5/20/2013

Sophomore Spotlight: Katie McGarry


I'm excited to introduce a brand new feature here on Read My Breath Away called "Sophomore Spotlight" where I plan on sharing info about exciting sophomore releases from authors you may already know and love.

I have a wonderful guest today to help me kick off this feature: Katie McGarry!

I'm sure many of you know Katie McGarry for her incredible debut novel, Pushing the Limits (for which I wrote a 5 star review here), but today we're talking about her follow-up companion novel, Dare You To.

To be published May 28, 2013
by Harlequin Teen

Goodreads Blurb:
Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"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....


I can't wait to read this one! Katie was kind enough to answer a few questions for me about Dare You To to help everyone get even more excited.

Welcome, Katie! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions. To start off, describe your sophomore novel, DARE YOU TO, in 5 words or less.
K: Intense, romantic, gritty, hot, swoon-worthy!

I like the sound of that!
What made you want to share Beth's story with readers?
K: There’s a scene in PUSHING THE LIMITS where Noah walks into his foster parents’ house and finds Beth bleeding. Her mother’s boyfriend abused Beth when she tried to spend time with her Mom on her Mom’s birthday.
Beth was such a broken character in that scene, yet she was trying to be brave. It’s then that I knew there was so much more to her than the front she puts on for the world.
I knew then that Beth would be my next story.

Beth definitely interested me in PTL so I'm really looking forward to getting to know her better.
How did the journey for DARE YOU TO differ from that for your debut, PUSHING THE LIMITS?
K: The biggest difference in writing DARE YOU TO is that I had an editor to bounce ideas around with while I was writing the story. She was always there to help me if I found myself having a plot problem!

What is the best part of already having a book out in the world?
K: It’s cool to walk into a store and see PUSHING THE LIMITS on the shelf. I still have to pinch myself because I have a hard time believing it.

Can you share a favourite quote from DARE YOU TO?
K: “It’s our rain, Beth.” ~ Ryan

Aww! I can already tell that I'm going to love Ryan.
I am going to be mean and make you pick: Noah, Ryan, or Isaiah?
K: That’s like asking which of my children I love more. :)
I loved writing Noah’s intense love for his brothers and Echo.
I loved writing the poet that is Ryan.
I loved writing Isaiah’s loyalty and his need to protect the people he loves.
Sorry, can’t pick!

Okay, I guess that's fair :) It wasn't very nice of me to ask in the first place, was it?
What is the last book you read?
K: Just reread Trish Doller’s SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL. I just love that book!

Can you share anything about your next project, CRASH INTO YOU?
K: Expect some fast drag racing and hot kissing scenes!

Ooh, you have me excited for it already! Thanks again, Katie!

You should all be excited about Dare You To, especially if you loved Pushing the Limits! You can also find all things Katie McGarry, including info about a companion e-novella to PTL, Crossing the Line, on her website!

Thanks to Katie's generosity, I have one signed copy of Dare You To (with an awesome Pushing the Limits bookmark included) to give away to one US/Can follower!

Some Rules (aka the not so fun but important part):
~ This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only.
~ No P.O. boxes.
~ Must be 13 or older to enter.
~ Winner will be chosen randomly and contacted via email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email, otherwise they forfeit their prize and I will choose another winner, who must abide by the same rules.
~ Neither Katie nor I are not responsible for lost or damaged packages.
No cheating! In this case, I have the right to disqualify entries as I see fit.
~ By entering the giveaway, you are agreeing to these rules.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

33 comments:

  1. I am very excited for Dare You To! It sounds so good and the interview made it sound...something I - everyone - would look forward to! I loooved Pushing the Limits and I'm expecting more...stuff in Dare You To! Thank you for the chance to get a copy of Dare You To! :D

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    1. I loved Pushing the Limits too, and Dare You To sounds so good! I'm definitely expecting more... stuff as well ;) Should be great!

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  2. I so, so, so want to read Dare To You! I am almost done with Pushing the Limits! Thanks so much for the chance to win! :)

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  3. I don't read a lot of contemporary, but I do love books like Pushing the Limits that aren't afraid to be real about tough subjects. McGarry does a great job making her stories believable and writing characters you can fall in love with.

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    1. I'm totally with you. I'm normally drawn away from contemp but I loved Pushing the Limits because it was honest and not fluffy. Great points; I really appreciate that stuff about her work as well :)

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  4. I am so excited for Dare To You! At first I was a little sceptic, cause that's just what I do with contemporaries, but after that interview? Man! I am so excited! (Sorry for repeating myself.)

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    1. Excited is a good thing! Her answers just made me even more impatient to get myself a copy!

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  5. Love the new feature idea!

    I'm excited for both of these books. I'm actually reading Pushing the Limits right now. I just started, but so far, I'm really enjoyng it!

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    1. Thank you! I'm glad to hear you're enjoying Pushing the Limits so far. I hear Dare You To is equally fantastic! :)

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  6. To be honest I have never read PUSHING THE LIMITS but both PTL and DARE YOU TO both have my attention now! I myself am a foster mother for sever behavior children within the system so I can empathize with Beth for sure!

    Just by reading the blurb, I want to know more about Beth and see her bloom as Katie says she does. I also am intrigued by Ryan. What are his secrets...what's he hiding? Why is there tension between them both...you know?

    I am also a huge fan of "oh I hate you, but love to be around you" relationships within novels. DARE YOU TO sounds like a great, super sexy, charged book and I look forward to reading it!

    I really enjoyed the interview with Katie as well. I always think it's cool to hear of an author just hanging out chatting with regular ole peoples like us! LOL.

    I do have a question for Katie if she wouldn't mind...if she stops by again!

    Katie...do you have any suggestions for aspiring writers? or even someone going after their dreams in general?

    Thanks again for the giveaway!!!

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    1. I too am really looking forward to Beth's blooming in Dare You To. She was in Pushing the Limits but not extensively and I really want to know more about her. I don't have any experience with the foster system, so I'm interested to learn more about that through her story as well.
      I think that if PTL was any indication, this will definitely be another sexy but honest book, so I'm very excited!

      I so appreciate that Katie took the time for the interview. It really is cool to be able to hear a little more about the book right from the author herself and yeah, that she sort of hung out for a bit with us regular people! :) Definitely wonderful of her.

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  7. I was completely heartbroken when I read the scene where Noah finds Beth bleeding in PUSHING THE LIMITS, I totally loved Noah in that scene and Beth´s bravery is something to admire. In that part I decided to make this series my favorite of all :D

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    1. Noah and Beth both have to be so strong in these stories and I'm so glad we're getting more of Beth because I agree, her bravery really is admirable :)

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  8. I want to read this book. I tried to win her first book and was unsuccessful. I have heard good reviews about both books so I hope to read one of her books very soon. Thank you for the excellent giveaway! :)

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    1. They are definitely worth the read, even if you don't happen to win. Good luck, though!

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  9. I enjoyed Pushing the Limits because it's about such an interesting time in all of our lives when we're trying to figure ourselves out. To be honest, I hated the name Echo. Sounds dumb! But I'm looking forward to the follow-up!
    Thanks for the giveaway!

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    1. I agree that that's definitely one of the appeals. Hopefully you enjoy Dare You To as well!

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  10. I'm so looking forward to reading Dare You To. I just finished Pushing The Limits last week, and it was great.

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    1. I'm glad you liked PTL! Here's hoping DYT is another wonderful one! (I think it will be).

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  11. I haven't read Pushing the Limits yet, but have it on my Summer list :D Great interview, it does seem cool to walk into a bookstore and see your book there!

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    1. Oh, and I'm Sarah in the rafflecopter :)

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    2. PTL is totally worth the read! Bump it up that list :) I do think that seeing your book in a bookstore would be amazing!

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  12. Many people have suggested that I read Pushing the Limits, so if I win Dare You To, I'll have two great books to read one after the other! Thanks for the giveaway.

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    1. I think they should definitely both be on your list, and hopefully you enjoy them! :)

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  13. I absolutely LOVED PTL. I didn't think a companion could affect me like it did. Boy was I wrong. I loved DTY as well!! Beth's character really resonated with me. I just adored this book. I cannot wait to read Isaiah's story!

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    1. I'm so glad to hear you loved them both that much! I was very interested in Beth in PTL so I'm excited to get more of her story in DYT. I'm really looking forward to Isaiah's story too!

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  14. This would be awesome to win. My teen daughter just finished Pushing the Limits and I was just telling her about the new Katie book so if I win your giveaway it will be a nice surprise gift for her. She kept coming out of her room to gush over the courage of the main character in PTL so I am going to read it next & maybe review on our new family book review blog :)
    Thanks for the giveaway, sorry to ramble on and have a great night!

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    1. I'm glad your daughter liked Echo so much. I was impressed by her in PTL and think Katie definitely has a way with characters. Good luck, this would definitely be a nice surprise for her! :)

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  15. Please enter me in your giveaway.
    It would be great to win a signed copy of Dare You To By Katie McGarry
    and the Pushing the Limits bookmark.
    In response to your questions of
    Are you excited for Dare You To? Why? Did you love Pushing the Limits?
    I haven't read Pushing the Limits or any of Katie McGarry's books.
    I enjoy reading and discovering new authors so now that i know these books exist
    i'll be looking for them when i go to my local bookstore.
    I enjoyed your interview and thank you for having this giveaway!!!!!!

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  16. Hi again! Just popping by for the daily tweet to get that extra entry in!! lol
    I haven't told my teen yet about this contest but mamma's got her *fingers crossed* lol
    Good Luck Everyone! 50 minutes to go!! ;)

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    1. Haha well good luck! I'll pick a winner soon, so keep those fingers crossed ;)

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I'd love to hear what you think!