A Mermaid’s Tail is a porquoi story of sorts that hints at how mermaids got their tails. It was born out of the desire to create an original story for my cousin’s baby shower. She requested that guests bring a book for her daughter and be sure to sign it. I thought that was a cool idea, and then I thought I’d like to write and illustrate my own. The idea of making the book personal made me think that as my cousin’s daughter grows up, she’ll appreciate it more. I suppose I’ll have to wait and see.
Anyway, my cousin’s shower was mermaid-themed. So, I figured I should write a story about a mermaid. However, I wasn’t sure what there was to really tell about mermaids. I mean, I wanted it to be an original story. And for some reason, I kept thinking about looking at the night sky when I was little and making wishes on shooting stars.
Somehow it all came together and I was able to compose A Mermaid’s Tail, which shares the adventure of a shooting star and a mermaid. I tried to inspire self-confidence through positive risk-taking in the story, but I’m not sure how clear that message is. In total, I think the story has a positive feel to it, at least that was my intent, and hopefully, it will spark young readers’ imaginations.
As a side note, A Mermaid’s Tail pays homage to my love of linguistics, especially my fascination with etymology. It also has a bit of a hat tip to The Hoppameleon by Paul Geraghty, which is one of my all-time favorite children’s books.
Although this is in the book reviews section, this is obviously not really a review. Rather, it’s a request for feedback on my first attempt at self-publishing through Amazon. I’d really like to know what you think.
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