Kim McMahill

Lindsey Paley may be a master of humorous contemporary Chick-Lit, but with Ugly Paradise , she shows a darker side. Ugly Paradise is a story of mystery and suspense set in the tropical paradise of Bali - the 'Island of the Gods' - but beneath beauty, evil lurks. Will Katie's quest to discover her identity lead her to the answers she craves or destroy her chance of happiness? To find out, keep reading or click on any highlighted Ugly Paradise Link to buy on Amazon for your Kindle for just $3.99. Back Cover Blurb: Katie Anderson has no idea who she is, or why she was abandoned to her fate after an attack by an escaped Sumatran tiger — the pet of a local Californian scriptwriter. Who was she with when she was attacked? Why was there a severed goat's head secreted in her rucksack? In the five years since the attack, Katie has grown accustomed to the indelible paw print etched on her cheek, which draws sympathetic glances and repulsed stares in equal measure. That

Living Desert Zoo After visiting a major metropolitan zoo about twenty-five years ago, which shall remain nameless since I would like to believe it has evolved a more modern zoo philosophy, I was in no hurry to ever visit another. Fast forward a couple decades, and I found myself at the Omaha Zoo, simply to kill a little time. I was floored. The habitats were so much more natural than I remembered from my previous experience.   Animals were integrated into their particular habitat, such as a desert or jungle rather than the old “reptile building.”   The zoo is constantly working to make habitats better, and it is currently constructing an immense African Grasslands that I can’t wait to see. Living Desert Zoo With my faith renewed, I visited the San Diego Zoo and was again pleasantly surprised at the lengths they have gone to make the habitats as good for the animals as possible. Most recently, I spent a few hours at the Living Desert Zoo in Palm Desert, California.   A fe

“Bears are made of the same dust as we, and they breathe the same winds and drink of the same waters. A bear’s days are warmed by the same sun, his dwellings are overdomed by the same blue sky, and his life turns and ebbs with heart pulsing like ours. He was poured from the same first fountain. And whether he at last goes to our stingy Heaven or not, he has terrestrial immortality. His life, not long, not short, knows no beginning , no ending. To him life unstinted, unplanned, is above the accidents of time, and his years, markless and boundless, equal eternity.”  - John Muir, 1838, Yosemite, California -

I am pleased to introduce inspirational romance author, Deborah M. Piccurelli, and her new novel , Love Comes Calling , available now through Amazon for your Kindle for just $0.99. Please continue reading for more on Deborah and her wonderful story. BLURB : The day new Christian, Derek Spencer, shows up on Charlie Parkes’s doorstep to make up for what he’d done, is the very day he falls in love with her. But Charlie’s sister mistakes him for a home improvement contractor, and he decides to play along until he finds a way to reveal who he really is.  Charlie is attracted to Derek, but knows the attention he pays her is only flattery. How could such a great-looking guy fall for someone with a face like hers? Nevertheless, the two form a relationship that brings a joy to Charlie that’s way beyond her wildest dreams.  But what will happen when Derek’s true identity is revealed? ABOUT THE AUTHOR After years of reading books and watching movies with an element of romance, D

Located northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada near the border with California, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a fascinating and unique ecosystem. The refuge was established in 1984, and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service. Over 23,000 acres of spring-fed wetlands and alkaline desert uplands protect a number of threatened and endangered species found nowhere else in the world. Water from over 100 miles to the northeast enters a vast aquifer system, and slowly moves underground until it is forced to the surface by a geological fault. The seeps and springs created as the water reaches the surface make the refuge a unique spot in the dry Mojave Desert. The visual contrast between the desert and the wetlands, along with its wide array of plant and animal life are well worth the detour on the way to Death Valley. For more information visit http://www.fws.gov/refuge/ash_meadows

When researcher, Grace Talbot, and her team discover a possible solution for weight loss, they become targets of a group dedicated to controlling the multi-billion dollar a year diet-product industry. Her unsanctioned testing methods bring tragedy to the family ranch, and the attention of the local sheriff’s deputy. With her colleagues either dead, missing, or on the run, she soon realizes she must trust the deputy with her life, but can she trust him with her heart?   Reserve your copy now through Amazon.

I’ve recently come across some really awesome adventure quotes that I’ll be sharing every now and then. If you like this one, watch for other, “Adventure Inspirations.” “What is adventure? If a lone wolf lifts his plaintive call into the moonlight near your campsite, you might call that adventure. While you’re sweating like a horse on a climb over a 12,000 foot pass, that could be adventure. When howling head winds press your lips against your teeth, you face a mighty struggle. When your pack grows heavy on your shoulders as your climb a 14,000 foot peak, you feel the adventure. When you suffer freezing temperatures and 20 inches of fresh powder on a hut to hut trip in the Rockies, that could be called adventure. But that’s not what makes an adventure. It’s your willingness to conquer it, and to present yourself at the doorstep of nature. That creates the experience. No more greater joy can come from life than to live inside a moment of adventure. It is the uncommon wilderness ex

The Mojave and Colorado deserts are both represented in Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua trees can be found in the higher elevations of the Mojave, while the lower Colorado Desert is populated by cholla cactus, ocotillo, and creosote bushes.   Aside from the namesake feature, there is plenty more to see including a myriad of plant and animal life, unique geological features, and remnants of the area’s human and cultural history dot the landscape. For more information visit http://www.nps.gov/jotr