INTERVIEW
and GIVEAWAY
Covet
(Past Life Series Book 2)
(Past Life Series Book 2)
by Terri
Herman-Poncé
Covet is the second book in
the Past Life Series. Also available:
In This Life.
Covet is currently on tour
with Goddess Fish Promotions. The
tour stops here today for my interview with the author and a giveaway. Please
be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
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.
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.
Praise for the Book
"An amazing and fascinating storyline of suspense, mystery,
betrayal, hatred and love." ~ The
Reading Café
"This is going to be a really good series." ~ The Book Review
"Captivated by Terri Herman-Poncé's ability to create page-turning
mysteries ... her plotting [is] positively Hitchcockian." ~ Deborah O'Neill Cordes, author of Dragon Dawn
"An absolute treat ... these are characters with a pulse." ~ Tara Mills, author of the Pelican Cay series
"Secrets, past lives, romance, and suspense ... so many turns in the
story that I did not expect." ~ WiLoveBooks
"A paranormal without the usual suspects." ~ Romancebookworm
"What I love to read, suspending belief for the story, but seeing a
realistic side to it; as if the characters were true flesh and blood human
beings." ~ Winter Austin, author of the Degrees of
Darkness series
Interview With the
Author
Hi Terri, thanks for
joining me today to discuss your new book, Covet.
For what age group
do you recommend your book?
Hmm. I’d have to say adult. Most of my readers are in the 18+ range, but
I’ve also had 16- and 17-year olds (and younger!) read them, too.
What sparked the
idea for this book?
Well, after I finished writing In This Life (Book 1 of the Past
Life Series), I grew infatuated with my male lead, David Bellotti. Okay,
okay. Infatuated is an understatement. This uber-sexy character rocks my world.
Anyway, when I was thinking about Book 2, it was obvious that David wanted his
story told as well. In fact, readers have told me that they love how I write
him, that he’s incredibly engaging - I guess that’s my passion for him coming
through, because his voice is just SO strong in my head. So giving David his
own story seemed the natural thing to do, and I wanted to see where his story
would take me and, in truth, it really wrote itself.
So, which comes
first? The character's story or the idea for the novel?
Wow. Tough question. For me, it’s probably a combination. I always have
an idea of the characters (in fact, I live and breathe David and Lottie, my two
main characters, every day), and usually a song will trigger a very vivid scene
in my head, and it won’t let go. And that’s typically how my stories get
started.
What was the hardest
part to write in this book?
Sex scenes. From a man’s point of view. Yikes. Not only did I have to get
into a specific male mindset, I also had to let go of the embarrassment factor
in writing from it.
How do you hope this
book affects its readers?
Well, I hope it makes readers think twice about primal instinct. See,
David has to come to terms with a past life in Covet
and rely on those primal instincts to save the woman he loves. And you so often
hear stories about how modern man has lost his ability to rely on instinct when
it’s really necessary. You know, like ignoring the bad feeling that crawls over
your skin when you meet someone who just rubs you the wrong way. Well, that
sensation is there for a reason, and I’m hoping Covet
makes people realize there could be more to those feelings than you realize.
How long did it take
you to write this book?
Oh man … I dunno. Eight months, maybe? Covet
wrote itself, and that never, ever happens to me. David’s voice channeled
through me so strong and true that the story set off on a course and just kept
going.
What is your writing
routine?
Believe it or not, I’m up during the week at 4:30am to take the train
into downtown NYC for work. So I write then. And I write at night. And I’ve got
post-its near the bed for those times when, at 3:00am, a scene barrels into my
brain and it just HAS to be written down so I don’t forget it. Problem is, when
I get up the next morning, it’s usually very hard to read what I’ve scribbled
the night before in the dark!
How did you get your
book published?
In This Life and Covet
were originally published through a traditional publisher but I eventually got
my rights back. So now they’re re-released under my name. It was a great
learning experience from both ends, and one I wouldn’t trade.
What advice do you
have for someone who would like to become a published writer?
Oh. Another tough question. Because it’s not just one thing, you know?
But mostly I’d say this: learn the craft, and practice, practice, practice. And
when you think you’re good enough, learn the craft some more and practice,
practice, practice. And write what you’re passionate about, not what’s hot or
trendy. Otherwise, you’re selling out your writing soul.
Great advice, Terri.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love to watch the sun rise. There’s something about that golden orb
breaking the horizon that’s both humbling and breathtaking. On the opposite
spectrum, I love going to the beach at sunset in the summer with some red wine
and cheese and crackers. And, most importantly, I adore hanging out with my
friends, gathering by the fireplace or pool and dancing and singing to
whatever’s on Pandora radio. Basically, just enjoying each other’s company.
Sounds good! What
does your family think of your writing?
My husband and son ask me about my writing often, and offer lots of
encouragement. And I have a niece who’s always asking for the next book so she
can read it before anyone else does. Which reminds me … I probably owe her a
book acknowledgement soon!
Please tell us a bit
about your childhood.
I was always playing with friends, pretending to be characters from our
favorite TV shows like Starsky &
Hutch and The Partridge Family. I
had a vivid imagination, even back then, but never really did anything with
that imagination until I got older. (I was going to say not until I grew up,
but I don’t think I’ve done that yet!)
Did you like reading
when you were a child?
No … LOL
When did you first
realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I fell in love with Star Trek:
The Next Generation and decided I wanted to write about the characters I
loved in my own way. The rest, as the adage goes, is history.
Did your childhood
experiences influence your writing?
You know what? Not at all. In fact, I don’t think any of my experiences
influence my writing … except for the occasional mean person who becomes a
character in my book who doesn’t always meet with a happy ending. J
Great revenge! Which
writers have influenced you the most?
Robert Crais and Harlan Coben. Two masters, well and truly. I’ve read and re-read Crais so many
times I’ve lost count.
Do you hear from
your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Most often they ask about the next book, and if they can meet smoldering,
sexy David Bellotti.
What can we look
forward to from you in the future?
Well, I’m working on Book 3 of the Past
Life Series now. Another David Bellotti book, and I’m having a blast
writing him again! My hope, if all goes well, is that it’ll be available by the
end of 2014.
Thank you for taking
the time to stop by today, Terri. Best of luck with upcoming book.
Thanks so much for having me here! I enjoyed it very much!
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 Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.
Giveaway
Terri will be awarding ebook copies of In This Life (Past Life Series Book 1) and Covet (Past Life Series Book 2) to a randomly chosen commenter at each tour stop
and a Grand Prize of a $50 Amazon gift card to one randomly drawn commenter
during the tour. So, follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of
winning (closes 27 June).
Links
