Saturday 13 February 2016

Annette Mardis - Shore to Please

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:






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.
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

Website and blog: www.annettemardis.com/
Twitter: @AnnetteMardis48

Thank you Annette for dropping by today and talking Tara into her rather candid interview. 





4 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for hosting me, Layne. I hope everyone enjoyed meeting Tara.

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    Replies
    1. You are more than welcome, and i enjoyed meeting Tara very much!

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  2. I really enjoyed reading this, Annette!

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