Silk & Shadows

Thanks to Sharon and everyone for asking me back this month for the release of the third book in my Mer series, Catch of a Lifetime. (Get it? Catch and Release?)

Like In Over Her Head and Wild Blue Under, Catch of a Lifetime is a tongue-in-cheek, light-hearted paranormal, heavy on the romance (of course), the paranormal (mermaids and merman, kind of a given that it’s paranormal), puns and wordplay. What can I say? It’s what I like to read, and the proverbial “they” always tell you to write what you like to read or write what you know. Since I’m not exactly an expert on mermaids–and who is–I figured I’d go with the writing what I love to read thing.

But what if I wanted to write something else? What other subgenre would I choose?

The finny, I mean, funny thing is, I am working on some stories in other genres. Will they sell? *shrugs. We’ll have to wait and see. But I have a couple of contemporaries in the works, but definitely light-hearted and tongue-in-cheek. For as much as the genre would be new, my voice is still light-hearted contemporary.

Although… I have started a romantic suspense and the voice is different in that there isn’t all the word play or twists on phraseology that I have in the other stories. Of course, when there are dead bodies popping up all over the place, maybe there shouldn’t be. Although, I have read a few where the humor is great even with the macabre subject matter. So, I dunno, maybe I will add my normal voice to it, but this story, these characters just aren’t going along that road for me. But then, I’ve been hearing that RS sales are slowing down at publishing houses, so maybe it’s not the right time to work on that.

Are you sensing some indecision here? Some flightiness? I am. I mean, I love what I write. I have a really good time with it. But I do have other ideas and it’s never good to pigeonhole yourself into one thing. Especially in this economy, the more tricks the pony has, the more chances the pony has to get hired.

So, while I’ll dabble in my other stories, working on them as the mood strikes, I do have another contract for a series about genies. The first book, I Dream of Genies, already has a cover–and it’s gorgeous, but I haven’t gotten permission to show it yet–comes out next January, 2011, and is already in with my editor. I’m anxiously awaiting her edits as I work on the second one. I’m having just as much fun with this series as I did with the Mers.

Readers who’ve finished my Mer series are already emailing me, asking if Mariana and Pearl are going to get their stories. I’m hoping they will, plus a few more Mers because, as I said to my editor, it’s a big ocean out there. I’ve got lots of ideas and Mariana and Jace have already started me along in their story. Hopefully once the genies are out there, we’ll add some more Mer books, and then, hopefully, readers will want more genies, and we’ll just keep the cycle going.

So why would I want to write in another subgenre? I’ve got more than enough ideas for this one, and these are just two of the series I’ve come up with. There are definitely more in the creativity pipeline, so as long as paranormals continue to sell, and as long as my editor continues to buy, it looks like this is what I’ll be doing.

So now I get to write what I want to read AND what I know.

An excerpt from Catch of a Lifetime:

“Okay, Angel, I know all about needing to prove yourself. But do you have any qualifications for child care? References?”

Oh did she. Sadly, they were all Mer-related. “One of my degrees is in child studies.” Human child studies, to be precise, but she knew better than to make that distinction. “As for references, well, word would get back and that would defeat the purpose of not calling, wouldn’t it? But I do have them.”

“One of your degrees? How many do you have?”

Angel headed down the length of the dock to where Michael was impatiently waiting for them. “Just three. Child studies, Humanol—um sociology, and biology.”

Logan’s long legs caught him up to her quickly. “Hence the field study.”

“Correct. Oh, and a minor in basket-weaving.”

He stopped and grabbed her arm again, laughing. “Basket-weaving?”

“Yes. What’s so funny about that?” This time she didn’t need a reason to yank her arm from his hand. She’d worked damn hard to get her degrees. That course had opened up a world of information about textiles and early Human craftsmanship. “It’s quite fascinating.” She shoved off with the right foot, toes providing momentum. Or was it the ball of the foot? Damn, he’d made her forget the biomechanics.

“If you find basket-weaving fascinating enough to study it, as well as have all the drive to earn all those other degrees, I might have you tutor Michael instead of babysitting him.” This time when he caught up to her, he didn’t put a hand on her, thank the gods.

“Tutor? I don’t think that would be—”

“Relax, Angel. I was only joking. Michael’s looking forward to hitting the books when school starts.”
Now it was her turn to stop him. “You hit books? Why?”

Logan’s eyebrows went up. “You’ve never heard that expression?”

Oh, fish. She really had to watch her step—all of them. She plastered a smile on her face. “Now who’s joking?”

“Touché. So, we’ll work out a schedule for your field study and my work. Sound good?”

It sounded more than good. It sounded perfect. “Yes. Thank you, Logan. I won’t let you and your wife down.”

“My wife?”

“Rainbow? Michael’s mother?”

Logan rolled those brown eyes. “Rainbow, that is, Christine, is certainly not my wife, and if she hadn’t signed the birth certificate she pinned to Michael’s shirt before she took off, I’d be hard-pressed to call her his mother. Trust me, Angel, letting her down is the least of your worries.”

Michael stomped down the steps, his red sneakers flapping loudly on the planks. “Why do grown-ups always walk so slow? Rainbow never wants to hurry.”

Logan muttered something about Rainbow being in a hurry to get out of town, but low enough that Michael didn’t hear him.

Angel was sorry she had.

It was one thing to have to look at him clinically as a Human subject.

It was quite another to see him as a man.

Catch of a Lifetime
Sourcebooks/Casablanca
ISBN: 9781402224287
February, 2010

She’s on a mission to save the planet…

Mermaid Angel Tritone has been researching humans from afar, hoping to find a way to convince them to stop polluting. When she jumps into a boat to escape a shark attack, it’s her chance to pursue her mission, but she has to keep her identity a total secret…

When he finds out what she really is, they’re both in mortal danger…

For Logan Hardington, finding a beautiful woman on his boat is surely not a problem—until he discovers she’s a mermaid, and suddenly his life is on the line…

What people are saying:
“Readers will adore the joy and humor and romance from Judi Fennell’s creative pen.”
- Jill Barnett, New York Times best-selling author

“Fennell’s got detailed worldbuilding, creative secondary characters and an impressive use of mythology in this great read. While this title is part of a series, it works well as a stand-alone. Angel and Logan are both incredibly textured characters.
-RT BookReview Magazine 4 Stars

“It’s a hit. This was one awesome series and this book was a wonderful conclusion.”
Night Owl Romance
Top Pick

“Judi Fennell has extraordinary imagination and has certainly used it in creating this exciting and colorful story. Her characters are wonderful.”
Fresh Fiction

“The best blend of both worlds. I… love each and every character in Catch of A Lifetime (and) found (it) well worth diving into.”
Long And Short Reviews 4.5 Books

4 Stars!
Affair de Coeur Magazine

“Catch of a Lifetime is a heart warming tale. Ms. Fennell Ms. Fennell has created a delightful world that, I have enjoyed escaping to. It is both dangerous and fun.”
Anna’s Book Blog

“A wonderful read.”
Star-Crossed Romance

“Judi is a master of romance and fantasy.”
ReadAHolic

“Another thrilling addition to the Mer series. Judi Fennell packs a literary punch.”
Once Upon A Romance

“A very creative imagination. You do not need to read (the other two stories) first to enjoy this one – but I bet you will want to.”
Books & Needlepoint

“Another great addition to Fennell’s series.”
Literary Escapism

About The Author:
Judi Fennell has had her nose in a book and her head in some celestial realm all her life, including those early years when her mom would exhort her to “get outside!” instead of watching Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie on television. So she did–right into Dad’s hammock with her Nancy Drew books.

These days she’s more likely to have her nose in her laptop and her head (and the rest of her body) at her favorite bookstore, but she’s still reading, whether it be her latest manuscript or friends’ books.

A three-time finalist in online contests, Judi has enjoyed the reader feedback she’s received and would love to hear what you think about her Mer series. Check out her website at www.JudiFennell.com for excerpts, reviews and fun pictures from reader and writer conferences, and the chance to “dive in” to her stories.