Shira Anthony's Blog - Posts Tagged "merman"

I'm putting the finishing touches on the first draft of "Stealing the Wind" and getting ready to send it on to my wonderful beta readers. I'm already working on the sequel. There's just something about mermen I find particularly appealing (sexy as hell!). That, and Taren and Eoin's story isn't easily told in just one book.

The mermen in "Stealing the Wind" are shape shifters. They exist in two forms: human and merfolk. They can survive indefinitely on land or in the water, but they cannot survive away from water for long periods of time. If merfolk can live indefinitely under the water, then it stands to reason that they can also mate in their merfolk forms. Which led me to the question (because I love sexy stories): how would merman have sex? To answer that question, I had to ask myself a few others.

Question #1: What do mermen look like and how are their bodies (and parts of their bodies) put together? I loved this question, because the answer was that I could do whatever I liked. It's my imagination, right? Of course, I wanted to base my mermen on merfolk lore, and I needed them to have certain "human"...er...attributes. So I started by looking at marine animals, and especially at marine mammals. Whales are a bit too big, so I naturally chose dolphin as my "template" for the beast half of my mermen.

In "Stealing the Wind," Taren of Laxley has known nothing but slavery all his life. He doesn't remember his parents--all he knows is that he was sold as a baby. Boy is he in for a surprise when he learns that when his owners called him "special," they weren't talking about his brain! Taren discovers his dual nature after he's taken prisoner aboard the merfolk ship, Phantom, and her captain (Eoin Dunaidh) shows him what his body has hidden. Suddenly, he is half-man, half-beast, with a powerful tail, a dorsal fin between his shoulders, webbed fingers, and has fins with sharp tines on his hands and wrists. Then he realizes that his plumbing appears to be internal.

Dolphin sex organs are internal (makes sense - don't want them getting all shriveled in the water). They have "folds" - two each. The male penis is hidden inside, so the fold acts as a sheath (similar to dogs). Which led me to question #2.

Question #2: How do mermen have sex? I had no doubt that I wanted the mermen in the story to have sex in their merfolk form, so I needed to figure out what kind of sex organs they have when they transform. "Thank the goddess," as Eoin would say, for the internet. Did you know there are tons of dolphin sex vids? No joke. Apparently dolphin are very sexual (not monogamous) and tend to "perform" at aquariums (to the delight of children and the mortification of their parents!).

I watched several videos to get a sense of how dolphin sex works. They're very playful, nipping and rubbing against each other. And yes, dolphins get erections, exposing the hidden penis for sex. Only problem I saw: dolphin penises are pretty small. Smaller than human penises. Enter my imagination. How about dolphin anatomy, but a human sized penis? No need for foreskins, either, in this form. And what if certain other orifices are a bit more sensitive even, than in humans? (I think I had much too much fun figuring this all out!)

One other logistical question I had to deal with: how do merfolk communicate under the water? The answer? Telepathy or thought-reading. As you'll see, they do make some sounds, but their speech becomes thought when they are in their merfolk form.

Want to see how all this works out on paper? Read down for an excerpt from the mermen sex scene about halfway through the book (not the entire scene, but enough that you'll get the general idea). "Stealing the Wind" is set for tentative publication this summer. I'll be posting sneak peeks at the story from time to time, so stay tuned for more! I welcome your comments and ideas, of course! How did I do? -Shira

PS: Love the amazing art? That's by http://chrisgiz12.deviantart.com/ from DeviantArt!

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Summary: Taren has never known anything but life as a slave, but when he’s kidnapped by the captain of a pirate ship, his lifelong dream of going to sea is realized. The pirate captain offers Taren his freedom in exchange for three years of his life and sexual servitude. Not a bad trade, Taren decides, given that the pleasures he finds in the captain’s bed far surpass his greatest fantasies.

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Want to read the excerpt? Click here: http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/3...

Happy weekend! I'm off to our sailboat, Land's Zen, and the Carolina coast tomorrow morning. I thought I'd leave you all with a new excerpt from "Stealing the Wind," the first book in the Mermen of Ea Series, due out this summer from Dreamspinner Press. But before I do, a few quick updates....

First, I hope you all like the updates my wonderful web guru, Angsty G, has made to my website. What's new? Buttons for Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter, as well as progress bars for all my WIPs. You may also notice the new "Series" tab, where you can find all my series listed. Most of the other goodies aren't as obvious, with one major exception: I now have a newsletter! To subscribe, just enter your email address on my home page. Simple, and I promise never to spam you or to send you newsletters more often than once a month.

Next, "Encore," the fifth Blue Notes Series book has been submitted to Dreamspinner Press. If they contract the book, look for a November release date. I'm also working on a Blue Notes novella to be released during the holidays, tentatively entitled, "Symphony in Blue." It will be a sequel to the first four books, and wrap up of Cary/Antonio and Sam/Aiden, but will also include Jules/Jason and David/Alex pairings. Oh, and Massimo, too!

Lastly, I'll be starting a new free serialized story, "Who Rules the King's Heart," in my first newsletter issue. Subscribers to the newsletter will get updates on the story in each issue and a week later, I'll post the updates to the "Free Fiction" tab on my website. So you don't have to subscribe to read the story, but you will get it sooner if you do. "Who Rules the King's Heart" is an MM erotic fantasy story about a king and the half demon/half human he loves.

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to sign up for the newsletter if you'd like. To read the excerpt from "Stealing the Wind," go to my website, www.shiraanthony.com. I'm anxiously awaiting the cover art for the novel, and I'll be sharing that as soon as it's finalized, so stay tuned. Enjoy your weekend! -Shira

PS: If anyone knows who the artist is for the lovely artwork, please let me know! I found it on the web and can't find any attribution.

Just got the amazing cover artwork from Anne Cain for Stealing the Wind , the first book in the Mermen of Ea Series! I absolutely love what she's done with it, too. Sexy, slightly edgy, these aren't your average mermen. Ea are physically powerful beings who share a more reasoned, human side with a more primal nature. Innately sexual, sensual beings, these mermen shape-shifters can possess magical "gifts" and are very wary of the human world outside their enclave.

The Ea have a long and turbulent history with humans, and they are at war internally over whether to remain on their secluded island stronghold or reclaim their place in the human world. Ea share far more in common with dolphins than with fish. And if you're curious about how Ea mate, you'll find out in the first book!

Enter Taren Laxley, a slave who used to work rigging the great ships that put into Raice Harbor in the Derryith Kingdom. Through a series of adventures, Taren finds himself aboard the Phantom, captained by the seemingly ageless Ian Dunaidh. What Taren soon realizes is that the Phantom and her captain are not human, and neither is he.

Stealing the Wind is the first book in the Mermen of Ea Series. Look for Into the Wind (Book Two) in early 2014. Stealing the Wind will be released on August 12th! You can read a very steamy excerpt from the beginning of the book here (scroll down to the end of the blog post). There's another excerpt, the opening chapter of the novel, here.

Hope you enjoy the excerpts and the book! -Shira

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Blurb: Taren Laxley has never known anything but life as a slave. When a lusty pirate kidnaps him and holds him prisoner on his ship, Taren embraces the chance to realize his dream of a seagoing life. Not only does the pirate captain offer him freedom in exchange for three years of labor and sexual servitude, but the pleasures Taren finds when he joins the captain and first mate in bed far surpass his greatest fantasies.

Then, during a storm, Taren dives overboard to save another sailor and is lost at sea. He’s rescued by Ian Dunaidh, the enigmatic and seemingly ageless captain of a rival ship, the Phantom, and Taren feels an overwhelming attraction to Ian that Ian appears to share. Soon Taren learns a secret that will change his life forever: Ian and his people are Ea, shape-shifting merfolk… and Taren is one of them too. Bound to each other by a fierce passion neither can explain or deny, Taren and Ian are soon embroiled in a war and forced to fight for a future—not only for themselves but for all their kind.

I had to laugh when I saw a post the other day on a blog site with the cover of Stealing the Wind , a snarky comment about a "boob grab" (and what's wrong with that, may I ask?) and the author was wondering how mermen have sex (she didn't quite put it that bluntly, but hey, it's a valid question, right?). Which, of course, inspired me to write about it. Because if you want to know how I see mermen having sex, you'll find out in Stealing the Wind. But I'll give you a little taste of it first.

The mermen in "Stealing the Wind" are shape shifters. They exist in two forms: human and merfolk. They can survive indefinitely on land or in the water, but they cannot survive away from water for long periods of time. If merfolk can live indefinitely under the water, then it stands to reason that they can also mate in their merfolk form. Which led me to the question (because I love sexy stories): how would merman have sex? To answer that question, I had to ask myself a few other quesitons.

Question #1: What do mermen look like and how are their bodies (and parts of their bodies) put together? I loved this question, because the answer was that I could do whatever I liked. It's my imagination, right? Of course, I wanted to base my mermen on merfolk lore, and I needed them to have certain "human"...er...attributes. So I started by looking at marine animals, and especially at marine mammals. Whales are a bit too big, so I naturally chose dolphins as my "template" for the beast half of my mermen.

In "Stealing the Wind," Taren Laxley has known nothing but slavery all his life. He doesn't remember his parents--all he knows is that he was sold as a baby. Taren discovers his dual nature after he's taken prisoner aboard the merfolk ship, Phantom, and her captain (Ian Dunaidh) shows him what his body has hidden. Suddenly, he is half-man, half-beast, with a powerful tail, a dorsal fin between his shoulders, webbed fingers, and has fins with sharp tines on his hands and wrists. Then he realizes that his "manly" plumbing is internal.

Dolphin sex organs are internal (makes sense - don't want them getting all shriveled in the water). They have "folds" - two each. The male penis is hidden inside, so the fold acts as a sheath (similar to dogs). Which led me to question #2.

Question #2: How do mermen have sex? I had no doubt that I wanted the mermen in the story to have sex in their merfolk form, so I needed to figure out what kind of sex organs they have when they transform. "Thank the goddess," as Ian would say, for the internet. Did you know there are tons of dolphin sex vids? No joke. Apparently dolphin are very sexual (not particularly monogamous, unlike my two mermen) and tend to "perform" at aquariums (to the delight of children and the mortification of their parents!). Here's a link to one of the vids I watched. You'll see some of the behavior reproduced in the excerpt.

I watched several videos to get a sense of how dolphin sex works. They're very playful, nipping and rubbing against each other. And yes, dolphins get erections, exposing the hidden penis for sex. Only problem I saw: dolphin penises are pretty small. Smaller than human penises. Enter my imagination. How about dolphin anatomy, but a human sized penis? No need for foreskins, either, in this form. And what if certain other orifices are a bit more sensitive even, than in humans? (I think I had way too much fun figuring this all out!)

One other logistical question I had to deal with: how do merfolk communicate under the water? The answer? Telepathy or thought-reading. As you'll see, they do make some sounds, but their speech becomes thought when they are in their merfolk form.

So what follows is an excerpt from Stealing the Wind. Definitely NSFW, 18+. Enjoy! And if you haven't heard already, Stealing the Wind is up on the Dreamspinner Press website for preorder! -Shira

******

Burb:

Mermen of Ea: Book One

Taren Laxley has never known anything but life as a slave. When a lusty pirate kidnaps him and holds him prisoner on his ship, Taren embraces the chance to realize his dream of a seagoing life. Not only does the pirate captain offer him freedom in exchange for three years of labor and sexual servitude, but the pleasures Taren finds when he joins the captain and first mate in bed far surpass his greatest fantasies.

Then, during a storm, Taren dives overboard to save another sailor and is lost at sea. He’s rescued by Ian Dunaidh, the enigmatic and seemingly ageless captain of a rival ship, the Phantom, and Taren feels an overwhelming attraction to Ian that Ian appears to share. Soon Taren learns a secret that will change his life forever: Ian and his people are Ea, shape-shifting merfolk… and Taren is one of them too. Bound to each other by a fierce passion neither can explain or deny, Taren and Ian are soon embroiled in a war and forced to fight for a future—not only for themselves but for all their kind.

******

Excerpt from Chapter 16

WARNING: NSFW, 18+ only please!

Here's the link: Mermen sex excerpt

 

It's barely February, but already this year is shaping up to be a busy one for me. Lots of travel, a few releases, and more to look forward to in the second half of the year. And speaking of years, I've got a lovely 2014 calendar to give away with all my gorgeous Dreamspinner Press covers (my last one!). Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win. I'll draw a winner on February 19th.

Which brings me to February 19th - my first release of 2014. Or re-release, you might say, since this is a brand spanking new edition of the original Blue Notes ! The 2nd Edition contains new text based on my short story, "Knowing," and a wonderful new edit to polish it up. Haven't read any of the Blue Notes Series yet? They can be read in any order, but Blue Notes is a perfect place to start. The 2nd Edition is available for pre-order now at Dreamspinner Press. Readers who purchased the 1st Edition will be entitled to a free ebook copy of the 2nd Edition.

Next up on the writing schedule is the release of the sequel to Stealing the Wind . Into the Wind is book 2 in the Mermen of Ea series that chronicles the story of Taren Laxley and Ian Dunaidh, mermen shifters who inhabit an earth-like world filled with magic and adventure on the high seas. Into the Wind will be released in May, 2014. Look for the last book in the trilogy in early 2015. Taren has come to live amongst the mermen/shifters, but war between the island and mainland factions of the Ea is brewing. Ian and Taren set sail to find the fabled run stone, which they hope will help protect their people. You'll meet a few new characters in this story, but at its heart is the developing relationship between Ian and Taren and the challenges they face.

First up for travel for me? A trip to Chicago to hear the incomparable David Garrett in concert and a girls' weekend with my friend and co-conspirator, Venona Keyes. I'll be drooling over David on March 15th in downtown Chicago.

Also happening the first half of this year? Rainbow Con in Tampa over Easter weekend (April 17-20th), where I and a ton of other rainbow writers will be meeting to mingle with readers and attend great panel discussions. I'll have a table with goodies and paperbacks for sale. Or bring your already purchased copies and I'm happy to sign them!

And if that isn't enough excitement, I'm headed to Portland, Oregon for this year's Dreamspinner Press Author Workshop the next weekend (April 25-27th). I'll be hanging with all the wonderful Dreamspinner staff and authors for a great weekend of panels and socializing. I had such a great time at last year's event - I can't wait for this year's!

Things to look for in the second half of 2014? I'm planning on attending GayRomLit2014 in Chicago in October. I may make it up to San Francisco for Yaoicon, as well. I've also got a few projects in the works that I hope to submit this year, including a contemporary romance I'm working on with the wonderful Michael Halfhill, and the first book in my vampire series, Blood and Rain. But more about those goodies later, along with more information about the next Blue Notes Series book, Dissonance , that I'm working hard to finish up.

Don't forget to comment to be entered to win the calendar! And stop back for more goodies around release day for the 2nd Edition of Blue Notes! -Shira

Reblogged from The Blog of Sid Love....

I write, but I’m also a reader. I’m honestly not sure a person can be a writer without being a reader. I’ve read bad books, good books, and great books. I often find myself thinking about what makes a book a great book. Plot is important, no doubt. Quality of the writing is important too. But what, hands down, makes a great book? In my opinion? It’s all about the characters.

Easy to say. Not so easy to explain what makes a great character. But I thought I’d give it a try and let you know what I think about when I am working to create characters.

I personally love characters who have flaws and who grow over the course of a novel. My Blue Notes Series books are those types of characters. And even in my Mermen of Ea books, which are heavier on plot, you’ll still find characters who start at Point A in the story and arrive at Point B by the end.

What’s a character “flaw?” Normal, human things. Lack of patience. Lack of ability to communicate. Fear of commitment. Insecurities. Physical impairments. Look around at the people you know and you’ll see all of these things. With many of the characters I write, I do look around me to find inspiration. I know I’ve gotten it right when I have a least a few readers say, “I got so pissed because [Character] did [name your flaw]!” Yep. Flaws can drive you nuts. Or they can break your heart.

If a character is too perfect, I don’t get invested in them. I’m certainly not perfect, why should the people I read about be? If a villain is pure evil, without any humanity, why do I care? In my opinion, the best antagonists are the ones who have redeeming, human qualities. The face-palm, why-are-you-doing-that sort of characters you want to hate, but you keep hoping will do the right thing. Three dimensional, and I care. Did I care about the villains in the James Bond movies? Meh. Not so much.

Let’s talk antagonists of mine for a moment, then. Because I just submitted the next Blue Notes Series book, Dissonance , to Dreamspinner Press and one of the MCs is Lord Cameron Sherrington, the antagonist from Aria. Cheating Cam. Cam who breaks Aiden Lind’s heart. And you know what? By the end of Dissonance, I loved Cam. Even adored him. Because he changes and he grows into a man deserving of happiness. Did I consider writing Cam’s story when I was first working on Aria? Nope. But he took on a life of his own, and he demanded his own story. Which leads me to my last tidbit about writing characters….

Original characters tend to develop as you write them. They often have minds of their own. I’ve had more than just a few characters I’ve written who have put their feet down, glared at me, and told me in no uncertain terms that they were not going to do what I told them they should do. Without spoiling the end of Aria, I can honestly say I didn’t intend Cam to do what he did. Not when I first planned the book. Another character who told me in no uncertain terms to “f-off” and let him follow his heart? Cary Redding in The Melody Thief . So much for the last half of that book! My outline went whoosh out the door and Cary got the story he needed. I think I have a few more gray hairs to show for that one!

Sure, there are many other aspects of writing original characters. But these are the tried and true principles I always keep in mind when writing. So the next time you’re reading a book and shouting at a character, or your heart breaks for him, think about why you feel that way. What about him makes him real enough that you care what happens to him? Does he remind you of yourself or someone else you know? Can you empathize with him? If so, that’s probably a great character. And you’re probably reading a great book.

I’ll leave you all with a sneak peek excerpt from the next Blue Notes Series book, Dissonance, and a little taste of Lord Cameron Sherrington. Or rather, the man behind the façade. Because he hides his heart all too well. –Shira

******

Blurb: British lord Cameron Sherrington has hit rock bottom. The love of his life, opera sensation Aiden Lind, is marrying another man, and Cam knows it’s his own fault for pushing Aiden away. Then someone tries to set him up and take away his family business. Facing possible deportation if he stays in the U.S. or arrest if he returns to London, Cam decides to run. But with no money and no place to stay, it’s not exactly the Hollywood thriller he’d imagined.

When Cam hears Galen Rusk play in a lonely subway station, he’s intrigued. But his assumptions about Galen are all wrong, and their unusual relationship isn’t exactly what Cam bargained for. Add to that the nightmares that dog him nightly, and Cam’s world is shaken to its core. Cam figures he had it coming to him, that it’s all penance due on a life lived without honesty. He just never figured he might not be able to survive it. Note: Blue Notes Series novels are standalone stories, and can be read in any order.

******

Four hours later, Cam stood on the platform of the No. 4 train listening to the sound of the train from the next station echo down the tunnel. The sharp tang of urine mingled with a smell he imagined was the coating of dust and dirt from the rails as the trains created friction and heat. The floor began to vibrate beneath his feet and the squeal of metal against metal drowned out the conversations of the few people standing nearby. He looked down at the thick yellow line that ran along the edge of the platform. Some of the paint had been scraped away, and bits of gum and tar covered other parts of it. But it was there. For your safety, stay behind the yellow line.

He moved up a few steps until his toes were centered on the line. His eyes burned. He tried to convince himself it was the blast of cold air from the tunnel, or the smells, but his brain kept pulling him back to the black sedans parked outside of Riley’s apartment building. Waiting to take him into custody, and then what? Had Riley even hesitated before he'd called Homeland Security? Had his uncle called Riley to warn her? He deserved every fucking bit of shit the universe was sending him. Oh, no, he hadn't done anything wrong.

Not this time.

He closed his eyes and tried to block the thoughts and images that seemed to replay in an endless feedback loop in his mind. Spending through his inheritance so quickly he'd had to beg the board of directors to cover his living expenses. The way they'd looked at each other—judging him, and rightly so. The Broadway-bound productions that had gone nowhere. The fast cars. The clothes. The men. His mother's laughter when he'd asked her to send him some money. The $100 dollar bill that he’d spent on food, a hot shower, and clean underwear. The calls his uncle—the fucking CEO of his own fucking company!—wouldn't return.

Fucking.

Fucking Jarrod on the antique sofa. The pain of betrayal in Aiden's eyes. Aiden packing his suitcases, his eyes red from crying. How he'd told Aiden he'd regret leaving. The fear on Aiden's face when he'd understood the implicit threat. How he'd meant that threat.

Fucking.

Fucking some sweet Italian arse aboard his family's yacht the night before Aiden flew to join him. Hinting to some annoying twat of a reporter that Aiden had been unfaithful. Knowing full well how much it would wound Aiden. Faithful Aiden. Aiden who'd loved him.

Fucking pain.

This time, his own pain, because Aiden had only told the truth: Cam really didn't know how to live with him, or anyone. Another threat. The feeling that he'd ripped his own heart out of his chest, still beating. Aiden, whom he'd loved.

God, I loved you!

Everything blurred. The guilt, the pain, the anger. All of it. He couldn't think straight. Couldn't see a way out of this. Didn't want to see a way out, because if there was a way out, where would he be?

Alone. Pathetic. Locked in a cell no bigger than a box. A dark, damp place. He imagined hands reaching out to hold him down, keep him there. Hurt him. He’d never liked enclosed spaces, although he had no recollection of why. He thought about the cell again and shivered.

He opened his eyes. The toes of his shoes were even with the edge of the platform, his feet now fully on the yellow line. The train was close now. So close. He watched the lights moving toward him. Felt the air rush past his cheeks. He leaned forward....

A hand grasped his shoulder, sure and steady. He blinked and stepped backward as the train whizzed by, inches from his face.

"Are you all right?" The man had to shout the words over the din.

Cam's heart pounded hard against his ribs, racing like the train. "I... ah... yes. I'm quite all right." Total bullshit, and yet he managed to speak these last words with the confidence he lacked.

The man—Cam knew he’d seen him before somewhere—offered him a lopsided smile. Blue eyes. Dark blond hair. Cam saw he was holding a black fiberglass case.

The trumpet player. The one who'd been playing for tips. What was his name? Galen.

"Can I buy you a cup of coffee?" Galen asked.

 

Check out the amazing cover of Into the Wind by cover artist Anne Cain! I think it's stunning. Even better? You can now pre-order your very own copy of the book Dreamspinner Press by clicking here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4975

Don't forget that I'm still running a pre-release giveaway. Up for grabs? Winner's choice of a cool, nautical leather wrap watch, or a signed paperback copy of Stealing the Wind , the first book in the Mermen of Ea Series. US readers only for this one, please. I promise I'll have some goodies for non-US readers in upcoming giveaways, though.

How do you enter? Leave a comment on this blog post and tell me what you like best about the ocean (feel free to let your imaginations run wild!). I'll choose a winner on May 4th from all the entries here.

Into the Wind is the direct sequel to Stealing the Wind, and takes up the story of Ian Dunaidh and Taren Laxley, shape-shifting mermen (Ea). There are a few surprises in this book I hope you'll enjoy, and the book starts off with a bang (literally), as the Phantom is attacked on her way to the Gateway Islands, where the crew hoped to locate the cruel pirate, Odhrán.

Here's the blurb: Since learning of his merman shifter heritage, Taren has begun building a life with Ian Dunaidh among the mainland Ea. But memories of his past life still haunt him, and as the threat of war with the hostile island merfolk looms ever closer, Taren fears he will lose Ian the same way he lost his beloved centuries before. Together they sail to the Gateway Islands in search of the fabled rune stone—a weapon of great power the Ea believe will protect them—and Odhrán, the pirate rumored to possess it.

After humans attack the Phantom, Taren finds himself washed up on an island, faced with a mysterious boy named Brynn who promises to lead him to Odhrán. But Taren isn’t sure if he can trust Brynn, and Odhrán is rumored to enslave Ea to protect his stronghold. Taren will have to put his life on the line to find his way back to Ian and attempt to recover the stone. Even if he does find it, his troubles are far from over: he and Ian are being stalked by an enemy who wants them dead at all costs.

Want to read an excerpt from Chapter One? Click here. So go snag yourself a copy at Dreamspinner Press and don't forget to enter the pre-release drawing by commenting on this post! -Shira

It's release day for the 2nd Mermen of Ea Series book, Into the Wind ! I can't tell you how excited I am to share Taren and Ian's continuing adventure with you! The book is now available for download at Dreamspinner Press and All Romance Ebooks, and should be available on Amazon.com by mid-afternoon. I'll update this post with the Amazon link when I have it.

The Into the Wind Blog Tour starts today, and the Rafflecopter link is now active, so you can start entering by tweeting, liking, and commenting on blog tour posts. Here's the link to the giveaway widget: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cf0ba93/

Or enter right here on my blog if your device permits:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Up for grabs? Some really cool gifts, including the grand prize of a stunning unisex Ea pendant, handmade by artist Martin Brodour. Also to be won, a cool Mermen of Ea gift basket that includes an autographed copy of the first book, Stealing the Wind, a great cover art t-shirt, and lots of other fun, nautical themed goodies! For non-US residents, I've got several prizes, including a $10 Dreamspinner Press gift certificate you can use to buy any Dreamspinner books! The contest ends on May 31st at midnight.

Here's a list of blog tour participants:

5/5 Release Day – Smoocher’s Voice (Interview with Shira)

5/6 Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words (Ocean Inspiration)

5/8 Mrs. Condits and Friends (Merman Sex 101)

5/9 Tali Spencer’s Brilliant Disguise (Series and Worldbuilding: Recreating the Merman Myth)

5/10 Prism Book Alliance (Character Interview with Ian Dunaidh)

5/13 Joyfully Jay (Character Interview with Taren Laxley)

5/15 Book Suburbia

5/16 Jase’s Atenaeum

Haven't read the first book yet? Now's a great time to start, because you can segue right into book two! Click on the Stealing the Wind book cover to purchase at Dreamspinner Press, or check it out on Amazon.com, AllRomanceEbooks, or your favorite online ebook seller!

Please join me over at Smoocher's Voice today for an interview and more chances to enter the blog tour contest! And have a slippery, hot merman day, everyone! -Shira

 

Just sharing the love... All my books are 30% off through May 17th at the Dreamspinner Press online store! So if you've been waiting to start the Mermen of Ea Series, this is a perfect time to pick up both books for just about what you'd normally pay for one. You can find all my books here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_484

Also happening now, the Into the Wind Blog tour is getting ready to wrap, although the blog tour giveaway will still be active until the end of the month. Here's the link to the Rafflecopter giveaway widget: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cf0ba93/

Up for grabs? Some really cool gifts, including the grand prize of a stunning unisex Ea pendant, handmade by artist Martin Brodour. Also to be won, a cool Mermen of Ea gift basket that includes an autographed copy of the first book, Stealing the Wind, a great cover art t-shirt, and lots of other fun, nautical themed goodies! For non-US residents, I've got several prizes, including a $10 Dreamspinner Press gift certificate you can use to buy any Dreamspinner books! The contest ends on May 31st at midnight.

Here's a list of all the great blogs I've been visiting along the way:

5/5 Release Day – Smoocher’s Voice (Interview with Shira)

5/6 Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words (Inspiration for the Mermen of Ea Series)

5/8 Mrs. Condits and Friends (Merman Sex 101)

5/9 Tali Spencer’s Brilliant Disguise (Series and Worldbuilding: Recreating the Merman Myth)

5/10 Prism Book Alliance (Character Interview with Ian Dunaidh)

5/13 Joyfully Jay (Character Interview with Taren Laxley)

5/15 Book Suburbia (Tired of Vampires and Werewolves? How About Mermen?)

5/16 Jase’s Atenaeum (TBA)

 

Good luck to everyone entering the giveaways! I'll leave you with an excerpt from the new book at the bottom of this post. Happy reading! -Shira

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Blurb : Since learning of his merman shifter heritage, Taren has begun building a life with Ian Dunaidh among the mainland Ea. But memories of his past life still haunt him, and as the threat of war with the hostile island merfolk looms ever closer, Taren fears he will lose Ian the same way he lost his beloved centuries before. Together they sail to the Gateway Islands in search of the fabled rune stone—a weapon of great power the Ea believe will protect them—and Odhrán, the pirate rumored to possess it.

After humans attack the Phantom, Taren finds himself washed up on an island, faced with a mysterious boy named Brynn who promises to lead him to Odhrán. But Taren isn’t sure if he can trust Brynn, and Odhrán is rumored to enslave Ea to protect his stronghold. Taren will have to put his life on the line to find his way back to Ian and attempt to recover the stone. Even if he does find it, his troubles are far from over: he and Ian are being stalked by an enemy who wants them dead at all costs.

Excerpt from Chapter Two:

TAREN CHASED Ian through the surf, the water flying about him as his bare feet slapped the sand. The warm autumn sun on his shoulders and the salty tang of the water made him smile.

“You’re too slow!” Ian called from halfway across the beach.

Taren laughed and dove into a wave, swam in his human form until he came upon Ian, grabbed him around the ankles, then knocked him into the water. Ian spluttered and transformed, planting his powerful tail. He paused for only an instant, then pivoted and swam against a wave that crested and broke near shore.

Taren looked around, trying to sense Ian. During the time they’d spent together at Callaecia, the powerful sensations he shared with Ian had only grown in their intensity. Even though he couldn’t see him, Taren felt Ian’s heart race as he swam, felt his pleasure, heard his lungs fill with water, and knew he was nearby. He didn’t see Ian until he surfaced in a spray of foam, took Taren’s hands, and dragged him down, forcing him to transform as well.

You cheated! Taren wriggled away from Ian and took off for one of the underwater caves near the cliffs. He flicked his tail harder when he sensed the movement of water behind him. Ian was the stronger swimmer, although in the months Taren had lived amongst the Ea at Callaecia, he’d learned to use his Ea body to its greatest advantage.

Ian caught up with Taren a moment later, swimming beneath Taren before encircling his waist with his powerful arms, capturing him in his embrace.

I yield! Taren laughed and allowed Ian to pull him closer. Besides, you’ve long ago captured my heart. He nipped at Ian’s neck, eliciting a low rumble he could feel in his belly more than hear with his ears. Taren still marveled that in his Ea form he could hear so much under the water. He’d asked Ian once why the Ea didn’t choose to spend their lives in this form, so taken was he with the joys of his Ea body and the beauty of the sea. Ian had just shrugged and told him that the Ea viewed their transformation as a gift from the goddess that set them apart from humans, but that they believed they were meant to live on land.

They swam out from land as they held each other, tails beating the water in tandem as they spiraled in a dizzying dance. More than anything, Taren found the Ea mating ritual a beautiful thing. Ian’s Ea body was also beautiful. In this form, Ian’s chest was broad and the muscles of his belly and arms more powerful. As a human, Ian was strong. As an Ea, he possessed strength and surprising grace few others did. Taren loved to watch Ian swim, watch the sinews of his body ripple as he moved his tail, watch his hair twist in the current. More thrilling, perhaps, was the knowledge that Ian was his, that Ian desired him above all others, that Taren held Ian’s heart.

Ian released Taren as they glided over the sand at the bottom. Large schools of silver fish followed the contours of their bodies, calling to mind the shimmer of moon across the waves. Here, many feet below the surface, the pressure of the water created a warm cocoon around Taren and drove the warmth in his chest to his extremities, making his fingers more sensitive.

Taren flicked his tail to propel him around so that he and Ian swam toward each other, arms extended, then moved upward as they laced their fingers together and floated perpendicular to the sea floor. They kissed and their tongues entwined. Ian tasted of the ocean and of the promise of Taren’s new life. Their former incarnations, Treande and Owyn, had been equals in everything. Partners, friends, lovers. Taren both relished and feared the power of his connection to Ian and the unexpected turn of fate that had brought them together, as well as the revelations of their past.

With a grin, Taren spun around so that he faced Ian’s tail. He rotated his arm so that the sharp tines that ran from his fingers to his wrist grazed the slick surface. He’d learned how to retract the barbs so they would not injure; he’d also learned that if used properly, the gentle scrape of the barbs was a sensual treat Ian could not resist.

“Goddess!” Ian shouted in his mind. “Is it your wish to render me completely helpless with lust?”

Taren repressed a chuckle as he continued to stroke Ian’s body. He might not be able to best Ian with his physical prowess, but he knew he held a stronger power over Ian. He relished the thought that he possessed Ian’s heart and soul, for it made his own uncontrollable hunger to be near Ian bearable.

Reblogged from Mrs. Condits and Friends

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I'm wrapping up the Into the Wind Blog Tour contest on May 31st at midnight! Here's the link to the Rafflecopter giveaway widget: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cf0ba93/

Up for grabs? Some really cool gifts, including the grand prize of a stunning unisex Ea pendant, handmade by artist Martin Brodour. Also to be won, a cool Mermen of Ea gift basket that includes an autographed copy of the first book, Stealing the Wind, a great cover art t-shirt, and lots of other fun, nautical themed goodies! For non-US residents, I've got several prizes, including a $10 Dreamspinner Press gift certificate you can use to buy any Dreamspinner books! The contest ends on May 31st at midnight.

So, down to business. Because when I spoke to Becky about posting this on her blog, I asked her if she’d be interested in learning a bit about merman… er… physiology. *coughs* Okay, merman SEX. And, of course, good sport that she is, she said, “Hell yes!!” (Or something along those lines. I LOVE YOU, Becky!). Since “merman sex” is the #1 search string that leads new folks to my website, I figured there’s more than a little interest in how mermen do “it.”

When I started writing the Mermen of Ea Series, I knew I wanted the two main characters, Taren and Ian, to have sex in their shifted form. I’ve never been very shy about writing explicit sex in my books. Frankly, it’s no surprise that men in love (or lust) have sex. In all of my books, I write explicit sex, in large part because I see it as a way to develop the emotional relationship between my characters. Rarely will I write a sex scene just for the titillation factor. So when I decided to write merman sex, I knew it needed to be more than just “insert tab A into slot B” sex. It needed to have a visceral connection to the characters and to the ocean they inhabit when in their shifted forms.

The mermen of Ea (Ea, pronounced “Ey-ah”, is the name the mermen give their race), are powerful beings in their shifted forms. Broader and more muscled than when in their human forms, they are also highly sexual when they transform. For the two main characters in the Mermen of Ea Series, Ian and Taren, the sex comes out of their deep, enduring connection (they are reincarnated lovers who find each other again).

So, let’s get down to basics. How does merman sex work? I based my mermen not on fish (let’s face it, fish just aren’t that sexy!) but on dolphins, since they’re mammals like humans. So the sexy bits are really the same, regardless of their form. The difference is that, in their mermen forms, Taren and Ian have sheathed penises, rather than external ones. Just like dolphins, a little arousal coaxes the penis from its fold in the merman’s tail (dogs are similar in this way). So that’s the basic premise. But the fun part (in my opinion), comes in the way mermen have sex.

Mermen, much like dolphins, have a mating dance or ritual. Yes, I studied dolphin sex videos on the web! You’ll find lots of them because dolphins really like to have sex, and parents like to video their kids at aquariums (which can make for some awkward moments when Little Johnny points and says, “Mommy, what’s that thing that just popped out of the dolphin’s tail?”). Back to the dance, though….

So mermen, like their dolphin cousins, swim in circles around each other in a mating dance. They nip playfully at each other, brush their lips against each other’s skin, and even use the sharp barbs at the end of their wrists to gently scrape at each other and arouse their mates. And, my favorite part, borrowing a bit from whales: mermen sing. Yes, sing. Their heartsong can’t be heard above the water, but it’s a beautiful and haunting melody that adds to the romance of their sexual contact.

One last bit to share about merman sex? Mermen communicate telepathically under the water, since sound doesn’t travel easily there. And added benefit of this? When one merman climaxes, his partner experiences the orgasm as if he himself is climaxing. Double the fun.

Would you like to read a partial NSFW merman sex excerpt from Chapter 2 of Into the Wind , the just-released sequel to Stealing the Wind (yes, there’s more to the scene, but you’ll have to read the book to see how it ends!)? Click here for the uncensored version of this post on my website: http://www.shiraanthony.com/?p=3812

The Mermen of Ea books are high fantasy and high romance set on the high seas (and beneath them!). I hope you’ll join me on the epic journey of Taren and Ian, as they fight for their own future and the future of their people, the mermen of Ea. –Shira

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Blurb : Since learning of his merman shifter heritage, Taren has begun building a life with Ian Dunaidh among the mainland Ea. But memories of his past life still haunt him, and as the threat of war with the hostile island merfolk looms ever closer, Taren fears he will lose Ian the same way he lost his beloved centuries before. Together they sail to the Gateway Islands in search of the fabled rune stone—a weapon of great power the Ea believe will protect them—and Odhrán, the pirate rumored to possess it.

After humans attack the Phantom, Taren finds himself washed up on an island, faced with a mysterious boy named Brynn who promises to lead him to Odhrán. But Taren isn’t sure if he can trust Brynn, and Odhrán is rumored to enslave Ea to protect his stronghold. Taren will have to put his life on the line to find his way back to Ian and attempt to recover the stone. Even if he does find it, his troubles are far from over: he and Ian are being stalked by an enemy who wants them dead at all costs.

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Book Buy Links:

Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4975&cPath=55_484

AllRomanceEbooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-intothewind-1496001-143.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K4PX4BS/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stealing-the-wind-shira-anthony/1116395006?ean=9781627980531