Writing · Claire Vivienne

In Every Universe

Upmarket Speculative Romance · Querying

The premise

Anya has lived hundreds of lives, slipping between parallel universes whenever anxiety strikes. Until one man begins to follow her through every reality: Leon. Now, Anya is forced to confront what she’s truly been running from before she destroys, not just herself, but the very fabric of the universes.

Spanning thirteen countries and eight languages, and injected with yearning and suspense, IN EVERY UNIVERSE is an adult upmarket speculative romance that explores identity through the lenses of mental health and spirituality, the paradox of independence as both liberation and isolation, and the fear of being too much to love.

Excerpts

In my last life, I was quite boring. Although while staring into the molten eyes of a jaguar, reality as a librarian in Vienna seemed quite serene—as opposed to the mundane prison I’d convinced myself it was a life ago.

“I just wanted to ask you: Are you happy?”
My vision narrowed. I turned to the man, his face surprisingly open. “What is that supposed to mean? Are you taking some sort of survey?”
“Yeah.” His lips pursed. “Something like that.”
“I—” His eyes were too expectant, too observant—hopeful even. Had we met before? “Yes, of course. How could I not be?”
I had the universes at my feet.
Right?

The Shadows of Solarys

Romantasy · Complete

The premise

Aurelia Holloway thought the shadows stalking her were symptoms of anxiety and ADHD—until she wakes in the cursed kingdom of Solarys. Kidnapped from modern-day Manhattan, Aurelia is bound to a dying kingdom and its ruthless regent. Aurelia must master both her power and her mind to save the kingdom, even if it means embracing the very darkness she’s spent her life running from.

Filled with aching enemies-to-lovers tension, high emotional stakes, and morally ambiguous characters, THE SHADOWS OF SOLARYS is an adult romantasy about mental health, confronting inner demons, and romance that embraces the darkness in all of us.

Excerpts

The human mind is so fickle. It betrays you and shows you only what you want to see. And that’s why I must’ve seen them before. I wanted to believe that I wasn’t going crazy. That I really was being hunted. My psychiatrist was convinced I had severe anxiety, so intense that I was able to conjure lurking beings with just my imagination. Then she decided that I had ADHD, my thoughts racing too fast for me to follow and driving me to act on irrational ideations. The question ‘What’s wrong with Aurelia’s mind?’ was something I’d given up on answering a long time ago.

She was far from perfect, but that’s what made her indescribably breathtaking—a chaotic storm that settled above me and doused me with the most invigorating shower I’d ever experienced, washing away all inhibitions, leaving me thirsty for more.