Hello fellow bookworms and welcome to my Blog Tour Stop for Wavehouse by Alice Kaltman hosted by Rock Star Book Tours. Today, I have an excerpt to share with you.
Author: Alice Kaltman
Pub. Date: June 15, 2018
Publisher: Fitzroy Books
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Pages: 289
Sixteen year-old Anna Dugan is a super surfer who feels most at home when taking off on a ten-foot wave. But surf culture bores Anna big time. While other surfers follow trends and speak the lingo, Anna harbors a secret desire to be an artist, drawing houses made of waves. It’s not the most practical dream for the daughter of a single mom living in Kendall’s Watch, a beach town where most kids are so surf-centric they think ‘Current Events’ have something to do with ocean tides.
Anna is not only the best surfer in Kendall’s, she’s also the shyest. When a surf scout comes to town to gage her talent, Anna freaks out and refuses to let him watch her. To protect herself from the pressure and the panic, Anna decides to only surf at her private break, Secretspot, for the rest of the summer. But Secretspot becomes treacherous in ways Anna never imagined, and the danger has nothing to do with waves. When a gorgeous stranger paddles out, smiling a bewitching smile and surfing like a god, their chemistry is impossible to ignore. A series of events are set in motion that will change Anna’s life forever; events that raise difficult questions about love, honesty, betrayal and family ties.
In the end, is it worth it? Dive in to Wavehouse, life-preserver recommended, and the decision is yours.
Amazon, B&N, TBD
My mother was oblivious. “This is gonna be fun,” she said as she chewed her gum and tapped her hand on the steering wheel. “The waves are gonna be perfect for you, Anna. Trust me. You’re gonna have the time of your life.”
I did trust my mother—most of the time, anyhow. But not then. Deep in my shy core, I started to understand; there would be no fun at this tournament. There would be no perfection. Instead, I imagined, there would be disaster with a capital D. But I kept my mouth shut. Maybe, just maybe, I told myself, you’ll get out of the car and this terrible feeling will disappear.
No such luck. As soon as we arrived at the Ditch Plains surf break in Montauk, I knew I was a goner. Crowds milled about the parking lot; parents unloaded beach umbrellas, surfboards, chairs, coolers, and kids. As Sara started pulling gear out of the back of our Jeep, I stayed glued to my seat and stared out at the beach. From the safe distance of the car, I could smell the sunscreen, sea salt, hot dogs, and beer. Even though it was still only early morning, people were ready to party. And when I say people, I mean lots of people. Surfers from all over the East Coast had shown up. And not just surfers, but friends of surfers, parents of surfers, grandparents of surfers, and photographers of surfers. Colorful umbrellas were staked out in prime spectator spots. Little kids screamed with glee at the water’s edge as frothy foam covered their feet; their moms stood watch, wearing modest sundresses and drinking pink drinks out of giant plastic tumblers. Teenage girls paraded in tiny bikinis, holding dripping ice cream cones, and a gaggle of old-timers sat in lawn chairs, gabbing away while battery-operated fans blew in their faces.
I hugged my sketchbook to my queasy tummy. Other kids carried ratty baby blankets or stuffed animals around for security. Me? I hauled drawing supplies around wherever I went. Nearby, two girls my age laughed while their mothers gathered beach chairs and umbrellas. One of the girls, a blonde, glanced in my direction, then turned to her dark-haired friend and whispered. They both turned to gawk at me, like two hawks eyeing a defenseless chipmunk.
“I changed my mind,” I gasped. “I don’t want to do this anymore. Let’s go home.”
As a young girl I longed to be a mermaid. My idol sat demurely on the Chicken of the Sea tuna fish cans. I peeled labels off to save her image. Every night before bedtime I squeezed both legs in to one side of my pajama bottoms and shuffled around the house pretending I was as beautiful as the tuna fish mermaid.
Real mermaid-hood proved elusive, so I became a modern dancer instead. For over twenty years I worked with brilliant choreographers and performed in amazing places. And while I’m still paid to do the occasional pirouette, I’m now mostly known as a Parenting Coach/Writer helping out moms and dads, and talking to kids also, about their (often annoying) parents.
But honestly? I’m most at home when upside down and underwater. I’ve been swimming my entire life, and surfing for the better part of adulthood. It’s no surprise my two novels are totally ocean-centric. Saving Grace is about a mermaid, and Wavehouse is about a surfer. And I guess they’re both about me, too.
My short fiction (for adults) takes place on land, sea, and air. I’m thrilled that Staggerwing, a collection of my favorites, is forthcoming from Tortoise Books in October, 2016.
These days I split my time between Brooklyn and Montauk, New York where I wear my pajamas regular style. But if too much time passes without a swim or a surf, I’m tempted to revisit my childhood shenanigans. Wouldn’t it be fun to flip-flop about like a fish out of water or a beached mermaid, restless and hungry for the incoming tide?
If you want to reach out about bookish stuff, send me an email via the cute little Contact pop-up, or via my literary agent, Zoe Sandler of ICM Partners.
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Giveaway Details
2 winners will receive a hardcover of WAVEHOUSE, US Only.
2 winners will receive a paperback of WAVEHOUSE, US Only.
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Thanks for stopping by and reading. Hope you enjoyed this post! Have a fantastic day!!
Sincerely Karen Jo 