FABULOUS FIRST YEAR! Interview with Katie McGarry

FABULOUS FIRST YEAR!!

Congratulations to our very own Katie McGarry on the release of her second book, Dare You To!!

Dare You To

"I dare you..." 

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does.... 

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him. 

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

It’s been less than one year since your debut, Pushing the Limits was released. You have had amazing success and been nominated for countless awards including Goodreads Choice in the romance category (voted sixth place—John Green won first if that tells you what a big deal this is), a top pick for reluctant readers by the American Library Association, and you’re currently a double nominee for RWA’s RITA Award in the romance category and best first book—to name a few.

--Is there a particular award or nomination that means the most to you—one that you can cross off your bucket list? Or one you’re striving for?

I never expected any of the nominations. In fact, I never really dreamed of any of the above because it felt so out of reach.

I will say that I am excited and proud of all of them, but I am especially thrilled about the Top Pick for Reluctant Readers by the American Library Association. PUSHING THE LIMITS is a story of hope and I’m happy that it can reach more readers through this list!

--Obviously, this has been a life-changing year for you. Do you have any advice for other authors climbing the ladder from regular mom/wife to mom/wife/rising-star-author?

First off there is no such thing as a regular mom/wife. The amount of work we do—we are all superstars!

I always consider myself a wife/mother first and writer second. My husband and kids are my home base. While my career is important to me, my home is the top priority. I always make my decisions of how to divide my time based on this.

--Do you have any advice on handling social media for authors who’ve just landed their first deal?

Find what you are comfortable with and what fits your personality. Personally, I enjoy twitter. It’s fun to have conversations with people from books to movies to commercials I like on TV.

Whatever you choose to do, don’t overload yourself and make sure you don’t take on too much that you end up wasting your writing time!

--Beth is a secondary character from Pushing the Limits and I loved her from the first few sentences out of her mouth. When did Beth demand that her own story be told? And when did you know what that story would be?

There’s a part in PUSHING THE LIMITS where Noah finds Beth physically broken and bruised. It was in that moment that I knew Beth had a story and what it would be.

--Can you tell us one of your favorite Beth lines? (preferably one of her wickedly-dark snark-tastic linesJ)

Ryan: “When you kiss guys, do they drop dead from the venom that spews out of your mouth?”

Beth: “I wish, because I would have kissed you days ago.”

--Do you have a favorite scene?

The rain scene between Beth and Ryan!

--Can you tell us anything about your next book and when we’ll see it on bookshelves?

I’m currently working on Isaiah’s story, CRASH INTO YOU. I don’t have an exact release date yet.

--You’ve made a lot of YA contemporary romance “favorites” lists this year. Can you name a few of your latest favorites?

I love Trish Doller’s SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL!

Thanks, Katie, for taking the time to answer some questions!!

If you live in the US and would like a chance to WIN a signed copy of DARE YOU TO by Katie McGarry, simply leave a comment. Drawing will be held two weeks from today!