UK Mermaid-Author

**moonduster** · 08-14-2015, 07:45 AM

Hi! I was born and raised in California, but moved to the UK over 13 years ago to be with my English husband. We have seven children, three are grown and four are still in school. My 10 year old daughter wants to be a professional mermaid when she grows up.

I have always loved mermaids. I nearly drowned three times as a toddler because there was no way anyone could keep me from the water. So my mom made sure I could swim by the time I was three years old and we moved into a house that had a large pool. My family always referred to me as "the fish" because I was always in the water. My earliest memories with my best friend growing up were of the two of us swimming with our ankles crossed, pretending to be mermaids. I completed lifeguard training before I was old enough to be a lifeguard and joined a swim team when I was a teenager.

I haven't done much of any swimming since moving to the UK and I MISS it! I am an author and have a collection of short mermaid-themed stories coming out in a few months. I am also currently writing a mermaid series called "Daughters of Poseidon."

I do not have a tail of my own, but I am planning on buying my first monofin soon, and I just bought a fabric tail for my daughter. I need mermaid models for book covers, so I'm hoping to have a decent tail that can be used someday.

I'm a little sad that I can't afford a tail for myself right now, as I feel time slipping by and I don't want to be ancient by the time I actually get one. I spent a good portion of my adult years being morbidly obese, and it really, really sucked. But I lost over half my weight, going from 272.5 lbs to 127 lbs (145.5 lbs lost), and I am now fit enough to physically be able to move in a tail. (I was not a very healthy overweight person. Although I know some overweight people are very fit and would find moving and swimming in a mermaid tail easy, that was not the case for me.)

I'm hoping some mermaid meet-ups in the south-west of the UK can be arranged.

**Mermaid Andrina** · 08-14-2015, 08:35 AM

Welcome! I completed guard training early too, but wasn't hired because employees wanted someone that was 16. Now I am also a swim instructor and I love it! One thing kids always want me to teach them is the mermaid/dolphin kick. I would love to read your stories! Let us know when they come out! I'm glad you are feeling better and I hope you do everything on your bucket list!

**Mermaid Fenicia** · 08-14-2015, 09:26 AM

Welcome here and you are also welcome in the Europod on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/380590581960498/

**moonduster** · 08-14-2015, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by MermaidFenicia

Welcome here and you are also welcome in the Europod on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/380590581960498/

Thanks! I asked to join - Becky Fyfe on Facebook.

**moonduster** · 08-14-2015, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Mermaid Andrina

Welcome! I completed guard training early too, but wasn't hired because employees wanted someone that was 16.

That's what happened with me too.

Now I am also a swim instructor and I love it! One thing kids always want me to teach them is the mermaid/dolphin kick.

Being in the UK, one thing I've noticed is that the swim instruction the kids get through their schools is really lacking. They used to start kids out with swim instruction in 1st year and they would continue with some lessons each school year until they graduated from 6th year. Due to some parents signing their kids up and then not paying for the lessons, they stopped doing it at all in 1st and 2nd years. And just this past year, they stopped teaching it in 3rd and 5th years too. Kids only get swim instruction in 4th and 6th year (through school anyway). My son had his first lessons this year, and the instructor shouted at him a lot and called him stupid. He hated swimming and I couldn't figure out why, and then I heard about it from some of the parents that were going there to help out. He became fearful of the water. Someone had already complained though and they got his group a new teacher. Within a couple of weeks, he was smiling about his swim lessons and really proud of his achievements. I will be helping out next year, although his year won't have lessons. My daughter's year will though.

I really miss having a pool in the backyard. Growing up in California, it was kind of unheard of for kids NOT to learn how to swim young because we were exposed to pools so early and often! I intend to work with my kids (one on one) to improve their swimming skills beyond the infrequent group lessons they are receiving.

I would love to read your stories! Let us know when they come out!

I definitely will! the short story collection will be out later this year, but the series, which I am more excited about, will take a bit longer.

I'm glad you are feeling better and I hope you do everything on your bucket list!

Thank you!