Reading was always a big part of Jane’s life. Over the years, creating stories developed out of this love. Unexpected Rewards is the sequel to her debut novel, Not Every Girl, released in May 2015.

She lives in New Jersey in a house full of boys, including one over-indulged cat. When she is not running around with her family or writing, she can be found curled up with a good book and said cat

You can visit her online at: www.janemcgarrybooks.com .

Does a big ego help or hurt writers? Most writers I know do not have big egos. There is something about sending your work out into the world that makes you rather vulnerable. I don’t think that would mix well with a big ego. The publishing industry can be a very humbling place. There is a lot of rejection which tends to keep your ego small.

Why do you write Young adults? I read a lot of genres and YA has become my favorite. The stories have creative plots with relevant themes and vividly portrayed characters. Many books I have enjoyed over the years have had a strong female protagonist. I wanted to write a feisty, resilient heroine who didn’t spend her time waiting to be rescued by the hero. Girls need positive examples of characters with strength and courage to help them feel empowered in life. Hopefully, Olivia achieves this in some way.

With Valentines almost here, what would be Olivia do on Valentine’s Day? Olivia is not the overly romantic type. She would likely be happy to just spend the day with Liam sparring or riding horses. He is the more romantic one in the relationship, so probably he would surprise her with some well-thought out gift.

What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel? The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, It is the story of King Arthur and his court as seen from the female perspective. The book is rich in archetypes and symbolism and told in a lyrical way that is quite poignant. It is one of my all time favorite books.

How do you balance making demands on the reader with taking care of the reader? Reading is like life, sometimes things happen that are painful and hard, but they wind up being pivotal moments in a person’s development. There are times something befalls a character that the reader may not be happy about, but it is essential to drive the story forward.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? My spirit animal would be a cheetah – I have bursts of really creative energy and then I need to slow down for a while. And like cheetahs, I enjoy catnaps. LOL

What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book? Most of the research I do is on the Internet. Usually, there are some preliminary searches before writing, but most occurs as the need arises while writing. For example, in Unexpected Rewards, Niobe uses herbs for various remedies. I had a basic knowledge of herbs, but had to research more in depth for what she would specifically use in a given situation.