Geraldton-born writer Amanda Bridgeman releases Sound of Light novel tie-in with Marvel X-Men comic character

A Geraldton-born author will release her latest novel this month, tied in with a Marvel X-Men comic from the 80s and packed full of action and woman-centric super heroism that young adults and comic lovers can all enjoy.

Novel, short story and screen writer Amanda Bridgeman was born and raised in Geraldton and was always an avid writer as a child, imagining movies as novels in her head.

The Scribe Award winner went to school at St Lawrence’s Primary School and was the final round of Year 12s to graduate at Stella Maris High School before it became Nagle Catholic College.

Bridgeman studied film, television and creative writing at university and said it was always her dream to be involved in the screen industry but was disillusioned at her chances of being employed.

Moving to London and working behind the scenes in film reignited a spark inside her and she realised it was possible. Bridgeman published her first novel Aurora: Darwin in 2013 which later become her first book series.

Through a deal between Marvel and Asmodee Entertainment, Bridgeman was able to write her latest novel, Sound of Light, based on a 1980s mutant comic character. Bridgeman said she chose the character because it was invented in partnership with a record company that at the time produced bands like Kiss.

“With these stories they have to be based on the comic universe, you have to ignore the cinematic universe,” she said.

“I didn’t grow up reading comics, I was a massive fan of the cinematic universe so I went back and read a heap of comics to catch up and ended up tying in my novel with a storyline from a comic and following on from it.”

Bridgeman said the original comic story involved Mystique kidnapping Dazzler, a musician who absorbs sonic energy and projects light energy, and using her to create a dangerous mutant growth hormone.

Her Sound of Light novel is a trans-dimensional adventure novel based in the Marvel X-Men Universe when Dazzler walks away from special law enforcement S.H.I.E.L.D., but when a rogue agent drops in after a sold-out gig, she must decide whether to work with them again or stick to her solo career.

The agent links Mutant Growth Hormone — a dangerous biochemical that wildly enhances mutant powers — with the disappearance of Magneto and Cyclops, and Dazzler takes the case and unfolds a mystery greater than she anticipated.

Bridgeman was also picked up by Angry Robot Books for her new future crime thriller Salvation Series and is currently being developed for TV by production company Anonymous Content.

“The producers recently got Screen Australia Development Funding for the TV adaptation so it’s going well at the moment and fingers crossed it can go the distance and get into production. It’s very exciting,” she said.

Bridgeman appeared at the annual Big Sky Readers and Writers Festival in Geraldton last year.

The book is available in Australian stores from Wednesday, March 22.