Interview + Giveaway: Katie McGarry and Nowhere But Here

I couldn't be more excited today to be a part of the promotional tour (thanks Hannah and HarlequinTEEN!) for Nowhere But Here, the latest release from Katie McGarry. I have been a complete and utter Katie fangirl from page one of Pushing the Limits, and when I found out Katie's new series focused on a motorcycle club, I may or may not have dropped dead of swoon. All Katie's boys are magnificent book boyfriend material, but when she went ahead and added biker to the book boyfriend makeup my little heart nearly exploded in anticipation.

I had the pleasure of asking her a few questions about motorcycle clubs and of course Oz in particular, so I hope you all enjoy the interview. Don't forget to check the bottom of this post for a full list of participating blogs as well as a chance to win a finished copy!

You spent a lot of time researching the ins and outs of motorcycle clubs for Nowhere But Here. What's one small thing about them people might be surprised to learn?

Motorcycle clubs can be extremely family oriented. The club that I shadowed for my research for NOWHERE BUT HERE had a family style potluck dinner several Friday nights during the month. In general though, this club required that anyone under eighteen years of age leave around eight in the evening. After this, the party would go into full swing.

Just for fun, what would Oz or the members of Reign of Terror have to say about the portrayal of motorcycle clubs in Sons of Anarchy?

Oz especially would shake his head. It’s shows like this that shape the public’s perceptions of motorcycle clubs. Oz wouldn’t argue that there are motorcycle clubs that dabble in illegal activities, but those are referred to as 1% clubs—meaning that out of all the clubs there are, only 1% of those clubs participate in illegal activities. This means that a good majority of motorcycle clubs abide by the law. A club like Oz’s is a brotherhood of men.

You've written a number of swoon-worthy book boys over the years. If each of them was asked to describe you in one word, what word would that be?

I think each of them would describe me as hopeful. Noah, Ryan, Isaiah, West, Logan, and even Oz know that I like to put each of them in very difficult situations, but I always have hope that they will find themselves better by the end of the story over where they started.

If Emily could reach out to any of the young women from the Pushing the Limits series and ask for relationship advice as things progress with Oz, who do you think would be the most helpful to her?

Emily would definitely reach out to Echo of PUSHING THE LIMITS and Rachel of CRASH INTO YOU. Emily and Oz of NOWHERE BUT HERE share that attraction yet hate at first sight like Echo and Noah did in PUSHING THE LIMITS. But like Echo and Noah, Emily and Oz end up with a love that is epic.

I believe that Emily would eventually reach out to Rachel of CRASH INTO YOU because there is a connection between Isaiah and the NOWHERE BUT HERE crew. Careful readers will be able to make the connection in NOWHERE BUT HERE, and for those who don’t pick it up right away, stick with the THUNDER ROAD series and it will be explained.

Motorcycle clubs seem to embrace nicknames for their various members. If Reign of Terror was to consider you one of theirs, what nickname might they give you?

That’s a fantastic question! Examples of two of the nicknames of the people I hung out with were Fluffy and Mother.  Maybe my road name would be Writer Girl? Sometimes that’s what I would overhear me explained as when people asked. Road names aren’t something members get to choose for themselves. It’s a name that’s given to the member by the club. I met several members whose nickname was a reminder of a moment that made many people laugh.

Thanks so much for answering my questions Katie!

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NOWHERE BUT HERE

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

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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.

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.

Website • Goodreads • Facebook • Twitter

Don't miss out on more amazing books by Katie McGarry!

Pushing the Limits: Goodreads | Amazon
Crossing the Line (e-novella): Goodreads | Amazon
Dare You To: Goodreads | Amazon
Crash Into You: Goodreads | Amazon
Red At Night (Harlequin More Than Words) eNovella - Free from Amazon
Take Me On: Goodreads | Amazon

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GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the generosity of HarlequinTEEN, I have a finished copy of Nowhere But Here to give away on the blog today. WOO HOO! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US addresses only.


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WEEK ONE:

5/18 - Supernatural Snark (Interview)

5/19 - Step Into Fiction (Review)

5/20 - Novel Ink (Review)

5/21 - Mundie Moms (Guest Post)

5/22 - Book Rock Betty (Kiss & Tell Post)

WEEK TWO:

5/25 - The Irish Banana Review (Review)

5/25 - Jenuine Cupcakes (Interview)

5/27 - No BS Book Reviews (Review)

5/28 - Once Upon A Twilight (Guest Post)

5/29 - Fiction Fare (Review & Interview)