Julie Berghammer

The research behind the story.

One of the fun things about writing, is research.  It’s fun to come up with an idea for a story but, if its sets in another world or time, or you want to create a new world, then a bit of research is needed.  Noise canceling headphones helped us understand what it is like to be deaf.  The challenges with reading lips and body language.  I spent time looking up Sirens and Mermaids and since this story is a bit of a paranormal we took liberty and gave our Siren a tail fluke that disappears when she is out of water.  Since one of the settings is a carnival that actually runs like a circus I did a bit of research on the Circus World Museums web site learning about Calliopes since one is a bit of a character in the book.  Plus I needed to research a bit about bathrooms on a ship and what did they look like.  Victorian inspired bath tubs are very square on ships and usually wooden that is if there is even a tub on the ship.  Well our ship has one…

Bathtub excerpt: Captain Henri’s point of view.

As I walked past Lola’s open door, I found a shadow playing on the far wall.  I turned back and pushed her cabin door open further.  Peering inside I didn’t see her in the cabin, yet witnessed the shadow of a tail against the wall again, and tuned toward the bathroom door.  I leaned against the doorjamb and looked over to the tub against the far wall.  The sight that greeted me was pure delight.  My little siren laid in the tub her arms over the sides just relaxing, she seemed to be biting on the nail of one finger, deep in thought.  Her tail fluke peaked out over the top of the tub, slowly, rhythmically waving back and forth, she seemed to be content but also thinking.  Maybe trying to figure out just what it was she was doing on this ship.  I myself wondered that as well.  Why did we take her? Why keep her here? Why didn’t she try to leave? All she had to do was dive over the rail of the ship and into the water and swim away.  Just what were we going to do with her?  As I looked at her, she still hadn’t realized I was leaning against the doorjamb.  I wanted her.  I felt she wanted me too, had felt it in the kiss we shared earlier.   But would lust be enough for us.  Or was there something deeper inside of me.  Was it possible someone could fall in love with another being at first sight?

As I contemplated that thought, I must have made a small sound, because Lola looked over at me, her tail sliding into the water as she spun toward me, She pushed herself up onto the tub edge and swung her tail over the side.  She sat for a moment and I looked on in amazement as the tail disappeared and her beautiful shapely legs formed before my eyes.  The sight of her changing stirred something deep inside me.  I had seen it only once before but this time was different.  As the curls at the juncture of her thighs came into view, my eyes widened.  I raised my gaze to hers.  She seemed a bit apprehensive even though I has seen her naked already.  I made my way over to her.  She slid to the floor and stood up.  Pulling her close, I swept my arm down along the backs of her thighs and gathered her into my arms.  My lips locking on hers, my tongue forcing her mouth open.