They're pirating people, too.

Wishing you peace, health, and many good books this late month of May.

Stay balanced,
~Danielle Thorne 
www.daniellethorne.com