News

Kawaii Shark Ita Bag Giveaway August 2, 2019 18:42

From Jess: 

As promised, here's the information on the Instagram giveaway we're currently holding for our Kawaii Shark ita bag!

In order to fund mass production of these bags, we need to sell a lot of pre-orders; in order to sell a lot of pre-orders, we need to spread the word. That's what this giveaway is all about -- that, that, and giving one lucky, randomly-selected shark fan a free bag! If you've already pre-ordered, 1) you're awesome, and we love you, and we literally couldn't do this without you, and 2) you can totally still enter, with the option to receive a refund on your purchase OR a second bag.



Here's how to enter:

1. You must be following @rescuesirens on Instagram.
2. Like AND comment (the shark emoji, your favorite shark species, etc.) on THIS INSTAGRAM POST to enter your name 2 times.
3. Tag a shark-loving friend ON THIS INSTAGRAM POST for 1 entry per friend, up to 5 entries -- but celeb/brand accounts don't count!
4. Share this post via your Instagram Stories for 3 entries.
5. Repost this post (via a reposting app or screenshots) to your PUBLIC Instagram account and tag @rescuesirens for another 5 entries.

      All in all, you have the opportunity to put your name in the (virtual) hat a total of 15 times! The more entries you have, the better your chance to win.

      Don't forget to tag and/or mention @rescuesirens when you share/repost so we can find and count your entries! We'll also be checking the #kawaiisharkitabag hashtag.

      Our giveaway will conclude this Sunday, August 4th, at 6:00 PM PDT (that's Disneyland time), with the winner randomly selected and announced after that.

      The fine print: we're not associated with Instagram in any way, shape, or form; no purchase necessary; open worldwide; must be 18+ to enter. The bags will not be completed and ready to ship for several months, so the winner will receive their bag when the pre-orders are mailed out.

      All pins pictured are illustrated by @kelleeart and are not included with the bag (so you should totally follow her on Instagram and collect all of them!).

      Good luck, and best fishes!

       


      Beach towels, ahoy! June 6, 2018 19:00

      From Jess: 

      Now that all five of our "Rescue Sirens" Summer Splash 2018 prize packages have been successfully delivered to their recipients, we've made our new beach towels available to purchase in both our online store and our Etsy shop!

      We're really pleased with them; beach towels are simply the perfect product for our lifeguard mermaids, and these turned out great. We already sell "Rescue Sirens" totes, but one of my next projects will be creating a proper beach bag to complement the towels!

      Chris and I love seeing our "Rescue Sirens" gear out in the wild, and we wanted to share these adorable photos that we've received from our giveaway winners:


      Today was like Christmas Morning! I received my package from @rescuesirens and boy was I blown away! A total Kelby celebration!!! A wonderful beach towel, stickers, buttons, keychains, an adorable bucket hat, a tote bag, and oh my gosh the dive belle keychain stole my heart! I am so happy and blessed to have received such a wonderful prize. I will cherish this for years to come!! Thank you Jessica and Chris! I remember meeting you both at Comic-Con years ago when you were selling Rescue Sirens books, and then Chris again when he visited my school, LCAD, and both of you were so kind and patient!! You are both so incredibly talented and your passion is admirable and influential. I can't wait to see where Rescue Sirens goes next!! Also a little shout out and thank you to @genevievetsai who illustrated the book inserts. You too are such an inspiration, you are one of my favorite artists and seeing you team up with such a rock solid team like the Sanders is the perfect icing to the best of cakes! I've totally added Mer-mazing to my vocabulary!! #mermaid #rescuesirens #kelby #rescuesirenssummersplash #summer #mermay #mermaidsonduty

      A post shared by Alexia Valentine (@lovelysundae) on




      #Repost @cortezwife4life: All of our #rescuesirenssummersplash winners have received their prize packages, and we cannot WAIT to share their fun photos with you! First up is our adorable #RescueSirenMaris fan, looking happy as a clam with her new beach towel and other Maris goodies. We love it!! 💖 Want a “Rescue Sirens” towel of your own? Great news: they’re now available on our website! Swim over to SHOP.RESCUESIRENS.COM and look for our “Mermaid Lifestyle” collection to order yours today! #rescuesirens ・・・ Prize Mail!! 📬🎉😄 Huge thank you to Jessica and Chris over at @rescuesirens for this incredibly Mermazing prize pack!! We LOVE everything!!! 😍You’ve made my Kali girl one happy mermaid 🧜🏼‍♀️, which makes for a very happy MerMama!! 🧜🏼‍♀️💖

      A post shared by Rescue Sirens:Mermaids On Duty (@rescuesirens) on


      Do you want to show off your own "Rescue Sirens" accessories or apparel? Just tag our Instagram account and/or use the #rescuesirens hashtag to get our attention!

      "Rescue Sirens" Summer Splash 2018 May 1, 2018 00:00

      From Jess: 

      Happy Mer-May, everyone! Whether you shell-ebrate by participating in (or simply enjoying the products of) artist Tom Bancroft's swell mermaid-themed drawing prompts on Instagram, flaunting your favorite siren-inspired fashions, getting your tail on at the pool or the beach, or just adding a lot of salt to your nightly bath, it's a fin-omenal month for mermaid fans. Chris and I like to run some sort of contest or giveaway to commemorate Mer-May, and this year is no exception!

      For 2018, we're giving away five different prize packs to help you get ready for summer, showcasing a unique sample version of one our brand-new beach towels. Each of our main Rescue Sirens has her very own towel design, and you can enter to win your favorite! Each winner will also receive an enamel pin and stickers featuring his or her favorite Siren, and a couple of other "Rescue Sirens" goodies.




      On Instagram:

      1. REPOST one of our images of your favorite "Rescue Sirens" characters (see the images below).
      2. DESCRIBE in your caption why that character is your favorite. Does she remind you of yourself or a friend? Does she make you laugh? Do you think her tail is cool? Let us know!
      3. TAG @rescuesirens in your post (and/or mention us in your caption; this is so we're sure to see it).
      4. HASHTAG your post: #rescuesirenssummersplash








      The fine print: you must have a United States mailing address (or a friend who has one) so we can ship the prize pack to you if you win. Your Instagram account must be public so we can see your entry. The "Rescue Sirens" Splash Into Summer Giveaway is not affiliated with or endorsed by Instagram in any way, shape, or form. The five winners (one for each character) will be selected at random and announced on Wednesday, May 16th, 2018. Prizes will be shipped out before the end of Mer-May.

      Good luck and best fishes to all of you! We're looking forward to helping you start your summer off with a splash.

      "Dive into Fall" Giveaway September 21, 2017 00:00

      From Jess: 

      Tomorrow is the first day of autumn! I'm always so torn when it comes to the changing of seasons from summer to fall. I love summer -- the soaring temperatures, the long days, the trips to the beach -- and I grew up in Florida, where summer is practically endless. I even chose to set the "Rescue Sirens" series in Miami, where you know it's fall by the changing menu at Starbucks more than anything else.

      But there's something intoxicating about that first crisp snap in the air that happens in autumn, the cozy nights snuggled up by a fire (or at least a seasonally-appropriate scented candle), the spooky decorations that precede my favorite holiday: Halloween. I performed as a "scareactor" for seven magical years at a well-known Halloween event in Orlando, Florida, and I have such fond memories of Octobers spent scaring the bejeezus out of happily shrieking park guests, then giggling and stuffing my face with bite-sized candy bars alongside my fellow cast members backstage. The scents of sawdust, airbrush makeup, and fog juice always bring a smile to my face, and I can't help but fall in love with autumn even as I mourn the passing of another summer.

      This year, I thought we'd mark the occasion with another Instagram giveaway: "Dive into Fall"! I really wanted to have the enamel pins and stickers that we debuted at SDCC for sale online before the end of the summer, but life got in the way (as it does), and I figured it would be neat to offer up a free set of pins on Instagram -- along with a signed copy of both our first novel, "Rescue Sirens: The Search for the Atavist," and our brand-new water-resistant children's book, "Rescue Sirens and the Great Fish Round-Up." Plus, we're including a "Rescue Sirens" beanie to keep your noggin warm, and a gorgeous, full-color tote bag to carry it all!




      Here are the rules to enter:
        1. Follow our @rescuesirens Instagram account.
        2. Repost the above image to your PUBLIC Instagram account (so we can see it).
        3. Include the hashtag #rescuesirensdiveintofall in your caption.
        4. Mention @rescuesirens in your post.

      You have until 11:59 PM PST on Saturday, September 30th to post your entry! We'll announce a randomly-chosen winner on Sunday, October 1st.

      (Obligatory disclaimer: this contest is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Instagram.)

      In the meantime, we're working on getting "Rescue Sirens and the Great Fish Round-Up," the pins, and the stickers up for sale; we greatly appreciate your patience, and we'll let you know the moment you can purchase them!

      UPDATE: and the winner is... Instagram user @mermaidsyphira! Congratulations!




      We love holding contests and giveaways, so we're already thinking about what our next one should be! Maybe one of our cozy "Rescue Sirens" hoodies?

      Two years of "Rescue Sirens" -- plus, giveaway prize photos! July 3, 2017 17:30

      From Jess: 

      Chris and I announced "Rescue Sirens" on July 1st, 2015 -- meaning it's already been over two years since we introduced our lifeguard mermaids to the world! So much has happened in that time: we've sold thousands of books (between the hardcover first edition, the paperbacks, and the Kindle eBook), we've connected with wonderful people all over the world, I found my fins, we were invited to a mermaid convention (and even participated in their Expert Panel), and we've recently completed a children's picture book illustrated by artist Dylan Bonner that we're waiting to unveil at San Diego Comic-Con later this month.

      Through it all, your kindness, support, and enthusiasm continue to mean everything to us. Starting a book series is an intimidating, time-consuming, sometimes frustrating undertaking, and knowing that so many people love our characters and our world -- and want to see more -- makes it all worthwhile. Thank you.

      In addition to marking our two-year announciversary, I also wanted to share some great photos from the winners of our two Mer-May promotions: the "Rescue Sirens" Head-to-Tail MERmakeover Giveaway, and the Mer-May #rescuesirensfanart Contest. It's always so much fun to see people receiving their prizes!

      First up: lovely Instagram user @mermaid_kailani, who received a prize pack of awesome mermaid-themed products that I use and love, myself. She posted a bunch of photos and video clips, so hover over the Instagram frame and click the arrow buttons to navigate her slideshow!




      Next: talented artist @katekennedyart, the lucky winner of this chibi-style Nim drawing inked by Chris!




      Kate also sent us a photo of the Nim drawing in a beautiful new frame:




      Wow! How fortunate that Kate frames artwork professionally -- we can't imagine a better home for this "Rescue Sirens" drawing! It really was meant to be.

      Seeing all the different interpretations of our mermaids that our contest entrants submitted has been such a delight and a privilege, and we thank each and every one of you for participating! We've added a few of our very favorite illustrations to our Guest Artists Gallery, and I plan on posting more drawings to our "Guest Art" Facebook album as soon as I have a spare moment.

      In the meantime, though, we're preparing for SDCC 2017! In addition to our brand-new children's book, we'll have a couple of other cool "Rescue Sirens"-related goodies to share with you. Keep your fins crossed that we can get everything done before Preview Night on Wednesday, July 19th!