Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Happy New Year 2014

I would like to wish all my readers a very happy splashy new year! This week, I would like to share some art and music with you all.

Queen and Mermaid Triptych

Today, let's pay a visit to Trungles' Deviantart page where we find a triptych depicting a queen and a mermaid. Note the attention to detail in the hair of both the queen and the mermaid. Beautiful!

For those that are not familiar, a triptych is a three-paneled artwork in which the center panel is usually larger than the side panels. You can find out more about this style of art at Wikipedia.


Kaukonen - The Mermaid Song
Jorma Kaukonen


I recently discovered another piece of music with a mermaid theme, The Mermaid Song by Jorma Kaukonen. After giving it a listen, I would have to say that I prefer The Mermaid Song by Dylan Guthro. Same title, very different lyrics.

Let me know which version of The Mermaid Song you prefer! I would also like to recommend these other titles with a mermaid theme:

Mermaid by Train, from their CD, California 37.

The CD, Solo Piano for Love, Peace & Mermaids by Louis Landon.

The soundtrack to H2O: Just Add Water by Kate Alexa.

The two-disc special edition of Disney's The Little Mermaid soundtrack.


Selkies Art

Artist Phillip Light thinks mermaids have been played out, and selkies (woman + seal) are where it's at. I am not sure I agree, but do swim on over to io9 where columnist Katharine Trendcosta has the details.

Note that the two examples of Phillip's artwork shown in the article may not be suitable for all ages.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Mermaid and Manta Rays

Here are a number of great photos of mermaid Hannah Fraser swimming with Manta Rays off the coast of Isla Mujeres, Mexico. The photos are by award winning photographer, Shawn Heinrichs.

"The larger species of manta ray, Manta Birostris, can grow to a width of more than 20 feet and can weigh more than a ton."

In addition to the photos, the article in The Daily Mail (UK) includes a video. Be sure to take a look.


Drowning Mermaids

Act quickly, the Kindle version of the novel Drowning Mermaids is available for free today (Dec 24th). The novel is normally 99 cents for Kindle readers, and $11.69 for the paperback version.

"To escape the war in her underwater kingdom, the noble daughter of a murdered king must flee to Alaska. Doing all she can to keep her younger sisters safe, Aazuria tries to assimilate and work among the Americans, with her feisty red-haired bodyguard at her side..."

Read the entire summary over at Amazon. Kindle readers are available for most personal computers and tablets.


The Fantasy, Then the Fashion

Mermaids come to life in these Tim Walker fashion photos of model Kristen McMenamy. It isn't often that you see mermaids photographed in evening dresses. Columnist Ruth La Ferla has the story in an article at The New York Times web site.

"Their shared vision eventually took shape in a series of eerily unsettling photographs that made their debut in the December/January issue of W."


Big Girl Room

In the past we have seen mermaid themed rooms for young girls. What about the older girls?

Over at Honey & Fitz, Dina presents Chloe's big girl room with plenty of photos to capture every detail. After all, you are never too old to have a mermaid themed bedroom!

"For this 'mermaid' room, I kept the mermaid elements restricted to just art and accessories. That way, when she decides she hates mermaids and is all about butterflies, you don’t have to re-do the whole room!"

Thank you, Dina, for this great article and your attention to detail.


Happy Holidays to one and all,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Wednesday, December 18, 2013

The Mermaid's Tale

The Mermaid's Tale by Laura S. and William L.B. Wharton is the second title in their Mystery at the Lake House series. Tyler Tichelaar has done a fine job of reviewing the book, and you can see the review at Seattle Pi.

"Jock is skeptical when Chip says he saw a mermaid, but Lynna thinks they should believe her brother."

According to the review, the authors consulted with a real mermaid during the planning stages of the book. The book can be found in paperback form at Amazon for $8.99 US.


New New Evidence

Animal Planet recently ran yet another mermaid special, “Mermaids: The New Evidence – The Extended Cut.” Programs such as these have prompted so many calls to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) that they now have a section of their web site dedicated to addressing the volume of questions.

An article on the new Animal Planet offering can be found at Examiner.com, but do be warned that the site will throw a number of popup ads at you. Not cool.


Second Anniversary

On Friday, this blog turns two years old! The first edition of Cynthia Mermaid was published on Blogspot on December 20, 2011. The first article was entitled Music for Mermaids. A total of 130 articles have been posted so far, and approximately 57,400 page views have taken place.

Thank you all, my readers, for visiting my blog and for sharing it with others. Do keep in touch, and let me know the kinds of articles that you enjoy. My email address is below.

Note that no correct answers have been received for the Treasure Hunt 2013 contest. The contest will officially end on December 31st at midnight US central time. No entries will be accepted after this date.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, December 10, 2013

A Mermaid Anthology

If you love mermaid artwork and poetry, then this is for you! Lines Underwater is a mermaid anthology based on the Poems Underwater project. Authors Laura Seymour and Kirsten Tambling present Lines Underwater to explore mermaid myths in the modern world.

'Lines Underwater' re-envisions mermaids for the twenty first century. This anthology explores mermaid myths in the modern world and creates new ones. Featuring artworks, writing and audio from over 40 contributors, here are tales of botched cosmetic surgery, 1950s glamour girls, mermaid chairs and singing sirens, postcards from Jenny Hanivers, and memories of love affairs in the navy. Edited by Laura Seymour and Kirsten Tambling

One of the stories in the book, 'Gold' by Chelsea Cargill, is a Weeki-Wachee inspired tale about a golden mermaid, complete with illustration!

For more information on 'Lines Underwater', check out the Poems Underwater blog. You can also purchase the book there.


Denver Downtown Aquarium

The Denver Downtown Aquarium brings you up close and personal to piranha, sting rays, tigers... and mermaids! With a total of nine exhibits, there is certainly something for everyone.

You can find out what's happening at the aquarium by paying a visit to the blog, 'Long Wait For Isabella and Nathanael'. The little girl's reaction to the piranha is priceless!


The Fish House

You may not be planning on moving to Singapore any time soon, but you may find The Fish House By guz architects to be very inspiring. An article at Just Luxe invites you to 'live like a mermaid', and The Fish House certainly fills the bill.

"The breezy spaces allow natural ventilation while allowing residents unobstructed views of the ocean."

If you ever find yourself designing your own home, take some tips from The Fish House.


Mermaids Growth Chart

Here is a cute gift for the young mermaid fan, a personalized mermaids growth chart. The growth chart is brought to you by Olive Kids, and can be found at the blog of Kids Bedding Pro.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Robot Sea Turtle

Many shipwrecks are difficult for humans to explore and map. The Tallinn Institute of Technology has developed a solution, the U-CAT mapping robot. The U-CAT is designed to imitate a sea turtle, and is nimble enough to turn on a dime.

Read about the robot sea turtle in this article by Jon Fingas for Engadget. The article also contains a short video.

Readers of the article have posted their comments, and they range from Wonderful to Doomed. Will the robot prove useful in mapping shipwrecks, or will it be swept away by the ocean currents?


Mermaid Melissa
Mermaid Rescue and Release

Mermaid Melissa is the focus of an article on Spy 360 GH. Melissa would like to remind everyone, “Let’s help save the oceans before all creatures become mythical.”

The four minute video is entitled, Real Mermaid Rescue and Release TV Footage. But shocking? You be the judge.

For more information, take a look at my interview with Mermaid Melissa from February 2012.


Mermaid Interview

We return once again to Weeki Wachee Springs where CL Atlanta has an interview with Mermaid Crystal. In the article, Andrew Alexander chats with Crystal about how she became a Weeki Wachee mermaid, and what the training is like.

"My parents would bring me to Weeki Wachee as a little girl, and we would watch the show. I was pretty much obsessed with the mermaids."

The interview includes photos and a short video of Mermaid Crystal in action.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Let's Talk

The Atlantic recently posted an article by Alexis C. Madrigal in which he ponders the topic of Human / Dolphin communication. I have no doubt that this will eventually be possible, but will we reach this milestone in our lifetime?

According to Mr. Madrigal, a friend of a friend said that Google was working on the problem. You know how 'friend of a friend' rumors start. But if anyone had the resources to put behind such a project, Google would certainly come to mind.

"Interspecies communication is one of my all-time favorite topics."

The article includes a video of Denise Herzing speaking on the topic, 'Could we speak the language of dolphins?'

For more info on what Google has been up to lately, visit the Mono-Live blog.


Weeki Wachee Photos

We return once again to Weeki Wachee State Park in Florida to view a collection of mermaid photographs by Annie Collinge.

The collection is brought to us in a Slate article by Jordan G. Teicher. Since 1947, the mermaids of Weeki Wachee have been entertaining mermaid fans of all ages.


Underwater Unicorn

Merfolk, let me introduce you to Rhinochimaeridae.

I'm sure there are a number of unicorn fans out there, but have you seen an underwater unicorn? Jesus Diaz, who we have heard from before, has the story on this unique creature from the 'infernal deeps'.


Mermaid Worshipers

Our next story comes to us from Thailand, where the Songhkla municipality recently reminded tourists and locals alike that the Golden Mermaid Statue is not intended for prayers.

No, they're not talking about me!

"The municipality announcement said this worship was damaging the mermaid's reputation and to the intended purpose of the statue."

The mermaid statue was cast in 1966, and certainly has not been forgotten. Read the full article on the statue in the Bangkok Post.


In closing, I would like to wish all my readers a Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Hanukkah!

Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Sleep With The Fishes

A while back, we talked a bit about undersea hotels. Today, we have another to add to the collection, and this one is off the coast of Tanzania.

"For an ethereal effect, the suite — built four meters (about 13 feet) below the surface — is lit by underwater spotlights that provide a backlit projection of the Indian Ocean’s tropical sanctuary."

Yahoo News has the full story as well as a photo gallery.


Ombre Mermaid Cake

Here is another great mermaid birthday party idea from Chickabug. The centerpiece is a beautiful ombre petal cake. The turquiose and coral color scheme will certainly put you in the mood for a swim.

Add a plate full of starfish cookies, and you have a party!


Clothing Options

B is for Bel, and Bel knows fashion. Over at Bel's the question of the day is, "Why are mermaids always so naked anyway?"

Not to worry, Bel has a solution, courtesy of freelance illustrator Kris Atomic. Then, check out Kris' web site for more fun.


Sketchy Mermaids

We return now to Deviantart, where we find some sketchy mermaids by kinkei.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

News Shell 19

There is a lot going on in this edition of News Shell, where merfolk get their news!

Mermaid Afghan

When those chilly evenings arrive, don't let your pretty tail get cold. Grab your mermaid afghan! If you crochet, you can find a great Mermaid Afghan pattern over at Favecrafts.

If you don't crochet, Favecrafts can help you get started. Check out the 'Beginner Crochet' link in the left margin. You're never too old to learn a new skill.

Or, you can do as I did, and find a nice person to make your afghan for you. Be sure to buy them a very good dinner afterwards! As you can see, my afghan is coming along nicely.


Tinker Bell & The Mermaids

We now pay a quick visit to Jasminetoad at Deviantart and her painting entitled, Tinker Bell and the Mermaids. This is a great piece of work, and it is certainly getting rave reviews.


Disney Star Transforms

The Huffington Post has some great mermaid photos of Disney star Bella Thorne (Shake It Up) and her sisters. They were transformed into mermaids, courtesy of Project Mermaid.


The Real Origin of Mermaids

Miss Cellania has what might just be the origin of mermaids. Pay a visit to her blog post at Neatorama and see for yourself.


Mermaid Bias

Discrimination is a very bad thing, no matter how it comes about. An article by Dan Avery in NewNowNext takes on the subject of bias and discrimination by sharing a recent edition of The Colbert Report.

This article is a must-read. The staff of News Shell thanks you in advance.


More Tail Makers

Since we first shared our list of tail makers in March of 2012, readers have been suggesting additional sites. Be sure to pay another visit to the list which now includes Finfolk Productions, Miami Beach Mermaids, and Fin Fun Mermaid.

Please continue to send additions and updates to Cynthia at the email address below.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Real and Not Real

Over in what must be a parallel universe, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has decided that mermaids are real. This is not the NOAA I remember.

Meanwhile, marine biologist Sheanna Steingass recently penned a guest post for Deep Sea News in which she shares her five reasons why mermaids can't physically exist. Be sure to also take a look at the comments section where Sheanna goes back and forth with reader Fred, "You consider only “fish” parts, but what about cetacea parts?" High fins for Fred!


For the Love of Mermaids

Siren's Secret is the name of the debut novel by Debbie Herbert. With a tagline of 'Mermaids. Murder. Mayhem,' this title appears to be darker than the other mermaid themed novels we have looked at recently.

"I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of mermaids, probably stemming from plenty of childhood vacations at the beach."

Learn more about Siren's Secret at the Paranormal Romance Blog, where you can also find out how the cover was made.


Dolphin Superpod

Recently, our dolphin friends came out in great numbers off the Canadian coast and swam alongside a ferry for about three minutes.

Arbroath has the details in a recent blog post. Swim on over, and find out how the dolphins brought the ferry travelers closer together.


Best Costume

Halloween has come and gone, and the members of Gold Mermaid (me, Danny Dolphin, and a few random angelfish) have voted on our favorite costume of the year 2013.

And the winner is...  Patrick Stewart?


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Swim With Whales

Hannah Mermaid is the star of a photo gallery in which she can be seen swimming with whales. You can view this photo gallery at an article by Simon Keegan on Mirror UK. The article also features a three minute video clip where Hannah swims with Whale Sharks.

While Hannah was swimming among the whales in the South Pacific, award-winning cinematographer Shawn Heinrichs was there to capture the action.

Hannah is out to raise awareness of the need for ocean conservation. Let's all help her spread the word.


Between Land and Sea

When you read (or write) a mermaid themed novel, does the mermaid need to be a princess? Does she have to be young and beautiful?

Over at Heart of Romance, blogger Sarah Hoss has posted a Halloween Special. In her article, Sarah is interviewing Joanne Guidoccio, author of Between Land and Sea.

Be sure to check out the interview, then visit Between Land and Sea on Amazon.

Back at the interview, is that a contest I see?


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

News Shell 18

Let me share with you today the latest edition of News Shell, designed to keep merfolk and fans up to date on news of the seas. Let's dive right in!

Do We Exist?
News Shell photo by Patrick Murray

We all remember when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) felt the need to come out declare that 'Mermaids do not exist.' This came about, you may recall, after Animal Planet showed their first major mermaid themed program, 'Mermaid: The Body Found'.

We just found out recently that back in May, the Weekly World News came out with an article by Frank Lake entitled, 'U.S. Confirms Existence of Mermaids'. Are you as confused as we are?

You may recognize many of the mermaids in the photos, the mermaids from the television program 'H2O: Just Add Water' for example. Are these the mermaids they speak of?

So, take a look at the article, and then see if you can answer the question... Do we exist?


Mermaid Hair

This week we continue our look at mermaid fashion with an an article from Cosmopolitan, 'Mermaid Hair'.

The article is targeted to Halloween mermaids, but we at News Shell are sure that many will find the information to be useful year-round. Carly Cardellino has the details.


The Mermaid Wife

Recently, Biblioklept posted an article that is sure to feed your desire for mermaid lore. "The Mermaid Wife," A Legend of Scotland is from Folk-Lore and Legends of Scotland, published in 1889.  Swim on over and have a look.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Art and Poetry

Painting Request

This week, we return to DeviantArt where JeremyArts received a request to paint a mermaid. And, she added, can you use just white and blue?

See the result at Jeremy's site, The Dance of The Mermaids.


Year of the Mermaid

Ashley Catharine is a pure poet, writes Carmen in her review of Year of the Mermaid.

Catch the full story at AutoStraddle.


Shimmering Mermaid

Over at Stephanie's manicure blog, we learn that one of her all time favorite looks is called Shimmering Mermaid. The look involves shimmering blues, aquas, and greens.

Stephanie's site is entitled 'Imperfectly Painted'. How can you go wrong?


Making Mermaid Eyes

Here we have another article on creating a mermaid look using eye makeup. For Halloween, or any day for that matter, get the details over at Cosmopolitan.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Games For Girls

When the weather is on the unfriendly side, and your young mermaid is looking for something to do, turn to the My Games For Girls web site for some great ideas.

Mermaid themed games are just one of the many sections of the site. Other sections include music clips, celebrity games, cooking games, dress-up games, and the HiDolls virtual world.


Creepy Mermaids?
Photo by Mermaid Cynthia - Aug 2011

In a recent article by Nick Holliday for Vegas Chatter, Nick tells of visiting the Silverton Hotel in Las Vegas. The Silverton, you may remember, was the site of the mermaid convention in August of 2011.

Nick visited the art gallery at the Silverton, where a collection of mermaid artworks by local artist Wil Cormier can be found. I visited the gallery as well. It appears that Nick found some of the pieces to be a bit creepy.

"This writer appreciates art, but these paintings are just way too creepy."

What do you think, merfriends?


Mermaid Art

An artist known as Sharpie91 on DeviantArt has posted a number of unique mermaid creations, some of which were inspired by friends and family members. Be sure to give them a look!

How does Sharpie's art compare to the art in the previous topic?


Mermaid Makeup

Mermaids often post photos of their makeup looks on Facebook, and I have seen quite a few great examples. Megan McIntyre, Senior Beauty Editor at Refinery29, recently did a short article on a mermaid look by Giorgio Armani.

The title of the article says it all, If Mermaids Wore Makeup, This Would Be It.


Party Ideas

Once again, we have some party ideas for you. A recent blog post at Kara's Party Ideas features a Whimsical Mermaid 2nd Birthday Party.

The birthday party includes a pink mermaid cake, coral reef sugar sticks, oyster pops, fish masks, and a lot more.

Two year-olds and endless sugar, what's not to love?!


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Monday, September 30, 2013

Mermaid Ondine of Merlesque

Today we travel to England for a chat with Mermaid Ondine of Merlesque Mermaids. Merlesque also includes Mermaid Lorelei and Mermaid Melusine, and they each bring their unique talents to the group. Let's give Mermaid Ondine a warm welcome! And, after the interview, I have a music video to share with you from another UK resident.

Cynthia: Thank you for the chance to chat with you today! Please tell us a little about yourself, Ondine.
Ondine: My name is Mairead Kelly, a.k.a. Mermaid Ondine (upper right in photo). I grew up in Kent, England, and went on to study at Cambridge University - I loved the town, so I stayed. Now I work as an accountant by day, and a professional mermaid by night.

Cynthia: How did you come to found Merlesque?
Ondine: I met Frankie (a.k.a. Mermaid Lorelei - lower right in photo) at Cambridge University where we both studied Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic. After graduating, we stayed in touch and met Demelza (a.k.a. Mermaid Melusine - on left in photo). The inspiration for Merlesque came from Demelza. She's always had a fascination with mermaids, and when she studied art at university her final project centered around depictions of mermaids in different cultures. Through her research for the project she came across international mermaid performers like Hannah Fraser, and she pointed out to us that there was a real gap in the market for mermaids in the UK. She didn't have to work hard to persuade us - Frankie and I were completely enchanted with the idea, and so Merlesque was born!

Merlesque was quite a long time in incubation; it was over a year from our first meeting to our first gig. We took a lot of time to do masses of research on professional mermaids first - everything from finding out more about monofins to looking into the best aquarium-safe glue for costumes. With the exception of our swimming tails, we make all our costumes ourselves, so there was a lot of sequin-sewing to be done before we were ready to launch. We also spent plenty of time training ourselves to swim in monofins - we've definitely surprised a few people at the pool!

I've always loved swimming - when I was a child, whenever we went on holiday somewhere warm with a pool, I was always the last one out of the water, no matter how wrinkly it made me! I got back into swimming a couple of years ago when I was suffering from a pituitary tumor that affected my heart - basically my heart rate was constantly really fast so I could only do the most gentle exercise, which meant that I got into swimming again. After having had my first surgery, I'd been able to be more active and took up dancing, so swimming had fallen by the wayside a little - but the idea of learning to swim as a professional mermaid and performing underwater definitely appealed to me. It was a completely new type of challenge.

Cynthia: What's it like being a professional mermaid in the UK? What kind of performances do you participate in?
Ondine: Inevitably, being a professional mermaid in the UK is different to working somewhere hot and sunny like Florida or Australia - the climate is definitely more of a challenge here. There are a few other professional mermaids who are active in England and around the UK, but it's far less common than in the US. One of our mermaids, Frankie, has done a photo shoot on an English beach at sunrise - the photos are beautiful but she was freezing cold the whole time!

Although we do travel internationally to sunnier climes, we've also developed some indoor and non-water-based acts for Merlesque in the UK, to work around the weather - our acts range from providing atmosphere at a burlesque night, to a musical act, to mermaid-themed kids parties both in and out of swimming pools. We're currently working on yet more acts and we're hoping to have mermaid fire performance, aerial performance and a cabaret act launching in the near future.

Cynthia: Tell us all about your events for children.
Ondine: Working with kids is always magical - they're so amazed to see a real mermaid! We do kids' parties both in swimming pools and on land, and of course we also tend to attract a lot of attention from children at family events. It's great to ignite their curiosity and answer their questions about life under the sea.

The excitement definitely manifests in different ways for different children; some just come up straight away for a chat, while others are more shy at first. There are all sorts of fun mermaidy games to play in swimming pools - mermaid races are always popular - and on land we can also run mermaid-themed craft activities, face-painting, and even give kids the chance to dress up as a real mermaid and have their photo taken.  We also work alongside other performance companies, so we can even arrange for circus performers or other children's entertainers to perform alongside our mermaids.

I also think that swimming alongside a mermaid, even in a shallow paddling pool, is a brilliant way for kids who are less confident in the water to come to see swimming as something fun and exciting.

Cynthia: What about events for grown-ups?
Ondine: Adults are often just as excited as kids to see a real-life mermaid! When performing at events, the Merlesque mermaids always provide a hugely popular photo opportunity - everyone wants to get their picture taken with a mermaid, and frequently to ask us a few strange questions as well. We've performed at all sorts of different events for grown-ups, from appearing in a bathtub full of glitter at a stately home, to serving drinks and cheeky mermaid limericks at a burlesque and cabaret supper club.

Cynthia: Other than performing, what's involved in being a professional mermaid?
Ondine: A lot of work goes on behind the scenes that people don't necessarily see! For instance, costume-making; we have different costumes for land-based gigs and swimming gigs, and although we buy our swimming tails, everything else is hand-made by our mermaids, from our glittery land tails to our shell-encrusted tiaras. We're always working on developing new acts, arranging photo shoots or filming, and planning for the future of Merlesque.

Cynthia: Do you enjoy working as a group?
Ondine: I think working as a trio is a real advantage; it gives us increased availability for gigs, and we also each bring different areas of expertise to the company; for instance, Demelza is our graphics whiz, while Frankie has experience of running other performance companies, which comes in very useful. Fortunately we get along well and we always enjoy working together at gigs.

Cynthia: What do you enjoy doing when you are not mermaiding?
Ondine: We're all pretty busy outside our work with Merlesque! Frankie/Mermaid Lorelei is a professional aerialist and performer, and Demelza/Mermaid Melusince is a professional belly dancer. I'm currently studying for my final exams to qualify as a chartered accountant, as well as working as an accountant. I also run the Merlesque Twitter account, which features a lot of very bad mermaid puns ("Did you hear about the mermaid with a transparent tail? It was a sheer fluke"), so even when I'm not mermaiding I'm usually racking my brains trying to think of more jokes for the account (any suggestions are gratefully received!).

Cynthia: What else you would like to share with us?
Ondine: We're really excited to be expanding mermaid performance as an act in the UK! We'd love to hear from any of your readers, especially other mermaid fans in the UK, so please do get in touch through Facebook or Twitter (@GrumpyMermaid) or via our web site.

Cynthia: Thank you very much, Ondine. Best wishes to you and Merlesque for many more years of mermaid fun!


Siren, a Music Video

Tanya Seifert is a singer and songwriter who loves mermaids and all things mystical. She has recently released her latest music video entitled Siren. In it, she is a seductive mermaid that lures men to their demise. This is the darker side of mermaid lore.

The music video can be found on YouTube. Here are a few words from Tanya...
I am a singer from London, England. I have been singing for 8 years and write all my own songs. I've always been fascinated by myths and legends and love to incorporate them into my music. Mermaids are such beautiful and mystical creatures but people often forget that there is also a darker side to them... The Siren. She lures men to their demise with her voice and beauty and in my song 'Siren' she is also a metaphor for the femme fatal, a woman who uses her beauty and sweet words to manipulate men into giving them what she wants and then leaving them.
The song was written by me, produced by Sky Adams and features rapper Eek who speaks about the torment he willingly suffers at the hands of this beautiful siren. The video was directed and produced by Gavin and Zoe of Fry Films who captured the essence of the song perfectly and really brought it to life! I hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.
Thank you for sharing your video with us, Tanya! You can connect with Tanya at Facebook and Twitter.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Mermaid Sightings

In an article by Daniel Cameron for The Epoch Times, we once again ponder the question, Are mermaids real? The article is said to contain ten credible mermaid sightings, a few of which also include videos.

The first story is from Israel, and one we have looked at before. This video appears to be cleaner than the one we saw previously. Might it be a girl that made herself a tail? Would one of us move like that?

The second story features marine geologist, Dr. Torsten Schmidt. His story ended up on the Animal Planet special, Mermaids: The New Evidence. This tends to make the story less credible in my book.


Shark Tracking

Meet Beamer, a Blue Shark, and Rizzilient, a Mako Shark. They are just two of the 47 sharks you can track at the Ocearch Global Shark Tracker web site. When you click on one of the shark pings on the map, you are presented with a photo of the shark as well as when and where they were tagged.

A shark that was tagged near Cape Cod is now hanging around the east coast of Florida.

View the current positions of the sharks, or tracking activity over time. Can you find Cyndi?

The web site also contains an answer to the question, "Why help sharks?" Be sure to take a look!

You can help Ocearch track more sharks by making a donation.


Facts and Legends

Mermaids & Mermen: Facts & Legends, the title says it all. This is an article by Benjamin Radford for LiveScience.

"Mermaids have long fascinated us. Humans have always wondered what it would be like to fly high above the clouds or dive deep into the briny seas."

We all enjoy reading the legends of mermaids and mermen. You've come to the right place.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Monday, September 16, 2013

The Twilight Swimmer

This week, I am very pleased to be able to introduce you to The Twilight Swimmer, a young-adult novel by A C Kavich. The title is available on Amazon and Amazon UK, and the Kindle version of the novel will be available for free from 9/16/13 to 9/20/13.

"Night after night, sixteen-year-old Brandi Vine is drawn to a rocky New England beach. The very spot where her sister's lifeless body washed ashore after a night spent swimming alone. Brandi mourns beside the cold water, unaware of the haunting gray eyes watching her from beneath the waves... Brandi soon yields herself to a forbidden romance with the young man beneath the water, the only one who can unlock the mystery of her sister's final swim."

I hope you will enjoy reading this novel as much as I am.


Mako Mermaids Update

On Sunday, September 15th, Netflix released the remaining 13 episodes of Mako Mermaids season one. The second half opens with school principal Rita risking exposure as a mermaid.

What do you think of Mako Mermaids? The show appears to have quite a following with mermaid fans, and my original blog post on the show continues to receive more views than any other individual post.

Send me your comments on the show at the email address below, positive or negative, and I will share them with my readers.


Mermaid Swim Fin

When your young one tells you she wants to learn to swim like a mermaid, this Mermaid Swim Fin may be just the thing. The swim fin is actually a small mono-fin, comes in pink or purple, and fits children's sizes 1 to 7. The fin is manufactured by Finis, THE name in mono-fins.


San Marcos Mermaids

Blogger Gerard Vlemmings, otherwise known as The Presurfer, brings to our attention an article in Collector's Weekly, "The Real Mermaids of San Marcos, Texas."

The Aquarena in San Marcos is no longer a reality, though residents remember it fondly. Get your 'Daily Dose of Diversion' in this little bit of Texas history.


SL Mermaid Dances

The merfolk of Second Life (SL) love music, and they love to dance. The photo below is from a recent mermaid dance which is held on a weekly basis. If you are a mermaid or merman in the virtual world of Second Life, watch for event notices in the popular mermaid groups. For those that are not yet a member of an SL mermaid group, send me an email and I will suggest ones you can join.


Mermaid fans that haven't tried Second Life can get more information at secondlife.com as well as my first blog post on the subject.  Click the image to see it full-size.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Undersea Hotels

Looking for the perfect hotel for your vacation? Yahoo Travel and CNN Money have just what you need. A recent article by Julianne Pepitone explores six undersea hotels around the globe.

While a number of these undersea hotels are still in the planning stages, a few already exist.

A perfect place for a mermaid to relax at the end of the day, but would one be able to afford to stay there?


Dragon Con Cos-play

The web site EPBOT is all about Geekery, Girliness, and Goofing Off. In a recent post, Jen shares a number of great photos from Dragon Con. Number one on the list is a mermaid known as Christie.

Other notable photos from the collection include Kermit, Oscar The Grouch, Wonder Woman, Disney princesses, and a grumpy Tink. And, this is only part one!

Great collection, Jen! Looking forward to seeing part two.


The Bobbit Worm

If you are reading this blog post in bed, you should probably skip this topic. Just sayin'.

Matt Simon's Absurd Creature of the Week is going to be hard to beat... and equally hard to forget. The 10-foot Bobbit Worm has Matt's vote as the ocean's most disturbing predator.

"If you survive initially, you get to find out what it’s like to be yanked into the worm’s burrow and into untold nightmares."

Brace yourself, and then check out Matt's article in the Science section of Wired.


League of Mermaids

The younger mermaids in the audience may want to check out the new game League of Mermaids, which has recently been released for the iPhone.

"The new game is a puzzle title where players advance through increasingly difficult challenges."

I was planning on talking about this game earlier, but the title could not be found in the App Store when this related article by William Usher came out at iPhone Informer. You should be able to find it now.


Too Much Love

Copenhagen's Little Mermaid statue is well known throughout the world. Recently, Kazakhstan unveiled their own mermaid statue in the city of Pavlodar. Everyone loved the new statue.

Is there such a thing as too much love? The mermaid thinks so. After only two weeks, the statue had to be taken down for repairs.

"She was particularly popular with newly-weds who insisted on having themselves photographed in front of the statue."

Check out the whole story in this article from BBC Elsewhere.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Once a Mermaid

This week, Yahoo Screen presents a video on the mermaids of Weeki Wachee State Park in Florida. The video talks about how the mermaid shows got started, and how the park has changed over the years. We meet several mermaids in the process, and witness the delight on the visitors' faces when the curtain opens and the mermaids appear.

"Once a mermaid, always a mermaid."

The video is a great introduction to the park for those of us that have not been able to attend in person.

This just in: During August, seven former mermaids returned to Weeki Wachee to perform before a packed audience. Read the full story over at TBO.


Mermaid Leggings

There IS something fishy going on here. A chance to show your mermaid side when on land in these mermaid leggings by Solilor.

"If your fella is totally obsessed with fishing, this may just be a great way to get his attention off rod and reel and back on you."

Laurie Kay Olson has the details at InventorSpot. The leggings are currently on sale for $15.99 at Amazon, but the one-size may not fit all.


Mosaic Mermaids

We turn our attention now to the west coast of the US, where mosaic mermaids adorn a Los Angeles gas station. The Glass Art section of Craft Gossip has the details in an article by Cathi Milligan.


Mermaid Shampoo

Our friends over at Mermaid Perfume are now offering Mermaid Shampoo and Conditioner. The price is $35 each, or you can get the shampoo and conditioner as a set for $60.

"Orange blossom flowers & coconut. Sulfate free, all natural, all hair types."


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Mermaid Bethany of Pennsylvania

Greetings, merfolk and merfolk fans! Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Mermaid Bethany from Pennsylvania USA. Bethany may inspire you to dive in and make mermaiding a sideline, or perhaps a full time profession! Let's all welcome Mermaid Bethany to the blog!

Cynthia: Welcome, Bethany! Tell us a little about yourself.
Mermaid Bethany
Bethany: My full name is Bethany Sarah Bruder and I am Mermaid Bethany. I was born in Bethlehem Pennsylvania and grew up in Allentown Pennsylvania. I am an average everyday wife and mother except for one little thing. I am a Mermaid Entertainer on the side!

Cynthia: What inspired you to join the mermaid community?
Bethany: The love of Mermaids has always been strong in me ever since I can remember. Two years ago I bought my first swimable mermaid tail and would go swimming in it as often as I could. I have even trained myself to hold my breath for a minute and a half. It's not much compared to what some mermaiders can do but it was a good start for me. Although swimming in a tail was lots of fun, I longed to communicate with others like me. I was beginning to think I was a crazy lady that was never going to grow up. So one day I went on Facebook and searched for Mermaid Groups and Mermaid Like pages. I was amazed at how many men and women as well as children were into Mermaiding! This directed me to other Mermaid Community Networking sites.

Cynthia: What should one expect at a children's birthday event?
Bethany: When I do birthday parties, children not only receive a mermaid gift of the sea, but a story, they learn a Mermaid tune and/or a Mermaid dance. Pictures will also be taken and added to my Like page for parents to see and share to their own Facebook page. There will also be a splashy and/or bubbly game that includes some fun prizes!

Cynthia: Tell us about the other kinds of events you do.
Bethany: I will be attending Community Day, which is held at St. Marks Lutheran Church, and I will be preforming as Mermaid Bethany. I also am available for hire for other church events, daycare appearances, and I am also available for volunteering appearances for any events that include creating awareness for donations to a worthy cause.

Cynthia: Have you attended any merfolk gatherings or conventions?
Bethany: I have never attended anything major, but I have made some new friends that I discovered that live rather close to me through Mermaid Networking. I do dream however, to attended a Mermaid Convention or gathering someday.

Cynthia: Have you done any environmental or instructional work?
Bethany: I have made many anonymous donations to ocean and other wildlife charities. I also have 14 years of environmental services under my belt just through the time I spent as a Girl Scout and volunteer work through past churches I have attended. I loved every moment of it!

Cynthia: Do you have any amusing stories from your mermaid adventures?
Bethany: When I was at a photo shoot that was taking place in a deep and fast creek, I swam over to a piece of driftwood for one of my pictures. As I swam closer to it, I came to sudden stop. There resting on the driftwood was a river snake. It must have been four feet long! I swam the heck out of there and I called it a day!

Cynthia: Great story! What else you would like to share with us today?
Bethany: If anyone would like to know more, please message me at my Facebook page, and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as I can.

Cynthia: Thank you very much, Bethany. Do keep us up to date on your adventures. Readers can find out more about Mermaid Bethany at her MerNetwork member page.

Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

Updated on 5 December 2013.

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Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Weeping Cherry Saga

The young-adult novel Weeping Cherry is the first title from Kemi Santos-Omanukwue. The book has a mer theme, and is currently available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Xlibris, and several other outlets.

"When fifteen year old Meredith Hart decided it would be best to disobey her mother by taking a school trip to Ireland, she never imagined what the repercussions were going to be..."


Here is what the author has to say about the book:
I have always been intrigued by mermaids but scared to let people know about it. From where I come from saying anything with a merman in mind is an absolute taboo. So I did not for the longest time. I also always loved writing but took it up quietly (See a pattern here, I like doing things quietly, LOL). Being a professional, a lawyer, mother and wife took up all my time was what I told myself for years to keep from writing.

Two things strengthened me: The last conversation I had with my grandma before she died and the end of twilight (my book isn't anything like it, sorry twihards, Hello Mernards!!!). So when I put pen to paper to complete an idea had when I was about 13 years old, I couldn't stop. Now Weeping Cherry has begun.

I love writing and I am so glad I did this.  -Kemi Santos-Omanukwue
You can find out more at the Weeping Cherry web site as well as its Facebook page.

Updated 8-24-13: The author is looking for a mermaid to pose with the book. The photo is to appear on the book's Facebook page. For more info, contact Kemi Santos-Omanukwue via Facebook chat.


A Fishy Q&A

Recently, Phil Scott of Boating Magazine left the subject of powerboats for a few minutes to interview professional mermaid Linden Wolbert of Mermaids in Motion.

During the interview, Mermaid Linden provides tips on breath-holding as well as sharing her favorite sea creatures to swim with.


Seal or No Seal?

So, NOAA comes out and says that there are no mermaids. We're bummed, but we learn to accept it... Then, these two tourists in Israel come up with an intriguing video that has us thinking again.

The guys spot a creature out on a rock that they at first think is a seal. After a closer look, they change their minds.

Read the short article and watch the video at the Ng Daily News. What are your thoughts?


Short Splashes

The Poke features a photo of a Ridiculously Tall Mermaid. Sometimes, the photographer is in the right place at the right time.

Here we have a collection of art by Sheldon Bueckert featuring Mermaid Two, a work very similar to Mermaid One except for a minor detail or two.

Mermaids and Stuff is a Techno music track by Ramiro Lopez. Have a listen over at Electrobuzz.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Mer-Palooza in the News

There was much splashing and good times to be had at this year's Mer-Palooza mermaid and pirate convention in Tampa, Florida, August 9th to 11th. I was not able to attend, but everything I have heard so far has been positive.

The photo on the right is courtesy of Merman Christian. Thank you!

Shelley Rossetter, staff writer for the Tampa Bay Times, wrote a fine article on the event. The online edition also includes a short video.

The Tampa Tribune also carried an article on the event by George Wilkens. This article contains a number of great photos.

I am sure we will discover other Mer-Palooza articles as time goes by.


You Want To Be A Mermaid

A recent article by Todd Van Luling, appearing in The Huffington Post, uses video loops, graphics, and a terse amount of text to explain how you, too, can become a modern mermaid (or merman).

"So, you want to be a mermaid. Sure you do."

The article mentions one particular tail vendor, but there are others. Shop around, and choose a tail maker that fits your style and budget. Or, you can do what many mermaids do - make your own!


Mermaid Birthday Party

When your young daughter asks for a mermaid birthday party, you can do more than pick up packages of Little Mermaid plates and cups. Check out this blog post from Chica and Jo for some great ideas.

"The cake table was the main focus of party decoration. I went with the requested purple theme and added a bit of aqua to balance it out."

Thank you, Jo, for giving mermaid moms a little inspiration.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, August 6, 2013

News Shell 17

A bright summer day, and a sleepy mermaid swims over to where a submerged log lies next to the coral bed. Here she finds today's News Shell.

Dolphins, Sharks, and Mermaids
News Shell - Photo by Patrick Murray

The Huffington Post recently published an article by Brenda Peterson in which she interviews Hannah Fraser, one of the first, if not the first modern mermaid.

Mermaid Hannah is well known as a mermaid model and ocean activist, and she has traveled far and wide to educate humans on the dangers of mistreating our oceans and marine life. 

"It's unbelievable how fast this subculture is growing. When I started performing as a mermaid, there were no other freelance professional mermaids in the world. No one had figured out that it could be a career path."

Be sure to catch the link at the bottom of the article to watch Mantas Last Dance, a video in which Hannah swims with Manta Rays.


MerPalooza 2013

This is your final call: MerPalooza 2013 will be held in Tampa, Florida August 9th through 11th at Hogan's Beach and Resort. Swim on over to the event web site to discover the latest information on this year's premier mermaid and pirate convention.

Please take photos during the event, I would love to see them. I am hoping to make it to the event next year.


New from Carolyn Turgeon

If you enjoyed the novel Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic Tale by Carolyn Turgeon, you may be interested in her latest offering. While The Fairest of Them All doesn't carry a mermaid theme, it does answer an important question, "What if Rapunzel was Snow White’s evil stepmother?"

Visit Carolyn's web site to learn more about The Fairest of Them All. The novel went on sale today at Powell's and other online retailers.


Sailor Twain Review

We talked about the mermaid themed graphic novel, Sailor Twain, a while back. If you haven't purchased the book as yet, you might enjoy reading this review by Richelle Brinkley at What Culture.

"The writing in Sailor Twain is fantastic. The story begs to be read in one sitting. Each chapter deepens the mystery, making it near impossible to put down."


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Monday, July 29, 2013

More Salt

(c) Dan Piraro - used by permission
If you're one of those folks that grab the comics section of the newspaper first, then you are probably familiar with Dan Piraro and his daily cartoon, Bizarro. Dan sees the world a little differently, and we're glad of that! Every once in a while, a mermaid finds herself in one of Dan's artworks. On the right is a recent example.

Dan's blog is a great place to learn about the back-story of his comics. In the blog post for this cartoon, Dan tells of the voice-mail message he received from a well-known mermaid.

Fans of Bizarro can connect with Dan on Facebook and Twitter. Want more Bizarro? Download the iPhone app!

Pass the salt, Dan, and thank you for allowing me to share your work with my readers!


Mermaid Swimming School

Recently, we learned about the Philippine Mermaid Swimming Academy. Here is another blog post on the subject, which includes a 1.5 minute video.


Underwater Love

ABC News brings us the story of how Mermaid Melissa, a professional mermaid from Florida, found Merman Antonio. After working together in a mermaid show for a short time, the two fell in love.

Yahoo has the full story, as well as the video from ABC News.

You can learn more about Mermaid Melissa in my blog post from February, 2012.


Best US Cities for Mermaids

Are mermaids coming to shore to live with land people, or are some land people finding out that they have the souls of mermaids or mermen? You read the mermaid stories, you watch the videos of merfolk swimming in the sea, and you think to yourself, "That's me!"

Once you discover your mer persona, your joy may turn sour as you remember that you are landlocked. Are you living much too far from the seas that call your name?

So, what are the best US cities for mermaids and mermen to live? Estately has the answers.

Estately has posted an article which details their 13 best US cities for merfolk to live. If your favorite isn't listed, let them know in the comments.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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