Friend Friday: MARSHA MOORE

Today I'm pleased to welcome as my Friend Friday guest blogger, one of my Six Sentence Sunday pals, Marsha Moore. Marsha's here to chat about her latest fantasy release, Tears on a Tranquil Lake, her artwork, and some cool contest giveaways on her blog. Take it away, Marsha!

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Hi and thanks for inviting me to be here today, Taryn!

I’m going to use this fun opportunity to unveil a new creative work of mine. No, not a book. Well, sort of. Some know I paint watercolors. I tried to sell commercially, did the art fair circuit for one summer, and had some of my paintings in local art galleries. Now, I just paint for fun, but I had a cool idea of creating an illustration of a scene from my latest fantasy romance release, Tears on a Tranquil Lake.

Today, I’m unveiling that painting. I’ve entitled it Magic Sandcastles, from one of my favorite scenes in the book.

I was so pleased with the way it turned out, I’ve printed the illustration on some cool items (tote bag, note card sets, post cards) which I’m offering as giveaways in a contest on my website. http://www.marshaamoore.com/

Here’s my painting, showing my heroine mermaid, Ciel, with her merman lover, Meris:

And here’s an excerpt from the book which inspired the artwork:

A splashing sound interrupted my sunbathing. Meris pulled up onto the rock next to me. Without a word, he bent over me and tasted my lips.
My lips grew warm and tingly in response.
He looked up and gazed at the pirate ship for a while. “It looks like the Hawk is stocking supplies to travel. Are you joining them?”
I nodded, afraid to look into his eyes in case he did not approve.
“Where are they going?”
“Tortuga.”
He sighed and shook his head. “You'll be gone for at least three days.” We sat in an awkward silence. Then he took my hand and smiled. “I have a new place to show you today. Come with me, Ciel.”
I returned his smile and we pushed off the rock, finding Albeo waiting to join us. Meris and I swam hand-in-hand for a couple miles, arriving in the surf of a beach with powdery soft, white sand. Dunes, grasses, and flowering sea plants made the coast private. The entire area as far as I could see lay natural and undeveloped. It belonged to us.
Meris led me onto a bend in the shore, decorated by a community of sandcastles.
“How fun! They're remarkable!” I exclaimed.
“Yes, they are, but watch.” He waved his arm above the structures, and in moments hundreds of tiny hermit crabs became the ‘people’ of this imaginary world, climbing the ramps and manning the turrets at his bidding.
“Oh! How do you do that? That's amazing!”
“Merpeople can perform magic. This is only one simple example of what I can teach you.”
“Yes! Please, teach me! I want to know how. That's such fun!”
While the surf lapped at our tails we sat next to one of the castles. Meris instructed me how to focus my mind, and with patience and time I directed a few of the crab ‘men’ to follow my bidding.
“There you go!” He applauded. “Practice will improve your skill. Later, I'll show you more of our magic.”
“I can’t wait!”
The lesson ended and he leaned into me.
“Such beautiful golden hair,” he said as he moved strands aside to nibble my earlobe.
I lifted my chin upward, enjoying the sweet sensations.
The tip of his tongue traced along my extended neck and I sighed. His hands passed around my waist, drawing me closer. His lips soon found their way to mine, covering them with butterfly kisses. Nothing could feel softer or more like love itself.
When we paused to catch our breath, I pulled back slightly and wrapped my fingers around the black pearl. “What does your gift mean? The captain told me . . .”
He placed a hand over mine, enclosing the pearl. The magic of the amulet within our hands pulsed harder.
Blurb:
What a surprise for a young woman, to find herself suddenly transformed into a mermaid.

Ciel’s first thought – track down the merman who changed her and make him reverse his magic.
Unable to find him, survival in her new world becomes paramount. She eagerly accepts help from a dashing pirate captain who takes a fancy to her, lavishing her with finery. When her merman does show up, he competes for her affection. One look into his eyes makes her life more complex -- he is her soul mate.

Which man will she choose – pirate captain or merman? Which life – human or mermaid? Caribbean adventures and dangers chase Ciel as she searches for decisions and the key to her happiness.

Warning: This book contains Haitian vodou, sultry wenches, foul-mouthed scalliwag pirates, overindulgence of fine Caribbean rum, and amorous encounters on deserted beaches.

Marsha's links: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Tears on a Tranquil Lake is available from: MuseItUp Publishing, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Coffee Time Romance Bookstore, All Romance, Omnilit and Diesel.