SIREN author, Tricia Rayburn,was kind enough to stop by for an interview!
Seventeen-year-old Vanessa Sands is afraid of everything—the dark, heights, the ocean—but her fearless older sister, Justine, has always been there to coach her through every challenge. That is, until Justine goes cliff-diving one night near the family’s vacation house in Maine, and her lifeless body washes up on shore the next day.
Though her parents hope that they’ll be able to find closure back in Boston, Vanessa can’t help feeling that her sister’s death wasn’t an accident. After discovering that Justine was keeping a lot of secrets, Vanessa returns to Winter Harbor, hoping that Justine’s boyfriend might know more. But Caleb has been missing since Justine’s death.
Soon, it’s not just Vanessa who’s afraid. All of Winter Harbor is abuzz with anxiety when another body washes ashore, and panic sets in when the small town becomes host to a string of fatal, water-related accidents in which all the victims are found, horrifically, grinning from ear to ear.
Vanessa turns to Caleb’s brother, Simon, for help, and begins to find herself drawn to him. As the pair try to understand the sudden rash of creepy drownings, Vanessa uncovers a secret that threatens her new romance—and will change her life forever.
Vanessa goes through a terrible loss. What made you decide to use something so heart-wrenching and was it based on any real life experiences?
Thankfully, Vanessa’s loss wasn’t inspired by any real-life experiences. But I’m very close to my siblings and know I’d be lost if anything ever happened to them—which is exactly how Vanessa feels when Justine disappears. This, however, forces her to grow in ways she wouldn’t have otherwise, and that evolution was essential to the story.
What inspired Simon's weather fascination/quirk?
You know how a lot of good girls are attracted to bad boys? Well, I was never one of them! I wanted Vanessa’s love interest to be kind, caring, and a bit of a brainiac—in part because that made him more fun for me to write!
The sexuality was handled tastefully in SIREN. How do you decide how to handle it and how far your characters will go sexually?
The sexuality came very naturally while writing the story. Perhaps surprisingly (in retrospect), I never debated how far the characters would go or how I’d write those scenes. The characters do what they do out of love and genuine emotion, and that, I think, softens any potential awkwardness or discomfort.
Love triangles are all the rage in YA. Will there be one in the upcoming Siren books?
It might be more of a triangle with rounded corners, but yes. Simon won’t be the only boy vying for Vanessa’s attention!
What are you working on now and when can we expect the SIREN sequel?
I just finished Siren 2 (out next summer!), and while I await my editor’s fabulous revision notes, I’m working on a fun new middle-grade project. It’s in the very beginning stages so I can’t say much, but I’m very excited!
Alright, you've faced your worst fears and dove into the ocean, battling through murderous sirens, mermaids, sea serpents, megalodons and with your advanced underwater ninja skills even conquered the fearsome Kraken (released on the order of Liam Neeson). You've fought so valiantly and risked life and limb to save/retrieve something. What is it?
Good grief, the ONLY reason I’d endure all that is to save my friends and family from said murderous sirens, mermaids, sea serpents, etc.! And you can bet they’d get an earful once we were safely back on land!
Any final thoughts or comments you'd like to add?
Thank you so much for having me—and for asking such great questions! I hope your readers enjoy Siren!
We loved having you here and thanks for your insightful answers! Definitely looking forward to the sequel and dying to see how that love triangle works out - who is the mystery man?!
Alyssa adored SIREN (read her review HERE) so we highly recommend you pick up it up pronto!
Tricia Rayburn on the Web:
) - complex and compelling reads.
) - currently reading and loving it -, Brenna Yovanoff (THE REPLACEMENT
) - had me laughing crying and creeped me out! -, Leah Cypress (MISTWOOD) - original and full of twists -, and Tricia Rayburn (SIREN
) - who happens to be showing up for an interview later today. 
To all, THANKS for stopping by and...
Jenna Black is your typical writer. Which means she's an "experience junkie." She got her BA in physical anthropology and French from Duke University.
(Wolves of Mercy Falls 2)
The ending? Dramatic. And leaves you hanging, with equal parts bittersweet and hopeful, and wondering if Sam and Grace will ever catch a permanent break. UGH! How long do I have to wait for the next one? 
and I have to say if you compare the two books, JEKEL LOVES HYDE
