WICKED WEDNESDAY
Please welcome back Joanne Guidoccio to Wicked Wednesday on Discover... This mermaid tale sounds intriguing and a fun read!
Here is a “wicked” excerpt from my
novelette, Hippie Mermaid:
Terrified. It was the only word I could
use to describe the expression on Mama’s face. I couldn’t read Annabella’s
face, and I permitted myself only a quick glance at La Bella. Almost a carbon
copy of Annabella, her features appeared sterner and more unapproachable. I was
in some kind of trouble; that I knew for sure.
La Bella approached and poked me on the
shoulder. Hard. I winced but said nothing. Whenever I had displeased Mama or
Aunt Lina, I had received a gentle reprimand. Physical violence was taboo in
the kingdom, though I heard of altercations among the Onas and mermen.
“You are a disgrace to your tribe and the
Kingdom. How dare you pressure my daughter into accompanying you on your
trysts? By all means, tag along with the Ettas, but do not presume to go any
higher.” La Bella turned to Mama. “Did you and your sister not learn your
lessons?”
“I didn’t pressure Annabella,” I said.
“She asked me to accompany her.”
Mama gasped and put her hand to her mouth.
I had been taught to tell the truth and hold nothing back. Why was Mama so
upset?
Annabella laughed. A cruel laugh. One I
had not heard before. She spoke directly to La Bella, “I felt sorry for her
situation and decided to befriend her. I went along with her foolish desire to
find a man and escape from the clutches of her mother and aunt.”
Mama’s eyes clouded. For a split second,
there was uncertainty. Annabella’s lies had found an easy target. I longed to
comfort Mama, but I needed to confront Annabella right now. Or at least, that’s
what I thought I had to do. “Why are you lying?”
“How dare you accuse my daughter?” La
Bella grabbed my arm and squeezed even harder. “Mermaids have been banished to
Crete for less.” She withdrew her hand and closed her eyes.
Mama whispered. “Say nothing.” She turned
to La Bella. “Please let me deal with this.”
La Bella shook a finger at Mama. “Right
now, I have too much on my plate. But we will not let this go.”
Annabella’s eyes glittered with
excitement. She would be chief elder in one week’s time and have a say in my
punishment. A shocking realization washed over me. Had she planned this all
along? Trifle with a lesser mermaid and then test her new powers?
From sea to shore, betrayal follows her wherever she goes.
On Christmas Eve, psychic Kendra Adams reveals the secret she’s hidden for decades—she was once Rosina, a mermaid torn between sea and shore. Betrayed in her ocean kingdom and desperate to escape banishment, she persuades a politician to smuggle her into the human world. But freedom on land comes at a cost, as she soon finds herself ensnared in another web, this one spun by the politician’s power-hungry sister.
Buy Links
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/Hippie-Mermaid-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B0FVHQ2T3N
Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/Hippie-Mermaid-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B0FVHQ2T3N
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FVHQ2T3N
Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0FVHQ2T3N
Joanne Guidoccio enjoyed a rewarding career teaching mathematics, business, and co-operative education courses before retiring to pursue writing. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, she writes paranormal romances, cozy mysteries, and inspirational stories from her home base of Guelph, Ontario. Find her at https://www.joanneguidoccio.com.
Social Media Links
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Goodreads:
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LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneguidoccio
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Joanne-Guidoccio/e/B00FAWJGCG
Thanks for hosting me, Brenda. Love visiting your blog. :)
ReplyDeleteAlways a pleasure, Joanne.
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