Take Me On Blog Tour – Interview with Katie McGarry

Posted 26 May, 2014 by Heather in Author Interview, Blog, Blog Tour, Giveaways, Heather / 39 Comments

The fourth book in the Pushing the Limits series comes out tomorrow, and I can’t wait for all of you to read Take Me On! To kick off Katie McGarry’s blog tour for the new book, I have an interview with her about Take MeOn. Check it out and head on over to your favorite book seller to pre-order this fantastic book.

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Interview with Katie McGarry

Heather: What made you decide to focus your next book on Rachel’s always up for a fight, bad boy brother West?

Katie:  We first meet West in CRASH INTO YOU. West is the older brother of Rachel, one of the main characters in CIY. He has a deep love for his younger sister, but it doesn’t always come out in the ways most of us would have liked to see.

There are certain events in CRASH INTO YOU that greatly affect West. Events that hurt him in ways that almost feels unrepairable. As Rachel once said of West:

My heart hurts as West and I stare at each other. Lines worry his forehead and the hurt that I see—is it possible that all his concern, his worry, his overprotection…could it be that he really just needs me to need him?

The moment I wrote that sentence in CRASH INTO YOU, I knew West had a story to tell. He acts like he’s in total control, but really, he’s falling apart.

For those of you who are wondering, you don’t have to read CRASH INTO YOU in order to read TAKE ME ON. I write all my books as standalones which means you don’t need to read a previous book in the series in order to understand another.

Heather: If you could describe kick boxer Haley, West’s trainer/love interest, in three words, what would you choose?

Katie: Fierce, strong, yet broken.

Heather: Take Me On takes place during the three month time period that was fast forwarded over in Crash Into You. How hard was it to fit the events of Take Me On in with the timeline that had already occurred in the previous book?

Katie: Not hard at all. The moment I realized that West had a story tell, I knew immediately what was going to happen to him and how it would all work out.

The fun part is that readers will see in TAKE ME ON how West came up with the idea of making Rachel a certain gift that he gives to her at the end of CRASH INTO YOU. When I wrote that scene at the end of CRASH INTO YOU, I already knew how West’s story would play out.

I think readers of the series will really enjoy going back to the end of CRASH INTO YOU and seeing how the two stories intertwine. But as I said, TAKE ME ON can be read as a standalone.

Heather: You had to do extensive research into drag racing for Crash Into You, and you seem to follow and really enjoy the sport to this day. Did you have the same opportunity to do some hands on research for Take Me On?

Katie: Yes! When I realized that West’s story was going to involve mixed martial arts fighting, I found a local gym that specialized in Muay Thai (kickboxing). The gym also helped train fighters interested in MMA.

This gym was absolutely amazing. They answered my questions, let me hang out during their training sessions, and even let me work out during their bag class. Do you want a great workout? A kickboxing bag class is the answer! I won’t lie, I spent a great deal of time in pain the next day after I would work out, but I never felt so good!

Heather: Can I just say how excited I am to see more of Abby? She was one of my favorite things about Crash Into You, and I’m looking forward to digging into her character a bit more in Take Me On. She has so much potential!

Katie: I LOVE Abby. Don’t tell my other characters, but Abby is possibly one of my favorite characters I have ever written. She is smart—street smart and knowledge smart. She’s possibly too smart for her own good. On top of that, she’s bold and a little bit dangerous. Abby also has this heart of gold underneath that tough exterior. She’s definitely a girl you want on your side and not as your enemy.

Abby plays a HUGE role in TAKE ME ON and I can’t wait for readers to learn more about her.

About TAKE ME ON

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Acclaimed author Katie McGarry returns with the knockout new story of two high school seniors who are about to learn what winning really means.

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she’d never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can’t stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she’d stay away from. Yet he won’t last five seconds in the ring without her help.
West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it’s his fault his family is falling apart. He can’t change the past, but maybe he can change Haley’s future.
Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they’ll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

 

 

About Katie McGarry

Katie was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Katie is the author of the full-length Young Adult novels PUSHING THE LIMITS and DARE YOU TO, and the e-novella CROSSING THE LINE. Her debut novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS, is a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and an RT Book Reviews 2012 Reviewer’s Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel.
Writing has given Katie an excuse to pursue her passions. Research for her books has provided her with the amazing opportunity to train with baseball players, ride along in a drag car at ninety-six miles per hour and experience boxing and mixed martial arts. The most memorable moments for Katie are when she speaks to groups of teenagers about her research, writing and the truth that no dream is out of reach. Katie would love to hear from her readers.
Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, at Twitter @KatieMcGarry, or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.

Find  Katie McGarry:

 

Novels by Katie McGarry:

Contest Info:

Each tour stop is offering up a copy of Take Me On, and one winner will receive a fantastic grand prize package from HarlequinTEEN, which includes: TAKE ME ON, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, SPEECHLESS and HEARTBEAT! Please enter via the Rafflecopter form. Giveaway is open to US/Canada

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Tour Schedule

Monday May 26 – Bewitched Bookworms 
Wednesday May 28 – Book Rock Betty
Friday May 30 – The Y.A. Bookworm Blogger

Monday June 2 – Fiktshun
Tuesday, June 3 – A Book and a Latte
Wednesday June 4 –  Harlequin Blog
Friday June 6 – Xpresso Reads

 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Heather

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I'm a PhD chemist who loves sarcasm, music, and books-paranormal, mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, and romance. Most of my free time is spent at the martial arts studio these days--whether practicing Combat Hapkido or reading books while watching my son's Taekwondo classes, or even working up a sweat with Kickboxing for fun. Goodreads

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39 Responses to “Take Me On Blog Tour – Interview with Katie McGarry”

  1. Nancy L.R.

    I am so freaking excited for this book! I Just love Katie’s books so, so much! I can’t wait to get to know West and to see some of my favorite characters again. Eeep!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply »

  2. Karen Maldonado

    I was kind of afraid of reading pushing the limits and not loving it, but after the first 2 chapters I was so in love with Echo and Noah not to keep reading.

    Also, I think the fact that I kind of disliked Isaiah and ended up getting swooned by him.

    Reply »

  3. Caitlin

    I loved Pushing the Limits and Dare You To. I’m going to get started on Crash Into You soon and I can’t wait for Take Me On! Katie McGarry is an amazing writer with awesome characters and plot lines. I will definitely be reading all her books as she releases them (and I hope she never stops!) 🙂

    Reply »

  4. Areej

    I liked Pushing the Limits i didn’t love it but I adored the other two. I think my favorite would have to be Dare You To but its a little hard to say because I also really loved Crash Into You. I’m excited for Take Me On.

    Reply »

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