Splashing in the waves with Erika Marks...plus a book giveaway

Let’s give a warm welcome to Erika Marks. Her latest novel, It Comes in Waves, came out on July 1st. The first book of hers I read was The Guest House, which came out last year. I absolutely loved it. After that I ran to my library and took out her other two, The Mermaid Collector, and her debut, Little Gale Gumbo. Erika grew up in Maine and then went to New Orleans to study architectural preservation. She met and fell in love with her now husband, Ian, when they were walking their dogs on the levee in the rain. They now live in North Carolina with their two children. Before turning to writing Erika was an illustrator, an art director and a cake decorator.

Thanks to Penguin, we have one copy of It Comes in Waves for any US reader.

Visit Erika at her website, Facebook and Twitter pages.

Favorite thing about summer: 
No school schedule. My husband is a teacher so our summer routine means NO routine which is such a gift. Later nights, lazier mornings. I know how lucky we have it, believe me. But most of all, I treasure the time we have to be together as a family.

Annual summertime tradition: 
A road trip! Some summers we head north to see family and friends in Maine; other summers (like this one) we head west to visit my brother in Colorado. Usually we camp along the way and it’s always an adventure. I am a car nut—I love driving and I love the experiences that come with car trips and the open road. Our girls are still young and it’s important to my husband and I that we make the most of this time to explore the landscape together and show them that there are always new places to see and experience.

Favorite summertime food: 
My husband grows a wicked garden so my favorite summertime food would have to be the fresh salsa he makes from his tomatoes and peppers. Un. Real. I have been caught eating it by the spoonful. And honestly, I will put it on anything. Seriously. Name a food and I could almost guarantee I have covered it with his salsa.

Favorite summertime beverage:
Sangria, no contest. To me there is nothing more seasonal or festive than a pitcher of sangria and scooping out that wine-soaked fruit from the bottom of the glass. Blueberries, raspberries, chunks of nectarines, watermelon. Whatever’s in the fruit basket goes in.

When I go to the beach, I MUST bring these three things: 
Sunglasses, a good straw hat, and something to store shells in after an afternoon of beachcombing. I love to read at the beach, but with two little mermaids, there’s not a whole lot of time for books when the sand and surf are calling!

Favorite amusement park:
Growing up in Maine, we always went to Funtown in Saco. I haven’t been back for years but I have very fond memories of the rides, the loud music, the photo booths, and the sticky smell of cotton candy and fried dough.

Thanks to Erika for celebrating summer with us and Penguin for sharing her book with our readers.

~Introduction by Amy Bromberg

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


US only. Giveaway ends August 3rd at midnight EST.