Q&A: Virginia Barlow, Author of S'mores Siren Song #Q&A #Interview

Virginia Barlow has a great zest for life and loves her family. She likes to crochet, knit and quilt, and likes to make blankets for her grandchildren. She bakes a little and cooks when she has to. Roses are her passion and at one time she had over a hundred rose plants in her yard of various colors.

Virginia has always been an avid reader and loves being an author. Seeing her stories in print are one of the finest things in her life, next to her family and friends.

Her latest book is the paranormal romance fantasy, S’mores Siren Song.

You can visit Virginia’s website at https://www.virginia-barlow.com or connect with her on Twitter, Goodreads and Facebook.

Thanks for this interview, Virginia.  Congratulations on your new book! Would you say it’s been a rocky road for you in regards to getting your book written and published or pretty much smooth sailing?  Can you tell us about your journey?

I would say it’s been smooth sailing. I knew where I wanted the story to go, and the characters took over from there. Once I sat down to write, I had the story done pretty fast.

Publishing is like any other field. There are do’s and don’ts and a lot of information to pick up as you go along. I have enjoyed my journey and look forward to where it takes me next.

When not writing, what do you like to do for relaxation and/or fun?

I like to go to the movies, got to dinner, play with my grandchildren or sit on the beach and watch the waves.

What makes your book stand out from the rest?

My stories are more than just romance. They create a world for my characters to live and grow in. Not one of us have just one thing going on in our lives and neither do my characters. As each story unfolds, there are problems and intrigues as my antagonist learns to love and be loved in return. Family, happiness, and love are the things making each of our lives full and complete. My stories reflect this belief, ending with a happily ever after.

Can you give us the very first page of your book so that we can get a glimpse inside? 

Chapter One Mystic Cove, Maine 

July 2017

 The beginning of the end came on a Tuesday.

 All afternoon, the door of Scoops Ice Cream Parlor jingled with customers browsing the shops along the seafront facing Mystic Cove. The temperature hovered in the seventies, and Adysson Townsend caught whiffs of sea air every time the door opened. Gulls squawked and fought over food crumbs on the sidewalk running in front of the seaside shopping center, and people laughed as they strolled past. Around seven, as the sun dipped low, her shop emptied of customers, and Adysson cleared trash and wiped down booths. Her gaze went to the gray-blue water rippling in the distance as she filled napkin dispensers. The lure of the waves beckoned her, and the smell of the sea filled her senses. In a couple of hours, the cool silk of the ocean would caress her skin as she glided through the water on her quest to find fish for the locals. 

Mr. Marshal of Marshal International Inc. wanted to corner the fishing market and run the local fishers out of business. For the last two years, he did everything to divert the giant schools into his nets and left meager pickings for the families in Mystic Cove. At night, when her curse took over, Adysson swam the surrounding area, singing and luring what fish she could find back into the cove for the locals.

If your book was put in the holiday section of the store, what holiday would that be and why?

Any day in July for National Ice Cream Month. My book is part of the One Scoop or Two miniseries from The Wild Rose Press celebrating hot summer days, ice cream, and summer romance.

Would you consider turning your book into a series or has that already been done?

I would consider the idea. I left the ending open in case I make the decision to do so.

When you were young, did you ever see writing as a career or full-time profession?

When I was young, I wanted to be a ballerina or a singer. LOL The need to write did not come about until my mid-twenties.

What’s next for you?

I have another ice cream book out, August 1, 2022 with witches, demons, and curses taking place in Key West, Florida. It’s a great story and well worth the read. After that, I have a new full-size novel coming out October 5, 2022. The title is Devil’s Dominion, with a demon warrior and his disciples who abduct a powerful duke and his pain in the ass daughter.. It’s a historical paranormal romance and worth the read.

Addy Townsend runs an ice cream parlor in Mystic Cove, Maine. Cursed to spend her days human and her nights as a siren, she has until her twenty-fifth birthday to make her decision. Fighting against as corporate fishing company to preserve the lifestyle and well being of the locals, she asks for help and Commander Benjamin Yeates of the Coast Guard arrives to investigate her allegations. As a marine biologist, he is very interested in the rumors of a mermaid in the cove and wants to collect DNA for study. He falls hard and fast for Addy before he discovers there’s more to her than meets the eye.

Book Information

Release Date: July 6, 2022

Publisher:  Wild Rose Press

Kindle eBook: 86 pages; $3.99

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3cASLNS