Go Out of This World With Edie Ramer… Back to Blog
Update: Thank you for all the great comments! The winners from Edie’s giveaway are:
Congratulations!
I always enjoy reading excerpts from books–excerpts can give me a taste of the story, a hint about the characters,and excerpts can sure hook me on a good book. I hope that you’ve enjoyed the excerpts that were shared today (and that will be shared–cause I’ve got another one coming up now!). My next guest is very busy author Edie Ramer, a sweetheart of a lady with a gift for spell-blinding stories. (And she comes to the party bringing a lovely giveaway–thanks, Edie!)
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An out-of-the-world romance and 2 giveaways
by Edie Ramer
Thanks to Cynthia for having me at her fun release party. I’m so eager to read Angel of Darkness. I have a thing about angels. I also have a thing about any of Cynthia’s books!
In July, I published Galaxy Girls, a scifi romance with a lot of humor and some serious stuff. One reviewer called it “a cross between Gilmore Girls and Third Rock From the Sun.” Soon I’ll publish a Galaxy Girls novella, titled Mixing It Up. It’s a stand-alone, but I usually like to read series books in order. So here’s an excerpt from Chapter One of Galaxy Girls, which introduces all of the Galaxy ladies:
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It was the best day of Phyrne’s life, even before landing on Earth five days ago. She, her mother Liss, her aunt Ki and her cousin Deena strutted through the gleaming casino with the one thing that brought them across thirty-one solar systems to New Jersey.
Money. Bundles of money. Their purses stuffed with money. Lovely, lovely money.
She wanted to laugh, dance and do cartwheels. But not yet. Later. Twenty-five-year-old women didn’t do cartwheels on Earth. Even after they’d known great sorrow and now knew great joy. Double joy. Freedom for the first time in their lives. And money with which to enjoy the freedom.
A plume of acrid cigarette smoke coiled in front of her and she made a face. The casino was just like she’d seen on the monitors on Kergeron, but the constant noise was louder, the motion more intense, the air sizzling with excitement. Music blaring, machines clinking, voices talking, colored lights blinking.
Avid eyes stared at the machines, but a few followed her and her family. She faced forward, careful not to catch anyone’s gaze, but in her peripherals, she saw auras, flashes of colors tinted with the deep pinkish red of carnality.
She clamped down on her pheromones. The worst timing for her make-me-a-mom chemicals to fire up. She didn’t want men following her. She didn’t want men in her new life. She didn’t want men.
Fighting the urge to release stray scents that would make men howl, she kept her gaze on the back of the nice hostess leading them out of the busy casino.
Out into the new life they would live as average Earthlings. The life her aunt Phyrne had envisioned for them ten years ago.
She quivered with an eagerness she hadn’t felt since she was a young girl, before she’d experienced the shock and pain of a fist on her face. Hard to believe she would escape Kergeron while she was mated to Argon and he was ramming her like she was the hill and he was the bulldozer.
But Argon was dead now and here they were. Free.
Better yet, free and rich.
The casino hostess opened a door and ushered them into a corridor. The smile she gave them was strained, brown spikes dulling her peach aura.
“Since you insisted on cash, we thought it would be safer for you to leave from the back.”
Her eyes darted away from theirs, and the brown spikes bled into the peach.
Phyrne shivered, her excitement turning to trepidation, though the darkening aura could mean anything. The hostess could be thinking about a sick child or a lover who beat her. Or she could suffer from one of many health issues they’d seen on the monitors back on Kergeron.
A lifetime of watching Earth TV had primed them for their new life, but they didn’t know everything. Deena could use her telepathic skills to find out what the hostess was thinking, but her jaw was rigid, her thin face tense with the effort of blocking out the cacophony of thoughts.
Phyrne ached for Deena. The plethora of auras in the casino had distracted Phyrne, colors flashing and popping wherever she looked, others shrinking and cringing. Easy to see who was winning and who was losing. But how much worse to have hundreds of thoughts swarming into her brain like an army of buzzing blusts?
The hostess took the lead again, hurrying past a stairway, elevator and bathroom. No glitz here, the walls white and stark, the mud-colored carpet so smooth the soles of Phyrne’s shoes slipped. Feeling like a clumsy udzo, she slapped her palm against the wall to keep from falling.
The others moved on, and she scurried to catch up. The hostess opened the back door, bidding them good day, speaking so fast her tongue tripped and she had to say it again. Phyrne didn’t need to read her thoughts to know she was thinking: Go. Get out. Hurry.
Maybe the hostess needed to pee. Kergeronians had elimination emergencies, too. That came with the human body they shared with Earth people, the genetic similarity confirmed by tests conducted in the previous century on a few Earth specimens. Unwilling Earth specimens.
Phyrne’s relatives chirped goodbye to the hostess and hurried out into the air that smelled like salty ocean mixed with car fumes. A black dumpster on one side and a sign on the other said Deliveries Only. Across the street was a huge concrete structure Phyrne identified as a parking building for cars. One lone van was parked by the curb, beige and nondescript.
The door behind Phyrne clanked shut. The Earth sun slunk under a black cloud—on Kergeron they called it a death cloud. The sky dimmed, the air chilling Phyrne’s arms, bare from her elbows to her cold fingertips.
From the beige van, a bright blue aura pierced the gloom, jewel colored and so bright her breath caught. As she twisted to view it better, Liss stopped and Phyrne ran into her.
“Oomph.” She bounced back, her mouth open to ask what was going on, when she saw two men stealing out from behind the dumpster. Blood red auras seethed around both men.
The small hairs on Phyrne’s arms and the back of her neck rose. The last time she’d seen an aura that color, she’d ended up in the clinic, her body bruised from her cheek to her thighs, one eye covered with a patch and an arm in a sling.
Liss stepped back, grabbing Phyrne’s forearm. “Let’s run. I feel the tall one’s anger. He wants to hurt us.”
The men pulled out guns.
“Too late to run.” Deena’s voice quavered. “We’ll have to do something else. I’ll take care of it.” She swallowed but stood tall and tossed her head.
No! Phyrne’s mental scream sliced through Deena’s walls. Deena looked at her, grimacing, lifting one hand to the side of her head.
“I’ll stop them.” Phyrne pushed past Deena. She was older and stronger than Deena, plus she possessed a powerful weapon. The ultimate weapon.
She was ovulating.
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I’m giving away an e-copy of Galaxy Girls to a commenter. If you’ve read GG already, I’ll be happy to send Mixing It Up instead as soon as it’s available. I’m also giving away Dragon Blues to a commenter, about a saxophone-playing former dragon (now a man) and a martial arts expert who wants to avenge her sister’s murder.
So, here’s my question. What would your ultimate weapon be?
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Hi, Edie!! Thanks for coming to the party!
Cynthia, it’s my pleasure! I’m so pleased to be here.
Hello Edie.
I am now new to your books. I liked the excerpt and now I really want to read Galaxy Girls. I also want Dragon Blues..LOL
I am heading to Amazon now to put them on my wish list…
Happy Holidays Ladies.
Michelle, so glad you like the excerpt. You have a happy holiday, too!
Your question has me at a blank. I have no idea what it would be. Well now that I think about it, I would like to freeze people until I want to deal with them. I think I would have to get a freezer to keep alot of people that would be in freeze mode for a long time.—Rachel
Rachel, that would be a great super power. Or you could be a villain. lol I wonder what your name would be. And who would play you in the movie.
Your books sound so fun. Thanks for the giveaway.
Bethie, I was fun to write. Thanks for commenting!
Hi Edie! I have not read your books yet but just give me a minute and I will quickly jot these on my wish list. Sci-Fi, tank me away!! I love these release parties so I can keep my list going, and going! My ultimate weapon would be the power to expel the truth. I prefer just getting straight to the truth, no bull, just out with it already! Thanks for the offer!!
Patty, I love having my books on wish lists. Maybe you’ll win!
Getting straight to the truth is a great weapon! I could have a character like that in my book. I’m definitely keeping that in mind.
Gotta say “ovulating” as an ultimate weapon … interesting. Certainly makes me curious as to what happens next. 🙂 I honestly don’t know what my ultimate weapon would be though.
Thank you for this opportunity. I’m enjoying learning about new books and even new authors (new to me anyway). 🙂
Pam, the “ovulation” thing made writing the book interesting. lol I had fun with it.
Tai Chi; like Chuck Norris I don’t want to use weapons!
Diane, I took Tai Chi a while back. I honestly wasn’t that good at it. I don’t want to use weapons, either.
Oh my good lord, the last line of that excerpt!!! *laughing hysterically*
Ultimate weapon? I’ve been told I have a mean ‘freezing stare of death’ but I’m not quite sure I would count that as a true weapon, let alone my ultimate weapon. Must needs think some about it.
azteclady, so happy you loved that line. It actually gets better after that.
Oooo, a ‘freezing stare of death’ is a lovely weapon. It doesn’t even have to be paranormal. I’m stealing that to use in a future book.
Oooh, Sci Fi with humor! Wow, the ultimate weapon. That’s a tough question. See, it depends on what we’re talking about. I prefer a crossbow– it will kill zombies, vamps if you make wooden arrows… shoot, it can be transformed into just about anything!
Brenda, crossbows would be a great weapon, but I don’t think they’d be allowed in a casino. lol
Interesting point about zombies and vamps, though. It would be very handy.
Very interesting excerpt… would love to know how she handles those men. Not sure what my ultimate weapon would… my charm? 🙂
yadkny@hotmail.com
Yadira, I love charm as a weapon! That’s better than ovulation, because ovulation can backfire. And it does, too. There are consequences, and I get to torture my characters with them.
A Magic Dagger!!! Sorry, that’s the first thing that popped in my head……and now I’m laughing at myself again. What kind of magic though? Not sure, maybe it’d be tied to my mind and I’d never miss my mark.
Sebrina, are you a writer? Love the idea of a magic dagger. It’s those ideas that pop into your head are the ones that work.
My ultimate weapon would be the power to read minds, hmm but I guess that could backfire, so I also want to be able to choose when I use this power not just have it on constantly non-stop with no control. So my ultimate weapon would be, mind reading of my choosing 🙂 To shorten it up m.r.o.m.c.
Thanks for the great giveaway I had fun answering your question!!! 🙂
Savannah, one of the Galaxy girls can read minds. She can turn it off. I had to, or it would make her crazy.
I’m glad you liked my question. Thanks!
Ultimate weapon… I guess my mind… whether solving puzzles or being able to make things happen with my thoughts… 😀
Colleen, that’s the best weapon. I’d go on Jeopardy. lol I watch it most days while I clean up the kitchen after meals. But if I could make things happen with my mind, I’d have to be very careful of my thoughts.
Can you imagine a toddler with that talent? Shudder.
My ultimate weapon would be a laser pistol with settings from stun to blast them all to hell. 😀
Barbara, you are definitely an action woman. You go!
My ultimate weapon would be PMS lol because NOBODY wants to even get near me when I’m experiencing that, so everyone would leave me alone and I could surprise them and take them out first!
Ashley, you cracked me up. That’s even better than ovulation.
My ultimate weapon would be erase peoples minds
Khelsey, if you were a thief, that would be a great weapon. And just think of all the people you could tell off, and they would never remember what you said. lol
Papercuts of Death? I don’t know….
By the way, I really enjoyed “Dead People”.
infinitieh, “papercuts of death” first made me laugh – and then I said “ow!” They hurt! It would be a good weapon, though not deadly.
So happy you enjoyed Dead People.
A gun that shots more than one type of ammo and if possible shoots fire too. 🙂
Larena, you should invent that! I think a lot of people would buy that gun.
I’d settle for mind control! Easy to carry with me and no ammo needed.
Love the excerpt, Edie!
Mary, mind control… You are evil. 😈
I’m glad you loved the excerpt!
thank for the giveaway, your book really sound interesting, love to win it 😉
eli, good luck on the drawing!
“I’m stealing that to use in a future book.”
*round eyes*
Seriously?
That’d be the awesome!!!!!
I’m planning to write a series set in a small town. I could use the freezing stare of death there. In fact, I might use it in the short story I’m writing now. Why wait? 🙂
flame breather:D
Beth, my dragon-turned-into-a-man is a flame breather! It’s definitely a great weapon.
Might sound weird…but I think an ultimate weapon would be to have the ability to understand and speak any language. It would help one go under cover or something like that.
Stacey, that would be a great weapon for a spy. You would pretend not to understand anything, of course. 🙂
My ultimate weapon would be my brain. Remember how MacGyver saved the day with duct tape and a straw every week? As a physical weapon I’d go with a magically enhance sword.
Viki, both great weapons. I definitely agree about the brain. I’d love to think like MacGyver.
Good question! I would love to be able to use Sai’s, there’s something about watching an expert use them, i’m not sure i’d ever be that graceful though but a girl can dream! 🙂
Michelle, I googled SAI, and all I could find is that it’s an online painting tool. It’s cool but I can’t see how it’s a weapon. Of course, most people don’t think ovulation is a weapon. lol
I would have to say a laser gun! They are just so cool 🙂
Carolyn, it could be a great weapon, but my mind immediately skipped to the laser cat pointers. lol My cat used to love playing with it.
I would say an ultimate weapon for me would be something that would have fire. Great excerpt, putting this book on my wish list.
Jean, fire is very scary to me. Anything that uses it would be an awesome weapon.
Good luck in the drawing!
My ultimate weapon, very interesting question, I love water. So, the ability to manipulate and use water? And a bonus to that would be, i don’t get wet when I use it.
The story sounds great. THanks!
Anne, that would be especially great if you lived in a place where they tend to have floods or hurricanes. Funny about not getting wet – especially if the water is cold.
Does Phyme’s secret weapon have any affect women?
The book looks good. And I can’t wait to find out what the blue aura in the van is.
I think a freeze ray would be great so I can get away before I get hurt.
JoAnna, that’s an interesting question. I suppose if the other woman is a lesbian, it might have an effect. Thank you!
A freeze ray would be an awesome weapon. Someone should invent one.
My ultimate weapon,my brain of course!!!
Marianne, you chose the ‘smart’ weapon. 😎
Now that is creative. My husband would agree that ovulating is a weapon especially when my daughter and I are always on the same cycle.
I’ll play off of that and say male moodiness as a counter weapon. Not really an ultimate weapon but certainly a weapon at times…
Maria, too funny about ovulation. Male moodiness could be a very scary weapon. I don’t think I could write that.
hmmm, my ultimate weapon would be intelligence. hopefully you would always be able to think of a way out of any situation……
Heather, definitely! I know it’s my best weapon.
I”m new to your books and they sound awesome. I”m not sure what my ultimate weapon would be i’m drawing a blank at the moment. but that could be because my brain is not yet awake and functioning this morning. Anyhow the book sounds awesome. added to the wish list.
Jeana, thank you so much!
Hmm… Sarcasm? 🙂 That’s all that I can think of at the moment.
May, the heroine in my short story is so sarcastic, I have to pull back sometimes. I know some readers will hate her. I might add a warning in the description. lol
I’d say magic and the ability to use it. Then you couple make up or use almost anything as a weapon.
Anne, that’s a great weapon! You can do good with it, too.
I think the ultimate weapon for me would be telepathy. To know what someone else was thinking before they did it. I could hear their thoughts before they could do wrong and stop them.
The excerpt is great. Edie is a new author for me and would love to win and read this book. I love to read and always looking for new authors to check out.
Chris, another good one. That would be good when for dating, too. Or it might be horrible. 😈
So glad you enjoyed the excerpt. Good luck in the drawing!
Oh that sounds intriguing! I will have to check this one out…ovulating as a weapon, lol. Kind of makes me chuckle. My ultimate weapon would be transporting. It would be nice to just flash yourself out of any situation you didn’t want to be in.
Leagh, that’s like the Star Wars, only you wouldn’t need to be beamed over. Very cool.
I really enjoyed Cattitude and cannot wait to read more from you. My ulitmate weapon would be invisibility. LOL I just watched the invisible man with chevy chase last night lol
Jolene, Galaxy Girls is my lightest since Cattitude. They’re two of my favorites.
I don’t know if I ever saw the Invisible Man. It sounds like you enjoyed it. I’ll see if my library has it.
Ok, now that I am capable of breathing again without snorting from laughing hysterically!!! Oh boy, ultimate weapon 😕 I would like to be able to put a situation on “pause” so whoever or whatever is capable of getting resolved when I’ve had the chance to think through all the possibilities or if it is a person so that they have a chance to think through THEIR actions before following through with them. Of course a DeLorean would be cool too 😉 who wouldn’t want to travel in time? Seriously, I think I would like to have some kind of mind power or ability to make people feel peaceful and not want to do harm to others.
Lora, you have a great imagination. I love all three of your ideas! In Galaxy Girls, one of the ladies has the ability to read what people are feeling and to empathize with them. To a big extent, that makes them feel better.
Hmm, I’ll take the ability to freeze time, because then you can stop whatever is coming at you, or deflect the bullet, or whatever. This would be a multi-purpose weapon, plus you’d be able to reuse it.
Jen, I love that! I was in an accident once, someone crossing a yellow line toward me. Those seconds before his car hit mine seemed like minutes. I could’ve used that ability then.
The ultimate weapon is a PMSing woman or a menopausal women! I guarantee no one would mess with you then. LOL!
Sherry, you’re the second one to say that. There’s a time when a wise man learns to keep his mouth shut, and that’s sure one of them.