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. Katie is the author of the full-length YA novels PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, and CRASH INTO YOU and the eNovella CROSSING THE LINE.

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.

 

EXTRA CREDIT INTERVIEW WITH KATIE MCGARRY:

Today’s star of LitPick’s “Extra Credit” is Katie McGarry! Katie is not allergic to bees, likes to write in colored ink, and is the author of over half a dozen contemporary YA love stories. Some of her titles include Take Me On, Red at Night, Pushing the Limits, Nowhere But Here, and Breaking the Rules.

Do you have a solid outline before writing, or do you usually get ideas as you go along?

I am a plotter by nature and have a solid outline for my books, but somewhere along the way my characters tie me up, steal the keys of the car, lock me in the trunk and take over, trashing my outline along the way. I have yet to write a book to my original outline.

Has someone you knew ever appeared as a character in a book (consciously or subconsciously)?

Each of my characters contain a small piece of me. For instance, in Nowhere But Here, Oz is dealing with a loved one who is dying. When I was a teen, my best friend battled a genetic disease that eventually took her life. I understand what Oz is feeling throughout the novel and I poured my emotions into him.

What do you do when you get writer's block?

I typically take a break, go for a walk and listen to music. I’m heavily influenced by music, and music usually unlocks the door that is shut to me when I have writer’s block.

If you could live in a book's world, which would you choose?

I would live in A Wrinkle in Time.

What is your favorite book-to-movie adaptation?

The Lord of the Rings.

If you could have lunch with one other author (dead or alive!), who would it be?

I would love to have lunch with S.E. Hinton.

You said, "As a teenager, I read The Outsiders so much that the cover fell off and almost every page in the book was dog-eared." What was it about Ponyboy's story that made you love it so much?

I understood Ponyboy. Growing up, I lived in a very complicated neighborhood filled with very complicated problems. The Outsiders was the first time I saw a reflection of myself, and that was a very powerful moment for me.

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Thanks for sending extra time with us, Katie! We agree – Lord of the Rings made a fantastic transition from page to screen. :) 

 

 

SIX MINUTES WITH KATIE MCGARRY:

Today Katie McGarry joins LitPick for Six Minutes with an Author! Katie is not allergic to bees, likes to write in colored ink, and is the author of over half a dozen books. Some of her titles include Take Me On, Red at Night, and Pushing the Limits. The Nowhere But Here series is due out in spring 2015 and Breaking the Rules (Echo & Noah #2) was released in December.

How did you get started writing?

 

Ever since I was a small child, I always created stories in my head, but it wasn't until about six years ago that I began to write them down. I studied the craft of writing, joined writing groups, and began entering my stories into contests.

 

Who influenced you?

 

My husband is my biggest supporter. He encouraged me to pursue my dreams and he's also a huge inspiration for the guys in my stories.

 

Do you have a favorite book?

 

I have two favorite books. The first is The Stand by Stephen King and the second one is S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders.

 

What advice do you have for someone who wants to be an author?

 

Read a lot. Write a lot. Study the craft of writing. Persistence is a big part of trying to get published, so don't give up on pursuing your dream!

 

Where is your favorite place to write?

 

I love writing on my front porch swing!

 

What else would you like to tell us?

 

That I am very grateful to my readers! You guys are the best!

 

Katie, thank you for spending six minutes with LitPick! We are looking forward to the release of the Nowhere But Here series in a few months!