{Review, Guest Post, Interview & Giveaway} Poughkeepsie Enhanced Collector's Edition App by Debra Anastasia

 {Blog Tour: Interview & Giveaway} Poughkeepsie Enhanced Collector's Edition App by Debra Anastasia

What is the Enhanced App???

Check it out:

 Summary:

Immerse yourself in the world of Debra Anastasia’s Poughkeepsie.Experience this bestselling novel for the first time…again as you break all the rules about books with Omnific Publishing and Debra Anastasia. In this enhanced version of the novel, you’ll enjoy insights from the author, music by Ron Pope and other artists to set the mood, and images and video that bring the scenes to life as you read. You’ll delve deeper into the world of Poughkeepsie through nearly 50,000 words of added scenes (more love, more drama, more romance!) and informative insights into how this marvelous story and its characters came to be. Self-contained in this app (no wifi needed after downloading):•complete novel Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia•author/director’s pop-up commentary•music by Ron Pope, Rustic Overtones, Monoxide G, Violet Winter, Bo Heart, and Jeff Epstein and the City Line Singers•more than 100 images to enhance the story•videos of your favorite characters in action•special animation•sound effects•interviews with the characters, author, and more•interactive games•trailers for the Poughkeepsie Brotherhood series•how-to knitting instructions•how-to instructions for making a paper rose•recipe for the dinner Livia makes for Blake

My Review:
I've said time and again how much I absolutely love Poughkeepsie. I've read the book so many times and each time I find something new that I fall in love with. So, I was so very excited when Debra mentioned an app with all these goodies included. I've been very lucky and feel very honored that I am a part of Debra's badass street team for Poughkeepsie and got an exclusive look at this amazing app. What can I say about it? Seriously, if every book had an app like this, I'd be in freaking heaven.  All the music, pictures, interviews.....my mind is blown.  I am so happy for Debra to be launching this app and that I was included in helping her announce the release. If you haven't read the book, I encourage you to not only read the book but get this extraordinary app and get the experience of a lifetime.

Short interview with the lovely Debra Anastasia:

1. I have to say that Poughkeepsie is so unusual and so very extraordinary. Where did the idea of this book start? 

I was really inspired to write a romance that had a lead hero with nothing more than his love to offer the girl of his dreams. I wanted to highlight the every day kind of love that I think is the most special.

2. Have any of the characters in the series been based on any personal friends or someone you know personally? They are each so unique and have had such random backgrounds. I was always curious ;-)

You are so sweet! There are parts of everyone I love in each of these characters. Blake reminds me of my husband and Beckett came from a steady diet of stories form my father and uncle growing up. They were both dead set on doing the right thing, every time no matter what!

3. How did the idea of this enhanced app come about? 

Omnific approached my almost two years ago and I jumped on the chance. Anyway to give my readers more content to Poughkeepsie, I was going to take.

4. It seems like a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this app. Knowing how much of a hard long process this would take, what made you decide to go through with it? 

I had no idea it would take what it did. I knew I set the bar really high and I was supported in that goal by my publishier, so even in the darkest moments, I had to get it done. They believed in me and I wanted it to be everything it could for my readers.

5. Are you planning on having any more of the series made into an enhanced app? Because I seriously will snatch them up. ;-) 

Thank you! No plans as of right now. I actually worked on a brief handbook for other authors on how to create an Enhanced version, but right now my focus is writing Saving Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood Series #3)

About Debra:

Debra Anastasia is busy, just like every other mom. There’s dinner, the dogs, the two kids, and her violent IBS–which is under control thanks to medication except for occasional multi-tonal farts. Her first love and crowning achievement is her thriving career as the weirdest mom on the block.

Her writing started a decent handful of years ago when–along with the animals and humans in her house–the voices of characters started whispering stories in Debra’s ear. Insomnia was the gateway to plots that wouldn’t give up, wouldn’t let go. Now they stalk her everywhere. Halfway through making lunches, a twist takes hold and–fingers full of peanut butter–she finds somewhere, anywhere to write it down.

She’s eternally grateful to Omnific Publishing, which has now published four of her books: two in the Seraphim Series and two in the Poughkeepsie Brotherhood Series, as well as her novella, Late Night with Andres. That one is special because 100% of the proceeds go to breast cancer research. (So go get it right now, please!) She also very much appreciates her open-minded readers, who embrace everything
she has to offer, with a focus on anti-heroes and bathroom humor.

Debra lives in Maryland with her family. You can find her at DebraAnastasia.com and on Twitter @Debra_Anastasia. But be prepared.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway And this blog is giving away eCopies of Poughkeepsie and Return to Poughkeepsie to celebrate!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A quick note from Debra:

When I started my Street Team, I knew it would be an amazing group. My readers are my favorite people. I know for a fact that we would all have a great time together. They are smart, adorable and deal with my crazy ass.

These ladies were on my mind while constructing the Poughkeepsie Enhanced Collector’s Edition app. I wondered what I could add to the novel that they had already read that would help it feel like they were reading it for the first time…again.

So I decided on commentary, and I imagined us all at a table and picked out the stories I would share. My developer made them into little pop up bubbles on text. That was the first layer of this huge project. Then came the building blocks or the music, the extra scenes, sounds, moving gifs, videos and so much more. The end result is literally my dream come true. It’s like the most deluxe reading experience I’ve ever seen.

In my head I wanted to make my Street Team proud, and I really hope they like this new version of Poughkeepsie. Of course, they are awesome helpers with the app release your. We will be getting together to have a huge Twitter flash mob on March 19^th at 7pm EST. It will be our second one. The first was such a blast, I can not wait to do it again.

Jessica from Hackaroo’s Reviews here is on my Street team and I cherish her! Thank you so much for letting me on your blog today. XOX

Guest Post: Extreme Measures by Rachel Carrington

On my blog today, I have a guest post by the lovely Rachel Carrington. She's stopping by to let me know a bit about her and her book Extreme Measures. 
Here is a bit about the book:

From Goodreads:

Four years ago Erin’s life changed drastically. Her drug-addicted brother killed her parents, and her marriage disintegrated. Her husband, Matt, an FBI agent, had done his duty when he’d arrested Stuart, but she’d been too caught up in her own grief to allow him to help her move through the shadows of pain. 
Now Matt is back, but it isn’t to attempt reconciliation. Her brother has escaped from Attica, and Erin is his next target. Matt will stop Stuart by any means necessary. But Stuart is a desperate man, and desperate men will do anything to get what they want.
Thrown together by treacherous circumstances, Matt and Erin fight a battle to stay alive and possibly figure out how to put the pieces of their destroyed lives back together again.

I'm excited to have Rachel here to talk about the setting of her book. It's always awesome to get a peak into an author's brain and see where the ideas come from. Without further ado, here she is:

Visiting Charleston—Inside the Setting of Extreme Measures

By Rachel Carrington

I'm fortunate to live in Charleston, South Carolina. Known as the Holy City, the Lowcountry, and Chucktown, it's been voted as America's Most Friendly City, and it's the oldest city in South Carolina.
I set a lot of my books here in the Lowcountry because of familiarity, but beyond that, there are so many unexplored parts to Charleston that I'm looking forward to including in upcoming novels.
Though I've lived here well over twenty years, I've never taken one of the popular Ghost Walks or carriage rides. The Wentworth Mansion ranked #2 on U.S. News and World Report's list of Top 10 Hotels, but I've never stepped foot inside it. And I'm almost ashamed to say I've never visited Fort Sumter. See what I mean about the possibilities?
Beyond the sites I haven't seen, there are a whole host that I have and those places will come up in future novels. The Battery, the Old Exchange Building and Provost Dungeon, Magnolia Plantation, and Charles Towne Landing are all truly unique places that invite characters. The names alone lend themselves to book settings, don't they?
Now take a moment and imagine what kind of stories could be written in those settings. Historical romance, of course, but what about paranormal romance for the Old Provost Dungeon? A pirate romance for Charles Towne Landing, maybe? And though the Battery was a place for artillery during the Civil War, it overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and always makes me think of mermaids and underwater civilizations.
What story ideas did those names give you? Visit www.charlestononly.com for an insider's look at this beautiful place I call home.

About Rachel:

About Me

I started writing years ago, and my first attempt was a contemporary romance that will never see the light of day. I think I may even have thrown it away by now. It was absolutely horrific as I knew nothing about well…anything to do with writing.
After that, I started writing fantasy romances about wizards and wizards, and once those took off, I segued to paranormal romances (hello, vampires and ghosts) and romantic suspense. I also write articles for various magazines, including The Writer’s Journal, Writer’s Magazine, Writer’s Weekly, Writing for Dollars, Absolute Write, and Funds for Writers.
I’m fortunate to make my home in historical Charleston, South Carolina. Beautiful city. Beautiful people. When I’m not writing, I love to read, create videos, keep Target in business, play visitor in my city, and drink lots of coffee.
You can find me all over the internet, but here are just a few of the places:

My website: www.dawnrachel.com

Twitter: @rcarrington2004

Facebook: rachelcarringtonwrites

Pinterest: rcarrington2004

Goodreads: rcarrington2004

Wattpad: http://wattpad.com/RachelCarrington 

I wanted to say thank you for allowing me to have this on my blog today! I always appreciate authors wanting to stop by and do a post. I'll definitely be adding this to my TBR pile!

Thank you Rachel for stopping by and taking the time to talk about your book! 

If You Stay Blog Tour: Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Welcome to Hackaroo's stop on the If You Stay by Courtney Cole Blog Tour! 

I have a guest post and an excerpt! But first, check out the book:

24-year old Pax Tate is an asshole.

Seriously.

He’s a tattooed, rock-hard bad-boy with a bad attitude to match.

But he’s got his reasons.

His mother died when Pax was seven, leaving a hole in his heart filled with guilt although he doesn’t understand why. What he does know is that he and his dad are left alone and with more issues than they can count.

As Pax grew up, he tried to be the kid his father always wanted; the perfect golden boy, but it didn’t work. His dad couldn’t overcome his grief long enough to notice and Pax couldn’t keep up the impossible perfect façade.

So he slipped far, far from it.

Now, he uses drugs and women to cope with the ugliness, the black void that he doesn’t want to deal with. If he pretends that the emptiness isn’t there, then it isn’t, right?

Wrong.

And it’s never more apparent than when he meets Mila.

Sweet, beautiful Mila Hill is the fresh air to his hardened frown, the beauty to his ugly heart. He doesn’t know how to not hurt her, but he quickly realizes that he’s got to figure it out because he needs her to breathe.

When memories of his mother’s death resurface from where he’s repressed them for so long, Mila is there to catch him when the guilt starts making sense. Mila is the one…the one who can save him from his broken troubled heart; from his issues, from the emptiness.

But only if he can stop being an asshole long enough to allow it.

He knows that. And he’s working on it.

But is that enough to make her stay?

**Warning -Contains sex and violence**

Excerpt:

(Mila’s POV)

“I don’t know why I’m here,” he admits softly, and his voice is so close to my neck.  “Because I can’t stop thinking about you, I guess.  And because I’ll never get that horrified expression on your face out of my head.  I’m sorry to have put it there.  Just know that she doesn’t mean anything to me.  She was persistent and I didn’t say no.  It was a habit.  I’m sorry.”

My heart hammers hard in my chest.  I don’t know what to say.  I know that I should tell him to get far away from me, but my heart is a traitor and wants him here. My heart must have issues. But I can’t say that. 

“You don’t even know me,” I tell him instead, finally turning around to look at him, pulling my hand away as I do.  I stare up into his hazel eyes and find an expression there that I haven’t yet seen. Trepidation.  “Why would you apologize to someone that you barely even know? You don’t owe me anything.”

He shrugs and his movement stirs his masculine scent. I inhale it and fight the urge to close my eyes so that I can better enjoy the smell. 

“I don’t know.  All I know is that ever since I met you, I’ve wanted to know you.  That’s why I’ve been coming into town this week to see you.  Something about you makes me think that I can be better, maybe even get my shit straight.  I haven’t felt that way in a very long time. And I feel like I do owe you something.”

Hell.  His words strike a chord in me and I swallow hard.  His tone is hesitant, soft.  And it melts my heart.  I can’t help it.  Sometimes, there is such a broken look in his eyes.  And deep down, I just want to fix it. 

“Why?” I ask, my gaze firmly locked with his.  He shakes his head. 

“I don’t know. You just seem so good, so wholesome.  It draws me to you.  I can’t explain it.”

I laugh now, thoroughly amused. 

I gesture toward my painting.  “Does that seem good and wholesome to you?”

We both study the angry black and gray canvas.  It looks like something that someone in a Psych ward might have painted.  Pax finally smiles. 

“Well, then, Red, it looks like you’ve got a dark side.  But the difference between you and me is that you channel yours in a healthy way.  I don’t.”

I stare at him, trying to decide what to say, how honest to be.  But this moment seems like a good time for honesty, so I don’t hesitate.

“I don’t know if it’s all that healthy that I’m attracted to you,” I admit finally.  “I’ve never been attracted to a bad boy before.”

He is so close to me that his proximity is a bit intoxicating.  I feel almost dizzy from it as I stare up at him, waiting for his response.  It also seems as though I can feel the danger emanating from him…it’s charged, electrical, fascinating. 

Pax thinks on it for a moment, his jaw covered in day-old stubble. 

“Well, I’ve never wanted to be good before, so I guess it’s a first for both of us.”

Novel Goodreads/AMAZON (psssttt.....If If You Stay comes to the top 10, Courtney Cole will release a DELETED SCENE!!! So go pick it up!!!!)

If you aren't sold yet, check out my REVIEW on this awesome book!!!

For my stop, I also have a guest post. I asked Courtney how did Pax come to be? He's such a raw character and so unlike anybody else I've read. Where did this come from? Here is what she said:

Someone close to me struggled with drugs. He wasn’t an addict, but I knew that if he didn’t change his ways, he’d find himself on a tragic, dark path.  I didn’t want that for him and luckily, he didn’t want that for himself. 

It made me think though… how many people out there find themselves in that place?  That place where they know that either something will need to change or they will lose everything that they know.  I figure there must be quite a lot of people out there in that place.  And that’s when I realized that Pax’s story needed to be told. 

I think his story is important for that reason… just to show that important change can be done.  It’s hard, it’s not fun, but it’s necessary.  Pax did it, so anyone can do it.   Stories like this are important because sometimes, people who are in this kind of situation just need some encouragement. They need to know that they can do it.  And they can. 

About Courtney:

Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could. She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. She loves chocolate and roller coasters and hates waiting and rude people.

Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.

Website/Author Facebook/Twitter

Don't forget to check out all the other stops for the tour! 

February 11^th

The Bookish Brunette-Interview
Book Briefs-Interview with Pax’s Dad

February 12^th

RELEASE DAY LAUNCH (See below for more details)

February 13^th

Globug & Hootie
Always YA at Heart-Interview

February 14^th

Books Over Boys-Guest Post
Book Whisperer-Guest Post

February 15^th

Bound by Books-Interview with Mila
Insightful Minds-Guest Post

February 16^th

Novel Thoughts Blog-Excerpt
Magnet 4 Books-Interview

February 17^th

I Love Indie Books-Interview
Stuck in YA Books-Guest Post

February 18^th

3 Chicks & Their Books-Excerpt
Crazy Book Chicks-Interview with Pax

February 19^th

I Read Indie-Top 10 Interview
Hackaroo Reviews-Guest Post & Excerpt

February 20^th

The Life of Fiction-Review
Total Bookaholic-Interview

February 21^st

Reader Girls-Interview
The Autumn Review-Guest Post

February 22^nd

Book Hook-Up-Interview
Books, Books, Books-Excerpt

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Stop: Confessions of An Alli Cat

Welcome to my stop on the Confessions of An Alli Cat blog tour hosted by CLP Blog Tours! For my stop, I have a guest post from Courtney Cole along with an awesome excerpt. But first, a little about the book and the lovely author...

Goodreads Description:

Thirty-five year-old Allison “Alli” Lancaster has it all—a fabulous job, a beautiful 15 year-old daughter, a hilarious BFF and a gorgeous house with a pool and Jacuzzi in an exclusive Las Vegas neighborhood. What she doesn’t have is a husband, because she kicked her lousy, cheating ex to the curb nine months ago. Since then, Alli has paid her dues with seemingly endless self-improvement and seemingly endless mourning. Now she’s ready to move on and try new things. 

Alli’s idea of “trying new things” is nothing like that devil-of-a-best-friend of hers. Somehow, Sara, the devil of a best friend, talks Alli into trying out a sex toy, sleeping with a younger man and letting a stranger in a lab jacket put hot wax on a place that should never, ever, ever see wax. And that’s only the beginning. 

Alli never saw her life going quite like this. She also never thought she’d meet someone else who had the very real potential to change her life forever. 

But she did. 

Enter the new guy. He’s gorgeous, refined and mature. He’s also marriage material. But that poses a problem for Alli, who renounced the institution of marriage when she renounced her ex. What’s a girl to do?

They say that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. But what the heck happens when you can’t leave Vegas? Well, you spin the wheel, of course. You play the game and let the chips fall where they may. 

Alli just hopes she can find them all. 

*******

Caution! Only read this book if you want to laugh and are not offended at adult themes and language. This is not a Young Adult book

 About Courtney:

Courtney Cole is a novelist who lives near Lake Michigan.  Her favorite place in the world is on the shore with her toes in the water.  Although, since she is deathly afraid of sea gulls, it makes days at the beach interesting.

Courtney is the author of several YA series (The Paradise Diaries, The Bloodstone Saga and The Moonstone Saga) as well as a couple adult series (The Cougar Chronicles and The Minaldi Legacy).  Her next project is a Women’s Contemporary Romance titled If You Stay, which will release on February 12, 2013. 

To learn more about Courtney, visit her website, www.courtneycolewrites.com

  
Connect with Courtney!

www.courtneycolewrites.com

Follow me on Twitter!

Friend me on Facebook!

Find me on Goodreads!

See my books on Amazon  

As I mentioned above, for my stop, I have a guest post (a very special one btw) and a hilarious yet yummy excerpt.

Guest Post from the lovely Courtney Cole:

And now for the excerpt:

Holy freaking Hell. I’m internally having a panic attack because I’ve never been blind-folded before.  And here I am, letting a male prostitute blindfold me and lead me away to his sex nest.“Breathe, Allison,” the beautiful male prostitute tells me in my ear.  His voice is husky and rich, like hot caramel or warm maple syrup...or even better, like melted chocolate.  I swallow, instantly hungry and turned on at the same time.“Okay,” I agree, trying to force my traitorous lungs to fill with air. They are having none of it though and I gasp like an idiot, even though the blindfold is velvet and satin.  It’s hardly uncomfortable, but it still makes me anxious.   What is waiting for me that they need to blind me for?  Weird whips and chains?  Hand cuffs and ben wah balls? Holy freaking hell.I am practically panting when I hear a door being unlocked with the swipe of a card.  I hear it click and then a doorknob turning.  Then I am being gently pulled into the sex nest.Oh my god.Oh my god.What have I done?I’m in a freaking sex nest!I’m too old for this shit.Then the blindfold is taken off.And I am surrounded by luxury.   By heavy, expensive furniture. By thick and cushiony duvet covers and pillows.  By opulent decorations in crystal and mahogany.  By sheer normalcy in this room.  Sheer. Freaking. Normalcy.  I’m shocked.And I must look it, because Shade turns to me and laughs.“What?” he grins.  “Were you expecting something else?”“Yes,” I admit.  “I don’t know what.  But not this.”“Perhaps this?” Shade suggests and pushes a button on the wall.  A door on the ceiling slides silently open and a sex swing drops down, dangling at the edge of the bed. I gulp as I realize that it looks like a noose… a noose that I’m probably going to hang myself with.“Maybe,” I answer.I examine it closer.  It’s terrifying.  It looks like a contraption of torture, like something out of Morticia and Gomez Addams’ bedroom.  The harness is lined with cushiony velvet.  But it still doesn’t look comfortable. And maybe not even legal.  I gulp again.Shade laughs again. “Nervous?”I nod. “Don’t be,” he tells me, his voice buttery smooth.  He moves closer to me and I unconsciously step back.  He grins again. And I suddenly feel like a lion and its prey. “We don’t have to use it.  Yet.”

If that hasn't whet your appetite for this book, I don't know what else would. You should seriously consider getting this book. I adored this book just as I adore pretty much everything Courtney writes. That's the truth ;-). Check out my review HERE for this book.

Get the book!!! AMAZON | B & N