Coming Soon: A Mermazing Book Signing
It’s not long until I will be at the lovely Fantasy Paradigm shop for my Mermazing Book Signing event.
Full details about the event has been added to Felixstowe Magazine’s event page. Check it out here: Mermazing Book Signing at The Fantasy Paradigm Shop
Event Highlights:
● Exclusive Book Signing: Meet me, Ally Aldridge, author of Ocean Heart and Sky Heart, and get your copy personally signed and an official bookmark.
● Ask away: Do you have a burning question you want to ask an author? I am looking forward to answering any questions on publishing, writing, or my books. Or just come and say hi.
● Fantasy haven: The shop is full of delights to get Fantasy fans excited. There’s something for everyone, so come treat yourself.
Don’t miss out on this magical event to immerse yourself in a love of fantasy. Mark your calendars, gather your friends, and prepare for a mermazing book signing on 31st May!
Location: Fantasy Paradigm, 7 Orwell Road, Felixstowe, IP11 7HE
Time: 10am to 4pm
I look forward to seeing you there!
Mermaid Reads for Mermay
As an author of a mermaid novel, I am always interested in other books about mermaids, sirens, and selkies. Today, I shall highlight some to show how different these stories are and why I recommend them. Here are some of my favourites.
Rhyming Children’s Tale
If you want a quick light hearted read, then Seal Mother by Rose English is a good choice. This book is inspired by local mythology and told in verse. It is suitable for young children but adults will enjoy it too.
Book Review: Seal Mother by Rose English – Ally Aldridge
Found-Family Fairytale
If you love stories with a fairytale vibe, and found family, then check out The Meramid’s Sister by Carrie Ann Noble. This story is about two sisters, who were found in unusual ways and adopted by their mum who cannot leave her home due to a curse.
When the mermaid sister gets ill, the other sister has to take on the task of returning her to the sea with the help of a family friend and his wagon. This story is full of charms and curses, a sisterly bond, and first love. It has the same energy as Stardust by Neil Gailman.
Book Review: The Mermaid’s Sister by Carrie Anne Noble – Ally Aldridge
LGBT Mermaid Graphic Novel
This is a sweet Young Adult Graphic Novel by Molly Knox Ostertag called The Girl from the Sea. The main character is dealing with a lot of coming of age issues in her life, but is able to find comfort in Keltie.
Keltie isn’t an ordinary girl, she once was a Selkie but after the girls sharing a kiss she was able to stay on land. The main character is struggles to come out to her friends and family about her girlfriend. This sweet graphic novel has a happy ending and the art is beautiful.
Book Review: The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag – Ally Aldridge
Dystopian Mermaid
If you love dystopian fiction, then The Seawomen by Chloe Timms is worth checking out. It is described as being the Handmaid’s Tale with mermaids. Basically, the main character lives in religious patriarchy society where anything that goes wrong from weather to disease, is blamed on the women. Men can do no wrong.
There is a rule that women cannot look at the sea but one day the main character is being chased by boys with ill intentions and knows that if they catch her and have their way, she will be blamed for it. She takes a risk to escape them and hides by the sea, leading to her uncovering a big secret that starts to unravel all the lies she’s grown up with.
Book Review: The Seawomen by Chloe Timms – Ally Aldridge
Steamy Mermaid Romantasy
Meraki by Naomi Kelly is about a sexy Warlord and a Syren. King Kellan is the descendant of a god and decides that he needs to capture a syren, then use her to defeat his enemy. The syren he captures in Wren, a syren on the run from her past.
The pair start off hating each other, but sparks soon fly leading to a steamy enemies to lovers type story. This is the first book in a duology and I’ve always meant to read the next book but not got around to it.
Book Review: Meraki by Naomi Kelly – Ally Aldridge
Mermaid Shifter Romantasy
Of course, there is my novel, Ocean Heart by Ally Aldridge. It is the first book in the Young Adult Soul Heart series and features a teen mermaid shifter. Ocean Heart has a strong romance plot with the main character torn between her crush on her male BFF and being perused by the hot swim team stud that rubs her up the wrong way. Her messy love life is what wakes up her dormant deadly mermaid powers, and now she is trying to keep her powers under control before someone gets killed.
More Mermraid Books
There are plenty more that are worth a mention:
Middle Grade Under the Sea School: Book Review: Mermaid School – Ally Aldridge
Little Mermaid Retelling: Book Review: Balanced Scales by Laura Greenwood – Ally Aldridge
Little Mermaid Retelling: Book Review: Sea Witch by Sarah Henning – Ally Aldridge
Graphic Novel on a Ship: Book Review: Sailor Twain by Mark Siegel – Ally Aldridge
Young Adult Mermaid World: Book Review: Tenebrasco by Hannah Reed – Ally Aldridge
Fae Fiction: Book Review: Never Date a Siren by Byrd Nash – Ally Aldridge
Robots and Fantasy Adventure: Book Review: The Steel Princess by April Grace – Ally Aldridge
Why I will not be at Herts Book Fest 2025
It’s May, the month of Herts Book Festival and I’m sad that I won’t be attending. This Book Festival is special to me because it was the first Book Festival to accept me. Sadly, for 2025 I’ve made the hard decision not to go.
For me, I always do well at this event and make good sales. However, the sales are not enough to cover the expense of doing the event.
Petrol – This cost is roughly £70 there and back.
Hotel – About £240 for two nights, including breakfast
Eating – I tend to take snacks with me to eat during the day and have a proper meal in the evening. This is about £40 for two nights.
Stall – This is £40, a very fair price.
Overall it’s almost £400 for me to do this event before I make a penny. In addition, I often give attendees a good discount on my books which reduces my profit per sale.
In previous years, I’ve written off the loss for a few reasons.
The first time I saw it as a learning experience. I’d never done a festival before and the organiser and fellow authors were so supportive and helped it be less scary. A big shout out goes to author Roxy Eloise and organiser Katie.
Another reason was that I saw this as a good networking opportunity. I love being solitary but appreciate that I have a lot to learn and meeting up with fellow authors is really beneficial. I think of this as a retreat to connect with other authors.
Thirdly, probably the most important reason of all, it helps me to be seen by potential readers. There are so many amazing books out there competing for the spotlight but when I do an event I’m right there in front of people for them to see and meet. And, I love chatting to readers.
If I never did Herts Book Fest, I doubt I would have done many of the events that followed as it was through meeting other authors and building friendships that I got told about other events, like April Grace outing me forward for MK Lit Fest, or Rachel Churcher getting me in with Foreword Festival.
Last year, one of my close author friends couldn’t make Herts Book Fest due to her health and I really missed her. This year another author friend can’t make it as she’ll be heavily pregnant. So, I decided not to go too. The thought of staying at the hotel alone without knowing anyone else in the building makes me extra nervous. Hopefully one day, my hubby will be able to come with me to an event but he is often busy with the kids so I can go without worrying about them.
Previously when I’ve attend Herts I’ve only had Ocean Heart. Now I have two books I hope that it would benefit me to have more to sell. Plus I am writing book three; Maybe, by next year I might even have three books – wouldn’t it be exciting if the launch for Forest Heart was at Herts Book Fest 2026!?
To all the authors and readers going to Herts Book Fest for 2025, I hope you have an amazing time. I miss you all and I hope to see you at the next one.
Herts Book Festival – Because books are for everyone!
Check out my previous posts on Herts Book Festival Here:
Vlogs of Herts Book Festival 2024
Herts Book Fest 2024 – Ally Aldridge
Herts Book Festival 2023 – Ally Aldridge