I am so happy that D.B. Sieders stopped by today to give us a little look into how her new series got its start.  If you like unusual paranormal romances you are going to enjoy her take on mermaids and other elemental beings.  Throw in a sexy, but oh-so-troubled, rocker and you have the makings of a hit!

*****

Inspiration for the Southern Elemental Guardians Series

I’ve always been a bit of a mythology nerd. There’s so much inspiration to be drawn from the classics! I’m also a mom. So after watching ‘Barbie and the Mermaid Tale 2’ on DVD about five hundred times (give or take), I decided to explore mermaid lore. The fair maidens of the sea have had their share of page and screen time, but I hadn’t encountered much about their freshwater cousins. I figured, why not? That sounds like a story I can tell. From the legend of Melusine the Warsaw Mermaid, to Lorelei of the Rhine, Ondine, and Wagner’s Rhinemaidens, European folklore is rich in source material. I blended all of these legends, put in my own unique spin, and voilà, my mermaids came alive!

A sexy, wounded rock star, a giant talking catfish, a host of powerful elemental guardians, and a killer soundtrack round out this modern fairy tale for grown ups!

*****

Lorelei’s Lyric

Southern Elemental Guardians Book 1

by D.B. Sieders

Fantasy Romance – Griffyn Ink

Cover Art – Julie Schroeder Designs

Blurb:

If Lorelei sings, someone will die.

Her beautiful voice once cost a life. Still, music is her passion. What’s a mermaid to do? Run off and live vicariously through mortal musicians!

Unfortunately, gorgeous rocker Vance Idol almost succumbs to her siren call after his show in Nashville. Not that Vance cares—not since his girlfriend’s fatal overdose left him with a supersized death wish. Lorelei makes it her mission to undo the damage and help this talented and charismatic man on the eve of his band’s big break.

But saving a mortal man is a dangerous proposition. Lorelei could far too easily lose her heart, and quite possibly her immortality, during her American holiday. Bad boy Vance might be worth the risk.

Can their love survive his attitude, her fins, and an evil Pixie with a grudge against them both?

Available from Amazon in eBook and paperback formats.

*****

Excerpt:

“I asked you nicely. Once. I won’t do it again.”

The woman didn’t flinch, but her gaze turned hard and held his without faltering. “You didn’t, Vance.”

“I didn’t what? By the way, what’s your name, sugar? Guess it must’ve slipped my mind since last night,” he added, smirking.

“I’m called Lorelei,” she said as she stood, forcing him to take a step back lest she knock him over. “And what you didn’t do was ask me nicely, but it doesn’t matter. You won’t find your phone, clothing, or the means to leave until I’m sure you’re fully healed.”

He maintained his glower but found himself at a bit of a loss. Though she was tall for a woman, he still outweighed her by at least fifty pounds of muscle. Most men he’d faced down during his time on the road would have cowered, but she clearly didn’t fear him.

Since he couldn’t persuade her by fear, he shifted tactics again, reverting to his preferred method of persuasion when faced with a difficult woman. It hadn’t failed him yet. He allowed his gaze to wander down her face to her full lips, and from there down along the slender column of her neck. Her audible swallow and the bob in her throat made him smirk with satisfaction. When his gaze fell to the swell of her breasts, he grew hard again and knew she’d read the heat in his gaze when it returned to her face.

He definitely saw heat in hers.

He moved past her, taking care to brush his skin against her bare arms, and sat down on the bed. He reclined and stretched his body, allowing the towel that covered his lower half to come loose. Plastering a smile on his face, one that charmed most women right out of their panties, he said, “Well if you really want to make sure I’m healed, Lorelei, I guess you’d best get on with your examination.”

*****

Review:

(I never know how much is too much in my reviews so I’m going to say that there are some minor spoilers.  So skip ahead if you don’t want to know anything.)

I found Lorelei’s Lyric to be a ton of fun – and even more so now that I know it all started with Barbie 🙂  If you’ve seen many of my reviews then you know that I read just about anything romance and so I’ve read a few paranormal ones before, but I’ve not run across that many with mermaid heroines and it’s always interesting to find a new twist in a very popular genre (and sub-genre).

Lorelei is a great heroine.  She’s strong but has her troubles and a history that wasn’t always so rosy.  It seems like she takes her powers and her position seriously, which is a good thing considering what she can do 🙂  And while her attraction to Vance could be his salvation, it could be her downfall so it’s interesting to see her try to balance everything and decide what she’s willing to sacrifice.

Vance has been spiraling for a while – booze, pills, and despair.  He’s destroying his relationships and doesn’t have enough in him to care.  I think some may have an issue with Vance’s addiction/depression and how that gets addressed.  Personally I’ve been blessed to not have either really impact my life so I’m not sure how realistic any of it is here.  But it worked for me so I’m going to go with it.  I especially liked the fact that he actually gets real help and views it as a forever type of thing – there isn’t a quick fix for him and that I do find believable.  There may have been a paranormal influence as well.  It’s mentioned but it isn’t really clear to me how much it affects him or if he would have been that way regardless.

As with any great series, the supporting characters are fantastic.  Jack is the perfect down-home country boy and Bruce is flirty & fun (I can’t wait for him to find someone to fall for).  I’m also hoping that we either get a spin-off with Vance’s band mates or they find an elemental to love, especially Josh.  I think that he needs someone good in his life.  Sieders has a ton of material that she can work with and while we know Lorelei’s sister is next, there is a lot to choose from after that.

For paranormal romance readers who are looking for something a little different, Lorelei’s Lyric could be your first step into a whole new world.  Unusual characters, an intriguing plot, and smart writing all combine to make for a quick and enjoyable read.

*****

Author Info:

D.B. Sieders was born and raised in East Tennessee and spent her childhood hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains, wading barefoot in creeks, and chasing salamanders, fish, and frogs. She and her family loved to tell stories while sitting around the campfire.

Those days of frog chasing sparked an interest in biology. She is a working scientist by day, but never lost her love of telling stories. Now, she’s a purveyor of unconventional fantasy romance featuring strong heroines and the heroes who strive to match them. Her heroes and heroines face a healthy dose of angst as they strive for redemption and a happily ever after, which everyone deserves.

D.B. Sieders lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, two children, two cats, and her very active imagination.

You can find D.B. Sieders on her Website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

*****

Giveaway:

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