The Secret Beneath The Crystal Surface (Paperback)

Ruby Zhang's summer vacation in Maui starts off normal enough-until she meets a merman on the beach.

Back home in foggy San Francisco, Ruby's days are filled with studying for AP exams, late-night band rehearsals, and laughter with her best friends: Grace and Tye, twins with big dreams; Mari, a passionate club leader; and Tomas, a quiet musician. Together, they are preparing to debut their first original song at the end-of-year variety show. Yet beneath the surface of ordinary high school days, among these close friends, there are still unspoken fears and quiet hopes: the pressure to be perfect, the weight of family expectations, the longing for something-or someone-just out of reach.

When Ruby misses the show as her family takes her to Hawaii for her dad's business trip, Ruby's dismay quickly fades when she meets someone impossible: a merman beneath the waves.

A gentle coming-of-age story about friendship, music, and the secrets we keep, The Secret Beneath The Crystal Surface follows five friends as they finish their junior year of high school and into summer.

Hi, I'm Sienna.

I've been writing stories since I was ten years old, and even before that, I wanted to be a writer. I love arts as a form of expression and how writing brings with it the ability to explore new worlds. I draw inspiration for my stories from fairies, mermaids, and dragons. With a pen in hand, I've traveled through magical worlds, gone on exciting adventures, and made the best of friends.