The Merblood Saga, Book 2
YA Fantasy
Date Published: 02-25-2025
Publisher: Spider Web Press
Something strange is going down in the sleepy seaside village of Madderly Bay. Best friends Selena and Chloe are stuck in the most boring summer ever—until food starts coming to life and running wild in the streets.
But that’s just the beginning. Earthquakes start shaking the village, and creepy claw marks show up, hinting at something dark stirring beneath the waves. Only Selena and Chloe know the real story about the zombie mermaids they faced before—and now they’re worried the threat they thought was gone might be back.
As the tremors get worse and the water turns a scary green, the girls have to figure out what’s awakening in the depths before it’s too late. With their friend Zelda and her magical squid, Glowella, by their side, they’ll risk everything to save both the human and magical worlds from a danger that could destroy them all.
In this thrilling adventure, Selena and her friends have to face their fears and dig up some serious secrets between the human and magical worlds. With their village and the ocean in danger, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Can they figure out what’s messing with the sea before it’s too late? Or will they realize that saving their town—and both worlds—might be way harder than they thought?
Is
There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?
I never sit down thinking, This book
needs to teach a lesson! But looking back, there’s definitely a theme
running through Selena Flowers and the Phantom Tides: getting the
courage to save your village and the zombie merkingdom, believing in yourself,
and finding strength in times of chaos and despair.
Selena isn’t some all-powerful
hero—she’s just a girl who inherits mermaid magic from her Aunt Ada, and
suddenly has a merkingdom depending on her. Faustina, the queen of the
merkingdom, has lost her mind and is searching for the cursed ruby necklace
that will make her unstoppable. Meanwhile, Madderly Bay is falling apart, the
ocean is acting strange, and magic is spilling into the human world in
dangerous ways.
Selena has no choice but to step up,
even when she doesn’t feel ready. And I think that’s something a lot of us can
relate to—sometimes, you don’t feel strong enough, but you find your strength
in the moment you need it most.
Is
There Anything You Find Particularly Challenging in Your Writing?
Sequels. Sequels are SO much harder than
I expected. In Book 1, Selena Flowers and the Cursed Ruby, I was
discovering Selena’s world alongside her, but with Phantom Tides, I had
to expand the world while keeping everything readers loved. And because Book 1
ended on some big reveals, I had to raise the stakes without making it feel
like a completely different series.
Also, balancing the humor and chaos with
the darker elements. One chapter might have Faustina plotting a magical
takeover, and the next has out-of-control magical pastries terrorizing a
bakery. It’s a weird mix, but that’s Selena’s world—the bizarre and the
terrifying, all at once.
How
Many Books Have You Written and Which is Your Favorite?
I’ve written four books under the name
Ella English—two YA Fantasy in The Merblood Saga (Cursed Ruby and
Phantom Tides) and two chapter books for readers aged 5-7 in the Kitty
in the City series (Katy on Broadway and Katy in Central Park),
which follows a singing cat on a Manhattan adventure.
Picking a favorite is impossible, but
right now, it’s Phantom Tides. It’s got mermaid politics, undead queens,
and the ocean itself acting like it has a mind of its own. Plus, I love how
much Selena grows in this book—she’s not just reacting to magic anymore, she’s
starting to take control of it.
If
You Had the Chance to Cast Your Main Character from Hollywood Today, Who Would
You Pick and Why?
Selena needs someone with red hair, a
bit of an attitude, and the ability to pull off “panicked but still
determined.” Someone like Sadie Sink (Stranger Things). She’d totally
nail Selena’s mix of stubborn bravery and occasional magical disaster energy.
For Chloe (her best friend and the sarcastic
voice of reason), I’d go with Ariana
Greenblatt (65,
Love and Monsters).
She’s got dark brown hair,
big doe eyes, and that perfect mix of intelligence and quick wit—exactly
how I picture Chloe. She’d totally bring that “Why am I involved in this magical nonsense?” energy
while still being fiercely loyal to Selena.
When
Did You Begin Writing?
I’ve been writing since I was a kid. My
favorite author was Judy Blume, and when I was 10 years old, I wrote a book
inspired by her style. In it, I imagined myself as the eldest of six children
living in America, taking care of my mischievous younger siblings (who did
things like squirt toothpaste all over the ceiling). It’s funny looking back,
because at the time, I was living in the UK… and now I actually do live in the
US! Almost like I predicted the future.
As a child in the UK I would holiday at
my Grandma’s house on the Kent coast, where the waves were rough and slammed
against the sea wall. That inspired me to think about what kinds of creatures
could live under the waves, and I began imagining the underwater zombie
merkingdom that became the basis for The Merblood Saga.
How
Long Did It Take to Complete Your First Book?
Cursed Ruby took two years from start to finish.
Mostly because I kept rewriting the first few chapters instead of just
finishing the draft. (Pro tip: Just write the bad version first. Future-you
will thank you.)
And Phantom Tides? That took just
as long, because sequels are HARD. Trying to keep everything consistent while
expanding the world was a challenge, but it was so worth it.
Did
You Have an Author Who Inspired You to Become a Writer?
Yes! Judy Blume was my absolute favorite
author growing up. I read constantly as a kid—while brushing my teeth, walking
to school, anywhere I could. Her books made me fall in love with storytelling,
and she was a huge inspiration for my first book at age 10.
As I got older, I was also influenced by
Diana Wynne Jones (Howl’s Moving Castle) for her brilliantly weird
worlds, Neil Gaiman (Coraline) for making the magical feel just as real
as everyday life, and Holly Black (The Cruel Prince) for characters who
are clever, messy, and morally complicated.
Basically, I love books where magic and
reality collide in unexpected ways, and that definitely shaped The Merblood
Saga.
What
Is Your Favorite Part of the Writing Process?
The “aha!” moment. When a plot twist or
a piece of world-building finally clicks, and I feel like a genius (even though
it took me months to get there).
Also, dialogue. I love writing the
back-and-forth between Selena and Chloe, because Chloe is 100% done with
Selena’s magical nonsense at times.
Describe
Your Latest Book in 4 Words.
Selena Flowers and the Phantom Tides:
Mermaids. Mystery. Magic. Mayhem.
Can
You Share a Little Bit About Your Current Work or What Is in the Future for
Your Writing?
Right now, I’m working on a YA novel
about a teenage witch called Olive, who finds out she has magic on her 15th
birthday—which sounds cool, except for the fact that she can’t control it, and
it keeps causing absolute chaos, like making test tubes explode in science
class. Worse? If Olive doesn’t figure it out in 30 days, a group of evil
witches are going to drain her magic for themselves. No pressure or anything.
It’s got spells going wrong, high school
drama, and a main character who is absolutely not prepared for any of this.
Think Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets a magical countdown clock.
As for the future, I’m already planning
Book 3 in The Merblood Saga—expect shipwrecks, lost magic, and an ocean
secret that’s been waiting for Selena all along.
About the Author
Ella English grew up in the heart of London, where the hustle and bustle of city life met summer adventures at her grandma’s house on the Kent coast. Exploring tide pools and collecting seashells, she developed a love for the ocean and a knack for creating imaginative worlds that she now brings to life through her writing.
Now living in Baltimore, Maryland, Ella is the author of The Merblood Saga, a dark fantasy YA series that plunges readers into a haunting underwater realm filled with cursed mermaids, ancient magic, and buried secrets. The first book, Selena Flowers and the Cursed Ruby, has been a hit with young readers, drawing them into its mysterious and dangerous world.
Ella also writes and illustrates Kitty in the City, a whimsical series about a singing cat named Katy who takes New York City by storm. The latest installment, Katy in Central Park, will be released in June 2025.
When she’s not weaving dark magic or drawing cats, Ella is kept busy by her two mischievous felines who make sure she stays entertained and grounded. Follow her adventures (and plenty of cat cameos) on Instagram @EllaEnglishAuthor or visit www.ellaenglish.com for more.
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