2024 COVERS

2024 covers

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We are writers mainly from Australia and New Zealand who write speculative fiction with romantic elements. Be it fantasy, paranormal, dark urban fantasy, futuristic and everything in between.

Thursday 8 March 2012

Magic Thursday: a different kind of romance

MAGIC THURSDAY: a different kind of romance
By Maree Anderson

I’m very excited to have a new book to share with y’all. It's called LIGHTNING RIDER, and it's a bit of a different romance in that it features two heroines and two heroes — and no, it’s not a menage-a-quatre. *g* It’s a contemporary paranormal romance with a sci-fi twist.

The story revolves around Andie, the heroine, who has a Lightning Rider Elemental named Karylon trapped inside her. It's kinda like having your own personal cheerleader egging you on from the sidelines... if your own personal cheerleader could shunt aside your consciousness and take over your body when she thinks you need an extra hand, that is. And the two heroes of the piece are Jake, who’ll do anything to protect Andie from her manipulative ex, and Novik, a Lightning Rider who’ll do anything to help Karylon break free from Andie so she can be reconstituted back to the Elemental plane.

There's also an omnipotent being called The Keeper of Portents, who can change into any other being at will, and has a penchant for appearing as Marilyn Monroe.... or scaring the particles right out of Novik by morphing into an Apokryphon demon who feeds on Lightning Riders.

See? Not exactly a normal romance.

Here's the blurb for LIGHTNING RIDER:

Andie Brennan dies in a lightning strike and is miraculously healed and brought back to life. But now she’s sharing her body with an alien—the same alien who rode the lightning bolt that killed her.

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When Andie Brennan signs up for a Slickrock Bike Trail tour in an attempt to rekindle her love of the outdoors she meets Jake Knight. Jake’s generous, down-to-earth, and gorgeous to boot. He could just be her soul mate… except she’s already got a boyfriend, and Andie doesn’t do cheating. But before she can fully explore why the sound of Jake’s voice and his crooked smile make her feel happier than she’s been in years, death strikes in a searing instant, sizzling a few million neurons and arresting her heart.

Andie wakes up in hospital. Her injuries are completely healed and her recovery is being touted as a miracle. Only trouble is she can’t remember a damn thing about her past — not even her name. Nor is she exactly whooping with joy at her second chance at life because there’s a voice inside her head claiming to be a Lightning Rider Elemental named Karylon. And boy, does it take one heckuva lot of fast talking for Karylon to convince Andie that she’s real — that Andie is not insane, and she really is hosting an alien.

Can a damaged young woman find the courage to escape her manipulative boyfriend and grasp the happiness she deserves? With the help of Jake, and the alien Lightning Rider trapped inside her, you betcha! But the omniscient Keeper of Portents has the future of the Lightning Rider Elemental race in its sights. The Keeper has already used Karylon to further its grand design and it has no qualms about using Karylon’s Lightning Rider lover, Novik, too.

How much is Novik prepared to risk to be with Karylon again? And more importantly for Andie and Jake, who is The Keeper prepared to sacrifice?

LIGHTNING RIDER is available now at:

Note: I've enrolled Lightning Rider and another of my books, The Crystal Warrior, in Smashwords Read an eBook Week Promotion, so until midnight Pacific Time on 10th March, both books are 75% off (i.e. discounted to US$1.00). Just use coupon code REW75 at checkout.

BTW, it might interest to you know that my DH and I have collaborated on the covers of my last four releases. So if you'd like a peek behind the scenes of how that works without divorce being on the cards ;-) please feel free to check out this link to the post Lightning Rider--a cover story, on my blog.

And if you'd like to read a couple of excerpts from Lightning Rider:

***

To celebrate the release of LIGHTNING RIDER, I'd like to give away an electronic copy to one Dark Side DownUnder commenter. Please indicate your preference for PDF, ePub or mobi in your comment.

Cheers!

Maree

19 comments:

  1. That looks awesome Maree! Well done.

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  2. This sounds really good. Never read a book that had two heroes and two heroines like this, I enjoyed reading the blurb a lot, you have me wanting to know more. Thank you so much for sharing. If I won I would love a PDF.

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  3. Thanks for stopping by, Imogene :)

    And Tiffany -- I hooked you with the blurb? Awesome! Go me! (I always angst over writing blurbs. They're right up there with the dreaded synopsis *wry grin*)

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    1. Yes you did which is a good sign, you did really good with this one. Most of the time if a blurb doesn't hook me I don't go any farther unless I have read something from the author before.

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    2. Doh! I've been forgetting to hit "reply". Sorry 'bout that--ned another coffee, STAT. Hey, thanks for the insight into your reading/buying habits. I'm inspired to go polish the blurbs of my other books now :)

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  4. Hey Maree,
    I'd really love to get my hands on a copy of this story! It sounds different from most stories I've read and I'm already itching to read more. If I'm able to get the chance to read the story that's piqued my interest, I'd love to get it in a PDF file.

    Thanks!

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  5. Hey Serix! Thanks heaps for stopping by. And I'm so pleased you're keen to read more of Lightning Rider :)

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  6. Hi Maree,

    The story sounds great. Would love to read it, the blurb combined with the cover are great together. I'd like to get it in PDF format.

    Skye

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    1. Hi there, Skye -- thanks for commenting about my blurb and cover -- I'll pass some more cover-love on to DH, who designed it for me :)

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  7. great stuff Maree - and yep agree - nice cover! =))

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    1. Thanks Mel! DH does some good stuff... even better, he works for hugs and kisses ;-)

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  8. Love the premise, Maree. And I've enjoyed the covers you and your hubby have come up with - keep up the goodwork!

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    1. I'll make sure he does, Eleni. But if he ever gets too busy, you'll be my first port of call for covers--love your work!

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  9. Hi Maree,
    Lightning Rider sounds hot. Science Fiction-ish romance is a whole new genre for me to read, a good one though. Looking forward to reading Lightning Rider.

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    1. Hi Morgan! Thanks so much for popping by to leave a comment -- here's hoping you might be inspired to try some more Sci-Fi (or Speculative Fiction) Romance :)

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  10. Hey!
    I honestly think that this story is amazing - completely origional and with just the right type of humor ;) Although I've yet to finish the book, I'm completely hooked, and can't ever seem to put it down! The dialogue is realistic, and you can really connect with the characters easily from the first chapter. Although its science fiction, the details are presented in such a way that you find yourself wanting to believe it's true - I'd highly recommend this book to any reader!
    ~CrazyWolfLover (PDF)

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    1. Hey CrazyWolfLover! *waves from New Zealand* Glad you made it over to the Dark Side! And thank you so much for your wonderful comments, too. Good luck with the draw!

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  11. Hi all, I have to rush out to take my DS to the doctor shortly, so I'll draw the winning commenter when I get home. Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out my Magic Thursday post, everyone. Be back in an hour with the winner!

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  12. Just got DH to draw a commenter and the winner is.....

    CRAZYWOLFLOVER

    Congrats! Please contact me: mareeandersonauthorATgmailDOTcom

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