Author Interview & Giveaway: Covet by Terri Herman-Poncé

Covet
Past Life Series
Book 2
Terry Herman-Poncé


Amazon
About the Book:
Everyone wants something. Even if it belongs to someone else. And some will destroy the very thing they want, just so no one else can have it. 

Professional soldier David Bellotti's latest mission seems simple: steal the key card to a drug lord's compound so the empire can be infiltrated and destroyed. But when David discovers evidence of his lover Lottie’s possible infidelity, his mission turns personal. He searches for answers others would kill to keep buried and discovers a link to the past he's been trying hard to ignore.
Ancient lives, twelve thousand year old secrets, murder, and primal instincts lead David on a journey through past lives and present danger—all to save the woman he loves.
Find your way back through history, when hunter-gatherers roamed and David and Lottie's past incarnations began. 

Reviews:
-The Reading Café calls Covet, Book Two of the Past Life Series, "An amazing and fascinating storyline of suspense, mystery, betrayal, hatred and love."
-Author Deborah O’Neill Cordes calls this a reincarnation series of “page-turning mysteries… positively Hitchcockian in its ability to keep me guessing.”
-Amazon reviewers say this metaphysical story is “fascinating” with “non-stop suspense” and “an absolute treat”…“a heart-pounding thriller wrapped up inside a sizzling, sexy paranormal romance.”

Excerpt:
I blew out the entrance and took off, hustling through the panicked crowd. Another gun fired and police sirens sounded in the distance. I made a left down a small street then a right into an alley, jumping a garbage can, hurtling over a short wall, and disappearing into the neighborhood. 
If Galen didn't make it to our backup rendezvous point, I had to get to the safe house and that was five miles away. And right now, I had no idea if Galen and Lady in Blue were still alive.
I skidded past a corner, wondering if I should take the chance and call an alert into HQ, when I heard screeching tires. I backed up, pressed myself against a wall, and realized who it was. Galen in a Toyota. He threw open the passenger door and I jumped in, slamming the door shut as Galen jammed the gas pedal.
“You get it?” he asked, swerving through a turn then dropping our speed so we didn’t draw attention.
I nodded. “Is Lady in Blue okay?”
Galen hugged another turn. “She will be. She came to when the gunshots were fired.”
I blew out a sigh of relief. It wasn't the first time a distraction job had taken a bad turn, but it was still a worry. “And the cops?”
“All at the nightclub. But we will have to lose the car.” He used his cell phone and dialed our contact, making arrangements for cleanup.
I pulled out Sahin’s wallet and lifted the keycard. “Payday,” I said, holding it up.
“Mommie Dearest says we should leave the wallet and card with the car.” Galen disconnected the call. “They will pick it all up at the Starbucks near the safe house in ten minutes.”
I drew in a breath and held it, forcing my heart and my lungs to calm down. Another close call. I loved this stuff.
“You love this stuff way too much,” Galen said, glancing my way.
I had known Galen all of three months, and he was far too good at reading my mind already. I was trying to get my head wrapped around the fact that we were connected in a way that didn't make sense, but that didn't mean I had to like it. Ignoring him, I sank into the seat, letting the adrenalin wear off.
“Let’s see what else we’ve got on this guy.” Inside his wallet I found a black American Express, a MasterCard, and over five thousand Euros in the billfold. A picture was tucked in with his identification. I pulled it out and held it up to catch the light from passing street lamps. 

It was a photo of the love of my life kissing another man.

Amazon 

PRFL would like to extend a very warm welcome to Terri Herman-Poncé, author of Covet. Terri, to begin, can you tell us who or what most influenced you to become a writer?

My best friend influenced me the most. I started out writing Star Trek: The Next Generation fanfiction almost 18 years ago (wow, has time passed!) and that’s where I met her. She beta-read all my stuff (and still does) and one day encouraged me to spread my wings and write something of my own. I haven’t looked back since.

If you were to be left alone on an island, what three books would you take with you?
How to Build a Boat from Nothing
Wait. You want a serious answer? I’ll have to get back to you on that. J

What are your most and least favorite movie genres?
I love, love, LOVE anything suspense. The more it grabs me by the throat, the more I’m hooked. My least favorite? Well, I’d have to say I don’t really have a least favorite, though I’ll admit that I don’t understand any movies with British humor. It goes right over my head!

If you could choose any man for your next book cover, who would he be?
David Gandy. Hands down. Or, in my case, hands ALL OVER.

When you are on a deadline, what aspect of your ‘regular’ life suffers most?
Oh boy. Well, I’ve recently gotten rights back to all my books and I’m self-published. So any deadlines are self-inflicted. Which means my sanity suffers the most.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?
Write true to your heart. Write what you’re passionate about. Write what feels right for you.

When reading for pleasure, do you prefer a physical or electronic book?
I prefer physical books, but my bookshelf is now full so I’ve had to buy a Kindle. As much as I love the technology, I gotta say that I miss holding paper in my hands.

From the first stroke of a pen (or laptop), how long did it take you get published?
18 years. 18 long, long years before I found a publisher. Now if that’s not an example of stick-to-itiveness, I don’t know what is!

Did you ever feel like calling it quits?
Never! Can you believe it? I’m having so much fun creating my own worlds. Storytelling is my drug, and I’m hooked. I can’t imagine a day without it.

What did you do when you got your first contract?
I think I blinked at the laptop, thinking this can’t be right. Then my husband and I opened a bottle of red wine. And then I told him this can’t be right.

Well, that was fun and thanks for the great questions! More than that, thanks so much for having me here today.

Thank you so much for joining us today, Terri. We really enjoyed the visit. Good luck and great sales with Covet. 

About the Author:

Terri looks for any opportunity to make stuff up. She thinks anything that can’t so easily be explained is worth an extra look and often makes a great story. She loves red wine, scotch, sunrises, Ancient Egypt, the beach—and a host of other stuff that would take too much real estate to talk about. The youngest of five children, Terri lives with her husband and son on Long Island. And, in her next life, if she hasn’t moved on to somewhere else, she wants to be an astronomer. Terri’s fascinated with the night skies almost as much as she’s fascinated with ancient Egypt.
Terri is a member of member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.  

Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Spotlight Giveaway:
A copy of Covet to one lucky commenter on this blog site.

Author Interview & Giveaway: In This Life by Terri Herman-Poncé

In This Life
Past Life Series
Book 1
Terri Herman-Poncé 

Pages: 228
Publication Date: April 17, 2014
(second edition)




About the Book:

Hidden memories. Buried secrets. Resurrected revenge. 

Psychologist Lottie Morgan knows something is wrong when she relives memories of a lover she's never had. At first she attributes them to fever-induced dreams. But when the fever disappears and the visions don’t, Lottie realizes something else is going on. 

Then she meets Galen. Their first encounter is as intense as it is eye-opening, and his revelation that they shared a passionate relationship thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt entices Lottie into wanting to learn more about her past. Her decision, however, comes at a price. Galen may hold the answers but he could destroy the devoted, lifelong relationship Lottie has with her current lover, David.

It also could mean her death—again.

Someone is protecting millennia-old secrets, determined to keep them buried while exacting a revenge on Lottie for a mistake made a very long time ago. A mistake she could be destined to repeat.

Take a trip to mysterious ancient Egypt, where Lottie becomes caught between two lifetimes, two men, and long-buried deceptions. Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha, Anthony and Macavity-winning author, calls this paranormal suspense about reincarnation and finding your soul mate "Inventive, original and thought-provoking; this mystically romantic mystery will instantly intrigue."

Reviews:

-WiLoveBooks on this psychic mystery and getting a second chance: “Riveting…had trouble putting the book down.”
-The Reading Café calls this historical, vengeful suspense: “Fast paced, well-written…amazing.”
-Hesperia Loves Books about this metaphysical romance: “evocative, sensual, engaging…thoroughly addictive.”
-Book Chick City: “A great read…a fabulous balance between paranormal and mystery.”

Amazon

PRFL would like to extend a very warm welcome to Terri Herman-Poncé, author of In This Life. Terri, to begin, can you tell us where you're from, and where/whom did your love for writing come from? 

I grew up in Queens, New York and hated reading and writing growing up. H-A-T-E-D it. I now live on Long Island and L-O-V-E it. Funny how life can turn around sometimes. For a long while I adored watching Star Trek: The Next Generation. In fact, I fell in love with one of the characters so bad that I started creating scenes in my head about him. I wanted to write him in my own way, and have him experience things that were special to me instead of what was special to the writers of the series. So, I started writing fan fiction and that’s where my love of writing originated. I guess, you’d say, I boldly went where I wanted to go.

Can you say that your journey to publication was difficult? If so, what were the hardest moments to get through?

I wouldn’t say it was difficult but long. I’ve had it in my head for a very long time that writing isn’t easy. Probably because, when I studied under Jennifer Crusie, she once said that if the writing feels easy you’re doing it wrong. But I’ve been writing for about 18 years and I didn’t get published until almost two years ago. I figure, at this rate, I’ve got about another 5 years to become an overnight success. ;-)

How do you overcome I-suck-at-this, that little voice in your head that tells you your writing isn’t good enough?
I get up and sucker punch that little voice as far away as possible. It’s a stupid voice anyway because it tries to undermine my passion for writing.

What is your dream vacation?
I’d love to visit Bali and Italy, but in all honesty my perfect place is anywhere there’s a beach and warm sand. Ummm, and a bottle of red wine. That’s probably why I love Long Island so much. Some of my favorite times are spent sitting by the shore, listening to the waves break and the seagulls sing while sipping on a wonderful Merlot.

Describe your writing style in five words.
Push it to the limits.

What movies are you currently excited to see?
Sigh. I haven’t been to a movie in a movie theater in a long time, but I’m itching to see Gone Girl when it comes out. I LOVED the book, and I’d like to see how they play it up on the big screen. That’s one book I wished I’d written myself!

What are you currently reading?
Ohhh, I just got into Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper. Not sure what I think about the story yet, because I’ve only just started it. But I gotta say, Albom really has a unique way of telling a tale.

If you weren’t a writer, what other careers would you pursue?
Queen of the Universe. Seriously.

If you could create a holiday of your own, what would it be called?
Let’s Be Nice to Each Other Day. Because, in my mind, the world could use more nice.

What are two of your pet-peeves?
Please don’t leave your garbage on the train. It’s a train, not a trash can.
If you’re going to chew gum, please chew it with your mouth closed.

To you, what makes a good story?
Conflict. Tension. Forcing characters into increasingly difficult situations that test their nature. That’s reading and writing nirvana to me. If you make it easy for the characters, you’re going to deliver a yawn-worthy book.

What usually turns you off about a story?
Lack of conflict. Lack of tension. Characters given the easy route. I’ll usually give a book a page or two to grab me, which is why I rely on Amazon’s Look Inside feature. That’s the place where I make all my book buying decisions.

If you could collaborate with any author, who would you choose, and why?
Robert Crais. He’s my writing idol and an author who, in my opinion, really knows how to tell a story. So, uh, Robert? You out there? Call me…

What is on your night stand?
It ain’t a book, I can tell you that! My cell phone. Television remote. Lip balm. Lamp. And post-its for middle-of-the-night creative sparks!

What is your favorite book?
Anything by Robert Crais. You hear that Robert? Call me…

Thanks for having me here today! I truly had a great time! And, to share the fun I’d love to give away a copy of IN THIS LIFE to one lucky commenter. So go on…give it your best. I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you so much for joining us today, Terri. We really enjoyed the visit. Good luck and great sales with In This Life. 

About the Author:

Terri looks for any opportunity to make stuff up. She thinks anything that can’t so easily be explained is worth an extra look and often makes a great story. She loves red wine, scotch, sunrises, Ancient Egypt, the beach—and a host of other stuff that would take too much real estate to talk about. The youngest of five children, Terri lives with her husband and son on Long Island. And, in her next life, if she hasn’t moved on to somewhere else, she wants to be an astronomer. Terri’s fascinated with the night skies almost as much as she’s fascinated with ancient Egypt.
Terri is a member of member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.

Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Giveaway:
A copy of In This Life to one lucky commenter on this blog site.