Please join me in welcoming author Traci Wilton back to the Wicked Authors blog. Traci is here celebrating the release of Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid, the eighth book in her Salem B&B series. She’s giving away a copy of the book to two lucky commenters below.
Take it away, Traci!
I am so grateful to be here celebrating the release of Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid. When I first started on this cozy mystery journey with my writing partner Patrice Wilton in 2018, I had no idea I would end up penning stories about paranormal beings within a mystery setting. It felt like home!
Even before being published, I would start my stories with a title and go from there so it’s a perfect fit that it also seems to work that way with my editor. It was suggested that the title for this book be Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid, which meant I spent considerable time researching mermaids. It was an easy rabbit hole to go down. Were they real? They’ve been in lore for a very long time, one of the first being the goddess Atargatis from Syria around 1000 BC.
I watched a fake documentary called Mermaids, the Body Found on Animal Planet. I knew it was pretend, but I enjoyed the mechanics of capturing a mermaid. Splash with Daryl Hannah was a must—the story was still so cute, and of course, I viewed hours of videos on the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. Deborah Harry and Chris Stein of Blondie were Queen and King Neptune in 2017. Right now, there is a mermaid series called MerPeople streaming on Netflix. The bottom line is that people love the mermaid lifestyle.
Which means, mermaids could be big business.
In this story I wanted Charlene’s bed and breakfast in Salem to be overrun with mermaids. Our oceans are very important, and I gave Serenity Flint, witch Brandy Flint’s daughter, a cause to raise money to clean them with this parade. Add in a frenemy situation for Brandy from her childhood, a recluse mermaid, fans gone wild, and a temperamental artist, and we have book eight in the series.
I don’t dismiss the possibility that there could have been mermaids a long time ago. I believe in ghosts, so why not? I’m keeping an open mind.
Readers: What do you think of mermaids? Do you understand the mermaid craze? I’ll be giving two copies of Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid to two lucky winners—US only—and all you have to do for a chance is comment below.
About Traci Hall/Traci Wilton
From cozy mysteries to seaside romance, USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall writes stories that captivate her readers. As a hybrid author with over sixty published works, Ms. Hall has a favorite tale for everyone.
Mystery lovers, check out her Scottish Shire series, set in the seaside town of Nairn, or the Salem B&B Mystery series, co-written as Traci Wilton. Her latest project is an Irish Castle cozy as Ellie Brannigan. Whether it’s her ever-popular By the Sea romances, an Appletree Cove sweet romance, or a fun who-done-it, Traci finds her inspiration in sunny South Florida, living right near the ocean.
https://www.instagram.com/tracihallauthor
https://linktr.ee/tracihallauthor
About Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid
B&B owner Charlene Morris expects Salem’s first annual mermaid parade will make quite a splash, until a high-profile murder threatens to sink the whole event . . .
Charlene and her handsome spectral friend, Dr. Jack Strathmore, are thrilled that their Salem, Massachusetts, B&B is overflowing with mermaids in advance of the town’s newest attraction—a mermaid parade! Retired Hollywood actress Trinity Powers has even agreed to appear on the lead float to commemorate her breakout role as the eponymous mermaid in the blockbuster cult classic, Sirena. The parade also features Trinity’s rival, an up-and-coming ingénue, who stars in the film’s recent (and somewhat controversial) reboot. Though their rabid fan clubs seem ready to tear each other—and the festivities—apart, the vying actresses are keeping it cool, for now . . .
But when Charlene discovers a mermaid murdered, she realizes a killer is out to steal the show. With the help of Jack and Detective Sam Holden, Charlene plunges into the case, determined to stop a killer from striking again . . .
Purchase links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1496741390
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mrs-morris-and-the-mermaid-traci-wilton/1143523680?ean=9781496741400
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/mrs-morris-and-the-mermaid/id6449609665