What's Fresh with Tera Lynn Childs's JUST FOR FINS?

We welcome back Tera Lynn Childs to YA Fresh today to talk about her third book in the mermaid series, JUST FOR FINS.

 When Lily Sanderson decided to remain Crown Princess Waterlily of the mermaid kingdom Thalassinia, she knew she couldn’t just coast along in the current. But since she’s spent the last couple of years on land—with gorgeous human Quince by her side—Lily’s not sure she has the fins to lead a kingdom. Even her maddeningly pretentious cousin Dosinia seems to know more about ruling than she does.

But Lily has to dive in deep to keep her promise to Tellin, her mer bond in name only, whose kingdom is suffering in the changing ocean climate. Lily knows this is a seven seas–sized problem: from sea animals dying to oil spills and threats to humans. They’ll need to create some serious waves to make the mer community aware and get it to join together to make things right. Even if that means facing one of the iciest queens in the mer kingdoms.

Just when Lily thinks her double life on land and sea can’t get any more complicated, an ancient mer law might separate Lily and Quince after all. It feels as if the pair is up against a solid tsunami wave!

In this third installment in the series that began with Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever, Lily will have to find a way to balance safety and justice for the mer people as well as for the humans she loves.

Hi, Tera!  Tell us about your book in ten words or less.

Mermaid Lily tries to save the oceans and her love life.

Nice!  Other than your main character, who's a favorite character of yours in your novel and why?

Since picking hottie biker boy Quince would be a total cop out, I'll say Lily's bratty cousin Dosinia. She's such a diva with attitude, I love the challenge of making her likable.

Tell us something fun about JUST FOR FINS. It can be a character detail, something that inspired the story, or a behind the scenes story from the writing process.

The environment is one of my main causes, and in Just For Fins I get to share that with the readers. Lily's quest to save the oceans from human impact--oil spills, over-fishing, pollution--is very close to my heart. My hope is that in some ways inspires my readers to care more.

What is a favorite comment you've ever received from a fan?

My favorites are when a young girl (or her mom) tell me that she's never finished a book before, that mine was the first. That's... humbling.

What are you working on now?

Right now I'm revising the third (secretly-titled) book in the Sweet Venom series. That book is due out next fall.

Sounds terrific!   Thank you, Tera, for joining us, and we hope our readers will check out this wonderful series.