Virtual Book Tour + #Giveaway: The Star Rider Universe series by Heidi Skarie @HeidiSkarie @GoddessFish

THE STAR RIDER UNIVERSE SERIES

by Heidi Skarie

GENRE: Science Fiction

The Star Rider Universe Series

Blurb:

Can a small band of heroes save their world from a ruthless interplanetary conqueror?

The Star Rider series is an exciting space opera series that takes place in a distant galaxy during an intergalactic war. The first three books are about two undercover operatives, Toemeka and Erling, and their friends, lovers, and enemies as they fight for the freedom of their world.

The next three books are about Toemeka and Erling’s young adult children as the war continues and a new generation is pulled into the struggle for peace.

You'll love this thrilling series if you like stories that take place in other worlds with feisty heroines, brave heroes, space battles, and starships.

Star Rider on the Razor’s Edge

THE STAR RIDER UNIVERSE #1

BLURB:

He wanted to rule the stars. He shouldn’t have murdered her family…

Toemeka Ganti won’t rest until the universe is rid of the sinister sorcerer-deity who killed her parents. Working undercover to liberate a peaceful people from his ruthless usurper, she attempts to develop a weapon that can break through the tyrant’s shields. But she’s barely begun her work when she’s captured by the despot’s dark agents.Rescued by a mysterious and handsome warrior-priest, Toemeka and her team join forces with the planetary resistance. But without her device to knock out the enemy defenses, their budding rebellion could swiftly be crushed. And her time to complete it has almost run out…

Can Toemeka free an oppressed planet and light a spark of hope throughout the galaxy?

Star Rider on the Razor’s Edge is the electrifying first book in the Star Rider space opera series. If you like feisty heroines, high-tech weapons, and courageous crews, then you’ll love Heidi Skarie’s thrilling saga.

Excerpt:

From Book 1 Star Rider on the Razor’s Edge, A Space Opera Adventure

Toemeka raced through the dense, ominous forest, pursued by Talon soldiers and their vicious hounds. More hounds rushed out from behind trees. Saliva and blood dripped from their fangs as they growled and stalked her from all directions.

Toemeka jerked awake, her heart pounding and body shaking. Only a nightmare, she reassured herself, drawing a deep breath to control the anxiety. She felt awful - hung over and thickheaded. Not knowing where she was, Toemeka shoved a damp lock of hair off her aching forehead and sat up. In a nearby berth less than five feet away lay Michio, sleeping soundly.

Distorted memories of the previous evening sprung to mind. Hammering music. A snake slithering around a man’s neck. Rochambeau shot. The smell of a ship burning. She wasn’t sure what was real and what was an illusion caused by the drug.

Monitors along one wall dimly lit the room. The low drone of engines and a distinct vibration suggested she was on a starship or perhaps a space station. Stars and planets shone as dots of light in the blackness of space when she looked out the porthole. Most likely a space station with simulated gravity, she decided.

She pushed the silver space blanket off her clammy body and slid off the berth. Her bare feet hit the cool floor. She took a soft step, swayed unsteadily and threw out a hand, pressing it against the wall to regain her balance. Michio’s brown leather jacket hung from a hook on the wall. She crept quietly towards it in hopes of finding his energy gun.

Michio rolled over; she froze. once his breathing became regular again, she thrust her hand into the jacket pocket. empty, but something heavy clunked against the wall. Underneath the jacket hung his gun belt. Her hand closed around the solid handle of a Juggernaut 50, a powerful energy gun; she pulled it from its holster.

The berth creaked. She swung around and aimed the Jug 50 at Michio as he leaped out of the berth. He coiled before her like a huka panther ready to spring, radiating self-confidence. He had the muscular body of a warrior and seemed taller and more dangerous than he’d appeared when asleep. He wore nothing but loose-fitting silk sleeping pants that hugged his taut stomach.

Blast it! Why did she feel vulnerable when she was the one holding the Jug 50? Then it hit her. The weapon was of little use because she would never shoot someone who might be an ally. “Stay where you are!” she exclaimed.

He studied her with piercing eyes. “I see you’re finally awake.”

She held out her free hand. “Give me the Viper’s keyless remote.”

He scowled. “Are you crazy? Do you think I’m just going to let you steal my ship and leave me stranded in space?”

“I’m sure you know someone who will come get you. Now give me the remote or I’ll blast a hole in your thigh.” Feeling weak and nauseated, she locked her knees, afraid her strength would give out.

“So this is what I get for risking my life to rescue you.” His stance remained guarded.

“If you were rescuing me, you won’t mind taking me back to my apartment.”

He shook his head. “It’s no longer safe for you there.”

“I’ll decide what’s safe and what isn’t.”

“Fine,” he snapped, “but I need to get dressed before we go anywhere.” He reached for his clothes hanging on the hook behind her.

“Stay back. I’ll hand them to you.”

“Don’t push me. And put the Jug 50 away before one of us gets hurt.”

“Not likely.” She kept the gun trained on him, then turned to snatch his clothes off the hook.

He sprang, knocking her backwards, slamming her right arm against the wall. The gun discharged with a flare of light as it flew out of her hand and onto a berth. She pushed against his unyielding chest.

He pinned her against the wall. “Now will you listen to reason?” His eyes flared with fury.

Interview with Heidi Skarie

How many books have you written and which is your favorite?

I’ve written eight books. I love the first book in the Star Rider Series, Star Rider on the Razor’s Edge, because it was what inspired me to become a writer. I had a series of six dreams that was like watching an action-packed space opera movie taking place on another planet during an interplanetary war. I liked the story so much I decided to learn how to write a novel and my writing career took off from there.

If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plan for it?

After writing Star Rider on the Razor’s Edge, I wrote five more books in the series. I just published Golden Cord of Light about the next generation. In the story, Morisa and Everette must put aside their differences long enough to join forces to keep a dangerous sorcerer from destroying their planet I’m currently working on the seventh book in the series, Heir to Jaipar. Morisa and Everette are drawn back into the war when their family and friends are in trouble and interplanetary war threatens.

Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between the books?

The novels in the Star Rider Universe are all interconnected. The first three are about members of the Coalition of free nations who are at war against a powerful interplanetary conqueror. The next four books are about their chi dren who continue the fight for freedom. However, each book can be enjoyed on its own,

How did you come up with the title of your book? I originally titled the first book in the series The Razor’s Edge. One day I was walking by a theater marquee and saw my title on it. That’s when I discovered there already was a famous book with that title by Somerset Maugham I decided to keep the words razor’s edge and add Star Rider to it since Star Rider is my main character’s code name. The title became Star Rider on the Razor’s Edge.

How long did it take you to write this book?

When I started the series it took me years to write a book. Now I can co plete a book in about a year.

What does the title mean?

The title of my most recent book in the Golden Cord of Light series refers to the bond of love between the characters that enables them to band together to save themselves and defeat their enemies.

What did you learn when writing the book? I always do research when writing a novel. I studied what it would be like to live in space and what it might be like to live on another planet. I research ideas for a futuristic world with space travel and different life forms. I also learn about people as I write about them. What their goals and dreams are and what motivates them.

What surprised you the most?

How engaging and fun it is to create your own world and the people in it.

Have you ever killed off a character your readers loved?

No, though in the rough draft of the current book I’m writing I killed off an important character. Now I’m debating if I want to let him live and use him in a future book. It’s hard to kill off characters that you’re come to love. I did kill a beloved pet in one of the books, but the animal shows up inwardly to talk to one of the characters from time to time.

What do you do to get inside your character’s head?

I create a background for them and think about how they would have developed as a result of that background. In my latest book, Golden Cord of Light, the main character is new to the series. When she was five, she was given to a monastery to be raised after it was discovered she had highly-valued psychic power. Training for the priesthood is all she’s ever known and she’s embraced that goal, but now she has to leave the monastery and enter a new life. This becomes a source of tension between her and E erette who was raised with a completely different background and understanding of life.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Heidi Skarie is the author of the Sci-Fi, Space Opera series The Star Rider Universe. The sixth book in the series, Golden Cord of Light is a new release and the seventh is coming out in 2024. She was inspired to write Star Rider on the Razor’s Edge after having a series of six dreams that was like watching a movie.

Heidi Skarie loves writing and creating stories. She especially enjoys writing science fiction and fantasy because it allows for creativity, imagination, and freedom of ideas. All inventions come from a feeling or dream of possibilities that can later manifest like computers, cell phones, zoom calls, and self-driving cars. She vividly remembers the amazing day when Neil Armstrong took his first step on the moon and the possibility of space travel became a reality.

Skarie teaches classes on writing and has spoken on podcasts, radio, and television.

She lives in Minnetonka, MN with her husband, Jim, and their cat, Lucky. To find out more about her journey as a writer visit her website and blog.

Connect with Heidi Skarie

Website/blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

 

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon GC

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