-Tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release.
My series, The Mer Chronicles, offers a peek into a world where Mermaids aren’t just real but live secretly among us on land.
The first book in the series, Emerge takes place 200 years after Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. It adds on to the end of his story—namely by explaining that the Little Mermaid unleashed a curse on all Merkind. I won’t give too much away, but that curse has led many modern-day Mermaids to live on land in Malibu, California, keeping their true identities secret. Lia, a descendant of the Little Mermaid, lives in this secret Community. Emerge and its sequel, Submerge, are out now, and the final book in the trilogy, Immerse comes out March 19th! Lia’s story and is filled with magic, danger, and romance that I hope you will really enjoy.
-Is there a theme or message in your work that you would like readers to connect to?
I hope each reader connects to the story and takes away something personal. I will say, the series includes the idea that growing up means learning to cope with gray areas. So, I hope it gets readers thinking about when to follow rules, when to question them, and when to break them—as well as what role expectation should play in our actions.
-What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
How much messages from readers mean to me. It’s been nearly three years since the first book came out and I’m still so surprised that other people know about these characters who used to only exist in my head—and care enough about them to write to me or come see me at events. Every single message or piece of fanart really hits me and brings me so much happiness because it’s proof that this series that has been so important to me has touched someone else, too.
-When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?
I absolutely LOVE traveling. My favorite thing is exploring new worlds—whether on the page or off. I also find I get some of the best ideas for my writing when I’m travelling, even if I’m just on a weekend trip. Nothing leads to new ideas like seeing and experiencing new things. And as for guilty pleasures? I’ll go with reading fanfiction. Buffy the Vampire Slayer forever and ever!
-Is there a genre that you’d like to write that you haven’t tackled yet?
I write what I would most like to read. That means, I write books that feel magical—whether that feeling comes from magic itself or from beautiful, vivid settings that lend an air of allure and mystery. In addition to fantasy, I’ve always loved historical fiction, so I’m excited (and more than a little terrified) by the prospect of writing that at some point. Whatever the genre, romantic scenes are my lifeblood as a writer.
-Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?
This question is, by far, the hardest one I’m ever asked in interviews. I keep changing my answer because, the truth is, I deeply love all my characters. At this point, I’ve spent so much time with them that they feel very real to me. I will say, there’s one character who really took me the most by surprise, and that’s Caspian Zayle, my protagonist’s best friend.
When I started writing Emerge, I knew that, like Lia, I would fall hard for Clay since he’s exactly the guy I would have crushed on in high school. But Caspian snuck up on me. I never expected I’d feel quite as strongly as I do about the observant, insightful merman who has been Lia’s closest friend since they were guppies. I knew he’d be physically handsome, but it was his personality, which I didn’t fully have a sense of until I started writing him, that really drew me in. He’s reserved, so it’s easy to underestimate him, but he’s so smart and caring—and he sincerely values learning, which is a trait I can’t resist. Ask me tomorrow and I’ll pick Clay. Or Melusine.
Emerge
Mer Chronicles
Book One
Tobie Easton
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Month9Books
Date of Publication: April 19th, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-944816-32-2
ASIN: B01CC3C47E
Number of pages: 312
Cover Artist: Beetiful Book Covers
Book Description:
Lia Nautilus may be a Mermaid, but she’s never lived in the ocean. Ever since the infamous Little Mermaid unleashed a curse that stripped Mer of their immortality, war has ravaged the Seven Seas.
So Lia has grown up in a secret community of land-dwelling Mer hidden among Malibu’s seaside mansions. Her biggest problems are surviving P.E. and keeping her feelings for Clay Ericson in check. Sure, he’s gorgeous in that cocky, leather jacket sort of way and makes her feel like there’s a school of fish swimming in her stomach, but getting involved with a human could put Lia's entire community at risk. So it’s for the best that he’s dating that new girl, right?
That is, until Lia finds out she isn't the only one at school keeping a potentially deadly secret. And this new girl? Her eyes are dead set on Clay, who doesn't realize the danger he's in. If Lia hopes to save him, she’ll have to get closer to Clay than ever. Lia’s parents would totally flip if they found out she was falling for a human boy, but the more time she spends with Clay, the harder it is for Lia to deny her feelings. After making a horrible mistake, Lia will risk everything to stop Clay from falling in love with the wrong girl.
Teaser
Excerpt Book 1:
As I swim back up, I angle my
face just right. When I hit the surface, I flick my head back so my hair flips
in a perfect cascade, sparkling with thousands of water droplets that catch the
sunlight at every angle. Maybe it’s unfair to use a classic Mermaid move
against Clay.
Submerge
Mer Chronicles
Book Two
Tobie Easton
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Month9Books
Date of Publication: September 12th, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-945107-84-9
ASIN: B071SFBG13
Number of pages: 392
Cover Artist: Beetiful Book Covers
Book Description:
Lia and Clay's love has broken the Little Mermaid's curse, but their ever after may not be as happy as they planned. Lia is adamant about staying on land with Clay for her senior year despite her family's opportunity to move to the new, sparkling capital city below the waves. Before any decision about the future can be made, her family must endure Melusine and her father's trial, where new revelations will have far-reaching consequences that threaten what Lia holds most dear.
The verdict will shake Lia's whole world, calling into question her future with Clay, her feelings for Caspian, and the fate of all Merkind. As she wonders whom to trust, Lia sets out on a treacherous path that will lead her away from her sheltered Malibu home to a remote and mysterious school for Mermaids—Mermaids who may hold the secret to ancient magic Lia can use to either get back all she's lost or embark on a thrilling and dangerous journey where only she can define her fate.
About the Author:
Tobie Easton was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where she’s grown from a little girl who dreamed about magic to a twenty-something who writes about it. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Southern California, Tobie hosts book clubs for tweens and teens (so she’s lucky enough to spend her days gabbing about books). She and her very kissable husband enjoy traveling the globe and fostering packs of rescue puppies.
1 comment:
Awesome book!
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