CATCH OF A LIFETIME By Judi Fennell

Judi! Judi! Judi!

Today I'm happy to blog about the third book in Judi Fennell's Mer series, CATCH OF A LIFETIME. Here's a little tease to give you a taste ...


She’s on a mission to save the planet…

Mermaid Angel Tritone has been researching humans from afar, hoping to find a way to convince them to stop polluting. When she jumps into a boat to escape a shark attack, it’s her chance to pursue her mission, but she has to keep her identity a total secret…


When he finds out what she really is, they’re both in mortal danger…

For Logan Hardington, finding a beautiful woman on his boat is surely not a problem—until he discovers she’s a mermaid, and suddenly his life is on the line…

And here's what people are saying:


"Fennell's got detailed worldbuilding, creative secondary characters and an impressive use of mythology in this great read. While this title is part of a series, it works well as a stand-alone. Angel and Logan are both incredibly textured characters.
-RT BookReview Magazine 4 Stars

"Judi Fennell has extraordinary imagination and has certainly used it in creating this exciting and colorful story. Her characters are wonderful."
-Fresh Fiction

"The best blend of both worlds. I... love each and every character in Catch of A Lifetime (and) found (it) well worth diving into."
-Long And Short Reviews 4.5 Books


"Catch of a Lifetime is a heart warming tale. Ms. Fennell Ms. Fennell has created a delightful world that, I have enjoyed escaping to. It is both dangerous and fun."
-Anna's Book Blog



Judi was kind enough to answer some questions, so here goes ...


How would you describe the genre of CATCH OF A LIFETIME, and what pulled you toward it?

All of my stories (so far) are tongue-in-cheek, light-hearted paranormals, mainly because that's what I've loved to watch and read over the years. I grew up on I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched and all the Disney movies: Escape to Witch Mountain, the princess stories… Then came Enchanted, which, I swear, Disney made JUST for me! Ever After is another one that I love. Nope, not a stretch to see why I write what I write.


What can you tell us about the genesis of the idea for this book?

My first story, In Over Her Head was a Top 5 finalist in the Gather.com/Pocket Books First Chapters Romance Contest and I wanted to show the final judges that I had more than that one book in me, so I came up with the subsequent two books in the series. What made me choose Angel instead of Mariana, her older sister, was that I felt she had more of a story to tell at that point. Now, Mariana is poking me in the shoulder, demanding hers be told.


If your protagonist could change one thing about herself, what would it be?

That's actually what is driving Angel in this story. She's sick of being "Just Angel" to everyone. "Oh, it's just Angel." She's the quintessential middle child and is trying to make a name for herself in a family over super-achievers. Is she successful? You'll have to read the book to find out.


What do you love most about CATCH OF A LIFETIME?

Does "everything" count as an answer? Seriously, I loved putting Angel in a Human world and skewing what she thought she knew. I loved writing Michael, the six year old who's the only Human who knows what Angel is. I love Logan, so out of his element with a kid and a mermaid, but valiantly trying to keep control when it's just spiraling all over the place. The villains were fun to write and Ginger the flamboyant flamingo and Stewart the stubborn anole were a hoot. All in all, it was a great ride.


Is there a story behind the title?

I love playing with language, and puns, and double entendres. Given the fact that she is, sort of, part fish, the title tickled my funny bone.


Did you have any input on the cover, and are you happy with the finished product?

I sent in a "what this story is about" type of write up for the Marketing/Art depts. Where I mention any special themes (in this one, Angel's tail is lavender and they used that on the cover which made me catch my breath the first time I saw it), or important scenes or characters or places. If there's something that bugs me with the cover, I can mention it and they've fixed it for me. But, honestly, I tell everyone that Anne Cain, the artist, is just amazing and I feel as if the Cover Gods have really blessed me.


Can you share some particularly memorable fan mail you received about this or previous books?

A reader emailed me to say that I'd made her cry and that she'd had to skip to the end of the book to make sure it ended the way she wanted it to. She wouldn't have been able to finish it if I hadn't ended it that way. I love that something that took so much passion and commitment on my part had that effect on someone else.

Thanks so much, Judi!

You can buy CATCH OF A LIFETIME at your favorite chain or independent bookstore. To buy online, visit BarnesandNoble.com, Borders.com or any cyber retailer. For more information, visit Judi's website at judifennell.com.

SPECIAL CONTEST NOTICE:

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