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Guest Post + Giveaway: Cole Gibsen On Paranormal Motivations (AKA Zombies, Run!)

Cole Gibsen is no stranger to the paranormal. Her new novel, Risen, is set to become your newest vampire addiction. But that’s not the only way she enjoys a little supernatural fun.

Today, Cole hops on The Fandom to tell us all about the paranormal app that helps keep her running. Literally. Take a look!

The Only Thing That Will Make Me Run IRL

I was asked to write a favorites post, but instead I figured I’d write about something I hate. You see, I’m not really good at following directions, it’s kind of a thing, and, since I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember, why change now? *shrugs*

I hate running.

SERIOUSLY, I hate running. And this is nothing new. At eight years old, I remember thinking, this is bull&%*#, when asked to perform running drills at soccer practice. (Okay, maybe I didn’t think those exact words, at eight, my curse word vocabulary was still fairly limited. Still, you get the idea). My freshman year, it was a P.E. requirement to complete a mile run. I walked it in eleven minutes and accepted that C grade with my head held high all the while thinking, this is bull&%*#. (My sixteen-year-old curse word vocabulary was much improved, so there’s a pretty good change I literally thought this).

Did I mention I hate running?

That changed several years ago when I heard about an app called Zombies, Run!, which was supposed to simulate you, the runner, being chased by zombies. Nothing in my past, scowling PE teacher included, could motivate me to run. What if all I needed was to flee for my life from a horde of bloodthirsty zombies?

Still, this is me we’re talking about. And I do not run. Even from zombies. Because, it’s just a game, right?

Curious, but skeptical (my generation invented the rich Arabian prince leaving you millions in his will scam—I don’t believe anything on the internet. Except yelp reviews—those are legit), I bought the app, and I’m glad I did, because I discovered Zombies, Run! was so much more than I thought.

Not only is it a fitness app, it’s also part video game. Once you start the app and enable the GPS on your phone, voice actors begin to tell you the story of a helicopter (that you’re on) shot out of the sky. You land in the middle of an area overrun with zombies. A radio transmission leads you to a town where you are taken in as long as you become one of the many “Runners” or people who run supply missions into the zombie infested areas. Thus begins your journey as Runner 5.

You can enable your own music play list (or Spotify station) to play during the intermissions between the story. During which, a voice will periodically cut through the music to tell you if you’ve found a supply or if zombies are nearby.

I hate running.

I’m 5’ 1” and have legs the length of chopsticks. But I will run like a gazelle on espresso when I hear the sound of moaning creeping up behind me in my headphones. When you hear the zombies, you need to haul butt. In my head, I know it’s a game, but when I heard the zombies breathing in my headphones, I seriously got chills. The GPS in your phone keeps track of your pace and if you don’t hurry, you won’t be able to evade the mob. Once you’ve successfully evaded the mob, you can slow your pace and resume the story. However, if you are overcome by the mob, you’ll lose valuable supplies in order to get away.

Sound fun? It really is. You just have to be careful that you don’t get so wrapped up in the game that you lose focus on your surroundings–you wouldn’t want to run in front of a car or anything. Today, for example, I completed three miles and had just returned home when I was alerted to zombies. With nowhere to go, I had to run circles around my tiny backyard until I’d successfully evaded them, all the while my neighbors watched from their windows as they dialed 9-1-1. It was really only a matter of time, really.

So if you’re like me, and need some prompting to run, or maybe you’re just a zombie enthusiast, I highly recommend purchasing the Zombies, Run! app. Maybe it will convert you to running, as well. And if not, maybe the police officer who shows up at your house after the neighbors call 9-1-1 will be cute. It’s almost spring. Love is in the air. You never know.

Risen is on sale now! Even better, we’ve got a chance for you to win! Just enter via the Rafflecopter widget below!

Per the publisher, this contest is open to US residents only.

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Can’t wait to get your hands on the book? It’s only $5.99 and you can order it via…

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Entangled Publishing

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

Fans of Vampire Diaries and Twilight will be thirsting for this latest vampire addiction…

My aunt has been kidnapped by vampires, and it’s up to me to save her. Only…I had no idea vampires existed. None. Nada. I’m more of a reader than a fighter, and even though I’d been wishing to escape my boring existence in the middle of nowhere, I’d give anything to have it back now if it meant my aunt was safe.

Then there’s the vampire Sebastian, who seems slightly nicer than most of the bloodsuckers I’ve run into so far. Yes, he’s the hottest being I’ve ever come across, but there’s no way I can trust him. He swears he’s helping me get answers, but there’s more to his story. Now I’m a key pawn in a raging vampire war, and I need to pick the right ally.

But my chances of surviving this war are slim at best, when the side I choose might be the one that wants me dead the most.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Growing up, Cole Gibsen couldn’t decide what she loved more—dogs or books. Rather than choose, she decided to devote her life to both! Dog trainer (wrangler) by day and author by night, she’s the author of more than ten books with more on the way.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

By Kait

Kait is a New Englander, a YA book and adaptation lover, and a Slythindor, as well as a red velvet and red wine enthusiast. She likes to like things. Catch her on Twitter: @kaitmary

One reply on “Guest Post + Giveaway: Cole Gibsen On Paranormal Motivations (AKA Zombies, Run!)”

“Tell us about your favorite stories featuring vampires!” I don’t have any because I’ve never met any vampires! But the film version of “Dracula” with Frank Langella was good, as far as I remember!

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