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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!

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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

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Signed Copies at Stillwater Books

I’m not a salesperson. Every time I have to approach a bookshop to stock my book, I’m filled with nerves. There’s no way I’m even attempting to pitch if I have the kids with me, which happens whenever my husband has a weekend shift.

First, I waited until I had my copy of Sky Heart to check that there were no issues with the print quality. Then I had to wait for a weekend when I was free. When I finally plucked up the courage to go, I found the bookshop closed. A note was pinned to the door saying he was away on holiday. Nooooooo! But at least this explained why he’d not responded to my email.

,It had felt right to approach Stillwater Books first because they were the first bookshop to stock Ocean Heart. It was released during lockdown so I couldn’t have a traditional book signing. Together we managed to sort something out that worked within the rules allowed.

He should be back the following weekend so I braced myself to try again. Thankfully, when I entered the shop, it was quiet, so I didn’t have an audience. William was absolutely lovely. We got chatting about books, reading, genres, and stocking my books. He put my books on the shelves so I could take some pics and a short reel for social media.

It’s so silly that I get myself so worked up about approaching bookshops. From my experience, they have always been so lovely. There is this fear that they’ll say no, and I’ll have to leave with my tail between my legs.

I’m excited to return next Saturday, 8th February, around 10:45 am, with my signed books for his shop. There will be five signed copies of Ocean Heart and 10 signed copies of Sky Heart. If you want to make sure you get a copy, preorder by letting him know and he will put a copy aside for you to collect.

Visit Stillwaters Books website here: https://www.stillwaterfelixstowe.co.uk/

If you can’t get to Felixstowe, you can order a signed copy from my Ko-Fi shop, or order from any good bookshop.

Ally Aldridge Books, My Books, Ocean Heart, Personal, Review, The Soul Heart Series

Ocean Heart was in the Press

I was reading a post on Linked by local author Rachel Churcher where she shared an article from the Bury St Edmund’s Flyer on recommended books set in Suffolk.

It was a lovely surprise to see my YA Fantasy Romance novel included. Ocean Heart is set in Felixstowe and the story is of a teenage girl that has no idea she’s a mermaid until her messy love life awaken her dormant dangerous powers.

If you know any local Romantasy fans that this might appeal too, there’s still time to get a copy for Christmas. Plus books are a nice easy shape to wrap.

If you’d prefer a different genre, then check out the article and see if you can discover a new local author today! https://e-magazine.flyeronline.co.uk/p/bury-st-edmunds/21-11-2024/r/11/20-21/6959/1717391

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WAM Fest is next weekend!

What a lovely surprise to discover a display in the library, showing me and my book, to promote WAM Fest happening next week.

WAM Fest is a celebration of Women in Arts and Music. I’ll be attending on Saturday. I will have a stall and be on the lunchtime jam panel with other authors.

You do need a ticket to attend this event. These can be bought from the WAM Fest website.