Guest Author Judi Fennell In Over Her Head Giveaway and Romantic Getaways

Thanks so much for having me today! I'm so excited that my first book, In Over Her Head, is out and about on the shelves and I've already heard back from readers. That's one of the best things about writing a book; hearing how people enjoyed it.

In Over Her Head is the first in a series of Mer adventure romance trilogy, featuring a family of royal Mer men and women, and the Humans who come to find out there are more than just fish in the sea.

From the back of the book:

When Erica Peck, one terrified-of-the-ocean marina owner, finds herself at the bottom of the sea conversing with a Mer man named Reel, she thinks she's died and gone to her own version of Hell. When the Oceanic Council demands she and Reel retrieve a lost cache of diamonds from the resident sea monster in return for their lives, she knows she's died and gone to Hell.
When they escape the monster and end up on a deserted island, she amends her opinion - she's died and gone to Heaven.
But when Reel sacrifices himself to allow her to return to her world, she realizes that, Heaven or Hell, with Reel, she's In Over Her Head.

Wild Blue Under and Catch of a Lifetime will follow in November ’09 and February ‘10.

So how does a marina owner end up terrified of the ocean?

Not the same way I did. Erica had an Incident in the ocean. Me? Well, I saw Jaws at an early age.

It ruined the ocean for me and gave me this irrational fear of the water. I've been going down the shore (a regional term meaning to go to the beach) since I was a kid. I can remember hanging out on a raft with a book just beyond where the waves break for HOURS. Yep, hours. Every so often I'd have to swim back up to where my parents (and the lifeguards) were, then I'd climb back on and float/read my way down the shoreline.

I used to swim back and forth, do handstands, be a regular fish in the water, only to have the living daylights scared out of me by that movie. And you know? Whenever it's on television, I still get that creeped out feeling - even though my kids look at me like I'm crazy. "Mom, that shark is totally fake," says one of the CG generation.

Yes, I know the special effects aren't so special anymore. But it wasn't the actual movie, per se, but the possibility of what could happen.

Now I know there's no shark hanging off the Jersey shore just waiting for Judi Fennell to jump in the ocean, but still, that's what an irrational fear is. Something you know is silly or won't happen, but have a tough time getting over anyway.

But I try. I honestly do. Last summer I was in the water for a good 45 minutes boogie boarding with the kids. I talked myself down as my "shark meter" ratcheted up. I always say, when I go in the water, the shark meter is around my ankles. The longer I'm in (or the less people around me, or heaven forbid I get a glimpse of a dolphin's fin before I realize it's a dolphin and not a shark), the more the meter rises. By the time it's at my throat, I need to get out.

Luckily there was something positive to come out of this irrational fear - I channeled it into Erica. When she goes down the dive line to the reef at gunpoint to find the stolen diamonds, she almost has a panic attack. I've been told from readers that that scene is very realistic. I can totally relate. LOL. And then, of course, I can make sure all the nasties in the sea "get it." And I get to create Atlantis. Now who wouldn't want to live in a place as beautiful as the Mer capital? I had a lot of fun making that place up.

Another fun thing about putting your irrational fear into a book is that you can fix it. Erica can get a backbone when it comes to the sea - so maybe I can too? Who knows, but it's worth a shot.

I've done a lot of interviews about my irrational fear, but I have to say that I love going to the shore. We go every year, and we go to Ocean City. It was a no-brainer to decide where I was going to set the story. It's a great place to vacation, very family oriented, and, I just so happen to be able to recommend a wonderful place to stay.

The Atlantis Inn Bed & Breakfast (now is that the perfect name, or what!) (http://www.atlantisinn.com/) has come on board with a promotion for readers. You can register to win not one, but two romantic beach getaway weekends at the Atlantis Inn, to celebrate the release of my first two books. The first drawing will be held June 30, so visit my website, http://www.judifennell.com/ to register.

But wait! There's more! (Cue the infomercial guy.) Hibiscus House B&B in West Palm Beach, Florida, (http://www.hibiscushouse.com/) is also on board for the release of Catch of a Lifetime, since that story takes place on the central eastern coast of Florida.

So that's one entry to be eligible to win one of 3 weekends. Whether or not you have the same irrational fear as me, nothing beats a weekend at the beach--even if you only look at the water. :)

And, if you're ever down the Jersey shore and see a woman muttering to herself in about three feet of water, go ahead an introduce yourself. She is probably me.

~ Thanks so much for for joining us today, Judi, and sharing your fears and triumphs concerning the ocean. It's great that writers can channel negativity and turn it into something positive.

OK lucky readers here's the chance you were hoping for. In addition to the chances to win a romantic getaway you also have the chance to win a copy of In Over Her Head, just leave a comment on this post with email contact info and a winner will be chosen for next week's Winner Wednesday. This time US and Canadian entries are welcome.