Protagonist Interview

interviewpixIn Between Land and Sea (released in September 2013), I introduced Barbara Davies aka Isabella of the Mediterranean Kingdom. She returns in The Coming of Arabella.

Before writing my novels, I like to interview the characters. Here’s what Barbara had to say at the beginning of The Coming of Arabella.

Continue reading on Kathy Bryson’s blog.


Release Day – The Coming of Arabella

The Coming of Arabella is officially available today!

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Blurb

On the day of her engagement party, an ex-mermaid’s life is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of another mermaid—a sister she has never known. Under normal circumstances, Barbara Davies would be overjoyed, but her special day is already wrought with tension. While Barbara is not the first mermaid from the Mediterranean kingdom to settle in small town Ontario, she has yet to reveal her origins to her fiancé. So when Arabella, the gorgeous sister whose disturbing black eyes banished her to the island of Crete, saunters into her life, clutching the arm of Barbara’s discarded lover, a powder keg of emotion is released.

Relationships falter and careers stall as envy stirs in the hearts of the sisters. On the verge of meltdown after her fiancé leaves Canada for a teaching job in Vermont, Barbara flees to Arizona hoping for a reprieve. There, she finds solace at a retreat for ex-mermaids and a second chance at love with a charismatic preacher. As she contemplates a new life in the desert paradise of Sedona, shocking secrets emerge and tragedy strikes. A stronger and wiser Barbara rises up to face these new challenges and embrace the best parts of her mermaid heritage.

Buy Links

Amazon (Canada) | Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Amazon (Australia)

starbuckscard

To celebrate, I’m offering a $10 Starbucks gift card.

Enter the giveaway here.


The Starbucks Siren

Whenever I chat about the mermaids in my novels, I’m not too surprised when the children in my circle mention The Little Mermaid. But I was taken aback when one eight-year-old boy pointed to a Starbucks coffee cup and asked: “Does your mermaid look like that?”

With over 20,000 Starbucks in 65 different countries and more than 5 billion in sales, the trademark coffee cup is one of the most recognizable containers in the world.

And the cup has a history!

starbuckssirenIn 1971, Starbucks was a fledgling coffee shop on the Seattle waterfront. Hoping to garner more interest, the three founders hired consultant Terry Heckler to create an eye-catching logo. After spending days pouring over old marine books, he came up with a logo based on an old 16th-century Norse woodcut: a two-tailed mermaid. The mermaid was also topless.

Despite some initial complaints, the partners approved the logo. Howard Schultz explains: “Bare breasted and Ruebenesque, the mermaid was supposed to be as seductive as the coffee itself.” But the partners had to revisit their decision when it came time to put the logo on delivery trucks. Enlarging the logo created an unexpected problem: the mermaid breasts were huge. Back to the drawing board…Starbucks restyled the mermaid’s hairdo so it draped over her breasts.

When Schultz bought out his partners, he modified the logo by placing the mermaid in the center of a green circle.

More changes followed as the company grew. In 2011, Starbucks celebrated their 40th anniversary by removing the outer circle. “Throughout the last four decades, the Siren has been there through it all. And now, we’ve given her a small but meaningful update to ensure that the Starbucks brand continues to embrace our heritage in ways that are true to our core values and that also ensure we remain relevant and poised for future growth.”

starbuckshistory

To celebrate the upcoming release of The Coming of Arabella, I’m offering a $10 Starbucks gift card.

Enter the giveaway here.


The Coming of Arabella – Now Available for Pre-order!

thecomingofarabella_500x750 (2)

Blurb

On the day of her engagement party, an ex-mermaid’s life is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of another mermaid—a sister she has never known. Under normal circumstances, Barbara Davies would be overjoyed, but her special day is already wrought with tension. While Barbara is not the first mermaid from the Mediterranean kingdom to settle in small town Ontario, she has yet to reveal her origins to her fiancé. So when Arabella, the gorgeous sister whose disturbing black eyes banished her to the island of Crete, saunters into her life, clutching the arm of Barbara’s discarded lover, a powder keg of emotion is released.

Relationships falter and careers stall as envy stirs in the hearts of the sisters. On the verge of meltdown after her fiancé leaves Canada for a teaching job in Vermont, Barbara flees to Arizona hoping for a reprieve. There, she finds solace at a retreat for ex-mermaids and a second chance at love with a charismatic preacher. As she contemplates a new life in the desert paradise of Sedona, shocking secrets emerge and tragedy strikes. A stronger and wiser Barbara rises up to face these new challenges and embrace the best parts of her mermaid heritage.

Excerpt

Arabella’s eyes blazed like burning embers of coal. “You don’t know or what to know what I capable of.” She snapped her fingers. “I can discredit you just like that.”

Barbara laughed. “Discredit me without discrediting yourself? I’d like to see you try that.”

As Arabella got closer, Barbara could smell that flowery scent she had always associated with Belinda. It did not suit Arabella in the least. The younger woman needed a muskier scent, one that would blend in better with her predatory nature.

“You’ve already lost Graham and Gwen. Mama and Paul are on my side. Do you want to lose Sharon as well?”

“There’s nothing you can do or say that will turn Sharon or anyone else in this office against me,” Barbara said. “So, don’t waste your breath.” While she maintained a tight smile and spoke in an even tone, Barbara could hear her pulse pounding as tremors of anger shot through her limbs. She wanted desperately to sit down but would not give Arabella any more physical advantages.

Arabella smiled smugly. “Sharon doesn’t like secrets or people who keep them. I wonder how she would react if I told her about your . . . our origins.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

Arabella shrugged. “I don’t care one way or another. Stewart is encouraging me to write about our lives. He thinks it has the makings of a bestseller.” She laughed. “In addition to the erotica, of course.”

She’s bluffing. Barbara ignored the intrusive thought as memories of Stewart rushed back. He was the consummate businessman and enjoyed being on the cusp of the latest trend. His artist clients produced edgy and controversial art that had been rejected by more conservative agents. Vast stores of family money allowed Stewart to be more daring and sometimes even provocative. What could be more daring and provocative than a mermaid wife?

Buy Links

Amazon (Canada) | Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Amazon (Australia)

To celebrate the upcoming release of The Coming of Arabella, I’m offering a Rafflecopter giveaway for 5 free eBooks.

Enter here.