Thursday, June 6, 2013
Reading and Random: Blog Tour Stop! Lightning Rider by Jen Greyson.
Reading and Random: Blog Tour Stop! Lightning Rider by Jen Greyson.: Lightning Rider by Jen Greyson Heiress to a time-traveling dynasty, Evy Rivera is finally claiming her birthright as...
Blog Tour Stop! Lightning Rider by Jen Greyson.
Lightning Rider
by
Jen Greyson
Heiress to a time-traveling dynasty, Evy Rivera is finally claiming her birthright as a
lightning rider. Problem is, she’s forced to learn it alongside Constantine, a prickly,
obstinate Roman warrior who constantly challenges her to be the woman he sees in her.
Thrown back into ancient Spain, Evy must rely on guts and instinct to wield her lightning
as a weapon and outsmart Ilif, her quasi-mentor who believes time traveling should be
left to the Rivera men.
During her training, Evy and Constantine battle the push-pull of their explosive
relationship, aware the 2,000-year span between their lives is an unavoidable hurdle.
Caught between a centuries-old battle rife with secrets, Evy must learn whom to trust
before she risks everything and the wrong history repeats itself. When the heritage her
parents have suppressed mingles with the past, Evy must find answers . . .
Which history is the right one? And who is she becoming?
lightning rider. Problem is, she’s forced to learn it alongside Constantine, a prickly,
obstinate Roman warrior who constantly challenges her to be the woman he sees in her.
Thrown back into ancient Spain, Evy must rely on guts and instinct to wield her lightning
as a weapon and outsmart Ilif, her quasi-mentor who believes time traveling should be
left to the Rivera men.
During her training, Evy and Constantine battle the push-pull of their explosive
relationship, aware the 2,000-year span between their lives is an unavoidable hurdle.
Caught between a centuries-old battle rife with secrets, Evy must learn whom to trust
before she risks everything and the wrong history repeats itself. When the heritage her
parents have suppressed mingles with the past, Evy must find answers . . .
Which history is the right one? And who is she becoming?
Guest Post
Last Friday was the book launch for my first book, the new adult fantasy,
Lightning Rider. During the Q & A, I noticed some funny looks when I talked about
my characters doing whatever they wanted, so I figured I’d talk a bit about what
it’s like for a panster.
The debate for plotting v. writing by the seat of one’s pants (pansting?
pantstering?) is every bit as heated as Coke v. Pepsi, Barrons v. V’lane, Splenda
v. Equal. Writers are one or the other.
I’ve always been a panster. I have no professional training at this, other than I’ve
been printing my letters since I was 4. It took me 4 complete books (and a whole
lotta false starts) to embrace my pansterness and quit beating myself up over my
lack of plotting. Oh sure, I can kind of have a general direction...even when I go
to the grocery store, I can make a list and use the car. But the big stuff? The plot
points and timebombs and real structure....nada. Zip. Nothing.
As I’m in the middle of writing a giant series, this might seem foolish, and I may
very well get to book 7 and think, “Gosh, outlining would have made this so much
easier.” But for now, I use a bible for my magic system so I don’t go breaking
rules all over the place, and a timeline so I know when and where my characters’
lives are intersecting. But from there, it’s completely up to them.
I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts on the pants v. plot debate.
Thanks again to Charity for letting me come ramble.
Lightning Rider. During the Q & A, I noticed some funny looks when I talked about
my characters doing whatever they wanted, so I figured I’d talk a bit about what
it’s like for a panster.
The debate for plotting v. writing by the seat of one’s pants (pansting?
pantstering?) is every bit as heated as Coke v. Pepsi, Barrons v. V’lane, Splenda
v. Equal. Writers are one or the other.
I’ve always been a panster. I have no professional training at this, other than I’ve
been printing my letters since I was 4. It took me 4 complete books (and a whole
lotta false starts) to embrace my pansterness and quit beating myself up over my
lack of plotting. Oh sure, I can kind of have a general direction...even when I go
to the grocery store, I can make a list and use the car. But the big stuff? The plot
points and timebombs and real structure....nada. Zip. Nothing.
As I’m in the middle of writing a giant series, this might seem foolish, and I may
very well get to book 7 and think, “Gosh, outlining would have made this so much
easier.” But for now, I use a bible for my magic system so I don’t go breaking
rules all over the place, and a timeline so I know when and where my characters’
lives are intersecting. But from there, it’s completely up to them.
I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts on the pants v. plot debate.
Thanks again to Charity for letting me come ramble.
You are very welcome Jen!
More about Jen:
More about Jen:
From the moment she decided on a degree in Equestrian Studies, Jen Greyson’s life has
been one unscripted adventure after another. Leaving the cowboy state of Wyoming to
train show horses in France, Switzerland, and Germany, she’s lived life without much of
a plan, but always a book in her suitcase. Now a wife and mom to two young boys, she
relies on her adventurous, passionate characters to be the risk- takers.
Jen also writes university courses and corporate training material when she’s not
enjoying the wilds of the west via wakeboard or snowmobile. Her new adult fantasy,
Lightning Rider, comes out May 31 and features a Latina heroine with some serious
superpowers.
been one unscripted adventure after another. Leaving the cowboy state of Wyoming to
train show horses in France, Switzerland, and Germany, she’s lived life without much of
a plan, but always a book in her suitcase. Now a wife and mom to two young boys, she
relies on her adventurous, passionate characters to be the risk- takers.
Jen also writes university courses and corporate training material when she’s not
enjoying the wilds of the west via wakeboard or snowmobile. Her new adult fantasy,
Lightning Rider, comes out May 31 and features a Latina heroine with some serious
superpowers.
My Review
Lightning Rider is the debut novel by Author Jen Greyson, and what a way to kick off her career! This book, filled with adventure, mystery, romance, and the science fiction element of time travel made for an entertaining and original story.
Our main protagonist, Evy, discovers she comes from a long line of Lightning riders, who basically are time travelers set with tasks to travel through time and change events that result in varying degrees of good or bad outcomes. I find that time travel is one of those tricky and difficult subjects to write on. When done well they can be super cool! When creating a world with certain perimeters and time travel laws, for example the butterfly effect. It can become very easy to write oneself into a corner, or, the story may become so muddled it's hard to follow. Ms. Greyson brilliantly avoids that catastrophe and weaves her audience through modern day America all the way back to ancient Spain.
The characters are rich and leap from the pages. I love that Evy is a Latina! Seriously, how often do you come across that? She's a motorcycle building, snarky, no-nonsense kind of gal and I just liked her. So if you like your heroines all fluffy and flowery that lack cojones, then perhaps this isn't the read for you. Again, I for one loved it! Evy is on journey through time but she is also on another journey; that being, self discovery. Behind her tough exterior lies some lingering insecurities and "growing up" that she needs to work through.
The book starts a little slow but quickly builds and takes off about 20% in. This is the pivotal moment when the reader is provided the necessary back story that sort of clears things up. I was floored to discover that Ms. Greyson is primarily an SOTP (seat of the pants) writer. Especially in the genre of fantasy and Science fiction with a time travel backdrop. Holy crap, that is impressive! Her characters are well written, rich and three dimensional. Her descriptions or places and the varying time periods come alive. Her writing shows a promising career and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
Thanks again for stopping by Jen. It was a pleasure!
You can purchase your copy of Lightning Rider
Available everywhere on May 31, 2013!
Kobo: (all devices)
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Lightning-Rider/book-mXyKfgdrVEi_mUsmRkxsEA/
page1.html?s=zmOeQfanj0Cb2OUuDtRWvw&r=1
Kobo: (all devices)
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Lightning-Rider/book-mXyKfgdrVEi_mUsmRkxsEA/
page1.html?s=zmOeQfanj0Cb2OUuDtRWvw&r=1
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Rider-Alterations-ebook/dp/B00D2GJXC0/
ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370368516&sr=8-1&keywords=lightning+rider
iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lightning-rider/id642921579?mt=11
Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lightning-rider-jen-greyson/1114121971?
ean=9781612131801
Lightning Rider reviews:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17412638-lightning-rider
http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/87
You can find Jen here:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JenGreyson
Facebook: http://facebook.com/TheSurvivalMama
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/Jen_Greyson
Blog: http://jengreyson.com
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Reading and Random: Lightning Rider Blog Tour!
Reading and Random: Lightning Rider Blog Tour!: Please stop by on June 6th for Jen Greyson's guest post and my review of her debut novel Lightning Rider
Lightning Rider Blog Tour!
Please stop by on June 6th for Jen Greyson's guest post and my review of her debut novel
Lightning Rider
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