Terri Herman-Poncé's Blog: Terri Herman-Ponce, page 15
August 8, 2014
TWO DAYS ONLY 99c — IN THIS LIFE — “sensual, suspenseful, intriguing”
Cover art: G.S. Prendergast
When psychologist Lottie Morgan meets Galen, their encounter is as intense as it is eye-opening. Something about him is familiar. His looks. His words. His touch…
Lottie can’t resist the urge to know more about him, or the smoldering memories that surface every time he’s near. Only Galen’s keeping a dangerous secret, one linked to a life shared thousands of years ago. One that could destroy the relationship Lottie has with her current lover David.
One that is about to cost Lottie her life—again.
Take a trip to mysterious ancient Egypt, where powerful passions ignite and deadly deceptions begin. The Past Life Series starts here.
Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha, Anthony and Macavity-winning author, calls this paranormal suspense “inventive, original and thought-provoking; this mystically romantic mystery will instantly intrigue.”
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Copyright © 2012-2014 · All Rights Reserved · TerriPonce.com
Filed under: Stories Behind The Stories Tagged: Amazon, ancient Egypt, COVET, David Bellotti, In This LIfe, Kindle, kindle countdown deal, Lottie Morgan, paranormal, paranormal books, paranormal suspense, Past Life series, reincarnation, soul mate, suspense, Terri Herman, Terri Herman-Ponce, Terri Ponce
August 2, 2014
Hate 50 Shades? Then Read These Books Instead.
There are some really REALLY great reads on this list. Plus, it’s a fun chart to follow, figure out, or just lose yourself in.
Happy reading!
Originally posted on Nicholas C. Rossis:
Everyone complains about 50 Shades, but Teach.com did something about it. Enjoy its epic Inforgaphic, reposted by Rebecca Eisenberg from Upworthy as 101 Books To Read This Summer Instead of ’50 Shades of Grey’.
Infographic by Teach.com
Filed under: Stories Behind The Stories
July 27, 2014
Giving Up Control — it’s the hardest thing for me to do
Letting someone else do it their own way.
Recognizing that perfect doesn’t exist.
Understanding that no matter how much I try to change a situation,
it may very well never change.
I have a hard time giving up control. Well, in all honestly, I’ve gotten better at it but letting go of a situation or a thought so that it can work out the way it’s supposed to is sometimes difficult for me.
photo credit: symphony of love via photopin cc
This morning, I got up, did some laundry, organized the kitchen, and sat down at my laptop to work on more book revisions. Sounds like a reasonable morning, right? What I didn’t say was that the first thing I did was check my book sales.
It was a stupid thing to do and I know better than to check them every day (sometimes several times a day), but I just can’t help myself. Why? There’s this little thing inside me that’s somehow convinced that if I check the stats, it’ll change things. And that if I don’t check the stats, I’ll make sales fall out of favor for me, or in some way change the Path Of The Universe that will, in turn, jinx me.
I do this with other things, too. Another person may not clean the house the way I want to clean the house. Or fold the laundry the way I prefer. Or cook the way I cook…write the way I write…read the way I read…interpret the way I interpret.
Sensing a pattern here?
photo credit: symphony of love via photopin cc
The irony of wanting to control a situation or person is that you can’t and you know you can’t, and yet you still try. Last week I wrote a post about forgiveness, and in that post I talked about how we all come from our own personal space, and that if we are to forgive we have to understand that there is a middle ground somewhere to help us get to that forgiving place. Well, control is kind of like that, too. No matter how much I encourage (sometimes demand?) someone in the house to fold laundry a certain way, they’re going to do it the way they’re comfortable. Same thing with cooking a meal or editing a story or taking photos with a new camera…you get the picture. (ha! pun intended!)
More than that, there’s only so much you can control. As a writer, I can control what I write and how I write and when I write. I can control where I promote and how I promote and when I promote. After that? There’s not much else I can do. I can only sit back and hope that things turn out well and recognize that if they don’t, well, maybe there’s a Bigger, Better Master Plan out there for me. I just have to give it the time to work out, however it will be.
So what does this all mean? It means I’ve still got more learning to do, and with that accepting that trying to control is a freaky, silly thing that gets me nowhere. And somewhere in this semi-nugget of wisdom (that took me this entire post to figure out) is a mindful practice waiting to be integrated into my life…
…Like taking a deep breath the next time something isn’t going my way, sitting back, and just accepting the situation for what it is, knowing that I’ve done all I could.
And then focusing on what I can change and moving on.
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Copyright © 2012-2014 · All Rights Reserved · TerriPonce.com
Filed under: Stories Behind The Stories Tagged: control, Fate, human nature, mindfulness, perfection, writing
Conclusions from Smashword’s Survey: How to Sell your Books
Fabulous post for you writers out there. Nicholas takes the important points of Smashwords’s survey and makes them really hit home.
Originally posted on Nicholas C. Rossis:
All my author friends spend sleepless nights agonizing over one question: how can I best promote my books? Well, Smashwords recently attempted to answer that question through a survey examining what works and what doesn’t in terms of ebook sales. You can read the whole survey on the Smashwords blog, but, as always, I’ve made a helpful list of the most important (to me) points. So, here are the takeaways from the survey:
A few titles sell really well, and many don’t sell that well. However, a lot of Smashwords authors earn a good income from their books. This agrees with Hugh Howev’s Author Earning surveys.
It’s important to climb in sales ranks, as this leads to geometrically increased sales. This is what some people sometimes call reaching a critical mass of readers.
Readers prefer longer books. A few days ago, a reader gave me 4 stars for The Power of…
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Filed under: Stories Behind The Stories
July 20, 2014
Forgiveness – why it’s hard and how to make it easy
Forgiveness is a hard thing to define. Is it based on compassion? On letting go of revenge? On wanting to be right? On moving forward? Is it a combination of all these things, or something else entirely?
One of the hardest things humans must do sometimes is forgive. Maybe someone did you wrong, or lied to you, or criticized you. Maybe someone said something behind your back, or made a promise and broke it, or made you look bad in front of others. Whatever it is, it’s human nature to react to a perceived wrong done (and I’m not going to get into the heavy duty wrongs that are done, because that’s not what this post is about). It’s also human nature to want to right that perceived wrong, or hold onto angry feelings that drive vengeance so you can feel better.
Source: WANA Commons
One of the themes I write about in my stories is the power of forgiveness to perceived wrongs. Power being one operative word, and perceived being the other. See, we all come from our own personal space. And very often we forget that everyone else comes from their own personal space, too. We all have our pasts, and the people and events that influenced who we are today and will continue to influence us down the road. We have our own way of viewing life and the world and often forget our worldview isn’t the only one that exists. And it’s also not the only one that’s right.
As a writer, I’ve discovered that misunderstandings can be one of the greatest conflicts that can happen between characters. Character A says something because they see the world one way, and Character B misinterprets those words because they see the world altogether differently. And what happens? An argument ensues, sharp words are said, and both characters walk away hurt because of the misunderstanding.
It’s a common occurrence in real life, too.
So why is it so difficult to forgive? And how can we make it easier?
Source: WANA Commons; Amber West
It seems that when we’re hurt by someone else, we often judge the other person’s behavior from our own perspective. We blame the other person with every fault imaginable without taking into account that we have faults of our own. We may focus on the other person’s imperfections without recognizing we have them, too. We explain away our own behavior with excuses while giving the other person all the responsibility for what went wrong.
None of that is healthy. Or accurate.
So how do we better handle forgiveness? Believe it or not, for me, I’ve learned a few lessons from how my characters handle it. After a cooling off period, where they use the time to let emotions settle and mindfulness kick in, they put themselves in the other person’s shoes and try to understand where the person who ‘did them wrong’ is coming from. Then they talk it out. They don’t ignore feelings, or try to dismiss them, but instead accept that both sides have emotions, and sometimes volatile ones. Ego may play a part, too, and that can cloud what’s really going on. But, in the end, the characters recognize that forgiving doesn’t erase consequences. It doesn’t change what happened, but it can definitely change how things progress going forward.
copyright pfiesta
When all is said and done, I think it’s important to acknowledge that we’re all human and we all make mistakes, and that it’s unfair to expect perfection from everyone else when the other person we’re unhappy with is viewing us with the same kind of eyes.
So, the next time you’re feeling angry with or betrayed by someone? Take a deep breath. Take a step back. Take the time to accept the emotions for what they are – your reaction to an external event prompted by someone else who is also reacting and feeling emotion toward you. Then come together and talk it out.
And remember that forgiving is for you, not the other person. Because, in the end, it’s you who will benefit the most from doing it. It’s you who will find peace of mind and a way to let go and move on.
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Copyright © 2012-2014 · All Rights Reserved · TerriPonce.com
Filed under: Stories Behind The Stories Tagged: being right, forgiveness, forgiving, human nature
July 10, 2014
I’m An Extrovert – and I Love Being Alone
I love meeting people and talking with people and hanging out with people.
But I REALLY love being alone.
Jenny Kaczorowski | WANA Commons
It occurred to me recently, after a full day of work and spending all my time chatting and meeting and socializing, that there’s nothing better than kicking up my feet and just being by myself and all by myself.
I adore it. I crave it, in fact. See, I find peace in silence and solitude, and use that time to focus inward. To recapture my balance. Some people need to go-go-go all day with anyone and everyone they meet. They need to be with others morning, noon, and night, weekdays and weekends, filling all their time with human interaction and planning events with them.
Nothing wrong with that. It’s just not for me.
Beverly Nault | WANA Commons
As I’m getting slightly older (emphasis on the word ‘slightly’), I’m discovering that there is too much noise around me. Some of it comes from being around people in general, but a lot of it comes from my feeling guilty for choosing not to mingle. My own internal voice that tells me I should meet with this person, I should get together with this other one, I should…well, you get the picture. And, for a while, I thought that maybe, maybe, I was turning into an introvert. But a recent get-together with friends reminded me that, nah, that ain’t happening any time soon.
So why this dichotomy?
copyright Dani Jace |WANA Commons
I’m not so sure. I’m starting to wonder if I’m becoming the stereotypic author. You know, the person who sits in front of their computer or notebook any free chance they can get, burrowed in their own world while creating others, because it’s become a drug to them. Writing, for many writers like me, is something you crave. Because it’s a solitary job, I find that I’m also craving alone time. It’s also giving me a stronger sense of peace. It used to be that the idea of being alone was too scary to even imagine. Now? I can’t wait to get outside by the pool on a warm evening and curl up with my laptop. Or, better yet, leaving the laptop behind to just gaze up at the night sky. To enjoy being one with the world and everything beyond it.
Sigh.
What about you? Are you an extrovert that craves solitude, too? Or just someone that loves their quiet, private time? I’d love to know.
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Copyright © 2012-2014 · All Rights Reserved · TerriPonce.com
Filed under: Stories Behind The Stories Tagged: extrovert, solitude, writer, writing
July 4, 2014
LAST TWO DAYS! –99c / £0.99 for COVET– “a heart-pounding thriller; a sizzling sexy paranormal”
Cover art: G.S. Prendergast
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 alternate history, when hunter-gatherers roamed and David and Lottie’s supernatural incarnations began. The Reading Café calls Covet, Book Two of the Past Life Series, “An amazing and fascinating storyline of suspense, mystery, betrayal, hatred and love.”
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The clock is ticking…
COVET, Book 2 of the Past Life Series, is a Kindle Countdown Deal for only 2 more days.
Want to start reading the whole Past Life Series? You can now, for just $3.98.
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Copyright © 2012-2014 · All Rights Reserved · TerriPonce.com
Filed under: Stories Behind The Stories Tagged: Amazon, ancient Egypt, COVET, David Bellotti, In This LIfe, Kindle, kindle countdown deal, Lottie Morgan, paleolithic, paranormal, paranormal books, paranormal suspense, Past Life series, reincarnation, soul mate, suspense, Terri Herman, Terri Herman-Ponce, Terri Ponce
July 3, 2014
99 cents / £0.99 — counting down the sale for COVET — “will consume you until the last page”
Cover art: G.S. Prendergast
Everyone wants something.
Some will kill to get it.
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Time is running out!
COVET, Book 2 of the Past Life Series, is a Kindle Countdown Deal but only for a limited time longer — until July 6.
Want to start reading the whole Past Life Series? Get both books for only $3.98.
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Copyright © 2012-2014 · All Rights Reserved · TerriPonce.com
Filed under: Stories Behind The Stories Tagged: #PastLifeSeries, Amazon, COVET, David Bellotti, In This LIfe, Kindle, kindle countdown deal, Lottie Morgan, paleolithic, paranormal, paranormal books, paranormal suspense, parapsychology, Past Life series, past lives, romantic suspense, Terri Herman-Ponce, Terri Ponce
June 30, 2014
99cents / £0.99 Kindle Countdown Deal: COVET, “this series is going to be really good”
Cover art: G.S. Prendergast
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.
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Hey there!
COVET, Book 2 of the Past Life Series, is a Kindle Countdown Deal for a limited time at 99 cents (U.S.) or £0.99 (UK).
Better yet, you can start reading The Past Life Series for $3.98 for both books.
Start reading what reviewers and readers are calling “a page turner” today.
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Copyright © 2012-2014 · All Rights Reserved · TerriPonce.com
Filed under: Stories Behind The Stories Tagged: Amazon, ancient Egypt, COVET, David Bellotti, In This LIfe, Kindle, kindle countdown deal, Lottie Morgan, paranormal, paranormal books, paranormal suspense, Past Life series, reincarnation, soul mate, suspense, Terri Herman, Terri Herman-Ponce, Terri Ponce
June 27, 2014
Books You Should Read – The Definitive List
It’s not the kind of book list you’re expecting. This is a GREAT way to find new authors and great read.
Originally posted on Nicholas C. Rossis:
I’ve seen hundreds of book lists: Books you should read before you die; Books that should be on your book shelves (hopefully you’re still allowed to take them out and read them); The best books of the 20th century; Books that your children should read … you can see where this is going.
I have to admit that in terms of lists, I am not doing that well. In the “how many of the books you should have read by now. Yes, you!” quizzes popping daily on the Internet, I probably reach a score around 50%. I always imagine my highschool librarian scowling at me, as I’ve read a lot, but apparently not the ‘must-read’ types of books. And I have to confess, I have forgotten quite a lot from my earlier reading.
To be fair, school can do that to you: you read so much…
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Filed under: Stories Behind The Stories
