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Dec072011
Guest Author & Giveaway: Debra Anastasia "Poughkeepsie Comes Home"
by Carolyn • Posted in Uncategorized
Welcome to Debra Anastasia’s ‘Poughkeepsie Comes Home’ Blog Tour!
Please give a warm welcome to my guest author, Debra Anastasia. Debra lives in Southern Maryland where she tries to write while her cat steps all over the keyboard and sticks his tail in her face. She has two children, some really stubborn dogs, and a husband that is a wonderful cook. The main influence on her work is Nutella and celebrating the fact that it’s the only icing you can have legally for breakfast. Her hobbies include knitting, driving her minivan all over the world to shuttle her kids around, and slapping clowns.
Earlier this year Omnific Publishing published ‘Crushed Seraphim’, her debut novel about a foul-mouthed angel - she’’s currently pounding out the sequel to angel Emma’’s adventures. Her new novel ‘Poughkeepsie’ is also out now – check out the book trailer here.
You have the chance to win “Crushed Seraphim” and “Poughkeepsie” as well as some other goodies, so make sure you enter at the end of Debra’s post!
Buy from Amazon UK
Crushed Seraphim: Kindle
| Poughkeepsie: Kindle
Crushed Seraphim: Kindle
| Poughkeepsie: Kindle
Buy from Amazon US
Crushed Seraphim: Kindle
Poughkeepsie: Kindle
Debra Anastasia Online
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Google+
Poughkeepsie Comes Home
by Debra Anastasia
Normally, I live in Maryland. I used to live in New York, but after I got married, we moved. For the holidays we sometimes travel and a few weeks ago, I found myself on the Poughkeepsie Train Station platform on Thanksgiving. It was a weird twist of fate, my best friend from Reno texted me a picture of herself in Poughkeepsie. I was staying with my in laws in Rhinebeck, about 40 minutes away. I rushed out to meet her. We had a lovely time in the IHop, (the only place open) and all too quickly we had to part ways.
On my way back, I had to pass the station. It was a gorgeous, sunny day. I decided to stop. Poughkeepsie was released on November 22nd. So on the 24th, I was still in awe. The process was a long one. It also happened to be the outcome of focusing on just what was going on in my head for large chunks of time. I’ve been a mom for 12 and a half years and a wife for 14. You’ll never catch me saying my books are more important than what I do at my house, with my important people. But you are catching me feeling proud that I accomplished a personal goal. And it has been a while since that happened.
So as I walked up to the train station I was smiling. It was actually crowded. People were pouring out of an incoming train, rushing out to meet their rides. I stepped aside and they clamored by. There were enough hours before dinner that I was betting almost each and every head was picturing a turkey meal.
The train they arrived on sat still on the tracks. I went up one side and into the station. It’s actually quite beautiful. Old fashioned too. I looked around, even though I knew what I would find. I picked this station when writing my story so long ago for a reason. I trotted back down the stairs and out onto the platform. It was funny seeing my book’s title everywhere I looked. Helps when you’ve picked a town as the word that represents your story.
I thought I would cry, and there were some tears, but mostly I smiled. What the story stood for, what it represented to me was in the world. I wanted to highlight kindness. I wanted to remind myself that something as simple as a smile could honestly change the course of someone’s life.
I knew my husband before I met him. I was working as a receptionist during college and he was a favorite employee. Everyone loved him, but he never even glanced my way to say hello when he came in and out past my desk. I’m a pain in the ass though and would mess with him on the phone. I had to call every office at a certain time of day for information and when it was time for him, I would try and draw him out. Mostly he hung up the phone as quickly as possible.
I was obviously beneath him.
And then there was the day he had to come to my desk to ask a question. There was no avoiding me now. He asked and I waited until he looked at me before saying anything. It took a few seconds.
And then he looked at me and smiled.
I thought, “Damn, he’s hot.”
We were married eight months later. I still think the same thing now when he smiles, which isn’t necessarily romantic, but I never claimed to be a poet in my head.
But also? He never forgets to say please or thank you. He’s kind with everyone. He’s also fierce if we need him to be.
I wanted to celebrate that type of love. I’ve seen it before. My parents, my in-laws, some really lucky friends.
We’ll never have fancy cars, my husband and I. I’ll never find a huge diamond slipped into a wine glass, but if my face reflects sadness? I can stay in his arms until my smile comes back.
When writing Poughkeepsie I wanted to just frigging recognize real love. That after cooking us a stir-fry dinner, my husband will stand there and pick out just the chicken for my plate, because I don’t want the vegetables. I mean, he could slop it on my plate and I could pick around to get my stupid, plain chicken, but he does it anyway. When I met my friend? Her husband slept in the CAR, so she and I could have alone girly time.
Romance doesn’t have to be a man exploding out of his pants like a rabid wolverine and slamming you against the wall with passion and kisses. Okay, fine, that’s awesome too, but…but, that can’t happen everyday, all the time or first, you’ll have sore parts and second, you might wind up in jail.
We’ve all been in the room with the couple that wants to suck each other’s tonsils clean. It’s awkward. Do that at home, steal a kiss in a car. While the creepy couple dry humps in the corner of a family event, the rest of us are making sandwiches.
Anyway, back to standing in the train station. I snapped some pictures. I looked for the parts that came alive for me, where my characters were sort of a shadowy presence. It was weird to be there alone, but I didn’t mind.
I whispered to the station. “Thanks.”
I dropped the camera when a voice right behind me said, “You’re welcome.”
He reached around me and caught my camera just before it hit the cement. I whirled to face him.
“Naw. No way.” I shook my head and blinked my eyes to clear them.
“It’s me baby. We’ve been together in your head for a while now. Don’t tell me you don’t recognize me.” He smiled, dimples in full force.
“Beckett?” There was no way one of the characters from Poughkeepsie could be standing in my real life.
“I knew it was big week for you so I dragged my butt down here.” He bit his lip and handed me back my camera. “How are you doing?”
“You’re here.” I slipped my camera in my pocket and grabbed his big, rough hand.
He waited for an answer to his question and for my mind to catch up with this new reality.
“I’m sorry.” My eyes filled with tears and I put my gaze on our feet.
“You wrote the story the way it had to be told.” He put a finger under my chin and lifted it so I would look at him. “Nothing to be sorry for.”
“How can you say that? You know what happened.” It was so hard to stand this close to him, seeing the pain reflected in his eyes.
“Listen, baby. I wanted you to do this. I wanted people to know my brothers. Just because I’m a jerk weasel doesn’t change that.” He was still smiling despite proclaiming his own evil.
“I wanted them to know you too.” I wouldn’t let go of his hand.
He was in jeans and a tight t-shirt and old combat boots. It was warm for November, so all of his time in the gym was on display.
“I’m the worst part of that book. Shoulda skipped my chapters. I curse too much.” He winked.
A car in the parking lot backfired. Beckett pulled a gun out of his waistband and aimed at the noise, pulling me behind him with the other arm.
Smooshed into him, I tried to calm him. “Dude. It was a car. We’re cool.” I patted his strong back.
He waited a bit before he trusted my words. He reset the safety and slipped his gun back from whence it came.
“Seriously? Were you going to shoot that minivan to death?” I tried to joke over my nervousness.
“You know I would.” Beckett looked around the station platform. “So it all comes down to this. You nervous?”
“I am. I just want to make sure I got it right.” I tried to see through him, wondering if he was an apparition.
“That’s all you can do.” He shrugged. “And books aren’t one size fits all, so just simmer your mind down. I mean, your other book didn’t hurt too bad, did it?” He held out an arm for a hug.
I snuggled him a bit. “Crushed Seraphim? Yeah, that was pretty fun. I like playing with angels and devils.” I looked up at him. He was so solid. “Is that alcohol I smell? For Pete’s banana, it’s 1:00 in the afternoon.” I slapped him in the arm.
He rolled his blue eyes. “Please. It’s Thanksgiving. And it’s always happy hour as far as my hands and mouth are concerned.”
“You’re ridiculous. I’ve got to go. My family’s waiting.” I cringed the minute I said it, because I had no idea if he had plans with his foster brothers.
He seemed to read the remorse in my face. “I’ve got stuff to do. No worries.”
“Can you tell everyone in the story that I love them? And that I tried my best?” I pulled out my camera, wanting to capture an image of him.
“Done. Hold your head high, we’re happy to be in the world.” He winked at me.
As I snapped the picture he disappeared. I checked to see if he had registered on the digital screen, but where he had stood was now empty.
Another train pulled in and as the doors opened, I knew I had to move on. I joined the flow of people headed for their holiday, wondering if I was dreaming or hoping that I had seen Beckett.
————–
I’d like to thank BCC for letting me have the opportunity to be on this amazing blog.
GIVEAWAY!
Debra is kindly giving away the following:
PRIZE 1: 1 signed print copy of “Poughkeepsie“, 1 Poughkeepsie themed charm bracelet, and 2 temporary tattoos to ONE lucky winner. (UK and US)
PRIZE 2: 1 signed print copy of “Crushed Seraphim” and 1 handmade book bling to ONE lucky winner (UK and US)
PRIZE 3: An eCopy of both “Poughkeepsie” and ”Crushed Seraphim” to TWO lucky winners. (International)
To enter please follow instructions below
RafflecopterSettings = { raffleID: ‘N2IzMWJiODBhMGNkMTE0NzEyZjI0YzM1YThmZDY2OjMx’ };
DUE TO A NEW ENTRY SYSTEM, YOU NOW HAVE TO VISIT BOOK CHICK CITY TO ENTER GIVEAWAYS
40 Comments
What an awesome post to end the Poughkeepsie tour, Debra! I love the story with your husband! My husband does a lot of nice things for me, but I love the times when he does something for me out of the blue, like sneaking out early in the morning and getting breakfast for everyone. Yeah, those times are nice. Currently reading Poughkeepsie and loving it!
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I loved how you described you and your husband, Debra. Love doesn't have to be this huge drawn out thing. It can be sweet and comfortable and sometimes it's the little things that matters.
Thanks for that reminder and the giveaway!
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I can't believe I've never heard of this author! The books sound really good.
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You can feel the love when you talk about your husband
It's hard to say what the nicest thing mine has done for me because he does wonderful things all the time. The best perhaps is when he was still a friend but with acknowledgement of how we felt. He literally kidnapped me from a bad relationship where I had no power to leave and then waited for me until I had sorted my head out enough to know he was the one. He saved me and then loved me unconditionally. Still does 
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I enjoyed reading the excerpt, its whetted my appetite
The nicest thing my hubby has ever done for me isn't any one single act. We've been together 26 years, married for 22 of them and have 6 kids together and he still makes me feel like a teenager when he grabs me for a surprise smooch! So I suppose the nicest thing he's done is to love me.
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Poughkeepsie was already on my TBR list…now I'm even more excited to read it!
I can't pick out one particular thing my husband has done for me because he's constantly doing things for me. But the most special times are when he does something like bring me flowers for absolutely no reason. Or last weekend when I came home from watching two of our nephews and he had brownies in the oven. It's the little things that let me know he cares that matter the most.
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What a lovely story about your husband. I am lucky to have a husband who is always doing things for me. I would be lost without him.
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Love the story, but I unfortunately don't have an other half yet
So untill I do, I just have to keep dreaming with great stories like these!
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Love the interview and the book is now top of my wish list!
My husband does lots of nice things for me even after 32 years of marriage. brings me flowers just because,chocolates if I'm not well lotsof lovely little thoughtful things.
irgl7(at)bonzo5(dot)plus(dot)com
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Great interview, and I want both of these books, so they are on my TBR list if I don't win!!
The nicest thing my husband ever did for me was give me a diamond anniversary wedding band on our 10th Christmas together. We'd gotten married after dating only 6 weeks, he was in the Army, I was a nanny, and had no money for rings. It was the first and last ring he's ever gotten me =D I cried all day!
Gena Robertson
robertsongena@hotmail.com
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My hubby has done a lot of nice things for me, but this year–after a year of saving up for a special camera lens–he used that money to buy me a laptop. It made me cry, because I knew how much he wanted the lens.
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My other half is lovely. He looks after us both so well and is a fabulous Daddy to our little boy. I don't know what I would do without him!
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REALLY would love to read this! lol sounds vrey interesting.
my hubby bought me a electric weedeater and i loved it
blackroze37 @yahoo.com
{please dont enter me for ebooks. i cant read}
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I would say he does whatever he can for me. TY for this great contest! sacredmoon1(at)gmail(dot)com
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One of the nicest things my boyfriend ever did for me, was to buy me a sony e-reader. At the time I was reading e-books on my computer and it sits in a very drafty spot in my home which was built in the early 1930's. I have a tendency to get pneumonia and he didn't want me to get sick, so he bought me a reader so that I could read in a warmer area of my home….
I love to read so this was really special to me!
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@Grace! I hope you are at a fun part of the book. Husbands that sneak out for breakfast are winners!
@Magan I love that you got that from this post. It's all that matters, right? Good Luck!
@I So glad to see you here!
@Grete Your hubby sounds like a beautiful person! Unconditional love is the ideal.
@earthmommaof6 I love the surprise smooch after 26 years and 6 kids, that is so damn sweet!
@Randi! Brownies in the oven? He sounds wonderful, plus you are watching your nephews too! You both sound like fantastic people.
@Vivienne Aww, that's awesome.
@Jenny As long as you don't have a horrible nimrod partner, you are winning. I dated a guy that was just.. wow.. so evil. I was much better off when I wasn't dating him!
@IreneRJ 32 years? Congratulations. That's a beautiful testament to love.
@Gena The army man and the nanny? That sounds like the beginning of a great romance novel!
@Pauline My hubby loves cameras and lenses too! So I totally get how cool it was for him to give it up for you.
@Red Rose Mummy When the guys are good dads? *meltsheart*
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I don't have an 'other half' at the moment but I certainly loved this beautiful post and all the comments too they're so sweet!
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I'm separated from my "other half", which obviously implies that he hasn't done anything special for me for quite a while! If I can remember back far enough, it would be getting me mexican food whenever I craved it during my last pregnancy
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I don't have a "other half" so unfortunately I can't answer the question.
Pam
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I don't have a husband so I can't answer the question. I'm a little too young to be married.
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My husband didn't blink an eye when I told him I HAD TO buy a copy of Poughkeepsie. That's pretty nice in my book:-)
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@blackrose37 A weed eater is awesome. Good Luck!
@sacredm00n I love your screen name
@justpeachy36 Aww, that is such a thoughtful gift!
@Books Glorious Books Aren't the comments so cute?
@Julie W Mexican food sounds heavenly right now. I hope you and your guy find what's best for you.
@VanillaOrchids Sometimes we are whole all by ourselves, and that's freaking awesome.
@Shallynn Yes! No marring until you are good and ready
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Love this book, and love this author. I don't have a better half anymore. It's just me and that's enuff
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It probably sounds cheesy but I have to say that the nicest thing my s/o has given me would be my three kids.
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When I had a other half, it was sweet when he cooked for me.
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In one of those freaky ironies of life vs. fiction, the nicest thing my other half ever did for me was take me in when I ended up homeless early this year. He's in grad school, so he squeezed me into his student's living budget so I wouldn't have to live in a shelter (or worse). I don't think it was an easy decision, either; we'd only been back together 6 months after a nearly 2-year split, and were on either side of the Mason-Dixon line at the time!
That said, Poughkeepsie is a hell of a read; fun and intense. It gives you hope and makes you cry. I'd recommend it to anyone; heck, I've even recommended it to my mom! ^_^
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You made me tear up, Deb. XOXO
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Well, my husband can be super nice and sweet when he wants to be.
Early this week, I had a really stressful workday. He called to see how I was doing and to say he was bringing supper home for all of us so I didn't have to do anything but relax. I was in a much better mood after that.
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before my husband started driving truck he would watch the kids once a week and let me go out with the girls i think that was pretty nice of him to offer to let me go have fun and relax for and evening.
terri_dion@hotmail.com
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Thanks for the great giveaway these book s sound great
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Wow. You make it sound as if this book is an original story, when in fact, it was a Twilight fan fiction first. This is freely available on pdf for anyone to download on the web. Why pay?
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Wow – Deb! Thank you for sharing your love story! And what a love story it is! Thanks for the great giveaway!
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Really beautiful post, Debra!
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Brilliant post! Thanks for the giveaway
Since I'm an international fan, I'll stick with prize #3, please!
bias1202(at)gmail(dot)com
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Thank you for such a wonderful giveaway, I'm so happy its partly international, so i can enter. Happy Holidays!
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Oh sorry about that, I don't have a other half right now, but with my ex-boyfriend he was always so considerate and he was mostly truthful, I value trust more than anything else in my relationships.
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Well, I don't actually have an "other half," but the closest thing I have to that right now would be my best friend.
She's been there through it all for me since we've been friends for the past 13 years (since 5th grade!), but the best thing she has ever done for me happened earlier this year. From February to May 2011, I had a horrible time at work. Every day I came home in tears due to a co-worker who was very abrasive and negative in every comment made. It was hard to be brave at work, but I had to hold it together there.
Even though I tried, my bestie caught on that something wasn't right and she started to call me every day after work to see how everything went, talk smack with me, and attempt to make me laugh. She sent texts and emails throughout the day, scheduled lunch dates so I could get away fro awhile, and sent flowers from an "anonymous admirer" to remind me that I was loved.
There is no way I would have made it through that trying time without her and even though I thank her all the time, that will never be enough. She inspires me to be a better person and I'll always be there for her through anything that comes her way. (Like the time I had to fire a bridesmaid from her wedding party, but that's another story for another time! Haha.)
Thanks for making me remember what a great "other half" I have!
–Hedy
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He gave me Amazon gift cards for Christmas last year,
ainfinger(at)comcast(dot)net
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My boyfriend hate sushi but I really love to eat them! Sometimes, he go to the sushi shop and buy some so I can eat them and he also buy some ''vege'' sushi so he can eat them with me!
Thanks for this giveaway!
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Well I love Debra's writing style, her stories and characters.
'Poughkeepsie' in its initial form was one of my favorites. I'd love to win to have a physical memento to remember it!
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