Carrie Anne Noble, Author

Yet more Mermaidy Trivia...   I collected the name "Scarff" from the side of an appliance company van while on a trip to Virginia. I guess there are real people named Scarff in the world. And they travel about fixing washing machines. I wonder if they ever find orphans under apple trees or tucked inside seashells. Pilsner was almost named "Pilcrow," but it seemed kind of wrong to name a raven something with the word "crow" in it. The Red Hedgehog Tavern was named after the tavern Johannes Brahms liked to frequent in Vienna (Zum Roten Igel). For more on the bits of Brahms in the book, see the other 10 Fun Facts list on this blog. http://www.carrienoble.com/2015/02/10-fun-facts-about-mermaids-sister.html Clara Schumann The figure in the upper left corner of the book cover is Dr. Phipps, not Scarff, as some have assumed. Originally, Auntie was supposed to have a stubby-winged pet bat in addition to Osbert the wyvern. I...

Hi! If you enjoyed the Amazon excerpt of the novel , you might like to take a peek at the Pinterest page I made to go with the story. It includes some illustrations and photos of the characters I used as I wrote, and links to the music I wrote to. And the baby wyvern picture is beyond adorable!!! http://www.pinterest.com/13hedgehogs/seashell-stork-apple-tree-a-novel/   The novel excerpt can be found here: www.amazon.com/abna Have a fantastic day! ~Carrie  

I'm very excited to announce that my novel has made it to the semi-finals in Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award contest! Seashell, Stork and Apple Tree is one of 25 books selected from about 10,000 entries. Finalists will be announced July 8. Prayers appreciated!!! ABNA Publishers Weekly Review Set in 1870 on and around Llanfair Mountain, Pennsylvania, this delightful fantasy novel introduces the reader to Clara and Maren, sisters adopted around the same time by a woman (“Auntie”) known throughout the village for her cures. Maren came to Auntie in a conch shell, while Clara arrived via stork. Now, at sixteen, Maren is slowly turning into a mermaid, her fingers webbing and scales appearing on her sides. Clara wants Auntie to cure Maren, but that is not an option. Auntie responds, “There is no cure for being who you truly are.” As time passes, Maren’s body transforms more rapidly; it becomes obvious that it is time for Maren to be taken to the sea or she will die. ...