Hooked on You: Writing Mermaids That Don't Suck - Creating Compelling Aquatic Romance (Write the Bite) Paperback – February 9, 2026

Mermaids are everywhere. Good mermaid romance is rare.You know why? Because most writers think slapping a tail on a character makes it mermaid romance. They add some underwater scenes, maybe a transformation, and call it done.That's not mermaid romance. That's contemporary romance with fins.Real mermaid romance is about the impossibility of loving across worlds. It's about a predator from the deep falling for surface-dwelling prey. It's about the logistics of building a life when one partner drowns in air and the other drowns in water. It's about making the ocean feel alive, dangerous, and central to the story.And most writers get it wrong.Your mermaid can't just be a quirky girl who happens to have a tail. Your ocean can't be a pretty backdrop. Your transformation can't solve every problem. Your two worlds problem can't disappear because "love conquers all." Your Little Mermaid retelling won't stand out in a sea of Little Mermaid retellings.This book teaches you how to do it right.Building merfolk worlds that feel alien and realCreating mermaids who are apex predators, not Disney princessesWriting underwater scenes readers can actually visualizeSolving the two worlds problem without cheap shortcutsHandling transformation, anatomy, and logistics honestlyFinding your fresh take when everything's been doneWrite the Bite: Book 9.For writers who want to write mermaid romance that doesn't feel like every other mermaid romance.Because your readers are tired of mermaids who just want legs. Read more