Samantha Traunfeld - Author Interview
I'm thrilled to welcome Samantha Traunfeld to my blog to celebrate the release of Between a Girl and the Seafoam! Keep reading to learn about the inspiration behind Sam’s book, the journey to bringing this novella to life, and how she celebrated her release!
About Between a Girl and the Seafoam
A sacrificial bride. A desperate king. Centuries of magic decaying all around them.
Aoife’s fate had been sealed since she was a child, chosen to be the sacrificial bride of the undersea king. As part of a long existing treaty between her people and his, the surface must offer the ocean a bride once every generation, and her groom has come to collect. Content as her village may be to see her gone, Aoife has done nothing but dread the day she would marry, her fate resigned to the murky depths.
Delwyn has waited ages to meet his surface bride. To have the chance to fulfill his role as king as so many generations of his family had before him. But his bride isn’t exactly what he thought she’d be, and winning her over may be a harder task than any he’s faced before.
To make matters worse, the treaty that protected them from the vicious creatures of the shadowed undersea is unraveling, and Aoife and Delwyn are both of their people’s only chance to set things right. If they fail, the world around them may descend back into the darkness.
Release Date: June 25, 2026
Pages: 212
ASIN : B0G64MZH7P
Series: Lore of the High Kingdom (Book 1)
Genre: Romantic Fantasy (Mermaid / Undersea Fantasy)
Tropes: Arranged Marriage, Forced Proximity, Grumpy x Sunshine, Hate to Love, Opposites Attract
Content Warnings: Dubious Consent, Fictional Violence, Mentions of Neglect and Emotional Abuse, Menstruation, Mentions of Self-Harm
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Interview
Tell us about your new release, Between a Girl and the Seafoam!
My newest release, BETWEEN A GIRL AND THE SEAFOAM, is the story of an arranged marriage between an angry village girl sacrificed by her people to the king of the mer to satisfy a centuries-old treaty. It is a hate-to-love, forced proximity story that unfurls as looming danger threatens both their people. If Delwyn and Aoife aren’t able to truly satisfy the treaty, its magic will fail, leaving both their people fighting a foe they haven’t faced in centuries.
What inspired you to write this story?
BETWEEN A GIRL AND THE SEAFOAM is a love story to a few different tales I’ve enjoyed. It’s a little bit of Beauty and the Beast, with the idea of sacrificing everything for the love you’ve just found. It also touches on tropes I’ve enjoyed, while slightly subverting some of the expectations attached to those tropes. I wanted to write shorter stories to develop this new world I’m working in, and thought it would be interesting if those short stories capture various points in history that establish the world as readers will be introduced to it in the next series I plan on writing. This series also gave me a chance to experiment with different release schedules, which is something I’ve always been interested in.
Without spoiling anything, what can readers expect?
Going into BETWEEN A GIRL AND THE SEAFOAM, readers should expect a fast-paced, short, and slightly steamy story that really focuses on the relationship between its two main characters, Aoife and Delwyn, and the consequences that come from their decisions.
Which character was your favourite to write, and why?
Character Artwork by Sheyenne (@mossypaintandprint)
I really loved writing Aoife. She starts out so angry, at her situation, at Delwyn, at the world. And then when she realizes that she was wrong, she stops knowing how to feel. She has this void where she’d previously kept all her anger, and then she’s forced to decide who she wants to be without it.
Was there a scene that surprised you while writing?
Character Artwork by Sheyenne (@mossypaintandprint)
I am somewhere between a plotter and a pantser, so while I can’t say that any one scene particularly surprised me, there is a line that Delwyn says the first time that he has sex with his wife that shocked me. Because typically Delwyn is this kind, thoughtful mer man, but then I saw this dirtier side to him, and I really enjoyed putting that on the page.
What do you hope readers take away from your book?
I hope people see that it’s okay to be angry, but to remember that anger shouldn’t hurt people who haven’t deserved it. And that sometimes the best thing you can do is let go.
If you could describe your book in three words, what would they be?
Quick-burn, underwater, healing
How are you celebrating release day?
I got a new tattoo! A huge thanks to Brittany of Pin and Needles Tattoo Studio in Simsbury, CT, for doing an amazing job!
What's next for you?
Character Artwork by Makshin (@makshin_)
Right now I am working on book 2 in the Lore of the High Kingdom series, BETWEEN A WITCH AND RUINATION, which releases this fall!
*Interested in receiving an early copy to read and review? Learn more and sign up for an ARC here!
Where can readers connect with you online?
You can find me most actively on Instagram/Threads @sam.traunfeld, and check out my website, samanthatraunfeld.com, and sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive behind-the-scenes looks and early reveals!
About Samantha Traunfeld
Fantasy Author ~ Avid Book Lover ~ Forest Witch
Samantha’s love of stories began when she was about 12—could read a whole book in a day and wrote lots of stories featuring cute ghosts. Now she writes stories about badass women, sharp weapons, and banter-y relationships.
When she isn’t writing she’s usually cuddling her dog, starting a new craft project she might not finish, or trying to figure out how videogames work. There’s a 94.6% chance you can find her curled up in a bookstore somewhere (math is not her strong suit), but if you don’t, this is the best place to get more information.
Connect with Sam
Instagram: @sam.traunfeld
Threads: @sam.traunfeld
Newsletter: Join Sam’s Newsletter!
Wrapping Up
Thank you so much to Sam for taking the time to answer my questions and celebrate the release of Between a Girl and the Seafoam here on the blog. I can't wait to see where the Lore of the High Kingdom series goes next, and I'm excited to read more of your work!
Sam will also be attending Royal City Romance in Guelph, Ontario, this October. If you're in the area, be sure to check out the event and stop by her table, where you'll be able to pick up a copy of Between a Girl and the Seafoam along with her other books.
If you're planning to attend, you can also save 10% on your ticket by using my discount code: JESSBEYONDTHEPAGES.
Until next time!
