Thanks
so much for hosting me today. I’d like to tell you about my latest Gulf Shore novel, the contemporary romantic
suspense Shore to Please, which
“stars” two of my favorite characters, Paul “Flipper” O’Riley and Tara Langley.
Tara,
an animal rights activist, thought she’d found the love of her life, but he
betrayed her with another woman. So she buried herself in her mission:
convincing Gulf Shore Aquarium that dolphins and whales belong in the wild, not
in artificial pools.
If
Tara had her way, Flipper would lose the job he loves. He’s the head dolphin
trainer, and the aquarium’s dolphins are his babies. While he’s open to having
a real family one day, the last person he would choose to be his wife and the
mother of his children would be Tara.
These
two should be sworn enemies, after all. He certainly swears at the sight of
her. And his surfer-dude looks and lover-boy reputation aren’t exactly what Ms.
Prim and Tidy had in mind when she pictured her ideal man.
But
in the age-old way of opposites attracting, Tara and Flipper find themselves
inexplicably drawn to each other. There’s no possible way a relationship
between them could work, right? They’re like a butcher and a vegetarian. A
staunch conservative and an ultra liberal. A Boston Red Sox fan and a New York
Yankees supporter.
Fire
and gasoline. So why are they both itching to light the match?
As
the two try to find common ground amid all the quicksand, Flipper and his
coworkers become the targets of an increasingly more menacing campaign to force
the aquarium to release the dolphins under its care. Will Gulf Shore Police
Detective Joanna Tompkins catch the culprit before it’s too late?
An
interview with Tara Langley
Tara
graciously agreed to sit down with me for an interview. At first she didn’t
want to talk about Flipper, but with a little prodding she opened up and warmed
to her subject.
Q. If Flipper worked in any
other profession, would you date him?
A. Wow. How do I answer that
one? He hasn’t asked me out, so it’s probably a moot point. But against my
better judgment, I do find him attractive. He’s quite charismatic and much more
intelligent and hard-working than I first suspected.
Q. So your initial impression
of him wasn’t all that positive?
A. Flipper has, how shall I say
it, a surfer-boy air about him, with his bleached-blond, longish hair and his
after-work beach attire. And it’s easy to misjudge him as a real player with
women because he’s a huge flirt. He cultivates that image, and I’m not really
sure why. He has so much more to offer.
Q. Describe your ideal man.
A. Well, I used to think I
wanted someone like Steven Christianson, my ex-boyfriend. He was always so
well-groomed and polished. And he seemed so driven to build a successful career
as a financial adviser. We bought a condo in an upscale complex and paid
entirely too much for it, but he insisted our address was vital to his image. I
see now that Steven was all flash and not much substance. He and Flipper are
perfect examples of why you shouldn’t judge someone by how they look, where
they live, and what they do for a living.
Q. Let’s say you’re successful
in your campaign against Gulf Shore Aquarium keeping dolphins for public
display. Will you feel guilty if Flipper ends up on the unemployment line?
A. You know, when I first
became an advocate for captive marine mammals, I didn’t give much thought to
the ramifications of people losing their livelihoods. In hindsight, I know that
seems callous. But my feeling was that people could find different jobs. Dolphins,
whales, and other animals only have one life, and they should be allowed to
live it with dignity. But getting to know Flipper and some of his coworkers has
forced me to consider their needs as well. And I don’t mind telling you that I
find myself in a real quandary.
Find out how Tara deals with her dilemma by
downloading a copy of Shore to Please,
available at all major e-book sellers:
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shore-to-please-annette-mardis/1121964097?ean=9781622102297
And now a word about the Gulf
Shore series
My contemporary romance series is set in the
fictional west-central Florida beach town of Gulf Shore, where you’ll taste
salt on your skin and feel sugary white sand between your toes, the warm sun on
your shoulders, and a sea breeze ruffling your hair.
You’ll meet swoon-worthy alpha males who aren’t embarrassed to cuddle a rescued baby dolphin in their muscular arms, and accomplished women looking for an equal partner who thinks that smart is sexy.
You’ll get up close and personal with sea life, join the “snipe and gripe” club for girls’ nights out, and fall in love with a talking parrot who acts like a little boy in a bird suit.
You’ll go behind-the-scenes at the local aquarium and out to the beach to rescue marine animals in distress and to cheer others as they return to the wild.
You’ll meet swoon-worthy alpha males who aren’t embarrassed to cuddle a rescued baby dolphin in their muscular arms, and accomplished women looking for an equal partner who thinks that smart is sexy.
You’ll get up close and personal with sea life, join the “snipe and gripe” club for girls’ nights out, and fall in love with a talking parrot who acts like a little boy in a bird suit.
You’ll go behind-the-scenes at the local aquarium and out to the beach to rescue marine animals in distress and to cheer others as they return to the wild.
And once you visit Gulf
Shore, you just may find yourself wishing you could stay.
Other books in the series
SHORE FEELS RIGHT, GULF
SHORE #2 — Once a pariah among her coworkers, marine biologist
Monica Sims has spent months reinventing herself as she seeks redemption. A
history of failed relationships leaves her leery of romantic involvement, until
she meets Cosby Williams, the new co-owner of Nauti-Toys watercraft rentals.
As things heat up
between them, Gulf Shore Aquarium responds to the stranding of a group of pilot
whales. When a billionaire bachelor lends his private plane to the rescue
effort, Monica catches his eye — and an obsession is born.
How will she cope with
the unwanted attention? And will her past sins come back to doom her newfound
happiness with Cosby?
THE SHORE THING, GULF
SHORE #1 — Danielle “Dani” Davidson vows to just say no to workplace
romances after her first post-college job is soured by a messy breakup with a
manipulative coworker. That’s just one reason she doesn’t trust any man with
her heart, let alone one who swims with sharks for a living. So why can’t she
get Evan Sanders out of her mind?
Evan is twice shy, too,
after an alluring but self-absorbed colleague takes a bite out of his heart.
Though he’s dead set against dating anyone else he works with, he’s still
intrigued by Dani’s intelligence, shyness, and low-key sexiness.
Their attraction
smolders until an unfortunate encounter with a stingray sends Dani to the
emergency room and Evan steps up to help her through her recovery. The two also
bond over the rescue of an orphaned baby dolphin. But will Evan’s vindictive
ex-lover, his career ambitions, and Dani’s inhibitions tear the young lovers
apart?
Giveaway opportunity
Want to score a free digital copy (in any format) of The Shore Thing? I’ll pick three names from those who subscribe to
my newsletter between now and the
end of the day Monday, Feb. 15.
Author bio
Annette
is a veteran newspaper journalist who holds to the adage “write what you know.”
A native Floridian, she fell in love with dolphins as a child watching Flipper on television. Now, she
volunteers at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where she educates guests, leads
tours, gives presentations, and just joined the stranding (rescue) team. She
immortalizes her pets in her books: Ozzie the African gray parrot,
affectionately known as her “little boy in a bird suit”; and her beloved dogs
Cocoa and Shelby, who have supporting roles in Shore to Please as Taco and Kirby.
Connect with Annette
Twitter: @AnnetteMardis48
Thank you Annette for dropping by today and talking Tara into her rather candid interview.
Thank you so much for hosting me, Layne. I hope everyone enjoyed meeting Tara.
ReplyDeleteYou are more than welcome, and i enjoyed meeting Tara very much!
DeleteI really enjoyed reading this, Annette!
ReplyDeleteMakes me eager to read the book!
Delete