I’m so happy to welcome Esme back to the blog! I’m delighted that the second book in her Enchanted Bay mystery series, A Hex for Danger, is coming out on July 13th. It is up for preorder now! And I’m thrilled to be doing an event with Esme and S.C. Perkins on July 22nd. The event is free. Click here for details!
Here’s a bit about the book:
The small town of Bellamy Bay has its share of skeletons in its closet, but it isn’t used to bodies turning up in the local history museum. After all, this coastal North Carolina town is much like any other…except, of course, for the mermaids.
Helping to run the family business, an herbal apothecary while keeping her supernatural secret hidden is no easy feat for water witch Aleksandra Daniels. But somehow she’s still found time to help her friend Celeste, who has her own Caribbean mermaid heritage plan the annual Mermaid Festival. As fun-seekers throng the beaches, Alex gets to know and is intrigued by renowned artist Neve Ryland, who’s in town to decorate the local park with a mermaid-themed mural. Celeste, however, is less enamored with the artist, as Neve has been spending entirely too much one-on-one time with her boyfriend Jasper, director of Bellamy Bay’s history museum. Then, a reception for Neve ends abruptly when the artist is found dead in his office.
The police investigation nets Celeste who asks Alex to find the true culprit. With the help of her magically-inclined aunt and cousins, Alex dives in to clear her friend’s name. But there was more to Neve Ryland than met the eye…and Alex fears she may be in way too deep. Will she catch the crook or be next on the hook?
Esme: Like many people, I enjoy visiting the beach.
There’s just something about the feel of the sun on your skin, the smell of the ocean, the crunch of the sand underfoot, the lulling action of the waves and the sound of the crashing surf that calms me, instills a deep sense of well-being and tranquility.
Research confirmed for me what I already knew – being near the ocean provides quantifiable benefits for the human brain. This article in HuffPost is just one of many that discusses the topic. And it is those types of interesting facts: myth, wives’ tales, and fables that are based in science that I enjoy exploring in my speculative fiction.
If you read my series, you’ll find that I try to be as realistic and factual as possible even with my fantasy elements. The sea is healing and a source of power in the Enchanted Bay Mystery series – and that’s not made up!
Speaking of the sea, I actually feel at home at the ocean’s edge – so it’s no wonder I created a cozy mystery featuring women descended from mermaids. Ladies that can command the water and heal with herbs, some that come from the sea.
Even though this series is inspired by my Polish-in-laws culture, in many ways it is an own voices story. Not culturally or racially, which is how that term is traditionally used. But I work with herbs and use herbal remedies to heal my family. I find restorative powers by the sea – and in the sea. And like the characters in my Enchanted Bay series, I value family above all else.
I am not, however, a mermaid!
But I do believe there is magic in our world – if we just know where to look. And so my latest novel, A Hex For Danger is quite personal to me. A mystery that incorporates realistic magic, deep family connections and people seeking answers.
I hope you enjoy reading the second book in the Enchanted Bay Mystery series, A Hex For Danger as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Readers: If you love going to the beach, what is it about that part of the earth that resonates with you?
Bio: Ever since Esme discovered Nancy Drew, she’s wanted to solve mysteries. As a mystery author, she’s finally found a way to make that dream come true. A former military spouse, Esme lives in Raleigh, NC with her family. When she’s not writing or dreaming up new mysteries for her sleuths to stumble upon, you can find her dancing her calories away in Zumba, patronizing her local bookstores or visiting the beach, the mountains and all historical sites in between. Learn more about Esme at esmeaddison.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @EsmeAddison.
