Catch of a Lifetime - by Judi Fennell

My guest today on the Girlfriend's Cybercircuit Lit Blog Tour is Judi Fennell, celebrating the release of Catch of a Lifetime, the latest in her "Mer" series.

About Judi:
Judi Fennell has had her nose in a book and her head in some celestial realm all her life, including those early years when her mom would exhort her to “get outside!” instead of watching Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie. So she did—right into Dad’s hammock with her Nancy Drew books.

These days she’s more likely to have her nose in her laptop and her head (and the rest of her body) at her favorite bookstore, but she’s still reading, whether it be her latest manuscript or friends’ books.

A three-time finalist in online contests, Judi has enjoyed the reader feedback she’s received and would love to hear what you think about her Mer series. Check out her website at www.JudiFennell.com for excerpts, reviews and fun pictures from reader and writer conferences, and the chance to “dive in” to her stories.




Contest
To celebrate the release of each of her books, Judi Fennell and the Atlantis Inn (www.AtlantisInn.com) and the Hibiscus House (www.HibiscusHouse.com) bed and breakfasts are raffling off three romantic beach getaway weekends. All information is on Judi's website, www.JudiFennell.com

Judi was kind enough to take time out to answer some questions...

Name three songs that would be perfect for the soundtrack for Catch of a Lifetime.
Come Sail Away because, hey, we're talking mermaids, oceans, sharks and a chase on the waves. Kiss Today Goodbye (from A Chorus Line) because of the tone. When the black moment hits, it's pretty much what Angel does for love. And, Can't Touch This, by M.C. Hammer. Maybe it's because there's a kidnapping shark in the story named Atlantic City Hammer—or A.C. Hammer, for short.

What is the elevator pitch for Catch of a Lifetime?
A Mer princess on a mission to save the planet meets the one Human who could help her do it. Too bad he wants Normal in his life and a mermaid is as far from Normal as he can get.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I wish I knew. LOL. I feel like all I do is write these days. Except when I'm doing mom/taxes/wife/homeowner stuff. I need more hours in the day.

What is your advice for those who looking to get their novel published?
Learn your craft and write. Keep writing. Submit your work to contests or critique groups (Charlotte Dillon has a great online critique group that helped me tremendously and several of us formed our own online group from it). Listen to the feedback and if a lot of people are saying the same thing, take a look at it. Don't take feedback personally; you have to pour your heart and should into your story but then let it go and analyze it objectively. Yes, I know, easier said than done. But you have to because, in the end, your story is a product and you need it to be a good one if you want to sell it.

What and where is your favorite restaurant and why is it your favorite?
If I'm not going to Outback Steakhouse, I'm either jonesy-ing for Chinese food (Hunan Chicken) or Olive Garden. But then, I love food (as my waistline will confirm), so pretty much any place is good with me.

Best of luck with the book, Judi!