Q and A with Kara McDowell

Anyone else having difficulties making decisions recently? It's been a real struggle thanks to pretty much everything that is going on right now. That is why I could really relate to the premise of Kara McDowell's upcoming book One Way or Another. Today I am excited to have Kara stop by to share a little about the upcoming release. It sounds perfectly suited for the holiday season and perfectly adorable. 

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

The average person makes 35,000 decisions every single day. That's about 34,999 too many for Paige Collins, who lives in debilitating fear of making the wrong choice. The simple act of picking an art elective is enough to send her into a spiral of what-ifs. What if she's destined to be a famous ceramicist but wastes her talent in drama club? What if there's a carbon monoxide leak in the ceramics studio and everyone drops dead? (Grim, but possible!)

That's why when Paige is presented with two last-minute options for Christmas vacation, she's paralyzed by indecision. Should she go with her best friend (and longtime crush) Fitz to his family's romantic mountain cabin? Or should she accompany her mom to New York, a city Paige has spent her whole life dreaming about?

Just when it seems like Paige will crack from the pressure of choosing, fate steps in -- in the form of a slippery grocery store floor -- and Paige's life splits into two very different parallel paths. One path leads to New York where Paige falls for the city . . . and the charms of her unexpected tour guide. The other leads to the mountains where Paige might finally get her chance with Fitz . . . until her anxiety threatens to ruin everything.

However, before Paige gets her happy ending in either destiny, she'll have to face the truth about her struggle with anxiety -- and learn that you don't have to be "perfect" to deserve true love.

I was fortunate enough to have Kara answer a few questions about One Way or Another. She dishes on ice cream, her main character and more!

 1. What gif best describes One Way or Another? 

There’s a gif of Phoebe Buffay from Friends running back and forth in a wedding dress store yelling “WHAT DO I DO?” That frantic, anxious, confused energy is 100% my main character in the beginning of the ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. She can’t decide between spending Christmas break at a snowy mountain cabin with the boy she secretly loves or exploring New York for the first time. Fortunately, we get to see what happens in each scenario! 😉

2. If someone were to design a signature ice cream for your book what would be included? 

Oooh, I love this idea. It would be Frozen Hot Chocolate with White Chocolate Peppermint chunks. Sweet, indulgent, and perfect for the holidays. 

3. Describe your main character in three words. 

Paige Collins is ANXIOUS, filled with WANDERLUST, and IN LOVE. (Sorry, I cheated a little!)

4. Is there a particular song you listened to while writing this book

Yes! I have a whole ONE WAY OR ANOTHER playlist that can be found on Spotify. One song from it that really captures the spirit of the book is “You Are in Love,” by Taylor Swift. It’s about falling in love with your best friend, which is extremely relevant to Paige’s story. There’s also a line that says, “you two are dancing in a snow globe round and round,” which inspired one of the final scenes in the book. It’s cozy and romantic, just like ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!

I love how it sounds so cozy and romantic and perfect for a snowy day read. It releases October 6th so it'll be out in time for hot chocolate season! Side note, how amazing does that ice cream sound?!

Kara is running an amazing preorder campaign that will get you some fun goodies if you submit your receipt. Here are the details directly from Kara herself:

I am running a pre-order campaign for ONE WAY OR ANOTHER! Email your proof of purchase to karajmcdowell@gmail.com by October 6, 2020, and you’ll receive ONE WAY OR ANOTHER bookmark, a signed bookplate, and two character inspired temporary tattoos! The options are: pine trees, world map, black and white mistletoe, and a glitter snowflake. Let me know which ones you want or it will be random! I will also be signing all pre-orders through my local indie, Changing Hands Bookstore. 

She also offered up a peek at what those goodies look like!

 So cute, right? Be sure to add it your Goodreads and preorder from the retailer of your choice!

Amazon // Chapters // Indiebound // Barnes and Noble 

I love book that reminding me of the movie Sliding Doors and this one is definitely giving me those vibes. It is on my radar for my holiday reading.

Will you be reading One Way or Another? Let me know what you think in the comments.