Interactive E-Book: 'Find Me I'm Yours' Introduces A New Way To Read With A Transmedia Treasure Hunt [VIDEO, EXCLUSIVE]
For many book enthusiasts, the end of an enticing novel often leaves them wanting more. Award-winning author Hillary Carlip and co-creator Maxine Lapiduss have introduced a way to keep the story going - even after the text is finished - with their new interactive e-book, “Find Me I’m Yours.”
“Being an avid reader myself, I’ve felt that when a book is over that you love, you’re so sad,” Carlip, who wrote four other books, told Enstars.com. “This story never ends and I think from a reader’s standpoint that’s most exciting.”
The e-book, which falls under a new genre called Click Lit and took three and a half years to put together, follows the world of a quirky 24-year-old named Mags Marclay. As the character's story unfolds, readers are able to click on embedded links from 33 custom websites and view an array of interactive multimedia including videos, lists and photos that pertain to the story. On certain websites, there's even the option to upload personal content.
“There’s also the choice to participate and engage with the story as deeply as anyone wants to," the author and visual artist said. "It’s just giving them endless possibilities.”
Aside from its interactive portals, “Find Me I’m Yours” also tells a very compelling story of the struggling Los Angeles-based artist who is on a quest for true love after her boyfriend cheats on her. Mags finds herself in an unconventional predicament when she buys a video camera off Craigslist and stumbles upon a tape of a charming man – aka “Mr. WTF” – who leads her on a hunt to find him.
While some may disapprove of the character’s desire to find the stranger, Carlip believes every heterosexual woman wouldn’t be able to resist “Mr. WTF,” played by actor Rob Healy.
“I think everybody would want to be like ‘Oh my God, I totally want to find him,’” she said. “There’s something so inviting about him and accessible.”
The enticing search for Mags’ hopeful soul mate also teaches her a very important life lesson – Don’t settle.
“The whole book ends where she realizes that there’s both magic and disaster and we get to choose where to put our focus,” Carlip said. “If you keep your eyes open there’s some amazing stuff out there.”
“Find Me I’m Yours,” published by RosettaBooks, is available on Nov. 3. It can be purchased on Amazon, Kobo, Apple’s iBooks store and the Barnes & Noble’s Nook store.
- Anna Halkidis is a multimedia journalist, who earned her master's degree from the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism in 2012. Her work has appeared in Newsday, Women's eNews, The Mott Haven Herald, as well as other publications. Follow her on Twitter.