Edie Ramer's Blog, page 26

Excerpt – The Gifts by Linda S. Prather

I'm happy to share an excerpt from The GIFTS, a Jacoby Ives Mystery by Linda S. Prather. Sarah Burns had escaped to Glade Springs, West Virginia to hide from her past.  Cursed with what her grandmother called "The Gift," her dreams often warned her of things to come.  This time the message had been for Sarah.  Someone was coming and she was no longer safe from her past.

Five minutes later, Sarah grimaced as she slammed down the phone. The call to Doc had done no more than raise additional questions. Although Johanna smelled of alcohol, blood tests revealed she had not been drinking. Sarah knew there was something else. Something Doc had not told her. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it was there. She'd have to go see him in person, take a look at the autopsy report, and find out what he was hiding. The knock on her door did nothing to improve her mood.

"Come in."

"Everything okay?"

"Just fine," Sarah muttered sarcastically. "Doc says Johanna wasn't drinking."

Joshua seated himself comfortably in the old armchair Sarah had purchased at a yard sale.

"Don't surprise me none. Never knew that girl to take a drink."

"Then what the hell happened out there, Joshua? What am I supposed to tell her parents?"

Joshua shrugged, chewing a toothpick. A habit he'd taken up when he'd stopped smoking three years ago.

"You'd better put something on that burn."

Sarah glanced down at her hand. She'd almost forgotten about burning herself that morning. The skin was now a fiery red.

"It's not that bad. Did you need something?" Sarah wanted to be alone. She rubbed her temples. Everything seemed to be off kilter.

"Just worried about you. You look a little pale. Maybe you should have Doc take a look at that hand."

Sarah stopped rubbing her temples. Genius. A perfect excuse to pick the old doctor's brain. "Yeah, I'll do that. But I'm fine, really. Nikki hasn't been sleeping well lately, so, of course, neither have I."

"I'm afraid you're not gonna sleep too well in the next couple of weeks, either." Joshua tossed a mystery novel on her desk. "Know him?"

Sarah glanced at the novel. "G. C. McAllister?" She read the title, A Jacody Ives Mystery – Pool of Tears. "No, I've never heard of him." She glanced from the book to Joshua.

"Got a reputation for being a pretty ruthless bastard. Fancies himself as some kind of private detective like his character. Travels around to small towns looking for secrets. Digs around until he finds a good story. Rumor has it he's destroyed a lot of lives."

Sarah frowned. "What does that have to do with us?"

"He just made a reservation at The Lodge. Be here two weeks from today."

Sarah felt the blood drain from her face. She forgot about Johanna, forgot the burn on her hand, and the need to talk to Doc Hawthorne. The dying words of a tortured soul seemed to echo in the room.

He's coming, Sarah. He wants to destroy you.

Buy the book: Amazon U.S. AmazonUK Barnes & Noble Smashwords

Read more about Linda and her books here.

DaSample – The Gifts by Linda S. Prather

I'm happy to share an excerpt from The GIFTS, a Jacoby Ives Mystery by Linda S. Prather. Sarah Burns had escaped to Glade Springs, West Virginia to hide from her past.  Cursed with what her grandmother called "The Gift" her dreams often warned her of things to come.  This time the message had been for Sarah.  Someone was coming and she was no longer safe from her past.

Enjoy the excerpt!

Five minutes later, Sarah grimaced as she slammed down the phone. The call to Doc had done no more than raise additional questions. Although Johanna smelled of alcohol, blood tests revealed she had not been drinking. Sarah knew there was something else. Something Doc had not told her. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it was there. She'd have to go see him in person, take a look at the autopsy report, and find out what he was hiding. The knock on her door did nothing to improve her mood.

"Come in."

"Everything okay?"

"Just fine," Sarah muttered sarcastically. "Doc says Johanna wasn't drinking."

Joshua seated himself comfortably in the old armchair Sarah had purchased at a yard sale.

"Don't surprise me none. Never knew that girl to take a drink."

"Then what the hell happened out there, Joshua? What am I supposed to tell her parents?"

Joshua shrugged, chewing a toothpick. A habit he'd taken up when he'd stopped smoking three years ago.

"You'd better put something on that burn."

Sarah glanced down at her hand. She'd almost forgotten about burning herself that morning. The skin was now a fiery red.

"It's not that bad. Did you need something?" Sarah wanted to be alone. She rubbed her temples. Everything seemed to be off kilter.

"Just worried about you. You look a little pale. Maybe you should have Doc take a look at that hand."

Sarah stopped rubbing her temples. Genius. A perfect excuse to pick the old doctor's brain. "Yeah, I'll do that. But I'm fine, really. Nikki hasn't been sleeping well lately, so, of course, neither have I."

"I'm afraid you're not gonna sleep too well in the next couple of weeks, either." Joshua tossed a mystery novel on her desk. "Know him?"

Sarah glanced at the novel. "G. C. McAllister?" She read the title, A Jacody Ives Mystery – Pool of Tears. "No, I've never heard of him." She glanced from the book to Joshua.

"Got a reputation for being a pretty ruthless bastard. Fancies himself as some kind of private detective like his character. Travels around to small towns looking for secrets. Digs around until he finds a good story. Rumor has it he's destroyed a lot of lives."

Sarah frowned. "What does that have to do with us?"

"He just made a reservation at The Lodge. Be here two weeks from today."

Sarah felt the blood drain from her face. She forgot about Johanna, forgot the burn on her hand, and the need to talk to Doc Hawthorne. The dying words of a tortured soul seemed to echo in the room.

He's coming, Sarah. He wants to destroy you.

Buy the book: Amazon U.S. AmazonUK Barnes & Noble Smashwords

Read more about Linda and her books here.

Sample Sunday – Dead People excerpt

My excerpt this week is from DEAD PEOPLE. I've posted excerpts from it before, but I've been avoiding one in my hero's POV. Luke is a songwriter and a former rocker. He uses language that might be offensive to some people. It's authentic to his character, so it would feel wrong to avoid using it. The other characters in this scene are Tricia, the part-time housekeeper, and Cassie, the ghost therapist heroine. And the ghost, of course. She wouldn't like it if I forgot her. And when she gets mad, she gets nasty.

So, here's Luke, bad language and all.

The door to Luke's studio burst open. Tricia tore inside, sliding to a stop a few inches away from where he sat in front of his synthesizer. "The ghost—" She panted, a hand splayed over her breastbone. "It's throwing things."

He jumped to his feet. "Where?"

"The family room."

Dread formed a lead ball in his stomach. "Cassie," he snapped. "Where is she?"

"She's there. With the ghost. She—"

He tore past Tricia, running as if a gold medal were at stake.

"Don't go without arming yourself," she yelled.

He didn't answer, not even to ask how he could hurt a ghost. If there was a ghost. Maybe it was a trick Cassie was playing. Something to make him pay more money.

Maybe her readiness to give him back the money had been a pretense, a trick. Maybe she was acting.

He hoped so. He fucking hoped so.

He thundered down the stairs, Tricia's panicky voice behind him. "I'll call 911."

"No!" He raced down the stairway three steps at a time. What was Tricia planning on telling the cops? That a ghost was throwing things?

He reached the first floor and flat out ran. He busted into the family room just as one of his Marsdon prints flew off the wall toward a mound of cushions and pillows on the couch.

Cassie. She was beneath the cushions. She was okay.

A print lashed toward him. He leapt out of the way and it smashed against the wall behind him, wood splintering.

"Luke!" Tricia screamed from the hallway. "Get out of there!"

Cassie peeked through two pillows at him. Something out of place on the cream-colored pillow caught his eye. A bright red blob.

Blood.

Cassie's blood.

"Stop!" he shouted, adrenaline rushing through his veins.

"You stop!" a woman's voice shouted back. Shrill and edged. Not Cassie, not Tricia.

"Isabel!" Cassie's head emerged turtle-like from the pillows, her hair half covering one eye. No blood. Then she lifted her hand to push away the hair, and red streaked across her forehead.

The acid taste of fear burned his stomach.

Cassie scrambled out of the belly of the couch, holding a cushion in front of her chest. Instead of racing to him, she looked at the wall where the pictures had been. "You heard us talking in the library, didn't you? You're upset about what I said."

Isabel screamed, and waves of anger reverberated off the denuded walls of the room. Running again, Luke lowered his head. He reached Cassie and his shoulder plowed into her stomach. Her breath whooshed out and he slung over his right shoulder, like a sack of sand. Then he ran again, back to the doorway.

"I hate you!" Isabel screamed. "I hate you."

With every running step, Cassie's head bobbed against his back, her breasts cushioning against his shoulder blades. Any second Isabel could throw something at her.

He'd made Cassie a fucking target.

Buy the book for only $2.99: Amazon U.S., Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords

DaSample – Daily Author Excerpts

Last month, David Wisehart from Kindle Author started Sample Sunday for indie and self-published authors. We've had 3 Sample Sundays, each one has been fun, and each time my blog stats have gone up and I've seen a bump in my sales. I decided to share the fun, so I'm posting samples from other writers on my blog each weekday. A few other writers are joining me. We're calling it DaSample, which stands for Daily Sample. When you see #DaSample think of a guy with a Chicago accent saying "Da Sample."

If you'd like me to post your sample, please email me at edie@edieramer.com with an excerpt between 500-1000 words, your website link, where to buy links, a set-up or a blurb or both, a short bio if you want, and an attachment with your cover image.

Once it's up, tweet  about it. Give the link, your book title, use the hashtag #DaSample, and ask for a retweet. This is an example of one I might use: #DaSample excerpt from CATTITUDE http://bit.ly/hNLUuK #Kindle #books #Nook #cats Please RT!

The other writers posting a daily sample are Elizabeth Osorio-Reyes, Joleene Naylor, Linda S. Prather, Valerie Maarten, and Ashlynn Monroe. Be sure to stop off and check out their blogs. We'll do this for the month of January, and maybe beyond that. I have advice here on how to choose your excerpt.

Last year was an exciting time for me and for many writer friends. I have a feeling this year will be even better!

What is DaSample?

Last month, David Wisehart from Kindle Author started Sample Sunday for indie and self-published authors. We've had 3 Sample Sundays, each one has been fun, and each time my blog stats have gone up and I've seen a bump in my sales. I decided to share the fun, so I'm posting samples from other writers on my blog each weekday. A few other writers are joining me. We're calling it DaSample, which stands for Daily Sample. When you see #DaSample think of a guy with a Chicago accent saying "Da Sample."

If you'd like me to post your sample, please email me at edie@edieramer.com with an excerpt between 500-1000 words, your website link, where to buy links, a set-up or a blurb or both, a short bio if you want, and an attachment with your cover image.

Once it's up, tweet  about it. Give the link, your book title, use the hashtag #DaSample, and ask for a retweet. This is an example of one I might use: #DaSample excerpt from CATTITUDE http://bit.ly/hNLUuK #Kindle #books #Nook #cats Please RT!

The other writers posting a daily sample are Elizabeth Osorio-Reyes, Joleene Naylor, Linda S. Prather, Valerie Maarten, and Ashlynn Monroe. Be sure to stop off and check out their blogs. We'll do this for the month of January, and maybe beyond that. I have advice here on how to choose your excerpt.

Last year was an exciting time for me and for many writer friends. I have a feeling this year will be even better!

Excerpt "how to"

I wrote a column on The How To Write Shop a couple of weeks ago on using excerpts as a selling tool. I'll soon be posting excerpts from other writers here, so this is kind of my instruction sheet. One writer told me that her excerpts were really long, that "Short ones don't give you hardly any idea of what the book is about."

Here's the first lesson: The excerpt doesn't have to tell what the book is about. It just has to be interesting. It has to make the reader want to read more. Think of a movie trailer, where they show you the interesting bits. Same thing. You've probably seen an actor on a talk show, and just before they show a clip of the actor's latest movie, the actor tells what it's about. He does a set-up. A lot of writers don't do a set-up, but you can see that I did very short set-ups on my Sample Sunday excerpts for the first and second weeks. On the third one, I just put up a logline describing my book. I also posted the price, because I thought $0.99 was a selling point and I wanted to get that up there right away. If one of my posters needs something longer, I could put up the book's blurb.

Second: End the excerpt at a place where you'll keep the reader wanting to find out what's going to happen next. (But you already knew that, right?)

Third: Length. I don't have the time or the inclination to read long excerpts when I'm at the computer. Try to make it 1-2 pages long. If it's mostly all dialogue, with a lot of white space, that will read quicker and could be longer.

Fourth: It's better not to use an excerpt from your first scene. By the time the reader gets around to reading the book, if she read the first chapter already it will seem familiar and she might wonder if she read the book before. Even if she's sure she hasn't, it feels as though she has, and she might put it aside and read something else.

Fifth: If you're posting excerpts at different places, try to put up a new one each time. People will be more likely to follow you if they see that you're putting up something new. And if they didn't buy the first time, the second or third excerpt might persuade them to click that Buy button.

Sixth: I'll post Buy information at the end of the excerpt. So if this is an e-book, give me links to the places where your e-books are selling and your website, plus the price. Also, it would be helpful to send the cover as an attachment. Just a reminder to send me a set-up if you need one, and/or a short blurb or logline.

I can't think of anything else. If you do–or if you disagree with anything I said–let me know in the comments. Happy writing!

Sample Sunday #3

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday. My Sample Sunday excerpt is from CATTITUDE, about a cat who switches bodies with a woman and keeps her cat attitude, even as someone tries to kill her and she falls in love with her former owner. It's on sale at most online places for only 99 cents. Enjoy!

"You don't know how to read, do you?"

Belle's head snapped up. Max leaned against the doorway, watching her. Gladness welled up from her stomach to her throat, plugging words from coming out. She'd missed him. After dinner last night, Max disappeared into his office and was still there when she went to sleep in his bed.

For four years, she'd slept with him and now she was sleeping by herself. She didn't like it. Not at all.

Where was Sorcha? She wanted her cat body back.

"Can you read?" he asked again.

She swallowed too fast and tuna caught in her throat, though it was nothing compared to a hairball. She coughed and grabbed the glass of milk she'd poured for herself. For a moment she'd forgotten she was expected to answer when he spoke to her. "No."

He straightened and strolled into the room. "Tuna? For breakfast?"

Belle nodded. Why did everyone think tuna for breakfast was odd? It was delicious.

"Is this a craving? You're not pregnant, are you?"

Belle choked. "No!"

"You honestly can't read?" He flattened one palm on the table and leaned over her.

She nodded. Did he think she lied? Well, when necessary, of course.

"If you're here long enough, I'll see that you get help."

"I'll be here." Forever. She'd be here forever.

Max continued to gaze at her face. Unblinking, she stared back into his blue eyes, the same color of the sky when the sun was the highest.

"What else can't you do?"

She shrugged. Admitting she couldn't do something soured the tuna in her stomach.

"Do you remember how to drive a car?"

Belle blinked several times. The only time she went in the car with Max was to the vet, imprisoned inside a carrier, yowling the whole time. But she'd seen people drive on TV. You stuck a key in a hole, turned it, stepped on a pedal on the floor, and the car moved forward.

She'd learned how to use the can opener. How much harder could driving a car be?

"Maybe."

"What about—" His lips clamped together, and he moved backward.

Why did Belle have an idea he was going to say "sex"? Maybe because the people in The Love Chronicles talked about it a lot. In fact, they talked about it a lot on all the TV shows she'd seen. When she was a cat, sex was boring. Now she looked at Max and thought hmmm.

She rose from her chair and stepped toward him. Was that what those tingles were about yesterday morning when he saw her in the bathtub? His gaze lowered to her breasts now, as if he were remembering too, and the tingles started again, like fireflies dancing over her skin.

Did she want to have sex with Max?

But cats didn't have sex with humans. Humans had sex with humans. If she had sex with Max, it could change her. Not her body, but the essence of cat that remained inside this human shell.

She stopped and wrapped her arms over her breasts, not liking this. She was used to doing whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. Now she wanted Max. But she couldn't have him.

Being human was awful. How did they stand it?

Buy online: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords

#SampleSunday 2

Today's excerpt from CATTITUDE. I lowered the price to $ 0.99 for the holidays and plan to raise it to $2.99 in January. The premise is that a cat changes bodies with a woman, and she keeps her cat attitude even as she falls in love with her former owner and someone is trying to kill her.

The set-up: This is the day after Belle's owner found her wandering in the road as a woman unable to speak. When she silently refused to go to a hospital, he took her into his home, where she quickly learns how to speak English:

Belle's brain ached from talking. Meowing was so much easier. Humans made everything difficult, even communication. So few words, so many meanings.

"You want to tell me about yourself?" Max asked.

She put a hand on the bruise on her forehead, just like Annette in today's TV show. "Amnesia." She'd practiced saying it while watching the show, the mmm sound easier than the nnn. "I have amnesia."

"Amnesia?" He looked at her with disbelief. "The only people I've heard of with amnesia are actors in bad TV shows. If you're afraid of someone, tell me. I'll protect you." His gaze shifted to her ring. "No matter what. You have my promise."

She nodded. Of course he'd protect her. She'd never thought anything different.

"Do you want to tell me?" He moved closer, bending, the same concentration in his blue eyes as when he was reading one of his travel books.

"Pretty eyes," she said.

He snapped back. "You don't need to flirt with me. I already told you I'll protect you."

"You have pretty eyes," she repeated. He also had a pretty face and body, but she decided not to say that.

What had she done wrong? Max told her all the time how pretty she was. "Pretty Belle." "Beautiful Belle." "Pretty kitty." She always liked it. Didn't humans like to be called nice things?

"Well, thanks." He shoved his hands in his pockets and backed up. "I'll order the pizza. You like garlic bread?"

She shook her head. She liked meat. Lots of meat.

"We'll probably eat in about a half hour." One corner of his mouth flicked up. "Don't go anywhere."

She shook her head. Where would she go? This was her home.

As soon as he left, she stretched, holding the position for a long moment. Then she rubbed her cheek against the pillow. It was soft and smelled of Max. Now her smells mingled with his, her cat body and her human body.

A knock rattled the door. A mewl came out of her mouth, the unfamiliar words forgotten for a second. The door opened before she remembered how to purse her lips and where to stick her tongue to tell whoever it was to come in. Unless it was Caroline. Her she would tell not to come in.

"You're decent? Too bad." Ted strolled inside, clothes draped over his arm. "Max said you're eating with us tonight. I thought you'd like a change of clothes." He tossed his armload of garments on the foot of the bed. "They're my sister's exercise clothes. They should stretch or shrink to fit you. Tory won't mind if you wear them."

Belle nodded. Tory liked her. Tory had wanted to take her to New York, but of course Belle couldn't go. This was her home. Why would she want to live anywhere else?

"I'll leave now." Ted glanced at his watch. "You have enough time to take a quick bath or a shower and change."

Watching him leave, Belle felt sick inside her stomach.

Bath? Shower?

No, no and no!

She wasn't going to do it. She refused to do it.

But if she didn't, they'd smell her. Cats groomed themselves all the time, but they didn't wash away their scents. Any animal knew scents were good. Water was for drinking. Inside the body, not outside.

Her mouth set. She threw back the covers, rolled out of bed, marched into the bathroom, knelt by the bathtub and turned on the faucets the way she'd seen Max do so often. Anything a human could do, a cat could do—no matter how disgusting and unnatural.

But she'd better find Sorcha and get her body back. Fast.

How many more indignities could she stand?

Buy online: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords

What's pink and fuzzy and friendly?

I'm hanging with the Pink Fuzzy Slipper Writers today, talking about my Wall of Heroines and a global village. Stop over and say hi if you get the chance.

More reviewer love & a no-cost-to-you way to help animals

[image error]My books have been getting reviewer love lately, and I'm sending it right back to the reviewers. At Paromantasy, the reviewer gave DEAD PEOPLE a five fang review. And Aimee at Coffee Table Press named me on her Follow Friday blog as the under-rated author that she thought everyone should know about. (I need a heart smilie!)

Today my books got triple love. First, Aimee at Coffee Table Press posted two teasers from DEAD PEOPLE for Teaser Tuesday. (Love Teaser Tuesday!) She also posted her review, which is the one she'd put on Amazon last week. And Monica at The Romance Readers Connection gave CATTITUDE a 4 1/2 rating and said it was "a fabulous read."

That's the first part of my blog. My second part is about animals. I have two dogs and one cat, and one of the places we regularly give to is the local animal shelter. On Amy Atwell's Magical Musings blog today, she said for each comment she receives, she'll donate $1 to the ASPCA, up to $250. She'll take comments through Friday, Dec. 17th. So, go comment and help a cute dog and cat.

You know what's making me happy today. What makes you happy today?