THE SEAFARER’S KISS COUNTDOWN: One Day Left – Guest Post by Author Julia Ember

Hi galaxy travelers, and welcome to the last day of my The Seafarer’s Kiss by Julia Ember Countdown. Today I have the most exciting thing for you, a guest post written by Julia Ember (the author of The Seafarer’s Kiss). The post is a guide for everything undersea tourists might need to know about the Northern Point, home to Ersel, Havamal and the other mermaids and mermen in The Seafarer’s Kiss. Havamal will be your guide so for all of you sea creatures out there, down below is Havamal’s Guide to the Northern Point for the Undersea Tourist.

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Welcome! As many of you know, due to a change in regime, we at Northern Point have recently become more accessible to other merclan travellers. My name is Havamal. I have lived in this glacier all my life and served as a King’s Guard, so it will be my pleasure to take you on this tour. To prepare you for your arrival, I’ve put together a brief guide:

(1) Food

At the North Point, your meal options will consist of several species of locally caught fish, crustaceans, ice algae and occasionally seabirds. We also use kelp for flavouring. North point is especially known for our delicious arctic cod and silverfin tuna.

We hunt as a group, using pearl-head spears and nets woven from kelp. All meals are eaten in the glacier’s central dining hall, located at the heart of the ice fortress.

Guests are encouraged to join the clan on hunts, but please be aware that any killing of mammals such as seals or whales is strictly prohibited. We have advanced communication which allows us to make trade deals and war agreements with the whales. They are friends not food!

(2) Places to See

Beluga Bay

Part of an estuary where fresh water from the land flows into the sea, the Beluga Bay is home to several pods. The whales make their home here because the fresh water is warmer, leading to thinner ice on this part of the ice-shelf, and more abundant breathing holes. They are very friendly towards both merpeople and humans.

Drowned Seafarer’s Wreck

With the number of icebergs we have near the North Point, there are an abundance of ships decorating our seabed. But the most impressive wreck is located almost directly underneath the merclan fortress. This titan was once a proud warship, rather than one of the small whaling vessels we commonly see. It has multiple rooms and chambers, all more or less untouched since it sank over a decade ago. When I was a young merman, this was one of my favourite places to explore.

Be careful though, lots of merpeople talk of hearing screams coming from the depths. We think it may be haunted.

(3) Precautions

Ice Bears

In the water, most healthy merpeople can easily outswim and outmaneuver the ice bears. However, all of us must visit the surface to recharge our heating scales with sunlight. During your time on land, you must be exceptionally careful. These bears will wait beside beluga surfacing holes as well, hoping to snatch the unsuspecting from the water. While on land, we are especially vulnerable as we cannot quickly get back into the sea.

Should you encounter a polar bear while on the ice shelf, the best thing to do is heat your scales to as high a temperature as you can tolerate. Then, hit the bear with your tail. This will not kill the bear, but may incapacitate it long enough for you to reach the ocean.

Orcas

We have a tenuous alliance with the local orca pods. However, peace has not always been maintained. Sometimes, juvenile whales can become aggressive and violate the treaties. Their elders will usually bring them back into line quickly, but one should always approach these predators with respect and caution.

What did you guys think of Havamal’s Tourist Guide of the Northern Point? Does it make you more excited to read The Seafarer’s Kiss? If you haven’t pre-ordered The Seafarer’s Kiss yet you can do so here:

You can pre-order The Seafarer’s Kiss on Amazon, The Book Depository or on Duet Books’ website. Add the book on Goodreads here.

About the Author

Julia Ember is a polyamorous, bisexual writer and native of Chicago who now resides in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Seafarer’s Kiss is her second novel and was influenced by her postgraduate work in medieval literature at The University of St. Andrews. Her first novel, Unicorn Tracks was published by Harmony Ink Press.

Connect with author Julia Ember at Julia-Ember.com, on Twitter @jules_chronicle, and on Facebook at facebook.com/juliaemberwrites.