Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Stardust Miracle Plus Giveaway! Edie Ramer on Evoking Real Emotions


Warm welcome today to best-selling fiction and paranormal romance author Edie Ramer! Edie writes "Books that leave readers with a warm glow because they touched their hearts and a small ache that they ended." Her storytelling is compelling and rich, and sparkling with a magic and fun that I love. I'm so happy she's agreed to visit here. Enjoy!


For my Miracle Interrupted series. I planned to write lighter books, with humor in them. Instead, the novella and two books I wrote so far are turning out to be a mix of dark and light. But then I look back at some of my favorite shows – going waaaaay back to Casablanca and a bit closer in time, Love Actually – and I see a mix of happy and sad, poignancy and attitude, danger and sexual tension.  A lot like my book.

In real life, I love to laugh. But on The View last week, a man was talking about a foundation he started in the name of his three daughters who died young. Though I’d turned on the TV too late to hear why the little girls died, when he talked about them, I cried. Despite the sadness, there was something satisfying and human about those tears. It was real emotion. I think that’s why my stories turn out the way they do despite my intentions. I’m evoking real emotion, in all the many senses.

That’s why I loved Black Diamond Jinn by Mary. It has humor and sex and sadness, too. And a great ending. My favorite kind of book.

In STARDUST MIRACLE, the first novel of the series, a miracle is prophesied in a Wisconsin village with a population of 629. In every story after this, either the hero or heroine thinks the prophesy applies to him or her. My next book, MIRACLE LANE, should be out next month. I have two more books planned after that, and more on the way.

Here’s an excerpt from STARDUST MIRACLE:

Becky ran across the grass and laughed at her brashness. She wore her tan trench coat – her church coat – over her red negligee. Tonight she felt free. With a sexual appetite and playfulness she hadn’t felt for a long time.
She couldn’t swear that what she planned had never happened in the church, people being what they were. But it had never happened in the church before with her and Jim.
Laughter spilled out of her mouth, and she only stopped because she was breathless from an overload of excitement. The need to experience something more with her husband had been building inside her for a long time. Now it was finally boiling over – leaving her lightheaded and unlike her usual self.
She liked these feelings. Liked this side of her a lot.
When she’d stepped out of the car tonight and looked up at the stars, something happened. Something changed. For so long, she’d been carrying a dark weight around with her. Going through the days and nights trying to say and do all the right things, when inside something had felt all wrong.
She’d lost the joy in her life. Hadn’t been fully living...just going through the motions. At only thirty-six, she’d felt old and dried up.
Now she felt young again. Free.
Jim wouldn’t know what happened to his proper wife.
She reached the church’s back door, using it instead of the front entrance because she didn’t want anyone passing by to see her. Not that there was anything wrong with going to see her husband. But if anyone mentioned her late night visit, her face would probably turn the color of a ripe tomato and give away what they’d done.
She slipped the key into the lock but it turned easily. She stepped inside. Jim must’ve come in this way and forgotten to lock the door behind him. He was always preoccupied with his work and his parishioners.
She admired that. She did. But once in a while, she wanted his mind, plus a few body parts, to be on her.
And not just when her body temperature was right for conception.
She started toward Jim’s office, and her heels clicked on the laminate floor that looked like wood. Laughing under her breath, she stopped and took them off. She wanted to give Jim a surprise he’d never forget. A good surprise. No. A wonderful surprise.
His door was closed. Habit, she supposed, since no one was here except him. She heard him speaking. Couldn’t make out the words. Just his voice. Probably saying lines from the sermon he was preparing. Then his voice stopped, and she imagined him frowning at his computer screen while he wrote the next line.
She started to undo the buttons of her coat, then decided it would be sexier to do it inside with him watching. Kind of like a stripper.
Stifling a giggle, she turned the handle and flung open the door.
“Surprise!”

Edie Ramer

Edie Ramer is funnier on the page than in real life. A multiple award-winning writer, she writes stories with heart, attitude and magic. She lives in southeastern Wisconsin with her husband, two dogs, and one important cat. She loves hearing from readers. 

***I’d love to give away an e-copy of STARDUST MIRACLE to a commenter. Can you think of a film or a book that made you laugh and cry and end with a smile?

Giveaway open through Wednesday, August 30!



11 comments:

  1. Oh, Edie, I am a sucker for a book or movie that can do these things. The last book that did that to me would have been Relentless Pursuit by Adrienne Giordano. The heroine was so self conscious of herself and I have been there so I could releate. The hero was a funny guy who didn't always try to be funny - he just couldn't help himself. Great emotional read. I am looking forward to reading Stardust Miracle. I really enjoyed your writing in Dead People (I recently downloaded Dead People in Love!). Thanks for the givewaway offer. Congrats on the book!

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    1. Amy, I read your review of Relentless Pursuit on Magical Musings, and it made me want to read Adrienne's book.

      I'm happy that you enjoyed Dead People! Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. Mary, thanks for having me as your guest today. It looks great!

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  3. Hi Edie, I'm such a sap, I cry at the oddest things, and not always when I'm "supposed to" cry. From the first voice over in "Out of Africa" I'm a goner. Laugh and cry, hmmm, that's a little different. A quick look at the DVD collection and, now don't cringe--Conair does it for me. For an action flick it's amazingly layered, and one of my favorites. In books GAAA there are just so many, and some I keep to reread when I need a cathartic. Pretty much anything by Theresa Weir...Loving Jenny is a sweet, sad, giggly book.
    And speaking of moody books (well I was going to speak of them!) are we going to get more of Dragon Blues?

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    1. Mona, I never saw Conair. I have the cable guy at my house right now, and I'm getting free movies from my provider. I'll have to check and see if it's available.

      I'm a Theresa Weir fan! I'll see if I have Loving Jenny. It doesn't sound familiar. If I don't, I'll buy it. Thanks!

      I still would love to write more Dragon Blues books, but for now I'm concentrating on my Miracle Interrupted books. But I actually do have ideas and a list of titles. I had fun making up those titles, and definitely want to used them.

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  4. Edie, I'm so glad you're here! Especially to talk about the compelling Stardust Miracle. You write so beautifully and tell such emotionally true stories. Thanks so much!

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    1. Mary, thanks and right back at you. You write fun books with depth, and not everyone can do that.

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  5. Hi Edie, all I can say is I am a cryer. It's just what I do. With that being said I can think of dozens of books and films that made my eyes leak. Laugh AND cry well that's The Notebook....book and film. The story just touches my heart each and every time I read/watch it. I look forward to reading Stardust Miracle. Thank you for doing a giveaway with your book. :D

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  6. Amanda, I'm happy to meet another cryer. I loved Marley and Me, because it started out making me laugh. Then I cried (a lot). And then I ended up laughing a lot. (I'm talking about the book; the movies wasn't as good.)

    Good luck in the giveaway!

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  7. Thank you to everyone who commented! The winner of Edie's giveaway is Amanda Engelkes. Amanda, congratulations! Please email me at mary@maryhughesbooks.com to claim your prize.

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  8. Congratulations, Amanda! And thanks again, Mary, for having me as a guest.

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