Guest Post ANGELA McGARRYon Pushing the Limits @katiemcgarry @harlequinteen

Be sure to check out my review and a chance to win a copy HERE

Hi! I’m Angela McGarry: wife, mother, full time web developer, Katie’s sister-in-law and, thanks to Katie, I’m now an aspiring singer/songwriter. In my spare time I love to read, so when Katie gave me her book, Pushing the Limits, I was ecstatic.  From the first chapter, I couldn’t put it down. The characters are so real.  I instantly bonded with Echo, and could see myself falling for a guy like Noah when I was in high school. 

I read Pushing the Limits in less than two days (my kids had cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner those two days), and as soon as I sat down at the piano, the words just came out.

“I’m shattered, I’m broken, I’m scarred, Can you really see me?”

That’s Echo. Everything that she feels; everything that she sees herself as. I think every girl goes through this feeling in high school. Granted not everyone has the same scenario as Echo, but that feeling deep down in our gut is all the same. Does anyone know I exist; do I want them to know I’m even here?

The first time I played “Can You” for Katie I was a little nervous, having never done anything like this before, and I didn't want to let her down. I finished and turned around expecting feedback, and she was crying. It was one of the most impactful moments of my life (she probably didn’t know that until now).  I actually affected someone, through my words, my music, my voice, something I never thought possible…and I loved that feeling.  I can only imagine what Katie feels like having her book sold in so many countries, to so many different types of people.  You put your heart and soul out there on the line writing a book or a song…then you pray that people like it.  Katie gave me that push of encouragement I needed to take “Can You” to the next level.  Who knew a tear could do so much? J

Katie loved the song, and I loved that she loved it!  From there I found musicians to play the music, and came up with a harder “rock” version for the other side of Echo that doesn’t always show.  All of us girls have the quiet side and the louder side that sometimes isn’t seen.  Both the ballad and the rock version of “Can You” are available for purchase through iTunes and various other digital media distribution sites.  There are also previews of both versions on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIZgnIP9qEU and  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSF0Fh0cEyY.

This awesome experience for Katie has also opened doors for me in my music journey…one that I hope will only continue.  Pushing the Limits affected me in a way no other book ever has: it  rekindled a fire in my soul for the love of music.  It is my hope that all readers will have the same reaction to this remarkable book as I did.  It truly makes you look at the world through different eyes.