The Devil’s in the Terminology

Terminology is important in any field of study, especially the paranormal. However, a lot of us use certain terms interchangeably. Take the words “ghost” and “spirit.” Previously I used these two words as one. Now, I stand corrected. They are distinctly different. “Ghost” is the popular term used to indicate the presence of an unexplained entity; whereas, “spirit” means the essence of a deceased person. It is the personality of the deceased. Human beings have spirit. When investigating a purported haunting, paranormal investigators should use the term “ghost.”

The term “soul” is more problematic. Generally, it means the spiritual element of a person and is immortal. Simply put: Soul = Life. That’s a tad simplistic but gets the point across. The person’s soul lives on after death. It descends into heaven. But these elements are hotly debated. I’m reserving this discussion for a future post.

There was quite an exchange last week On the blog A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing between  mystery, horror, thriller author Joe Konrath, who just so happens to be a huge advocate and pioneer for self-publishing, and Kensington CEO and President Steve Zacharius. It was an open, polite, matter-of-fact, Q&A about indie publishing versus trad publishing, including candid talk of sales numbers,  marketing, success or lack thereof in both markets, Amazon, pricing, cover art, and necromancers and muppets (you have to read it to know why), to name a few. Though they agreed to disagree on so many of the topics, Zacharius seemed to be genuinely curious as to the appeal of the rising tide in self-publishing and Konrath, in his usual wit, answered solidly.

No matter how you publish, this post is a great source of information. Just be prepared. The post was updated four times. Get your favorite…

Ahh, the magic of the holidays.  The happiness (and insanity) that happens when families get together… the look on a child’s face while tearing apart wrapping paper.

And, one of my favorite parts, the fake reaction you give your spouse when you open a clothing box and it’s something that you would NEVER wear.

“Oh, um, honey, I, uh, love it!”

Granted, this goes both ways.  10 years ago I bought my wife a pair of shoes that she has worn TWICE.  She won’t give them away or chuck them because of their “sentimental” value, but what was I thinking? Clothing is so incredibly personal.  What’s more, most of us would rather grin and wear it than disappoint our loved ones.

So, lets get it all out on the table.  Ladies, here is some shopping advice from the husbands who absolutely adore you, but haven’t had the courage to say…

As a social media expert, I run into all kinds of strange behavior and tips that make me scratch my head. Social media is social, meaning it’s supposed to be an extension of how we might interact with other human beings in person. Today’s post (obviously) is tongue-and-cheek, but humor can be the best teacher even if we’ve oopsed.

Tip #1—Only Use Automation

Writing a 140 characters is SUPER time-consuming. We aren’t Jack London. Besides, people LOVE talking to robots. I know when I feel lonely, I call AT&T because I know a human being will NEVER answer…EVER. Humans can be so boring and don’t offer us the option of hitting 6 if we want to hear everything they just said all over again. 

Real Life Application: Program cell phones to call friends and family at regular intervals to ask for money. They’d dig that.

Tip #2—Make Sure All Preprogrammed…

Well, another release has come and gone and I’m still reeling. That’s right, in case you missed it yesterday, Jan. 13 marked the release of my latest paranormal erotic romance, Predator’s Refuge, Gemini Island Shifters 3.

Predator’s Refuge begins where Predator’s Serenade left off, but each book in the series centers around a different couple, so you can read them independently. I often get asked how I treat my series as far as developing characters from one book to another. Yes, you will see previous characters make “cameo appearances” here and there in the newer books, but I really prefer to make each romance stand alone. I like to know my readers can pick up a book out of order and not be lost. Sure, it’s always best to read in order so you can watch each romance blossom, but not imperative.

And with Predator’s Refuge, I went in…

Would you like to create your own book trailer in Windows Live Movie Maker? It’s a way to save money and to maintain control over your project. If so, be prepared to spend time on a learning curve. The first effort is the hardest, but then you’ll know what to do for subsequent titles. Just follow these steps for Windows 7, and you’re on your way. Most likely, if you have a PC, you already have this program on your menu. If not, Go Here and download it for free. (I also use the Windows Live Photo Gallery to store and edit my photos.)

My recent trailer for Hanging By A Hair cost me $58 for the images and music from 123rf.com. The images are perfect for the story, and the music adds tension. Click below if you haven’t seen it yet.

There are some companies that will…