Kim McMahill

I hope everyone has had a fantastic holiday season and has plans to cap it off with a fun New Year’s Eve and Day. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all the support this past year. I hope all my readers have enjoyed my various adventure novels and, for a moment, were transported to another place and time filled with excitement.   Have a safe and happy New Year!   Thank you.

In a country comprised of over 900 islands spread out over a vast area of the South Pacific, transportation is often an enormous challenge. Many Solomon Island villages are connected only by the sea, and the locals have become very adept at moving everything via motorized canoes, including livestock. With no roads to a remote rural training center on the island of Makira in the Solomon Islands, I witnessed the process in action and it was something I will never forget.

Here’s wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas filled with the joys of the season and quality time with family and friends.    Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas!  

The Gingerbread House by Jacqueline Hopper is a truly wonderful and well-written novella. The author did an amazing job telling this important story in an uplifting way.   Helping her son overcome his fears brought on by her own childhood trauma is Keren’s number one priority. She worries too much damage has been done until she reunites with her long-lost best friend, who shares her painful secret. Through the remarkable work of The Gingerbread House, Keren is forced to relive her past in order to complete the healing process and prevent her phobias from scarring her child, and she discovers a new hope for happiness.    For more on Jacqueline and her work, please visit http://jacquelinedhopper.blogspot.com/

I would like to introduce Australian western author, Susan Horsnell, and welcome her to Embrace Adventure.   Just living in Australia conjures up all kinds of adventurous images in my mind, and I dream of going there someday. For now, let’s get to know Susan, and we can live our Australian dreams vicariously through her.   First, Susan, tell us a little bit about yourself.   I have been retired for almost 5 years which is wonderful. I now have the time to do the things I have always wanted. As a child I was a dancer, did TV work as well as Pantomimes at clubs during the holidays. We have a young granddaughter who is also fast becoming an accomplished dancer. We have a granddaughter who is a brilliant horsewoman and is very good at Marshall Arts, her sister is also very good at Marshall Arts. We have 2 gorgeous grandsons who are also into sports. We are very blessed.   What are your hobbies away from the computer?   We have 2 Jack Russell’s ...

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Reading December 11, 2013 (Amazon) By LAS Reviewer CIA agent Cash Luker leads an international team of agents and scientists in a desperate attempt to stop a terrorist group from getting their hands on a collection of crystals which have the power to destroy the world. Shrouded in Secrets is an action-packed highly suspenseful novel which is nearly impossible to put down. I think what impressed me most about the novel, however, was not the thrilling story, although that is certainly there. The plot takes place in the Bahamas, Arizona, Argentina, Mexico, and Peru. Each of these locations is described in rich detail, drawing the reader right into the mangroves or the Arizona desert. The story is told from multiple perspectives so the author has to be able to transport the reader easily and quickly between some very diverse locations, and overall, these jumps are handle well. In addition, the entire plot line revolves around ancient history, partic...

In Wyoming, black bear populations are widespread, whereas grizzly habitat is primarily confined to northwestern Wyoming, but as populations increase and habitat decreases, bears will expand their territory and reestablish in previous historical ranges or in new habitats. Grizzly bears have not inhabited the Bighorn National Forest since the early 20th century, but for the sake of fiction I have hastened the return of a solitary grizzly to the Big Horn Mountains just as a deadly storm is brewing …   Black and grizzly bears can be incorrectly identified if attributes such as size or color are relied upon. For a more accurate identification, it’s important to remember that b lack bears have no shoulder hump, tall pointed ears, and a straight facial profile from nose to ear. Grizzlies have a distinctive shoulder hump, short rounded ears, and its facial profile appears dished in.   Bears play a fairly small role in Big Horn Storm , but added to an already dire and deadly ...

Stone of Destiny by Mary L. Ball, is a heartwarming story of a young woman’s struggle to sort out what is most important in life in order to live a fulfilling and happy life. This is an all too common theme in today’s society, which makes this story especially relatable.    The main character, Taylor, has focused solely on her job. She thought a successful career would be all she needed to live a complete and happy life, until an unexpected event introduces a man who seems perfect, except she fears he might get in the way of her career aspirations. As Taylor embarks on an emotional journey, she begins to question many long-held beliefs. She finds guidance from her grandmother and an unexpected source, a missing family heirloom.    The author did a very good job intertwining the complexities facing Taylor’s future as she tries to balance family, the power of a mysterious stone, and priorities, all while struggling to untangle her feelings for a man, who despi...

I recently had the opportunity to visit Cartagena, Columbia. I spent my limited time exploring the “Old City,” which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was established in 1533 by the Spanish explorer Madrileño Don Pedro de Heredia. Much of the original city walls, constructed for protection from pirates, is still intact and encircles the winding cobblestone streets lined with colorful Spanish Colonial architecture. My time in Cartagena was too short, but what I did experience was amazing and I look forward to seeing more.