Welcome
This new(ish) site is an expression of my devotion to those enchanting beings of the sea – merfolk, sirens, selkies, ocean spirits and all the wondrous creatures, energies and histories in the water.
I’m going to be using this site to share my own artwork, fiction and creative projects, and to discuss sea and mer-themed myths, legends, history, movies, shows, books, music, conservation and news. I especially want to shine light on experiences and expressions of people of colour and contributions that deal with colonial/ post-colonial heritage within the genre and community.
I hope you enjoy what you find here and please do get in touch if you want to discuss any of it xxx
Latest Posts
Drawing a Water Face
Over the last few months I’ve slowly been sketching this face in the water. Writing my novel I’m always describing characters emerging, submerging, swimming, drowning, hair floating in water etc and my mind has been obsessing over the imagery of it all. So this is what’s coming out of me. Below are some progress shots … Continue reading Drawing a Water Face
The Mermaid the Witch and the Sea
By Maggie Tokuda-Hall, 2020 This is a mer book that I absolutely loved, one with a totally original lore that comes to life in a parallel historical-fantasy world of colonialism, witchcraft and piracy. The Mermaid the Witch and the Sea was one of my favourite recently published mer novels, and another rare book which centralises … Continue reading The Mermaid the Witch and the Sea
Seaspiracy
If you haven’t yet seen or heard of Seaspiracy, it’s a documentary just released on Netflix that gets to the bottom of what is really harming our oceans, the enormous scale of devastation and how it’s being ignored by the biggest environmental groups and our governments in a worldwide network of vested interests against doing … Continue reading Seaspiracy
New Character Artwork – Niah (and writing extract)
Here’s some new artwork for Merren showing one of the central POV characters – Niah. I made it with photoshop using a mixture of photo editing and digital drawing with a Wacom tablet (and sometimes just my mouse). In recent imaginings the merren have taken on a slightly more human appearance than they had originally. … Continue reading New Character Artwork – Niah (and writing extract)
Seals Rescued on Thanet Beaches
Recently the Isle of Thanet has seen a high number of seals in need of help along its shores. I’m sharing a few photos of recent rescues and some info on what you can do if you spot a seal that might need help. While it’s normal for seals to come to shore to rest, … Continue reading Seals Rescued on Thanet Beaches
The Deep by Rivers Solomon – A New Dimension in Aquatic Afrofuturist Mythology
. Writers have for a long time exploited the idea that mer-stories have the ability to raise important questions – ones about the limits of humanity and its porous boundaries, our relationships with the ‘other’, nature, the past, and our sense of who we are. What’s so special about The Deep by Rivers Solomon is … Continue reading The Deep by Rivers Solomon – A New Dimension in Aquatic Afrofuturist Mythology
The Mermaid of Zennor
The mermaid of Zennor is one of the most celebrated mermaid myths in Britain. The tale has inspired books, songs, poems and artworks and is known across the world. It all revolves around a late medieval carving of a mermaid in the side of a church pew, in the tiny coastal village of Zennor in … Continue reading The Mermaid of Zennor
Merren: Chapter 1
I watched them slumped on the sand bank. Two grey seals looked back at me with half-shut eyes. I turned off the engine and the noisy propeller slowed until there was just the lapping of the waves against the curved, wooden sides of the Nerma. “Tell me, Aurellie,” Mr Warwick said as he squinted through his thick glasses, … Continue reading Merren: Chapter 1
Lasirenn – Creole Spirit of the Sea
Every mer-fan has a favourite marine-deity from human history’s infinite pantheon, and today I’m going to talk about mine. In later posts I’ll talk about others, but I’m going to start off discussing a character who holds a certain level of importance for me – Lasirenne, the Haitian version of earlier African water spirits adapted … Continue reading Lasirenn – Creole Spirit of the Sea
1: What I Saw in the Water
I’m not sure I should even be writing this down here. Part of me thinks I should be telling everyone, shouting it from the rooftops. Part of me thinks I should be telling it to a shrink, because it can’t be real, logically it just can’t. But I know what I saw, I know it … Continue reading 1: What I Saw in the Water
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