Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Horrors (and Myths) of the Sea

(See below!)

I don't know about you, but I've always been fascinated with faery folk. They're so mischievous, alluring, and bizarre. Especially the ones who dwell in or near water.

Everyone has heard of a Banshee. Did you know I have a character whose gifts are based on one of those? (Shh. It's a secret.) They're associated with water, and were often seen as women weeping near a body of water. If you heard one, either you or someone close to you was going to die very shortly.

Nymphs. Who hasn't heard of these? Usually they're associated with trees, but there are also water nymphs AKA Naiads, Oceanids, Nereids, and Undine. Their close cousins are Water Sprites. These spirits could take on corporeal form, but were believe to be the embodiment or spirit of a body of water. Cross them, and you could look forward to a nice drowning.

And finally, there are mermaids, which brings me to our Writerly Wednesday feature for the day.

Ready to guess the lie and win a book? 

Last week, Patricia Lynne shared BEING HUMAN with us, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win her eBook 

Patricia's game: 

1. In high school, Patricia enjoyed doing the high jump in track and field.
2. She can't crochet to save her life. She can make a biiiiiiiig, loooooong chain and that's it.
3. A hobby she recently got back into was jigsaw puzzles. She can do a 500 hundred piece jigsaw puzzle in a few hours.

And the lie is:

#1. Patricia was in track, but she liked doing hurdles, even though she wasn't really good at them. She got second place once but it was her and one other person. She quit because the meets took time out of biology and she didn't want to dissect animals by herself the next day.

Way to guess those of you who got it right! And the winners are:

...DRUM ROLL...

Congrats, ladies! 

And now to today's feature:

Sharp, sleek, and golden. Like the dagger she has worn since childhood, eighteen-year-old Aeva is all three of these things. But there is something else that this mermaid and her prized weapon share – they are both hunted. 

Hidden within the caves off Iceland’s dark shore, Aeva waits to take her place as the next ruler of the Mermaids. But when Aeva uses her potent and alluring song to save a drowning human, she disrupts a delicate balance. Realizing she has unexpectedly bound herself to Gunnar, Aeva is torn between duty and love. 

Aeva severs one life to begin another, and soon finds herself not only rejected by the sea, but also stalked by an old enemy. As the worlds of myth and man intertwine, Aeva will challenge fate to protect her own sacred relic and the man she loves. 

But legend and lies cast an intricate net. With time and safety quickly unraveling for Aeva and Gunnar, there is only one clear course: Find and defeat Delphine before she can shift again. 

Get your copy HERE.
Lyndsay Johnson grew up in the wide expanses of Texas, where the only thing stronger than the accents was the state pride. An over-active imagination, tale-telling father, and an encouraging librarian mother lead to her love of all things creative.

When it comes to books on her bedside table, young adult lit has always been a favorite (Blue Balliett, Libba Bray, and JK Rowling, to name a few). But it was actually an old, yellowing copy of Scandinavian Folk and Fairy Tales that planted a particularly relentless seed. Shapeshifters and sea nymphs began forming an idea that would eventually grow into Lyndsay’s debut novel, Fire of the Sea.

When she is not writing, you can find Lyndsay spending time with her family in the Rocky Mountains of Utah. She enjoys dark ¬theaters, gluten-free recipes, low-lying clouds, and secret naps.

Regarding cheese... Lyndsay can no longer eat cheese due to a long and tragic story, which involves Greece and about ten new food intolerances. But she used to LOVE cheese. Quesadillas with Monterey Jack, Smoked Gouda and apples, Brie on olive-oil-grilled sourdough with chocolate and basil (it’s amazing). Quel fromage…she meant dommage. (*The cheese names have been capitalized out of respect to this superior food group.)

Lyndsay gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for a chance to win an eBook of FIRE OF THE SEA

You have until Tuesday, October 21, at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on October 22.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Lyndsay was in training to be on the US Olympic Equestrian team, but was thrown from a horse and broke her wrist before the qualifying rounds.
2. She once spray-painted the concrete wall behind her house with what she envisioned to be a gorgeous mural. Turns out fluorescent orange isn’t the best color for a budding graffiti artist… Also, who knew you could buy spray paint remover?
3. She used to drive a 1986 Volvo Station wagon. Teal with tan interior. She hated it, but now wishes she’d kept it.  
   

Now follow the SOULLESS blog tour for a slew of amazing features:

Krystal Jane at The Narcissistic Rose learns how I reacted to holding MOONLESS for the first time. (You maybe shocked.)

Kristin Smith at Swords and Stilettoes shares an amazing excerpt

M. Pax is also sharing an EVEN DIFFERENT excerpt

DL Hammons asks me stuff, and I actually reply! You'll love it.

Sarah Foster at The Faux Fountain Pen shares a DIFFERENT, but equally awesome excerpt

And be sure to enter the 
Rafflecopter
for your chance to win some amazing prizes!


Now see the pony? He's so stinkin happy because he decided to follow the blog tour. You can be happy too. Just follow after him!


Which is the lie? (Guess for your chance to win.) Do you love water myths? What is your favorite mythical creature? 

39 comments:

  1. Enjoy the blog tour. I bet it's pretty brutal. Yeah, Lyndsay!

    Oh, and I love the pony. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. My CP, Krystalyn Drown has a book called LEGASEA with selkies in it. (Isn't Drown the perfect surname for an author of a book about water fairy folk? It's her real name, too!) I also wrote a short story about water nix several years back, but the anthology that accepted it folded before it could be published. :(

    ReplyDelete
  3. Banshees are cool, but it's kind of funny how varied their characteristics are. It makes it interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like the idea of nymphs but banshees are scary. You are one busy lady.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I do love water creatures, but that could be the Pisces in me. :)

    Congrats to Lyndsay!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for the mini-lesson about magical water critters! I'm writing a novel, that may become a series set on the ocean. And congrats to Patricia.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yes, I am fascinated by faerie folk, especially the water creatures. Some are beautiful and some are scary bog-witch types. Great fodder for storytelling. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. (shhhhhh) Nobody had taken a guess about the fib, yet. (Don't tell 'em!) Since I have a talent for guessing wrong, it probably won't matter if I'm the only one who guesses this week, but let me give it a go, anyway. I'll say (insert drum roll here) number two is the fib.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for stopping by my blog and good luck with your blog tour!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love ALL things water (and horses). :-) Great cover, Lyndsay! Love, love, love it. Hmm. I'd say the lie is #3. I'm sure I'm wrong. GO SOULLESS! YEAH!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love the pony! Congrats on the release, and on the baby too! (I've been out of the loop. I'll try and keep up. :)

    Hope you are enjoying lots of fun and cheese on the tour!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm awful at guessing these, but I'll say #1 is the lie.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The lie has to be 3 - I mean who would make a teal car with tan interior?

    ReplyDelete
  14. My first book was about a dryad. It was awful. (The book, not the dryad). I've always loved faerie folk too :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I say 3!

    Fire of the Sea sounds pretty cool. Mermaids are the fish's tail! Hehehe.

    Off to check out your tour stops!

    ReplyDelete
  16. The blog tour sounds great, I'm going to enjoy the stops :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I used to write for a character who was a nymph. She was rather fun. There are all kinds of them, too. Congrats, Crystal! and congrats to Lydsay! I'll guess #2 is her lie.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Congrats on your book release, and enjoy your blog tour. Such exciting times. Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Love all those fantastical creatures. They are fun to read about! ♥

    ReplyDelete
  20. Those books sound really good. I guess I like unicorns or maybe mermaids. Enjoy the rest of your day!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I'm guessing the third one.
    Saw you at several of your stops today!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks for sharing all the links of your blog your. I've been enjoying them.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Yes, LOVE banshees! I should totally play on that some day. *frowns at story idea list then goes and hugs happy blog tour pony*

    Fyi: I was shocked when I read your answer to holding MOONLESS. Lol! It's so funny.

    So hard to pick a lie today, they all sound true. Going with #2. I can't see a bookworm spray painting anything. Lol! Love mermaids. ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  24. Congrats on your release and tour, Crystal! And I'm going to guess #2 is the lie :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. I too love the faery folk, and anythign to do with water. My relatives come from Ireland and I'm a sailor, so go figure:)

    ReplyDelete
  26. The great thing about so much fantasy fiction out there is there are so many myths to explore.

    Lie...#3.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I have heard a lot of these names from when I used to watch Charmed... they had a lot of these mythical creatures... I loved that show :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Congratulations, Kristen! I love faery folks too. I wish there were more on TV for obvious reasons.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Oh yes I love water myths! Rusalka is another one, if I remember correctly. I also thought Percy Jackson's powers, being the son of Poseidon, were pretty cool.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I bet she still has that car.
    :P
    I was fascinated with banshees as a kid.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hope you're having a great time on your blog tour, Crystal. I think Lyndsay's lie is #1.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I love water myths. My four latest novels have all been based around water myths. I guess number three is the lie.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Love your comments on water myths and characters. Who could resist them?

    ReplyDelete
  34. I look kind of like a leprechaun--does that count? Kidding. Being Irish, I think it's in my blood to like mythical creatures of the Celtic variety, though I like the ones from Greek myths as well. Good luck to you and Lyndsay on your book releases! :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. I love mythical creatures and especially banshees. Very cool. Also, just grabbed my copy of Souless. And congrats to Lyndsay, it is a beautiful cover.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Myths of any kind are the greatest source of fantasy inspiration. ^_^ I don't know why, but I tend to find the ones about mountain creatures and the like most interesting, though the sea ones definitely seem to be the most dangerous.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I love that mermaid cover! I'm not much of a faery folk readers...I do find mermaids fascinating, though!

    ReplyDelete
  38. I've always been fascinated by faerie folk, too! One of my own projects even deals with a water-related one from German folklore... :)

    Also, Fire of the Sea sounds so intriguing! I'm going to guess #2 is the lie...

    ReplyDelete
  39. I love mythical creatures, thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete

Hit me with your cheese!