I have always been fascinated with the idea that humans could be sharing our world with supernatural creatures, and this was my opportunity to tell a story where that occurred.
Writing about mermaids, selkies, and water sprites has been such a fantastic adventure, and one that started when I first discovered the selkie folklore. I was intrigued by the legends of selkies luring humans into loving them, only to have to leave a few years later, or be trapped on land forever when someone destroyed their skin. From that, I decided to write my own version of the legend where a selkie was instinctually drawn to the humans for mating, regardless of what was in their heart. Their species wouldn’t exist without this relationship, so the selkies in my world are tightly intertwined with humans and their continued survival.
When it came to the mermaids, I wanted to make them realistic and capable of blending in with the human world. Therefore, it was important for them to thrive on land, even if they were still drawn to the sea. Along those lines, the scientist in me wouldn’t allow them to breathe underwater, so I made them equal to mammals such as dolphins and whales, where they adapt to the necessary physiological changes during their transitions. Their power over humans comes from the old legends of maidens singing sailors to their deaths, and my own version of Poseidon and Amphitrite. My mermaid’s history is based on the nereids and sea goddesses once worshiped by the humans, but now only alive in fairy tales.
I hadn’t read too much about water sprites and water faeries, so aside from their shape shifting abilities, I kind of just let the ideas flow. I always liked those twisted stories where creatures like faeries and sprites were actually mean and scary, so I added an element like that to mine. My sprites need to eat humans to thrive, and are therefore just as intricately tied to their survival as the selkies.
So my mythology behind The Syrenka Series was a combination of legends old and new with a little bit of me thrown in as well. It was enjoyable researching a basic idea and putting my own spin on it, and I am looking forward to doing more of that with future works!
And here's what you'll find in each of the books:
Promises (Book One of The Syrenka Series)
Sometimes following your heart can end up destroying the ones you love.
When seventeen-year-old Eviana Dumahl is faced with the responsibility of an arranged marriage and clan leadership, she is forced to choose between the life required of a mermaid and one of a teenage girl simply infatuated with the wrong guy. Kain, her devoted fiancé would make a wonderful husband except that she’s been in love with Brendan, a shape-shifting selkie, ever since they were kids. Choosing to abandon her family, her clan, and her life with Kain will have dire consequences far beyond anything she could have imagined.
A war is brewing amongst the clans and Eviana unwittingly becomes a pawn in the intricate schemes of a twisted mastermind. With Brendan’s life on the line, she has no choice but to involve those who she once considered friends. Amidst encountering senseless tragedies and immense loss, Eviana discovers that she is more valuable as a clan leader than anyone ever suspected. Her survival is not only dependent upon the loyalty of her friends, but also on her acceptance of a life that she had so adamantly tried to escape.
Betrayal (Book Two of The Syrenka Series)
Life as a mermaid can be suffocating.
Eviana Dumahl has returned home as a clan leader, an orphan, and a heartbroken teenage girl. Her parents are dead and her boyfriend, Brendan, has decided that he needs some time away. While battling her inner turmoil, Eviana is forced into the war that Lucian Sutherland has incited amongst her own kind. With the help of Kain, her friend and formally betrothed, the two work together to prove that they deserve their birthrights as young merfolk leaders.
When The Council requests a demonstration of Eviana’s mermaid powers, she finds herself with an opportunity to win back Brendan’s heart. But her orders to train with a repulsive merman and the presence of an attractive new suitor challenges Eviana to embrace her leadership and resist temptation. Lucian is after her, and no one seems to understand why. Loyalties are tested as the casualties increase, showing Eviana that sometimes it is impossible to delineate between friends and enemies.
Arise (Book Three of The Syrenka Series)
With power comes the responsibility to accept its consequences.
After the betrayal of those closest to her, Eviana Dumahl struggles to cope with her new reality. Kidnapped, broken, and confused, she is forced to engage in a war that will alter merfolk politics forever. With her estranged father leading the charge, Eviana has no choice but to stand by his side. Her continued existence hinges on the acceptance of the power growing inside her, even when that means embracing the family’s dark lineage.
Kain Matthew will sacrifice the world for Eviana. And he is not alone. As time runs out, her friends fight to save her life and theirs. An unlikely alliance gives them the edge they need to take a stand, although it keeps Eviana’s heart trapped in the past. A new discovery explains some of her previous mistakes, but it may not be enough to stop her father’s plans. Merfolk, selkies, and water sprites work together to save their kind, only in this final battle, not everyone will survive.
In the striking series conclusion, Eviana will learn the true meaning of power, sacrifice, and love.
