Kim McMahill

Best wishes for a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year filled with hope and optimism. May we all work together, think about our words and actions, and strive to build a better tomorrow for the next generation. 

Welcome to the Decadent Decem-brr Reads Kindle Giveaway!  PRIZES · GRAND PRIZE – Kindle eReader + $15 Amazon gift card · 1 st  PRIZE – $50 Amazon gift card (1 winner) · 2 nd  PRIZE – $25 Amazon gift card (1 winner) · 3 rd  PRIZE – $10 Amazon gift card (1 winner) · 4 th  PRIZE – $5 Amazon gift card (1 winner) · 5 th  Various swag items (3 winners – US only) http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/080aaeb412/

I wish you and your family a holiday brimming with good cheer, and ample time with family to make precious and enduring memories. May your Christmas is filled with joy and happiness.

Welcome to the Decadent Decem-brr Reads Kindle Giveaway!  PRIZES · GRAND PRIZE – Kindle eReader + $15 Amazon gift card · 1 st  PRIZE – $50 Amazon gift card (1 winner) · 2 nd  PRIZE – $25 Amazon gift card (1 winner) · 3 rd  PRIZE – $10 Amazon gift card (1 winner) · 4 th  PRIZE – $5 Amazon gift card (1 winner) · 5 th  Various swag items (3 winners – US only) J ust click on this Rafflecopter link for your chance to win, and don't forget to get an entry by liking my author facebook page. Good Luck! http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/080aaeb412/

December may lay claim to the biggest holidays of the year, but there are plenty of other important and fun dates to note. Here’s just a few. Pearl Harbor Day – December 7 Poinsettia day – December 12 Winter Solstice, i.e. the shortest day of the year – December 21 Boxing Day – December – December 26 National Fruitcake Day – December 27 On December 7, 1877 Thomas Edison shows off his new invention, the phonograph; Gone With the Wind premiered in Atlanta Georgia on December 15, 1939; and James Mason invented the coffee percolator on December 26, 1865. And last but not least, December is Bingo Month and Write a Friend Month.

I ’m pleased to announce A Taste of Tragedy is a finalist in the N. N. Light Award for Best Mystery/Suspense in 2016 . Winners will be announced 12/23. Please keep those positive thoughts coming this way.

Welcome to the Decadent Decem-brr Reads Kindle Giveaway!  PRIZES · GRAND PRIZE – Kindle eReader + $15 Amazon gift card · 1 st  PRIZE – $50 Amazon gift card (1 winner) · 2 nd  PRIZE – $25 Amazon gift card (1 winner) · 3 rd  PRIZE – $10 Amazon gift card (1 winner) · 4 th  PRIZE – $5 Amazon gift card (1 winner) · 5 th  Various swag items (3 winners – US only) Just click on this Rafflecopter link for your chance to win, and don't forget to get an entry by liking my author facebook page. Good Luck! http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/080aaeb412/ And please join our FaceBook Party at  https://www.facebook.com/events/1813869542161372/  for more chances to win!

Love audiobooks, romantic suspense, and adventure? Three of my novels are now available in audible audio edition on Amazon. I’ve posted the blurbs below and just click on the title to go directly to each book’s page on Amazon. Enjoy! A Dose of Danger :   When researcher Grace Talbot and her team discover a possible solution for weight loss they are targeted by 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?    Shrouded In Secrets: The massacre of an unarmed South American village, destruction of one of the greatest manmade wonders of the world, and multiple museum thefts ignite a desperate scramble to locate a deadly group of terrorists. An international...

“Here, let me help you,” Morgan said as she draped Devyn’s arm around her shoulders. Morgan tried to relieve as much weight as she could from Devyn as she helped her hobble to the waiting vehicle. Once Devyn was seated in the cramped back seat, Morgan dug out her emergency supply bag. She handed Devyn a blanket and a bottle of water. “I have a first aid kit, but I think you need something a little more than a bandage.” “It’s just a few scratches. I’ll live.” Morgan could see why Nick trusted Devyn with his back. As she looked at the battered and bruised woman, who had taken off into the desert in the middle of the night in bare feet to prevent a criminal from getting away, she had to admire her. Devyn had to be in extreme pain, yet not a complaint escaped her lips. “Make room in the back,” Nick huffed. Morgan looked up to see Nick trudging toward her with an inert man slung over his shoulder. She raced to the tiny back cargo area and moved a few items around so Nick could sq...

I'm pleased to announce that the 2nd Annual N. N. Light Holiday Gift Guide is live. Check it out at https://princessofthelight.wordpress.com/holiday-gift-guide/

Thanksgiving is a time to be with family and friends, to put differences aside and celebrate. In 1621 the first Thanksgiving was celebrated between the Pilgrims and the Indians to give thanks for the bounty of the fall harvest. They prepared a huge feast including a wide variety of animals and fowl, as well as fruits and vegetables they had grown.  This early celebration was the forerunner of today's holiday tradition. However, after that first Thanksgiving the observance was sporadic and almost forgotten until the early 1800's. In 1941, Congress made it a national holiday and set the date as the fourth Thursday in November. I hope everyone takes time to celebrate and spend time with family and friends. 

The unmistakable haze of smoke filled the valley below. Snow covered the ground and weighed heavily on the pine boughs lining the highway, ruling out a forest fire as the source of the dark billows. The old rancher rolled down his window despite the bitter cold, and inhaled deeply. The air smelled of fire, death, destruction. With the last switchback navigated, he shifted up and pressed the accelerator down as far as he dared while driving on icy roads. He tried not to let his imagination get the best of him, but he couldn’t help but fear the worst. Someone, maybe him, was suffering a loss. As he approached the turnoff to his ranch he realized immediately that the nightmare belonged to him. A Dose of Danger - Book 1 in the Risky Research Series

Travel has the ability to change a person’s perspective on the world.  Experiencing different cultures, seeing in person the impacts of issues you hear about on the news, and making connections or new friends can deeply impact one’s views. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been able to see much of the U.S. and the world. I hope you have enjoyed my glimpses from around this country and around the globe. Travel has inspired and educated throughout history and will hopefully be available for many generations to come. Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. - Innocents Abroad, Mark Twain

You can find the tallest dunes in North America at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. This amazing and unique national park is located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado. There are no trails in the dune fields since the shifting sand would quickly make them disappear. Visitors can hike anywhere on the dunes as their footprints will also vanish. The park is open twenty-four hours a day year-round, but it can be very hot in the summer and cold in the winter, so plan accordingly. If you haven’t hiked in sand before, take plenty of water and don’t over-estimate your ability. Each step in sand takes more effort than a step on a solid surface and can be very tiring. For more information visit https://www.nps.gov/grsa . 

Wűrzburg was heavily damaged during World War II, but has since been completely restored, including its imposing Bishops Residence. The city is also a major wine-making center, surrounded by Franconian vineyards and it is home to one of Germany’s oldest and largest vineyards.

Friday, November 11, 2016, is the day specifically designated to honor and show our respect to all Veterans and their families for their selfless sacrifices for our freedom, though our gratitude should be expressed 365 days a year. The fact that so many are willing to serve is one of the many things that makes this country great. Thank you.

Don’t forget that Daylight Savings time ends today, November 6. You’ll need to fall back an hour in the fall, which will give you an extra hour of sleep, but it will be darker earlier at night. The U.S. General Election Day is Tuesday, November 8 this year, Veteran’s Day is November 11, and Thanksgiving is on November 24.    Other little known, but important dates this year are Caregiver Appreciation Day on November 13, the Great American Smokout on November 17,  and Universal Children’s Day on November 20. Happy November!

Heidelberg is Germany’s oldest university town, and it's home to the magnificent Heidelberg Castle, situated over 300 feet above the Neckar River. Heidelberg is a charming and beautiful city filled with stunning baroque architecture.

Located at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine rivers, Koblenz is a traditional German country town with cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and wood-beamed houses.

Have a fun, safe, and memorable Halloween.

I’ve made a few changes recently to better connect with readers, fans, and fellow adventurers that I hope everyone will check out. First I’ve finally launched an author page on Facebook. Just go to https://facebook.com/KimMcMahillAuthor to check it out, and all “Likes” are very much appreciated. The Author Page is still a bit of a work in progress, so please check back often. Here on my blog, I’ve changed out my book covers (along the right hand side of the page) with links directly to Amazon to make it easier to find my books. Also, if anyone wants to contact me there is a contact form at the bottom of my blog page and feel free to direct message me or follow me on twitter https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill .  On my blog, I’ll continue to post about travel, gardening, new releases, trivia and holidays, other items of interest, and of course, Embracing Adventure . I haven’t made many changes to my website, http://kimmcmahill.com , but if you’ve never visited or haven’t in y...

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is located in a grassy mountain valley in central Colorado. The Monument is home to one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Just outside the visitor center and along a marked walking trail you can see petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide. Inside the visitor center you can look at some of the thousands of fossils of insects and plants that have been found at the Monument and which reveal the story of a very different, prehistoric Colorado , one with a much wetter and warmer climate. There is also a restored homestead worth a look. For more information on Florissant Fossil Beds visit https://www.nps.gov/flfo .

The highlight of this small town was the 1,000-year-old imperial castle perched on a hilltop overlooking the town and the Moselle River.

“Here, let me help you,” Morgan said as she draped Devyn’s arm around her shoulders. Morgan tried to relieve as much weight as she could from Devyn as she helped her hobble to the waiting vehicle. Once Devyn was seated in the cramped back seat, Morgan dug out her emergency supply bag. She handed Devyn a blanket and a bottle of water. “I have a first aid kit, but I think you need something a little more than a bandage.” “It’s just a few scratches. I’ll live.” Morgan could see why Nick trusted Devyn with his back. As she looked at the battered and bruised woman, who had taken off into the desert in the middle of the night in bare feet to prevent a criminal from getting away, she had to admire her. Devyn had to be in extreme pain, yet not a complaint escaped her lips. “Make room in the back,” Nick huffed. Morgan looked up to see Nick trudging toward her with an inert man slung over his shoulder. She raced to the tiny back cargo area and moved a few items around so Nick could sq...

Sometimes the simplest activities can be the most rewarding. Traffic aside, viewing the spectacular fall colors on Kenosha Pass in Colorado was a moving experience. I don’t remember ever seeing such brilliant and vibrant colors. I doubted all the hype, but found the scenery lived up to the billing.

Bernkastel was an unexpected surprise since we happened to visit during its annual wine festival. I always associated Germany with beer, but I have a new respect for its wines and endless vineyards.

For all the hopeless romantics out there, I’m pleased to announce the recent release of Poetry of Love: The Engagement Year by N.N. Light. Please read on to learn more about this endearing work and I’ve included several poems for your enjoyment.. Book Blurb: I had been searching for love my whole life. It took the opening up of the world via technology for me to find my soulmate. Once I laid eyes on her, at the arrivals gate, I knew I was never going to let her go. The following is a collection of poems I wrote to my angel, from our first meeting up until our wedding day. I was working crazy hours as a chef and I had a long commute. I chose my commuting time to pen her a poem each day. These poems speak of our life, our challenges and our growth together...in every aspect they speak of our love. May this book give someone the courage to let their special someone know how much they care for them and how much they mean to them. Saying I love you is a gift you can give many ti...

Trier is one of the oldest cities in Germany and was once the regional capital of the Holy Roman Empire. It is nestled along the Moselle River and is filled with historic structures and surrounded by forests and vineyards. The Cathedral of Trier and the ancient city gate, Porta Nigra, were among my favorite sites.

“Here. Let me check your injuries.” He nodded, but made no effort to take off the souvenir t-shirt he’d purchased in Mexico to replace the shirt destroyed at Señorita Ruiz’s hacienda. Olivia eased the shirt over his head and dabbed at the scratches on his chest with a warm washcloth. Not until her fingers began tracing some of the deeper wounds, trying to determine if any debris still remained embedded that might cause infection, did Cash acknowledge her close proximity. He reached up, grabbed her hand, and brought it to his lips. He kissed her palm so gently that Olivia could taste his pain. Tears filled her eyes and slid down her cheeks. She wasn’t sure why his agony touched her so deeply, but it did. “I’m sorry,” was all she could think of to say, knowing it wasn’t enough. They sat for several minutes in silence, hand in hand. Olivia hated to free herself from Cash’s warm touch, but she doubted he was ready to talk about Zara, and the guilt and fatigue in his lost eyes tore...